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By admin: Dec. 3, 2022

Scientists urge Andhra Pradesh govt to protect glacial-period coastal red sand dunes of Vizag

Tags: Science and Technology State News

Geologists have said recently that the coastal red sand dunes of Vizag, have much significance geologically, archaeologically, and anthropologically and it needs to be protected.

About Coastal red sand dunes

• The Coastal Red Sand Dunes also known as 'Era Matty Dibbalu' is one of the many important sites in Visakhapatnam which have geological significance.

• The site is situated along the coast and is about 20 km north-east of Visakhapatnam city and about 4 km south-west of Bheemunipatnam.

• The site was declared as a Geo-Heritage Site by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) in 2014.

• The Government of Andhra Pradesh listed it under the category of 'protected sites' in 2016.

Significance of Coastal red sand dunes

• Such sand deposits are rare and are found only in three places in tropical areas in South Asia – Terry Sands in Tamil Nadu, Era Matti Dibbalu in Visakhapatnam and one place in Sri Lanka.

• Preserving this site is important, as its study can help understand the impact of climate change, as Era Matti Dibbalu has witnessed glacial and warm climate periods.

• The site is about 18,500 to 20,000 years old and it can be related to the last glacial period.

• They are anthropologically and archaeologically important as they possibly contain Mesolithic and neolithic cultural materials as well.

World Computer Literacy Day

Tags: Important Days

Every year on December 2, 'World Computer Literacy Day' is celebrated across the world to raise awareness about computer literacy and promote digital literacy.

Important facts

• With the invention of computers, tasks have become much easier and more convenient for mankind.

• It is extremely important for humans to get to know the technological developments happening across the world.

• Hence, it is known as World Computer Literacy Day dedicated to highlighting the importance of attaining literacy in computers.

• The day aims to promote technological help by uplifting women and children to get skilled in understanding computer language.

Background of the day

• The day started to help women and children learn computers.

• The day was first celebrated by NIIT on 2 December 2001.

• The concept of celebrating this day was first started by the leading Indian computer company NIIT. This year the 22nd anniversary of the day is being celebrated.

3 Indian-Origin Women Scientists Among Australia's "Superstars of STEM"

Tags: Person in news International News

Three Indian-origin women among 60 scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians have been selected as Australia's 'STEM Superstars'.

Important facts

• It is an initiative aimed at breaking the gendered perceptions of society about scientists.

• In 2022, three Indian-origin women to be recognized as STEM superstars are Neelima Kadiala, Dr. Ana Baburamani and Dr. Indrani Mukherjee.

• Apart from Indians, women scientists of Sri Lankan origin have also been selected in this.

About Australia’s ‘Superstars of STEM'

• Each year Science and Technology Australia (STA), the country's apex body in this field and representing more than 105,000 scientists and technologists, selects 60 Australian experts working in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Neelima Kadiyala

• Kadiala is an IT Program Manager at Challenger Limited and has 15 years of experience across multiple industries including Financial Services, Telco and FMCG.

• She moved to Australia in 2003 as an international student to pursue a Master of Business in Information Systems. 

Dr. Ana Baburamani

• Baburamani is Scientific Adviser in the Department of Defense - Science and Technology Group and has always been fascinated by how the brain develops and functions.

• Baburamani completed her PhD at Monash University and has spent 10 years as a post-doctoral researcher in Europe.

Dr. Indrani Mukherjee

• Ms Mukherjee is a geologist at the University of Tasmania and focuses on what drove the biological transition.

• She is working as a postdoctoral researcher in Tasmania, as well as in the areas of public outreach, geoscience communication and diversity initiatives.

The 138th birth anniversary of the country's first President Dr. Rajendra Prasad was celebrated

Tags: Person in news

President Droupadi Murmu has paid floral tributes to the first President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad on his 138th birth anniversary at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 3 December.

Important facts

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also paid tribute to former President Dr. Rajendra Prasad on his birth anniversary.

• Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar also remembered Dr. Rajendra Prasad on his birth anniversary.

About Dr. Rajendra Prasad

• Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the first President of independent India. He was one of the prominent leaders of the Indian National Movement.

• He left his legal profession for the freedom struggle. He was also an Indian independence activist, lawyer and scholar.

• He also served as the Food and Agriculture Minister in the central government after the 1946 elections. 

• He also served as the President of the Constituent Assembly of India.

• He was born on 3rd December 1884 in Zeradai, District Siwan in Bihar. 

• He did his MA (Economics) from the University of Calcutta in 1907 and joined the Dawn Society and the Servants of India Society.

• He won a doctorate in law from Allahabad University.

• He started practice in the Patna High Court in 1916 and founded the Bihar Law Weekly.

• He joined the Indian National Congress in 1911 and was later elected to the All India Congress Committee after which he met Mahatma Gandhi.

• He jumped into the Freedom Struggle Movement and participated in the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920.

President presents National Awards on International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Tags: Awards National News

President Droupadi Murmu on December 3, conferred the National Awards for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities for the year 2021 and 2022 on the occasion of International Day of Persons with Disabilities at a function in New Delhi.

Important facts

• The program was organised by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

• Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr. Virender Kumar presided over the function.

• On this occasion, President Murmu presented annual national awards to individuals, institutions, organisations and states and districts doing remarkable work for the empowerment of persons with disabilities.

• The National Awards for 2021 were given to 25 individuals, institutions and organisations.

• The National Awards for 2022 were presented to 29 individuals, institutions and organisations for their outstanding achievements and work done towards the empowerment of persons with disabilities.

• These awards were given in various categories including Sarvshresth Divyangjan, Shresth Divyangjan, Shresth Divyang Bal and Balika, Sarvshrestha Vyakti working towards the empowerment of Divyangjan and Sarvshrestha Rehabilitation Professional worker. 

• This award is presented by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment every year on the occasion of International Day of Persons with Disabilities i.e. 3rd December.

Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment - Virendra Kumar

Scientists revive nearly 48,500-year-old 'Zombie Virus' from bottom of frozen lake in Russia

Tags: Science and Technology International News

French scientists have warned of the onset of another outbreak after they revived a 48,500-year-old zombie virus buried under a frozen lake in Russia.

Important facts

• It has broken the previous record of a 30,000-year-old virus discovered by the same team in Siberia in 2013.

• This report is published in the New York Post.

• The new research was prepared by Jean-Marie Alempic, a microbiologist at the French National Center for Scientific Research.

• It has been said in the report that due to the survival of this zombie virus, a more devastating situation can arise in plants, animals and humans.

• Scientists have expressed the possibility of another epidemic like corona due to the survival of this virus.

Threat of melting glacier

• According to the report, due to global warming, permanently frozen ice is melting, which covers a quarter of the northern hemisphere.

• This has a destabilising effect on organic matter that has been frozen for millions of years, including deadly microbes.

• Research has shown that part of this organic matter includes revived cellular microbes (prokaryotes, unicellular eukaryotes) as well as viruses that have been dormant since prehistoric times.

What is a Zombie Virus?

• Zombie virus is the term given to a virus that is frozen in ice and therefore dormant.

• Research mentions 13 viruses, each of which has its own genome.

• It is called Pandoravirus Yedoma which is 48,500 years old and has the ability to infect other organisms.

• It was discovered at the bottom of a lake in Yukechi Alas in Yakutia, Russia.

• All of the zombie viruses have the potential to be infectious and hence pose a health danger.

• Scientists believe that epidemics like Covid 19 will become more common in the future.

Horticulture Cluster Development Programme

Tags: Government Schemes National News

The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has prepared a Horticulture Cluster Development Program (CDP), for which a meeting was held on November 30 under the chairmanship of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.

Important facts

• The implementation of the CDP will focus on the overall development of horticulture in the country.

• Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with garden crops, generally fruits, vegetables and ornamental plants.

About Horticulture Cluster Development Programme

• The Nodal Agency of CDP is the National Horticulture Board (NHB).

• Aim of CDP is to improve exports of targeted crops by about 20% and create cluster-specific brands to enhance the competitiveness of cluster crops. 

• Its objective is to promote the Agriculture sector in the country and to increase the income of the farmers by giving them a reasonable price for their produce.

• It will support integrated interventions to enhance the competitiveness of targeted clusters.

• The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has identified 55 horticulture clusters.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Tags: Important Days

Every year on 3rd December 'International Day of Persons with Disabilities' is celebrated. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has lauded the fortitude and accomplishments of Divyangjan. 

Important facts

• The day is celebrated to promote the rights and welfare of persons with disabilities at all levels of society and development and to raise awareness of the status of persons with disabilities in all aspects of political, social, economic and cultural life.

• The theme of 2022 is “Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fueling an accessible and equitable world.”

Background of the day

• The day was initiated in the year 1992 by resolution 47/3 of the 'United Nations General Assembly'.

• It aims to work towards providing equal opportunities for persons with disabilities through the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

• According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, more than 1 billion people worldwide are affected by disability.

What is disability?

• Disability refers to a condition in which a person is unable to perform a number of activities in comparison to the normal standard of a particular individual.

• The term 'disability' is often used to refer to individual functioning, which includes physical impairment, sensory impairment, cognitive impairment, intellectual impairment, mental illness etc.

World Bank to finance USD 250 million to Bangladesh for environment management

Tags:

The World Bank has approved $250 million in financing to help Bangladesh strengthen environmental management and promote private sector participation in green investments.

Important facts

• The successful implementation of the Bangladesh Environmental Sustainability and Transformation (BEST) project will help the country tackle pollution, benefiting more than 21 million people living in Greater Dhaka and beyond.

• The project will help in the construction of four vehicle inspection centers using private-public partnership, which will enable inspection of approximately 46,000 vehicles annually.

• An e-waste management facility will be set up to process 3,500 metric tonnes of e-waste annually.

• The project will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 1 million metric tons from targeted sources.

• The project will also establish the first network of 22 continuous surface water quality monitoring stations to start monitoring the water quality of Bangladesh rivers and targeted international rivers in real time.

Impact of pollution in Bangladesh

• Rapid economic growth and urbanisation in Bangladesh have increased environmental pollution to a great extent.

• Pollution is not only affecting the health of the country, but it is also eroding Bangladesh's economic competitiveness.

• Pollution-related deaths accounted for a fifth of all deaths in Bangladesh in 2019, costing the country about 12 percent of GDP, according to World Bank estimates.

• The project will strengthen the country's environmental institutions to better control pollution and promote sustainable development.

NADA to develop Apps to assist athletes verify medicines with prohibited substances

Tags: Sports Sports News

The National Anti-Doping Agency of India (NADA) is developing Apps to assist athletes to verify medicines with prohibited substances. 

Important facts

• Secretary (Sports), Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India Sujata Chaturvedi announced the app at the Inclusion Conclave organised by National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) in New Delhi.

• The inclusion Conclave was attended by participants from India and 20 countries.

• Shombi Sharp, United Nations Resident Coordinator, India also addressed the gathering. 

• NADA Director General and CEO Ritu Sen said the conclave was a step towards ensuring that the anti-doping program is inclusive and athletes with disabilities are not left behind.

• NADA is making all efforts to spread awareness to make Indian sports dope-free including sports for disabled players.