• 30 Jul 2024

Weak Monsoon in Haryana

Why in News?

According to the India Meteorological Department, due to weak monsoon Haryana may need to contemplate relief efforts for farmers who depend on monsoon rainfall and methods to alleviate water shortages.

Key Points

• According to the data, Haryana ended in a deficit of 38% from its normal as the state recorded rainfall at 114.6mm. 
• Monsoon conditions were in a "weak phase" through June and July in the region due to the delay in formation of La Nina, a phenomenon that typically brings favourable monsoon rainfall to the Indian subcontinent. 
  • Rainfall in deficit zones is expected to improve with the formation of La Nina later in August or early September.
• A researcher from the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP) think-tank stated that another climate phenomenon known as the Indian Ocean Dipole, which impacts the waters in the Indian Ocean, is currently in a neutral phase. 
  • A positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) brings favorable rainfall during the monsoon season.
• In the event of lower-than-expected rainfall following the withdrawal of the monsoon season, experts have indicated that the government will need to implement contingency plans. 
  • These plans may include providing additional support to farmers, ensuring the availability of water for irrigation purposes, and implementing other water conservation measures.

La Nina

• La Nina means ‘The Little Girl’ in Spanish. It is also sometimes called El Viejo, anti-El Nino, or simply "a cold event."
• La Nina events represent periods of below-average sea surface temperatures across the east-central Equatorial Pacific.
  • It is indicated by sea-surface temperature decreased by more than 0.9℉ for at least five successive three-month seasons.
• The La Nina event is observed when the water temperature in the Eastern Pacific gets comparatively colder than normal, as a consequence of which, there is a strong high pressure over the eastern equatorial Pacific.

The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)

• IOD, sometimes referred to as the Indian Nino, is similar to the El Nino phenomenon, occurring in the relatively smaller area of the Indian Ocean between the Indonesian and Malaysian coastline in the east and the African coastline near Somalia in the west.
  • The El Nino is the warmer-than-normal phase of the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, during which there are generally warmer temperatures and less rainfall than normal in many regions of the world, including India.
• One side of the ocean, along the equator, gets warmer than the other.
• IOD is said to be positive when the western side of the Indian Ocean, near the Somalia coast, becomes warmer than the eastern Indian Ocean.
• It is negative when the western Indian Ocean is cooler.

Manu Bhaker Wins Olympic Bronze

Why in News?

Recently, Manu Bhaker who hails from Jhajjar, Haryana won a bronze medal in the women’s 10m air pistol event  and bronze at 10m mixed team pistol event at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

• She is the first Indian female shooter to win an Olympic medal.

Key Points

• Medal in 10m air pistol event is the first medal for India at the Paris 2024 Olympics and the first Olympic medal in shooting for India since the London 2012 Games.
  • She also won bronze at 10m mixed team pistol event along with Sarabjot Singh.
• She is the fifth Indian shooter to win an Olympic medal, following Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (2004 Athens), Abhinav Bindra (2008 Beijing), Vijay Kumar (2012 London), and Gagan Narang (2012 London).
• Manu has also won medals at Asian Games (2022), World Championship, Baku (2023), Asian Shooting Championship, Changwon (2023), World Cup, Bhopal (2023), World Championship, Cairo (2022), World University Games, Chengdu (2021) sports events.

Olympics

• About:
  • The Olympics are an international sporting event that takes place every four years.
    • The goals of the Olympics are to cultivate human beings through sport and contribute to world peace.
  • The Olympics include: Summer Games, Winter Games, Youth Olympics Games.
• History and Origin:
  • Olympics trace their roots back around 3,000 years to Ancient Greece's Peloponnese region.
  • While the precise starting date remains uncertain, 776 BC is a commonly mentioned year in historical records.
    • The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece in 1896 based on the plan of Pierre de Coubertin.
• Olympic Rings:
  • The Olympic symbol consists of five interlocking rings of different colors (blue, yellow, black, green, and red) on a white background.
  • These rings represent the five continents of the world and symbolize the unity and diversity of nations through sports.

Safety Inspection of Coaching Centres in Madhya Pradesh

Why in News?

Recently, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister directed officials to inspect the coaching institutes in the State that have operations in basements. 

• This order came after three UPSC aspirants died by drowning due to water-logging in the basement of a coaching centre in Delhi.

Key Points

• Instructions have already been issued to the 16 municipal corporations of the State to conduct inspections of coaching institutes, hostels or other accommodation facilities, and any such establishments in their area. 
  • The State government has asked the civic bodies to submit a report in this regard.
• Many cities in Madhya Pradesh like Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior and Jabalpur have a number of coaching institutes for various competitive exams, including UPSC, judicial services and JEE and NEET entrances.
• The State has also been receiving heavy rainfall for more than a week with several parts such as Vidisha, Raisin and Ujjain facing flood-like situations.

Cheetahs in Gandhinagar Sanctuary

Why in News?

Recently, Madhya Pradesh chief minister announced that cheetahs would be released soon in the Gandhinagar Sanctuary in Mandsaur district.

Key Points

• The Chief Minister made the announcement on the occasion of World Tiger Day.
• On January 26, 2022, the Indian and South African governments signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to facilitate the relocation of cheetahs.
  • The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishes the restoration of the cheetah population as a priority for India. 
  • This initiative is expected to have significant and wide-ranging conservation implications. 
  • The primary goals are to re-establish the cheetah's functional role within its historical habitat in India and enhance the livelihoods and economies of the local communities.

Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary

• Location: 
  • Notified in 1974, encompassing the districts of Mandsaur and Neemuch in western Madhya Pradesh, bordering Rajasthan. 
  • The Chambal River bifurcates the sanctuary into two nearly equal parts, with the Gandhi Sagar Dam situated within the sanctuary.
• Ecosystem: 
  • Its ecosystem is characterised by its rocky terrain and shallow topsoil, which supports a savanna ecosystem. 
  • This comprises open grasslands interspersed with dry deciduous trees and shrubs. Additionally, the riverine valleys within the sanctuary are evergreen.
• Ideal Habitat for Cheetahs: 
  • The sanctuary's resemblance to the Maasai Mara, a renowned national reserve in Kenya known for its savanna wilderness and abundant wildlife, highlights its suitability for cheetahs.

SC Declines Interim Stay of Patna HC Decision

Why in News?

Recently, The Supreme Court has refused to stay the Patna High Court's order that set aside the increase in reservation for SC/STs, Backward Classes, and Extremely Backward Classes in Bihar from 50% to 65% in public employment and educational institutions.

Key Points

• The Patna High Court set aside the amended reservation laws in Bihar, which increased quotas for Dalits, tribals and backward classes from 50% to 65%, declaring the amendments as "ultra vires" of the Constitution, "bad in law" and "violative of the equality clause".
  • The amendments had followed a caste survey, which put the percentage of Other Backward Classes and Extremely Backward Classes at 63% of the state's total population, while SCs and STs were stated to have accounted for more than 21%.
• After the quotas were hiked, reserved seats in the state, including those for the economically weaker sections, came to be 75% of the total.

Reservation

• Reservation is a form of positive discrimination, created to promote equality among marginalised sections and to protect them from social and historical injustice.
• It gives preferential treatment to marginalised sections of society in employment and access to education.
• It was also originally developed to correct years of discrimination and to give a boost to disadvantaged groups.

Supreme Court Notice on Collapsing Bridges

Why in News?

Recently, The Supreme Court has asked the Bihar government to respond to a writ petition that highlights the recurring incidents of bridge collapses in the state.

Key Points

• The Chief Justice of India issued notice on the petition filed for a high-level structural audit of bridges in Bihar along with demolition or retrofitting of weak constructions to save lives.
• The petition has requested the court to establish a policy or system for the real-time monitoring of bridges, similar to the mechanism developed by the Roads and Transport Ministry for the preservation of National Highways and Centrally Sponsored Schemes. 
  • The focus of the policy should be on the "identification and implementation of real-time health monitoring of bridges using sensors".