1. A biodiversity park to highlight importance of Tamil Nadu’s Sirumalai Hills
Tags: State News
The Government of Tamil Nadu is developing a Biodiversity Park in the Sirumalai Hill Range in Dindigul District.
Its main objective is to create awareness for sustainable management of ecologically sensitive areas.
The park is a nature preserve that shelters the region's natural heritage and has educational and cultural value, as well as enhances the quality of the environment.
Various biodiversity components such as mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians etc. are found here.
Various types of flowering plants have been planted around the park and necessary irrigation facilities have been provided.
Combinations of pollinating plants have also been planned to attract butterflies and host plants.
About Sirumalai Hill
This hill is spread over an area of 60,000 acres in Dindigul district. They are situated at a height of 400 to 1,650 metres above sea level, at a distance of about 25 km from Dindigul city.
Highly disturbed scrub forests are found in the lower hill ranges, while tropical mixed dry deciduous forests are found in the middle hill ranges and semi-evergreen forests are found in the higher hill ranges. Many rare and endemic plant species are found in this mountain range.
Gaur, leopard, spotted deer, mouse deer, jackal, sloth bear, wild boar, Indian pangolin and many species of reptiles are found in this area.
What is Biodiversity Park
A Biodiversity Park is a unique forest landscape that establishes an ecological assemblage of native plant and wildlife species as biotic communities in an area. This park is a nature reserve area that preserves natural heritage.
2. Amit Shah chairs the Western Zonal Council in Diu
Tags: Popular State News
Union Home and Co-operation Minister Amit Shah chaired the Western Zonal Council meeting at Diu on 11 June.
Various issues related to border, security, infrastructure, transport and industries in western states were discussed in the meeting.
About zonal council
In 1956 first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru give the idea of creation of Zonal Councils.
In the light of Pandit Nehru's vision, five Zonal Councils were established under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.
These are is as under-
The Northern Zonal Council - States of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, National Capital Territory of Delhi and Union Territory of Chandigarh are included.
The Central Zonal Council - States of Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh are included.
The Eastern Zonal Council - States of Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Sikkim and West Bengal are included.
The Western Zonal Council - States of Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra and the Union Territories of Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli are included.
The Southern Zonal Council - States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry are included.
A Standing Committee is constituted by each Zonal Council consisting of the Chief Secretaries of their respective Zonal Councils of the Member States.
These Standing Committees meet from time to time to resolve the issues.
Chairman - The Union Home Minister is the Chairman of each of these Councils
Objectives of the Zonal Councils
National integration
Enabling Centre and States to collaborate and exchange ideas and experiences
Stopping the growth of regionalism, linguism and specific tendencies
To establish an environment of cooperation among the states for successful and speedy execution of development projects
3. President Kovind visits Atal Tunnel Rohtang
Tags: State News
President Ram Nath Kovind on 11 June visited Atal Tunnel Rohtang (ATR) which connects Kullu and Lahul Spiti districts on the second and final day of his visit to Himachal Pradesh.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur welcomed him by presenting him with a Thanka painting.
Governor Rajendra Arlekar also present on the occasion.
About Atal Tunnel
The 9.02 km long Atal Tunnel is the longest highway tunnel globally and connects Manali with Lahaul-Spiti Valley throughout the year.
It provides a strategic advantage to the armed forces by providing an alternate link to the crucial Ladakh region.
It has also been a boon to the residents of Lahaul and Spiti district in Himachal Pradesh.
This tunnel, built using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM), was dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 03, 2020.
It is equipped with a semi-transverse ventilation system, where large fans circulate air separately throughout the tunnel.
An emergency tunnel has been integrated into the tunnel cross-section under the main carriageway for evacuation during emergencies.
Fire inside the tunnel will be controlled within an area of 200 metres and fire hydrants will be provided at specific locations throughout the tunnel.
Pollution sensors continuously monitor the air quality in the tunnel and if the air quality in the tunnel is below the desired level, fresh air is injected into the tunnel through two heavy fins on each side of the tunnel.
4. Conflict between tribal and government over sale of tendu leaves
Tags: State News
In Chhattisgarh, the situation of controversy has started deepening these days over the sale of tendu patta i.e. Diospyros melanoxylon.
People of more than 50 villages in two districts have decided to sell tendu patta on their own.
Due to which the dispute between the tribal-dominated village and the forest department of Chhattisgarh government has started gaining momentum.
The state government says that tendu leaves have been nationalised, so only the government can sell them.
On the other hand, tendu patta collectors are referring to the Forest Rights Act and the 2013 Supreme Court judgement in the famous Niyamgiri case.
Tendu Patta collectors are preparing to register an FIR accusing forest department officials of committing excesses, illegal acts.
What are Tendu Leaves?
Leaves of Tendu tree are used as wrappers of tobacco to produce bidi.
Due to its wide availability, this leaf is considered as the most suitable cover.
Tendu is also known as 'Green Gold' and is a major minor forest produce in India.
Trade of Tendu leaves
In 1964, the trade of tendu leaves was nationalized in undivided Madhya Pradesh.
Earlier, people were free to sell Tendu leaves in the market across the country.
This was followed by Maharashtra in 1969, Andhra Pradesh in 1971, Odisha in 1973, Gujarat in 1979, Rajasthan in 1974 and Chhattisgarh in 2000.
Under this arrangement, the forest department of the state gets the tendu leaves collected, gives the permission for transportation and also sells them to the traders.
Cause of dispute
The dispute is about who has the right to sell the leaves.
State governments claim they can sell due to nationalization.
Tendu leaf collectors, on the other hand, refer to the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 and the 2013 Supreme Court judgement in the Niyamgiri case to say that private collectors can sell them on their own.
Tendupatta collectors allege that the government gives them a lower price for the leaves, while they get a higher price in the open market.
5. Ukraine war hits Surat’s diamond industry hard
Tags: State News National News
The diamond business of Surat has been badly affected due to the Russia-Ukraine war. The city is known for the cutting and polishing of diamonds, but the war has severely affected the supply chain of rough diamonds.
The big diamond factories in Surat have reduced the working days of the week and the small industries have stopped working for a while.
Diamond labourers have appealed to the Chief Minister of Gujarat for financial assistance.
In Mumbai and Surat, a large part of the diamond that comes as a raw material is imported from Russia, but the entire supply chain has been broken due to US sanctions.
Russian diamonds are generally smaller, accounting for 40 per cent of India's diamond trade by volume and about 30 per cent by value.
Its business worth $1800 million has been affected by the war with Ukraine.
Important facts about Diamond
Diamonds are a solid form of elemental carbon whose atoms are arranged in a crystal structure called a diamond cubic.
The diamond is the hardest material on Earth.
According to the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) in India, the diamond resources are concentrated only in three states, Madhya Pradesh has 90.17 percent, followed by Andhra Pradesh has 5.73 percent and Chhattisgarh 4.10 percent.
Russia and Botswana have the largest diamond reserves in the world.
India is known for its diamond cutting and polishing business, especially for small size diamonds.
Most of the world's diamond cutting and polishing business takes place in India, especially in Surat, Gujarat.
Diamonds are used in ornaments, grinding, drilling, cutting, and polishing tools.
6. Nirmala Sithraman to dedicate to the nation Dharohar – the National Museum of Customs and GST in Goa
Tags: State News
Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman would be dedicating to the nation ‘Dharohar’, the National Museum of Customs and GST in Panaji, Goa on 11 June.
Dharohar is set in the famous Blue Building of Panaji on the banks of river Mandovi.
This two-storeyed building which was known as Alfandega during the Portuguese rule in Goa has stood at this location for more than 400 years.
Dharohar is a one of its kind museum in the country which not only displays the artifacts confiscated by the Indian Customs across the country but also shows the basic customs procedures for the knowledge of the general public.
Notable among its exhibitions are the handwritten manuscript of Ain-i-Akbari, replica of Amin pillars, confiscated metal and stone artifacts, ivory objects and wildlife objects.
The GST Gallery has been added recently which showcases the journey of Goods and Services Tax.
7. Amazon India signs MoU with Manipur govt to sell Panthoibi Emporium products
Tags: Economy/Finance State News
E-commerce Amazon and the Manipur government inaugurated Panthoibi Emporium, an online platform for the display and sale of handlooms and handicrafts from the state.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed for this online store between e-commerce Amazon and the Manipur government.
The initiative will benefit about 300,000 artisans, weavers and members of tribal communities in the state.
Operated under the aegis of the Directorate of Handlooms and Textiles, Panthoibi Emporium is a part of Manipur Handloom and Handicrafts Development Corporation Limited (MHHDCL), a government enterprise for the development of local artisans.
Panthoibi Emporium on Amazon.in includes hand woven clothing, handcrafted hats and bags, terracotta products as well as kauna crafts – a unique handicraft of Manipur in which kauna wood is used to make baskets, purses, bags etc.
The Manipuri queen Phi, a hand-woven shawl made of silk, can also be found on the website.
In addition, food items typical of Manipur, including black rice, tea, GI tagged chillies, lemons and oranges, will also be available for sale.
About Manipur
Manipur is also called the 'Orchid Basket' of the country. 500 species of orchid flowers are found here.
This northeastern state is described as Swarna Bhoomi or 'Suvarnabhu'.
The major population here is Manipuri people known as Meiti.
Loktak Lake is an important lake here.
The language of the people here is Manipuri, which was added to the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India in 1992.
Capital- Imphal
Governor- L A Ganesan
Chief Minister- N Biren Singh
8. Mela Kheer Bhawani begins in Jammu and Kashmir after two years
Tags: State News
The annual Mata Kheer Bhavani Mela began on June 8 at Tullamulla village in Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir, with Kashmiri Pandits and tourists paying obeisance at the Kheer Bhavani temple.
Kheerbhawani Temple
The temple is dedicated to Goddess Ragya Devi.
The temple is located 30 km from the city of Srinagar, it is one of the holiest pilgrimage sites for Kashmiri Hindus.
The temple gets its name from kheer, or milk and rice pudding, which is offered by pilgrims inside the temple premises as prasad to the goddess.
The Kheerbhawani Mela is the largest gathering of Hindus in Kashmir after the annual Amarnath Yatra.
Legend has it that the water in the spring of the temple changes from white to red and black.
The colour of water is said to predict the imminent future.
If the water turns black, it is seen as inauspicious or an impending disaster.
Kashmiri Pandits say that the water turned black before they were forced to flee Kashmir during the 1990 insurgency.
9. The National Food Laboratory of FSSAI was inaugurated at Raxaul, Bihar
Tags: Popular State News
The National Food Laboratory of FSSAI was inaugurated at Raxaul, Bihar by the Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare and Chemicals & Fertilisers, Shri Mansukh Mandaviya.
Under the bilateral agreement between India and Nepal, this laboratory has been established in Raxaul to reduce the time taken in testing the samples of food items imported from Nepal.
The building for the laboratory was constructed in the year 2009, but due to lack of skilled personnel and departmental neglect, the institute till now functioned only as a collection centre.
In the laboratory, there is a system of testing products like oil, fatty goods, water, fruits and vegetables, beverages, grains etc.
In this, the quality of the product and its impact on public life are examined, after which permission for business and use is granted.
About Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India was constituted by the Central Government under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
It is operated under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
Headquarter- Delhi
Work
FSSAI works to ensure safe arrangements for production, storage, distribution, sale and import of nutritious food items for human consumption.
Apart from this, it helps in maintaining the prescribed standards of production and sale of food items at all the state, district and gram panchayat level of the country.
10. IAF heritage centre to come up in Chandigarh
Tags: State News
A heritage centre will be set up in Chandigarh to showcase the role and overall functioning of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in various wars.
An MoU was signed between the Union Territory of Chandigarh and the Indian Air Force for the establishment of this centre.
The 'IAF Heritage Centre' will be set up jointly by the Indian Air Force and the Chandigarh Administration.
The aim of the Heritage Centre is to inspire the youth to join the Indian Air Force.
The country's first Air Force Heritage Centre will house warplanes, simulators, rockets, missiles and more, and people will be able to read and watch the history of the Air Force.
About Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force was established on 8 October 1932.
Before independence it was known as the Royal Indian Air Force.
In the recently released World Air Power Index 2022, the Indian Air Force has been placed at the third position after the US and Russia.
Headquarters- New Delhi
Chief of Air Staff- Vivek Ram Choudhary.
