FAO’s Green Urban Oases Programme
Relevance:
Recently, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launched report on Urban forestry and urban greening in drylands.
News Summary:
- Report was produced in framework of FAO’s Green Urban Oases Programme.
- Key highlights –
- Some 35% of the world’s largest cities (including New Delhi, Cairo etc.) are built in world’s drylands facing a high risk of social, environmental and economic crisis as they grow.
- Scarce rainfall and water supplies compound negative impacts of rapid urbanization on drylands, leading to overexploitation of limited resources, increased land degradation etc.
- Urban forestry and greening strategies have yet to be fully incorporated in many dryland cities.
Green Urban Oases Programme:
- Launched in 2021.
- Aim – To improve resilience of dryland cities into ‘green urban oases’ by tackling climate, health, food and economic challenges.
- It contributes to FAO’s Green Cities initiative.
- Launched in 2020 to improve livelihoods and well-being of urban and peri-urban populations in at least 100 cities around the world in next 3 years.
Drylands:
- They are regions in which aridity index is not more than 0.65.
- Aridity Index: Ratio of annual precipitation and mean annual potential evapotranspiration.
- Drylands make up 41% of the Earth’s land surface, housing about 2 billion people, of whom 90% live in developing countries, mainly in Africa and Asia.
The “Miyawaki method” is well known for the: (2022)
- Promotion of commercial farming in arid and semi-arid areas
- Harvesting wind energy on coastal areas and on sea surfaces
- Development of gardens genetically modified flora using
- Creation of mini forests in urban areas
Reference: FAO
Virovore
Relevance:
Researchers have found the first known “Virovore”, an organism that eats viruses which may change our understanding of the role viruses play in the food chain at a microscopic level.
About Virovore:
- Identified as an actual species of protist that feasts on viruses.
- Virus-eating species of protists — Own kingdom on the tree of life and are not an animal, plant, or fungi, are now classified as Virovores.
- It is a species of Halteria – microscopic ciliates that populate freshwater worldwide.
- The microbe Halteria is a common genus of protist known to flit about as its hair-like cilia propel it through the water.
- They’re made up of nucleic acids, nitrogen, and phosphorus.
- It can eat huge numbers of infectious chloroviruses (infect microscopic green algae) that share their aquatic habitat.
- These organisms can sustain themselves with viruses, consuming many and growing in size.
- “virovory” – A virus-only diet –
- Virus are made up of nucleic acids, nitrogen, and phosphorus
- Scientists now identifies that virovory helps in the physiological growth and even population growth of an organism.
Reference: Hindustan Times
Mural Paintings
Relevance:
Recently, the Wall of Peace, a great work of modern mural art on the 700-feet long compound wall of School in Kerala was inaugurated.
Indian Mural Paintings:
- They are paintings made on the walls of caves and palaces.
- Earliest evidences –
- Caves of Ajanta and Ellora, Bagh caves and Sittanvasal cave.
- Vinaya Pitaka – Vaishali-Amrapali employed painters to paint the kings, traders and merchants of that time on the walls of her palace.
- Techniques and Process –
- Source – Vishnudharamotaram, a Sanskrit text of the 5th/6th century CE.
- Principal colours – red ochre, vivid red (vermilion), yellow ochre, indigo blue, lapis lazuli, lamp black (Kajjal), chalk white, terraverte and green.
- Brushes were made up from the hair of animals, such as goat, camel, mongooses, etc.
- True fresco method –
- Paintings are done when the surface wall is still wet
- Pigments go deep inside the wall surface.
- Example – Rajarajeshwara temple at Tanjore
- Tempora method –
- It is a method of painting on the lime plastered surface which has been allowed to dry first and then drenched with fresh lime water.
- On the surface, thus obtained, the artist proceeded to sketch in water colours.
- Mural –
- A mural is any piece of artwork that is painted or applied directly on a wall.
- Also appears on ceilings or any other large permanent surface.
- Mural paintings usually have the distinguishing characteristic of having the architectural elements of the space they are painted on being harmoniously incorporated into the picture.
The well-known painting “Bani Thani” belongs to the (2018)
- Bundi school
- Jaipur school
- Kangra school
- Kishangarh school
Reference: The Hindu
Agnipath Scheme
Relevance:
Ministry of Defence signed MOUs with other Ministries to award degrees to Agniveers.
News Summary:
- MoD, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship exchanged MoUs with various stakeholders to facilitate continued education and awarding appropriate skill certificates to Agniveers.
- Under MoU with National Institute of Open Schooling and Indira Gandhi National Open University, suitable Class 12 certificates and Bachelor’s degrees will be awarded to Agniveers.
- Market-ready and industry-accepted Kaushal Praman Patra will be issued at the time of their exit on the basis of job roles and skill sets mapped with National Occupational Standards (NOS).
About Agnipath Scheme:
- It is a recruitment scheme for Indian youth who wish to join Armed Forces.
- Soldiers recruited under the scheme will be called Agniveers.
- Scheme envisages recruitment of personnel below officer rank (PBOR) in army, air force and navy for 4 years, including six months of training.
- Age limit – 17.5 to 21 years.
- Only 25% of total recruits will be allowed to continue for another 15 years under permanent commission.
- Other 75% Agniveers will be demobilised, with an exit or “Seva Nidhi ” package and the proposed MoUs are about to benefit them.
Reference: The Hindu
Hydrogen Blending
Relevance:
NTPC with Gujarat Gas Ltd (GGL) started India’s 1st green hydrogen blending operation in Piped Natural Gas (PNG) network in Surat.
Key Points:
- Natural Gas is a composition of hydrocarbons (Almost 95% Methane & rest other Hydrocarbons).
- PNG is same natural gas which is brought at consumer end through a Pipe Line network.
- Hydrogen blending process is integration of concentrations of hydrogen into existing natural gas pipelines and the resulting blends can be used to generate heat and power.
- Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), regulatory body has given approval for 5% vol./vol. blending of green hydrogen with PNG to start with and it would be scaled phase wise to reach 20%.
- Benefits of Blending Hydrogen with PNG
- Reduces CO2 emissions keeping net heating content same.
- It will reduce hydrocarbon import bill significantly.
- India can also bring forex ashore by being a green hydrogen and green chemicals exporter to the world.
Reference: PIB
Asian Pacific Postal Union (APPU)
- An intergovernmental organization of 32-member countries of the Asian-Pacific region.
- Goal – To extend, facilitate and improve postal relations between member countries and to promote cooperation in the field of postal services.
- It is the only Restricted Union of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in the region, which is a specialized agency of UN.
- HQ: Bangkok, Thailand.
- Present Secretary General – India (Tenure: 4 Years)
108th Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA)
- Theme: “Science Technology for Sustainable Development with Women Empowerment”
- ISCA owes its origin to the initiative of two British Chemists, namely, Professor J. L. Simonsen and Professor P. S. MacMahon.
- Aim – To promote cause of science in India by holding annual congress, publishing such proceedings, journals and securing and managing funds for promotion of science.
- 1st meeting – Calcutta (1914)
Samvidhan Udyan (Constitution Park)
- It showcases the Constitution’s journey from its making to its implementation through sculptures and pictures on panelled glass.
- Built by – Jaipur Development Authority at Rajasthan
- Aim – To maintain awareness about the ideals of the Constitution and keeping the democracy of our country strong.
Unexploded Ordnance (UXO)
- A military ammunition or explosive device that remains unexploded even after it has been primed and fired is known as Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) in military parlance.
- Possibilities – Left-overs from a war, a military battle inoculation exercise, field firing exercises or even be part of military scrap that is often exported from one country to another to extract metal.
Places in News
Siyom River
- It is a right bank tributary of Brahmaputra
- It is a latitudinally flowing river in Arunachal Pradesh.
- River Siyang (Tsangpo) joins river Siyom in West Siyang district.
- It flows through western borders of Mouling National Park.
