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- Assam-Meghalaya border dispute partially resolved:
With the signing of a “historic agreement”, Assam and Meghalaya have partially resolved a 50-yearold border dispute in six of the 12 sectors along
their 885-km boundary.
About the Dispute
• Meghalaya was carved out of Assam as a separate state in 1972 but the new state had challenged the Assam Reorganisation Act, 1971, leading to dispute in 12 locations in the border areas.
• These include the areas of Upper Tarabari, Gazang reserve forest, Hahim, Langpih, Borduar, Boklapara, Nongwah, Matamur, Khanapara-Pilangkata, Deshdemoreah Block I and Block II, Khanduli and Retacherra.
• A major point of contention between Assam and Meghalaya is the district of Langpih in West Garo Hills bordering the Kamrup district of Assam.
• Langpih was part of the Kamrup district of Assam during the British colonial period but after India’s Independence in 1947; it became part of the Garo Hills and Meghalaya.
• Another point of contention is the Mikir Hills, which Assam considers to be its part.
• Meghalaya has questioned Blocks I and II of the Mikir Hills, now Karbi Anglong region, being part of Assam.
2. India’s 1st E-waste Park to be in Delhi: The Delhi government will build India’s first electronic waste eco-park in the national capital.
• The e-waste eco-park will consist of an authorized refurbishing market as a secondary product sale market for batteries, electronic goods, laptops, chargers, mobiles and PCs.
• This facility will consist of dismantling, refurbishing, segregation, plastic recycling, material wise storage, and testing, and precious metal extraction facilities, from Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) through high-end technologies.
• There will be end-to-end processing of e-waste and zero landfill will be ensured.
• It will provide integrated and environmentally-safe disposal of e-waste, using innovative technologies.
3. Konark is going to be the first model town in Odisha: Konark is going to be the first model town in Odisha to shift from grid dependency to green energy. The Odisha government has planned to run the Sun Temple completely on solar energy.
About Konark Sun Temple
•The Sun Temple built in the thirteenth century was conceived as a gigantic chariot of Sun God, with twelve pairs of exquisitely ornamented wheels pulled by seven pairs of horses at Konark on the coastline of Odisha, India.
•“Konarka” , the place bears a name composed of two World elements: Kona meaning corner and ARKA meaning the Sun.
•The Sun god worshiped in Ark Kshetra is also called Konark.
•The temple is attributed to king Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty about 1250 CE.
•It is dedicated to the Hindu Sun God Surya.
•This temple was called the “Black Pagoda” in European sailor accounts.
•It forms part of the golden triangle of Odisha, along with Puri and
Bhubaneswar, and attracts tourists, pilgrims, and history and art lovers.
• The Sun Temple, Konârak is protected under the National Framework of India by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act (1958) and its Rules (1959).
4. Seagrass protection project underway along AP coast: The Centre has initiated a project across the states of Andhra Pradesh,
Maharashtra, and Odisha on enhancing climate resilience of India’s
coastal communities by protecting and restoring India’s natural
ecosystems such as mangroves and seagrasses.
About the Programme
• The project had been undertaken at a total cost of US $130.269
million (around Rs 1,000 crore) which includes a grant of US
$43.419 million by Global Climate Fund (GCF) covering 24
ecosystems in these selected states.
• It aims to strengthen the climate resilience of coastal communities by
protecting and restoring India’s natural ecosystems such as
mangroves and seagrasses.
• Under the programme, study of seagrasses along the coastlines is
prominent.
• Andhra Pradesh coast is an area of major study in the programme.
5. Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh becomes 100th ‘Har
Ghar Jal’ District: Jal Jeevan Mission has achieved the significant milestone of
providing tap water to every home of 100 districts across the country.
About Jal Jeevan Mission
•Jal Jeevan Mission is a central government initiative under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
•It aims to ensure access to piped water for every household in India.
•The mission’s goal is to provide to all households in rural India safe and adequate water through individual household tap connections by 2024.
6. Himachal Pradesh gets 1st Biodiversity Park at
Mandi: Recently, Himachal Pradesh got the first biodiversity park to make its contribution towards the conservation of endangered Himalayan herbs.
What are Biodiversity parks?
•Biodiversity is the variety of plant and animal life in the world or in a particular habitat.
•Biodiversity is measured by two major components: species richness, and species evenness.
•Biological diversity is a precious resource intended for the continued existence of mankind, and hence, conserving biodiversity is concerned with restoring the equilibrium between humans & the atmosphere.
7. Atal Tunnel makes it to World Book of Records: Recently, Atal Tunnel has officially been certified by the World Book of Records as the ‘World’s Longest Highway Tunnel above 10,000 Feet’, during a landmark ceremony in New Delhi.
8. Chauri Chaura Incident: Recently, 100 years have passed since the Chauri Chaura incident which took place on February 4, 1922 at Chauri Chaura in the Gorakhpur district of British India.
About ‘Chauri Chaura’ Incident
• The incident took place on 4 February 1922 at Chauri Chaura in the Gorakhpur district of the United Province.
• A large group of protesters participating in the Non-Cooperation Movement clashed with police who opened fire.
• In retaliation the demonstrators attacked and set fire to a police station, killing all of its occupants.
• The incident led to the death of three civilians and 22 policemen.
• Mahatma Gandhi, who was strictly against violence, halted the non-co-operation movement on the national level on 12 February 1922, as a direct result of this incident.
09. Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve bags TX2 award: Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (Erode district, Tamil Nadu) has been given the prestigious TX2 award after its tiger numbers doubled to 80 since 2010.
About STR
• Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary and Tiger Reserve is a protected area and tiger reserve along the Western Ghats in the Erode District of Tamil Nadu.
• First declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 2008 and enlarged in 2011, it covers a forest area of 1,411.6 km2 (545.0 sq mi) and is the largest wildlife sanctuary in Tamil Nadu.
• In 2013, it became the fourth tiger reserve as a part of Project Tiger in the state of Tamil Nadu.
10. : Adi Shankaracharya’s birthplace to become A National Monument:
About Adi Shankaracharya
•Adi Shankaracharya was born in Kalady in Kerala in 788 C.E and disappeared in the year 820 C.E at the young age of 32.
•He was an exceptional child as Adi Shankara had become fluent in Sanskrit by the age of two. By four, he was comfortably reciting scriptures including Vedas.
•The burning quest for attaining superior knowledge from an early age pushed Adi Shankara to leave his home and set on the search for a guru.
•His quest ended with Govid Bhagvatpad at Omkareshwar (Madhya Pradesh) on the bank of Narmada river.
•Adi Shankaracharya championed the Advait branch of philosophy that declared that god and humans were not two. He then set out to spread the message of his guru.
