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By admin: Aug. 22, 2023

Last survivors of the Amazon rainforest tribe Piripkura found in Brazil

Tags: International News

Three remaining survivors of the Amazon rainforest tribe - Piripkura found in Brazil

An Overview of the News 

• In the heart of the Amazon rainforest, the Piripkura tribe remains one of the last bastions of indigenous culture.

• Despite having only three remaining members, they are engaged in the struggle against impending threats such as deforestation from logging and mining activities.

Piripkura Tribe:

• The Piripkura tribe comes from the Mato Grosso region of Brazil and leads a nomadic lifestyle.

• Renowned for their reclusiveness, they strive to preserve their traditional lifestyle.

• This indigenous group has faced significant hardships due to the invasion of their lands by illegal logging, mining, and other exploitative activities.

• Their territory faces threats from deforestation and resource exploitation.

Key facts about the Amazon rainforest:

• The Amazon rainforest, an extensive tropical rainforest, covers the basin of the Amazon River and its tributaries in northern South America, covering a vast area of 2,300,000 square miles.

• Covering about 40% of Brazil's total land area, it is bordered by the Guiana Highlands to the north, the Andes Mountains to the west, the Brazilian Central Plateau to the south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.

Other tribes living in the Amazon rainforest:

Yanomami:

• One of the largest indigenous groups in the Amazon.

• Residence in Brazil and Venezuela.

Kayapo:

• Found in Para and Mato Grosso, Brazil.

• Known for vibrant traditions like body painting and beadwork.

Ashaninka:

• Habitats of Peru and Brazil.

• Supporters of strong cultural identity and rights.

• The focus was on protecting the land from harvesting and illegal crops.

Tucano:

• Located in the upper Amazon in Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela.

• Known for spiritual practices and rainforest wisdom.

Awa:

• One of the most endangered tribes of the Brazilian state of Maranhao.

• Threatened by illegal logging and mining.

NGT action regarding Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary: Unauthorized mining

Tags: Environment place in news

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) intervened to address unauthorized mining in Odisha's Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary.

An Overview of the News 

• A complaint of unauthorized mining was raised in the eco-sensitive area of Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary.

• 97 sand mining sites were given on lease near Similipal-Hadgarh-Kuldiha-Conservation Reserve, especially Sukhuapata Reserve Forest Area.

• These mining activities violate the Forest (Conservation) Act, of 1980, and may harm the ecosystem and wildlife.

• Reference was made to the Supreme Court judgment (Binay Kumar Dalai and others v. State of Odisha and others) which indicated that mining should take place only after implementing a comprehensive wildlife management plan and preserving the traditional elephant corridor.

Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary:

• Located in northeastern Odisha, adjacent to the Simlipal National Park.

• Spread over 272.75 sq km, part of the moist deciduous forest region of the Eastern Highlands.

• Connected to Simlipal National Park through Sukhupada and Nato hill ranges.

• Sal trees dominate the mixed deciduous forests.

• These include tigers, leopards, elephants, gaurs, sambars, giant squirrels, hill mynas, peacocks, hornbills, migratory birds, and reptiles.

Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve:

• Part of Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve along with Simlipal and Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuaries.

• Local name: Tenda Elephant Reserve, provides protection to elephants.

India launches first hydrogen fuel cell bus service in Leh

Tags: State News

India's first hydrogen fuel cell bus service begins in Leh, marking the first commercial trial of this futuristic technology on public roads.

An Overview of the News 

• Leh, located in the high-altitude cold desert of Ladakh, will host this innovative project.

• The venture is being executed by NTPC, India's largest power-generating company.

• NTPC is supplying five hydrogen fuel cell buses to Leh Administration for intra-city movement.

• The company has set up a fueling station and a 1.7 MW captive solar plant to generate green hydrogen, which will be used to power buses.

• 7.5 acres of land have been given on lease in Leh for infrastructure development.

Ashok Leyland Participation:

• Ashok Leyland is the supplier of the buses, each costing around Rs 2.5 crore.

• The purchase was made under a global expression of interest issued in April 2020.

Rent Equity and NTPC's Commitment:

• Passenger fares for using the hydrogen fuel cell buses will reflect the cost of travel on the 9-meter diesel buses currently in operation.

• According to a statement from a company official, NTPC has promised to meet any financial shortfall in case of losses.

Salient Features of the NTPC Project:

• NTPC's project assumes significance for two reasons. Firstly, it marks the debut of commercially deployed hydrogen fuel cell buses on Indian public roads.

• Second, it is an unprecedented test of technology at altitudes above 11,500 feet, where the atmosphere is thin and oxygen levels are low.

Funding and Technical Lead:

• NTPC is funding the project through its CSR budget.

• The driving force behind this initiative is Gurdeep Singh, Chairman, of NTPC, who is committed to keeping NTPC at the forefront of energy transformation by adopting emerging technologies.

State Bank of India appoints four directors to the central board

Tags: Person in news

State Bank of India (SBI) announced the appointment of four directors to its Central Board. The newly appointed directors are Ketan Shivaji Vikamse, Mrigank Madhukar Paranjpe, Rajesh Kumar Dubey, and Dharmendra Singh Shekhawat.

An Overview of the News 

• These appointments are effective from June 26, 2023, and will be for a tenure of three years, ending on June 25, 2026.

• Ketan Shivaji Vikamse and Mrigank Madhukar Paranjpe have been reappointed as directors on the central board of SBI. He was originally appointed in June 2020 under Section 19(c) of the SBI Act 1955.

• Rajesh Kumar Dubey and Dharmendra Singh Shekhawat have been appointed as directors on the Central Board in place of B Venugopal and Ganesh Natarajan, whose term ends on June 25, 2023. He was selected under section 19(c) of the SBI Act, 1955.

Ketan Shivji Vikamse

• Wickhamse is a Senior Partner at KKC & Associates LLP, a Chartered Accountant firm established in 1936.

• He is an Independent Director registered with the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA).

Mrigank Madhukar Paranjpe

• He currently holds the position of Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at NCDEX E-Markets Limited.

• He has previously served as the MD & CEO of Multi Commodity Exchange of India Limited.

Rajesh Kumar Dubey

• He is currently responsible for the role of Executive Director (Personnel) in Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).

• He started his career in 1988 as a Direct Recruit Officer at the Life Insurance Corporation of India.

Dharmendra Singh Shekhawat

• He is the main partner of M/s. D.S. Shekhawat & Associates, a Chartered Accountant Firm since September 2002. He also serves as the chairman of TH.

• Jaswant Singh Memorial Trust. He has previously been an Independent Director on the Board of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and has been the Chairman of the Audit Committee of the Board.

About State Bank of India (SBI)

• It is headed by Dinesh Kumar Khara and is headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

• SBI was established in the year 1955 and is recognized as the "Banker for Every Indian".

Indian Coast Guard and Philippine Coast Guard sign MoU to strengthen maritime cooperation

Tags: International Relations Defence

The Indian Coast Guard and the Philippine Coast Guard have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their maritime cooperation.

An Overview of the News 

• The objective of the MoU is to enhance bilateral maritime cooperation between the two countries with a focus on ensuring safe, secure, and clean seas in the region.

• The MoU was signed in New Delhi by Rakesh Pal, Director General of, the Indian Coast Guard, and Admiral Artemio M. Abu, Commandant of, the Philippine Coast Guard.

• The two sides held their inaugural bilateral meeting after the signing of the MoU, addressing a range of maritime issues.

Areas of Focus: The key areas of cooperation under the MoU include:

1. Maritime Law Enforcement: Strengthening cooperation in the enforcement of maritime laws.

2. Maritime Search and Rescue: To enhance joint efforts in search and rescue operations at sea.

3. Marine Pollution Response: Collaborating to respond effectively to marine pollution incidents.

Delegation visit: A five-member delegation of the Philippine Coast Guard is on an official visit to India from 20 August to 24 August.