• 23 Mar 2023

Draft Notification Issued for 44 Wetlands in the State

Why in News?

Keeping in view the importance of wetlands, on the occasion of World Water Day celebrated on 22 March 2023, a draft notification marking 44 wetlands in different districts of the state has been issued by the Department of Environment and Climate Change as per the provisions of the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017.

Key Points

• There are 44 water bodies in the state that have been notified as wetlands. In relation to these wetlands, within 60 days, any person will be able to give his/her suggestions or objections to the Joint Government Secretary, Environment and Climate Change Department. Based on the suggestions and objections received during this period, a final notification will be issued regarding these 44 wetlands.
• Shikhar Aggarwal, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment and Water Resources Department, said that along with the GPS details of the wetland boundary and buffer area, a list of prohibited and regulated activities has been attached in the notification.
• Mining work, draining of water for commercial purposes, dumping of waste, industrial activities, poaching, farming, etc. have been prohibited within the limits of wetlands.
• It is known that wetlands are a rich ecosystem not only of animals but also of plants, where useful flora and medicinal plants are also found in abundance in wetlands as wetlands play an important role in their production.
• Wetlands absorb the excess of water during floods so that there is no loss of life and property in human habitation areas. These areas contribute significantly to environmental protection by performing important roles like 'carbon absorption' and 'increase in ground water level'. Wetlands are also very important for the livelihood of the local people.

Second Phase of 'Rajiv Gandhi Jal Sanchay Yojana (RGJSY)' Started

Why in News?

On 22 March 2023, Rajasthan's Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Ramesh Chand Meena virtually inaugurated the second phase of 'Rajiv Gandhi Jal Sanchay Yojana (RGJSY)' at the state level program organised at Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur on World Water Day.

Key Points

• Under the second phase of the Rajiv Gandhi Jal Sanchay Yojana (RGJSY), 2 lakh activities of water storage and conservation with an amount of Rs 2600 crore, will be done in 4600 villages in 349 Panchayat Samitis of 33 districts of the state.
• Minister Ramesh Chand Meena said that the villagers should fix the centre line for the rivers, make efforts for the revival of the rivers that have disappeared, plant more and more trees, use organic fertilisers for farming and cooperate in ensuring access of water to the reservoirs by removing encroachments from the roads.
• He said that the success of the Rajiv Gandhi Jal Sanchay Yojana (RGJSY) would be ensured only when the work being done under it is not only visible on the ground, but also increases the water level of the area. There should be discussion in every Gram Sabha regarding water conservation works and water harvesting works should be decided only after mutual discussion.
• In the programme, Panchayati Raj Minister, along with the launching of the department's YouTube channel, various social media handles, as well as awards for excellent works in the watershed area, were given at the district level, block level, project level and gram panchayat level.
• On this occasion, a short film was screened on the first phase of Rajiv Gandhi Jal Sanchay Yojana and the importance of water catchment works.
• It is noteworthy that 'Rajiv Gandhi Jal Sanchay Yojana' was started on 20 August 2019 to get the state out of drought and famine. Through the scheme, old wells, drains, rivers, reservoirs and canals are being cleaned by preparing an action plan for renovation and increasing their water conservation capacity. In the first phase of the scheme, 4029 villages have been included in 1450-gram panchayats.

President Confers Padma Shri Award on Baiga Painter Jodhaiya Bai Baiga

Why in News?

On 22 March 2023, President Smt. Draupadi Murmu honoured Madhya Pradesh's famous Baiga painter Jodhaiya Bai Baiga with the Padma Shri Award for the year 2023 for her special contribution in the field of arts.

Key Points

• The award was given in the first phase of the Civil Investiture Ceremony of Padma Awards at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
• Baiga tribal artist Jodhaiya Bai of Umaria has been awarded the Padma Shri award in the field of art for preserving tribal art and giving it international recognition. Jodhaiya Bai Baiga has been popularising the traditional Baiga tribal culture and philosophy through her paintings for decades.
• Significantly, on International Women's Day on 8 March 2022, the then President Ramnath Kovind honoured Jodhaiya Bai Baiga with the 'Nari Shakti Puraskar' for her extraordinary work towards women empowerment.
• It is noteworthy that on 25 January 2023, on the eve of Republic Day, the country's highest civilian awards 'Padma Awards' for the year 2023 were announced. Among these, four personalities of the state including Jodhaiya Bai Baiga were selected for the Padma Shri award.
• It is known that the Padma Award is included in the country's highest civilian awards. Padma Awards are given in three categories - Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The awards are announced every year on Republic Day.
• These awards are given in various disciplines/fields of activities such as arts, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service etc.
• 'Padma Vibhushan' is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service, 'Padma Bhushan' for distinguished service of high order and 'Padma Shri' for distinguished service in any field.
• These awards are presented by the President of India at formal functions usually held at Rashtrapati Bhavan around March/April every year.

Pooja of Jhajjar Qualified for Asian Games

Why in News?

Pooja Mor, a resident of village Redhuwas in Jhajjar district of Haryana, has qualified for the Asian Games-2023 by winning three silver medals in the National Para Championship held at Shivaji Chhatrapati Stadium, Pune, Maharashtra from 18 to 20 March 2023.

Key Points

• In the National Para Championship, Pooja Mor has won silver medal in 400 metre race, silver medal in 1500 metre race and silver medal in long jump.
• It is known that Pooja has been the national champion for three consecutive years under the guidance of her coach Ashish Chikara. In 2021, he won three gold medals. There, in the year 2022, two gold and one silver were achieved. Pooja had also won a silver medal at the international level in the 400 metres race held in Tunisia.
• It is noteworthy that the Asian Games is also known as Asiad. It is a multi-sport event held every four years in which only players from different countries of Asia participate. This year's Asian Games will be held in Hangzhou, China from 23 September to 8 October 2023.

Chhattisgarh Media Personnel Security Bill-2023 Passed in Vidhan Sabha

Why in News?

On 22 March 2023, the Chhattisgarh Media Personnel Security Bill-2023 was presented and passed in the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly. Chhattisgarh is the second state in the country, where the Media Personnel Security Bill has been passed.

Key Points

• It is worth mentioning that on 17 March 2023, the draft of the Chhattisgarh Media Personnel Security Bill-2023 was approved in the meeting of the Council of Ministers in the Committee Room located in the Assembly premises under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.
• While discussing with media representatives, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that all the journalists, whether they are from electronic media, print media or portals, who work in offices and those who work in villages, such people have been brought under the purview of the Chhattisgarh Media Personnel Security Act, so that they can be protected.
• To register those who do not have a letter of preference, if the press says that they are with us and who have written three articles or their story has been published in it within six consecutive months, such people have been brought under the purview of the Chhattisgarh Media Personnel Protection Act.
• If any government employee misbehaves with them, an empowered committee has been formed for their complaint. This committee will be of the state level, which will have journalists, officers, a committee of six people will be formed, which will conduct hearings and will be able to give necessary instructions and a provision has also been made for punishment.
• If someone is not satisfied with the decision of the committee, a provision for appeal has also been kept. But if someone makes a wrong complaint, then the provision of punishment has also been kept for him.
• It is worth mentioning that a drafting committee was formed under the chairmanship of retired Supreme Court Justice Aftab Alam, whose members were retired Justice Anjana Prakash, senior Supreme Court advocate Rajuram Chandran, senior journalist Late Lalit Surjan, Prakash Dubey, Chief Minister's advisor Ruchir Garg, Advocate General, Principal Secretary of Law Department, Director General of Police were its members.
• This committee prepared its draft after holding several meetings in the state and Delhi after discussing with various organisations and after that this draft was handed over to the department, after long deliberations by the department, it was given the form of a bill.
• After taking permission from the governor, it was presented in the assembly and this bill was passed in the assembly. Such a bill which is an original bill, and which was presented for the first time in the assembly of Chhattisgarh, the opposition also had to give its opinion in it. However, this bill was passed unanimously.

Cell Broadcast Technology

Why in News?

According to the information received from the media on 22 March 2023, in a workshop organised by the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA), Ronen Daniel, CEO of Utimaco Company, while giving his presentation on cell broadcast technology, said that this technology can be used to alert people in minimum time in times of disaster.

Key Points

• Cell broadcast technology can prove to be effective for the state of Uttarakhand surrounded by potential disasters. Through this, the damage caused after disasters like cloudburst, lightning, avalanche, landslide can be reduced to a great extent. This technology alerts people through mobile phones in case of disaster.
• In such a situation, all the mobiles present in the potential disaster area will start ringing automatically, even if the network in that area has come to a standstill.
• The cell broadcast technology system can disseminate CMAS alerts, which is the best standard in the world for issuing alerts.
• Utimaco Company CEO Ronen Daniel said that before the CMAS alert, there is a loud beeping sound on the mobile, a continuous vibration in the alarm tone and a pop-up message that does not stop until the concerned person closes it himself. It has the capability to alert millions of people within a few minutes. Meteorological warnings are also issued through this technique.
• It is known that all the countries of the world like Japan, Canada, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Korea, Netherlands, European Union are adopting this technology today. In India, the state of Andhra Pradesh has adopted this technique, where there is a danger of tsunami and cyclone.
• Salient Features of Cell Broadcast -
• Real time and location-based alerts.
• Mobile numbers are not required. SMS can reach one million people in a few seconds.
• There is no subscriber privacy issue, as cell broadcast does not require mobile numbers for transmission.
• Works even when there is a network jam (effective during flare-ups of communal riots, etc.).
• Data is not required, works in multiple languages simultaneously.
• Complies with all emergency standards.

Retrofit Solution Technology'

Why in News?

On 22 March 2023, the 'Retrofit Solution Technology' prepared by the Mechanical Cluster of the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, was presented in a workshop organised by the Transport Department of Uttarakhand to prevent vehicular air pollution which will give new life to diesel vehicles more than 15 years old.

Key Points

• Prof. Dr. Ajay Kumar of University of Petroleum and Energy Studies said that according to the University's Engine Laboratory, the pollution emitted from diesel vehicles is reduced to the minimum level in 'Retrofit Solution Technology'. Using this technology, vehicles like BS-6 will emit less pollution.
• With this technology, the old diesel vehicles can get new life and they can be made fit to run on the roads again.
• After burning diesel in old vehicles, the poisonous gas released from it spreads pollution in the atmosphere. To clean it, special filters are used in this technique.
• The 'Retrofit Solution Technology' uses a Diesel Oxidation Catalyst, which is a type of filter. It converts carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide. The fine particles in the smoke get trapped in the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF). Microwave ovens are used to burn these particles.
• The rays emanating from it burn the microscopic particles. After this they are taken out and the filter is cleaned. Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) filters are also used in this. In this, toxic nitrogen oxides are converted into water using liquid ammonia. This prevents the major elements causing air pollution from being emitted.
• According to the University's Engine Laboratory, this technology burns up to 60 percent of the unburned carbon in the exhaust of diesel vehicles. At the same time, 29 percent of carbon monoxide is converted into carbon dioxide. With this technique, up to 91 percent of the fine particles are destroyed by burning.
• It is noteworthy that this technology was created in 2020. An application has been made to patent it. After testing in several stages, the process is in the final stage. Through this technology, it has been successful in bringing the air pollution coming out of the vehicles to the minimum level like BS-6 vehicles.