Tag: geography

Assam Current Affairs – August 13-15, 2024

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Assam and North East Current Affairs & GK- August 13-15, 2024

(Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for August 13-15, 2024)

New Orchid Species Discovered in Sikkim

A unique orchid species- Gastrodia indica, was recently discovered in Fambonglho Wildlife Sanctuary, Sikkim, by botanist Madhusudan Khanal.

About Gastrodia indica: 

  • Gastrodia indica was found at an altitude of 1,950 to 2,100 meters.
  • It is the first orchid from India that never opens its flower. 
  • This is the first cleistogamous species of the genus Gastrodia discovered from India. 
  • The Gastrodia genus is known for terrestrial, herbaceous, and holomycotrophic orchids. 
  • Cleistogamous plants are highly specialized, as they do not depend on external pollinators like insects or wind for reproduction. 
  • Gastrodia indica is a holomycotrophic plant, meaning it depends entirely on fungi for its nutrients because it lacks chlorophyll.
  • It grows in moist, decaying leaf litter and is found near tree species like Magnolia doltsopa and Acer campbelli. 
  • Gastrodia indica faces potential threats due to its limited population and specific habitat requirements.

National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF): 2024

Union Minister for Education Shri Dharmendra Pradhan released the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2024. 

National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2024 were released for 16 categories this year, three more than last year, with open universities, skill universities, and State public universities being the three new categories.

 

NIRF Ranking 2024:  

  • Engineering Institutes: IIT Madras, IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay
  • Universities: IISc, Bengaluru JNU, New Delhi, JMI New Delhi 
  • Overall Institutes: IIT Madras, IISc, Bengaluru, IIT Bombay
  • Management Institutes: IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Kozhikode 
  • Medical Colleges: AIIMS, New Delhi PGIMER, Chandigarh Christian Medical College, Vellore 
  • Colleges: Hindu College, Delhi Miranda House, Delhi St. Stephen’s College, Delhi 
  • State Universities: Anna University, Chennai Jadavpur University, Kolkata Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 
  • Law Institutes: National Law School of India University, Bengaluru National Law University, Delhi NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad 
  • Architecture and Planning Institutes: IIT Roorkee, IIT Kharagpur, NIT Calicut 
  • Open Universities: IGNOU, Netaji Subhash Open University, Kolkata Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, Ahmedabad
  • Innovation: IIT Bombay IIT Madras IIT Hyderabad 
  • Agriculture and Allied Sectors: Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi ICAR- National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 
  • Research Institutes: IISc, Bengaluru IIT Madras IIT Delhi
  • Medical: AIIMS Delhi topped the category. 
  • Dental: Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, and Manipal College of Dental Sciences retained the top two positions. Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, New Delhi,  secured third position. 

 

About NIRF: 

  • Introduced by: Ministry of Education, Government of India, in 2015 
  • Aims to provide a fair and transparent assessment of higher education institutions in India. 
  • Evaluation Parameters: NIRF evaluates institutions based on five broad categories.
  1. Teaching, Learning, and Resources (TLR) 
  2. Research, Professional Practice, and Collaborative Performance (RPC) 
  3. Graduation Outcomes (GO) 
  4. Outreach and Inclusivity (OI) 
  5. Perception (PR)

Gallantry Awards 2024

President Smt Droupadi Murmu has approved 103 Gallantry awards to Armed Forces and Central Armed Police Forces personnel on the eve of Independence Day 2024. 

These are:  four Kirti Chakras including three posthumous; 18 Shaurya Chakras including four posthumous; one Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry); 63 Sena Medals (Gallantry) including two posthumous; 11 Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry); and six Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry). 

Gallantry Awards 

Kirti Chakra 

  • Total Awards: 4 (including 3 posthumous) 
  • Instituted in 1952 as Ashoka Chakra Class-II, renamed Kirti Chakra in 1967. 
  • Awarded for conspicuous gallantry otherwise than in the face of the enemy. 
  • The medal is circular in shape, made of standard silver. The obverse features an embossed replica of the Ashoka Chakra surrounded by a lotus wreath. 
  • The ribbon is green, divided into three equal parts by two orange vertical lines.

 

Shaurya Chakra 

  • Total Awards: 18 (including 4 posthumous)
  • Instituted in 1952 as Ashoka Chakra Class-III, renamed in 1967. Awarded for gallantry otherwise than in the face of the enemy. The medal is circular in shape with the Ashoka Chakra in the center, surrounded by a lotus wreath. 
  • Ribbon is green divided by three vertical lines. Bars are awarded for subsequent acts of gallantry. 

 

Sena Medal (Gallantry) 

  • Total Awards: 64 (including 2 posthumous and 1 Bar).
  • Awarded to personnel of the Indian Army for acts of bravery or exceptional service. 
  • The Bar recognizes additional acts of bravery. 

Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry) 

  • Total Awards: 11 
  • Gallantry award for the Indian Navy, recognizing exceptional devotion to duty or courage. 

Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) 

  • Total Awards: 6 
  • Instituted in 1960 to recognize exceptional devotion to duty or acts of courage by Air Force personnel. 
  • Includes awards for individual acts of bravery and devotion to duty.

 

Mention-in-Despatches 

The President has also approved 39 Mention-in-Despatches, including to Army Dog Kent (posthumous) for their significant contributions in different military operations. 

The operations include Operation Rakshak, Operation Snow Leopard, Operation Sahayata, Operation Hifazat, Operation Orchid and Operation Katchal.

  • Operation Rakshak: Ongoing counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operation in Jammu and Kashmir. 
  • Operation Snow Leopard: Response to standoff with Chinese forces along the LAC in Ladakh. 
  • Operation Sahayata: Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. 
  • Operation Orchid: Counter-insurgency in the Naga Hills and Tuensang area of Nagaland. 
  • Operation Hifazat: Counter-insurgency in the Nagaland-Manipur-Arunachal Pradesh area. 

 

Police Medals President’s Medal for Gallantry (PMG) 

President’s Medal for Gallantry (PMG): The highest police decoration for bravery, awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in saving life and property, preventing crime, or arresting criminals. 

1 PMG awarded to Shri Chaduvu Yadaiah, Head Constable of Telangana Police, for his extraordinary bravery during a violent confrontation with criminals involved in chain-snatching and arms dealing. 

Medal for Gallantry (GM): 213 GMs awarded for acts of gallantry, with categories including decorations for firefighters and civil defence personnel. 

President’s Medal for Distinguished Service (PSM): 94 President’s Medal for Distinguished Service (PSM) awarded for exceptional and distinguished service in police work. 

Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM): 729 Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM) were awarded for valuable service characterized by resourcefulness and devotion to duty.

Three new wetlands added to the list of Ramsar sites

The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change informed that three more wetlands from India have been added to the list of Ramsar sites. This makes the total Ramsar sites count in India to 85. 

The new sites are the Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary and the Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, and the Tawa Reservoir in Madhya Pradesh.

 

About the newly designated Ramsar Sites:

Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu): 

  • Nanjarayan Tank Bird Sanctuary is a protected area and bird sanctuary located in Tiruppur district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
  • It is a home to species like the Eurasian coot, spot-billed duck, and various herons. 

 

Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu): 

  • Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary is a protected area and bird sanctuary located in Villupuram district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
  • The sanctuary has the brakish shallow Kazhuveli lake, which is connected to the Bay of Bengal by the brackish Uppukalli creek and the Edayanthittu Estuary.

 

Tawa Reservoir (Madhya Pradesh): 

  • Tawa Reservoir is located in Itarsi of Narmadapuram District of Madhya Pradesh state, above Betul district. 
  • The reservoir was formed by the construction of the Tawa Dam. The dam provides for irrigation to several thousand hectares of farming land in Narmadapuram and Harda districts. 
  • Tawa Reservoir forms the western boundary of Satpura National Park and Bori Wildlife Sanctuary.

One India-One Ticket Initiative

Indian Railways and the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) have partnered to promote the ‘One India-One Ticket’ initiative, to enhance the travel experience for passengers on Indian Railways and Namo Bharat Trains.

Key Points

  • This initiative will enable a unified booking system, allowing commuters to seamlessly travel between Indian Railways and RRTS services.
  • It will allow passengers to book Namo Bharat tickets through IRCTC platform with flexible cancellation and payment.
  • RRTS ticket booking options will appear on the PNR confirmation page and within the user’s booking history.
  • Passengers can generate Unique QR code for Namo Bharat train ticket. The code will be valid for 4 days around the journey date options. 
  • Namo Bharat tickets can be booked up to 120 days in advance, aligning with the current Railway reservation window.

Vinay Mohan Kwatra assumes charge as Indian Ambassador to US

Former Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra assumed charge as the Ambassador of India to the United States. Kwatra succeeds Taranjit Singh Sandhu.

Kwatra has held various positions in many of India’s missions abroad and in India, bringing with him nearly 32 years of experience across a range of assignments. 

Kwatra has previously served at the Ministry of External Affairs and the Prime Minister’s Office as Joint Secretary. He also served as Minister (Commerce) at the Embassy of India in Washington, D.C., from May 2010 to July 2013. 

He headed the Policy Planning & Research Division of the Ministry of External Affairs between July 2013 and October 2015, and later served as the head of the Americas Division in the Foreign Ministry, where he managed India’s relations with the United States and Canada.

Huge reservoir of water under Mars, seismic data indicates

Scientists have discovered a reservoir of liquid water deep under Mars’ surface, based on seismic data from NASA’s InSight mission.

The study, ‘Liquid water in the Martian mid-crust’, was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). It was conducted by a team from the University of California San Diego, led by scientists Vashan Wright, Matthias Morzfeld, and Michael Manga.

 

Key Points

  • This finding has big implications for understanding how water cycles and climate on Mars have changed over time.
  • Water is located 10-20 km deep, believed to have seeped from the surface billions of years ago. If widespread, this water could fill an ocean 1-2 km deep across Mars.
  • The existence of liquid water raises the tantalizing possibility of discovering a habitable environment on Mars.
  • This discovery could redefine the search for life on Mars, shifting the focus to deep underground environments. It also suggests that Mars may have vast reservoirs of water that could have shaped its geological history.

Australia, U.S., U.K. Sign Nuclear Transfer Deal for AUKUS Submarines

Australia has signed an important deal with the US and the UK to share nuclear secrets and materials. This agreement is a key step toward giving Australia nuclear-powered submarines, as part of the AUKUS security pact.

 

About AUKUS 

It is a trilateral security partnership between Australia, US and UK signed in 2021 to strengthen security and defence interests. 

It aims to build nuclear-powered submarines for Australia

and to develop new military technologies together.

 

Key highlights of the deal 

  • Under the deal, the United States intends to sell Australia three US Virginia class nuclear-powered submarines, in the early 2030s, with an option for Australia to buy two more if needed. 
  • The multi-stage project would culminate with British and Australian production and operation of a new submarine class – SSN-AUKUS. 
  • SSN-AUKUS will be a trilaterally developed vessel based on Britain’s next-generation design. It would be built in Britain and Australia and include cutting edge U.S. technologies. 
  • Britain would take delivery of its first SSN-AUKUS submarine in the late 2030s, and Australia would receive its first in the early 2040s.

 

Impact of this deal

For Australia: Australia will join a small group of countries with nuclear-powered submarines, improving its naval power in the Pacific. 

Australia is committed to not using these submarines for nuclear weapons. 

For U.S.: This is only the second time the U.S. has shared nuclear submarine technology, the first being with the U.K. in 1958. 

For U.K.: The SSN-AUKUS will be built in the U.K. and Australia, using advanced U.S. technology. 

First units will be delivered to the U.K. in the late 2030s and to Australia in the early 2040s.

For India: It can be a tool in strengthening India’s idea of ‘strategic autonomy’ in Indo-Pacific and can complement Quad grouping.

For France: France is not happy with the deal and has termed this deal a “stab in the back” because Australia canceled a previous contract for French submarines.

For Indo-Pacific Region: Under this partnership, technology, scientists, industries and defence forces of these three countries will work together to deliver a safer and more secure region. Some analysts feel that this partnership will lead to intensified arms race in the region.

Govt Issues Guidelines for Model Solar Village Scheme 

The Government has issued operational guidelines for the implementation of Model Solar Village under PM-Surya Ghar-Muft Bijli Yojana.

Key Highlights of the Draft Guidelines

  • Under the scheme component ‘Model Solar Village’, emphasis has been made on creating one Model Solar Village per district across India, with the goal of promoting solar energy adoption and enabling village communities to become self-reliant in meeting their energy needs. 
  • Funding: A total financial outlay of ₹800 crore has been allocated for this component, providing ₹1 crore per selected Model Solar Village.

Criteria: 

  • In order to be considered a village under the competition mode, a village must be a revenue village with a population size above 5,000 (or 2,000 for special category states). 
  • The selection process involves a competitive mode where villages are assessed on their overall distributed renewable energy (RE) capacity installed 6 months after the declaration of the potential candidate by District Level Committee (DLC). 

The winning village in each district, with the highest RE capacity, will receive a central financial assistance grant of ₹1 crore. 

Implementation: The implementation of this scheme will be done by State/UT Renewable Energy Development Agency under the supervision of District Level Committee (DLC).

About PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana 

  • It is a central scheme to promote the adoption of solar rooftop systems by providing substantial financial subsidies and ensuring ease of installation.
  • It aims to provide free electricity to one crore households in India, who opt to install roof top solar electricity units. 
  • The scheme has an outlay of Rs 75,021 crore and is to be implemented till FY 2026-27.

Release of Publication “Women and Men in India 2023

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Government of India, released the 25th issue of its publication titled “Women and Men in India 2023”.

The publication is a comprehensive and insightful document that attempts to bring a holistic view of the situation of women and men in India and provides data on a wide range of topics such as Population, Education, Health, Participation in Economy, Participation in Decision making etc. among others. 

Key Highlights of the Publication

  • Population: By 2036, population of India is expected to reach 152.2 Crore, with a slightly improved female percentage of 48.8% as compared to 48.5 percent in 2011. 
  • Age Demographics: The proportion of individuals under 15 years is projected to decrease from 2011 to 2036, likely due to declining fertility. Conversely, the proportion of the population aged 60 years and above is anticipated to substantially increase during this period.
  • Sex Ratio: India’s population in 2036 is expected to be more feminine compared to the 2011 population, as reflected in the sex ratio which is projected to increase from 943 in 2011 to 952 by 2036, highlighting a positive trend in gender equality.
  • Age-Specific Fertility Rates: It is evident that from 2016 to 2020, Age Specific Fertility Rate in the age group of 20-24 and 25-29 has reduced from 135.4 and 166.0 to 113.6 and 139.6 respectively. 

The ASFR for the age 35-39 for the above period has increased from 32.7 to 35.6 which shows that after settling in the life, women are thinking of expansion of family. 

  • Adolescent Fertility Rate was 33.9 for illiterate population whereas 11.0 for the literate in 2020. This rate considerably lower for even those who are literate but without any formal education (20.0) as compared to illiterate women reemphasizing the importance of imparting education to women.
  • Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR): India has made notable progress in reducing MMR, achieving a rate of 97 per lakh live births for the period 2018-20. This is a significant step towards meeting the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of 70 by 2030.
  • Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) has decreased for both genders, with the rate for females equalizing with that of males at 28 per 1,000 live births in 2020. The Under-5 Mortality Rate has also reduced, indicating improvements in child health. Infant mortality rate (IMR) measures the number of deaths of infants under one year of age per 1,000 live births.
  • Labour Force Participation: The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for both genders has increased. 

For men, it rose from 75.8% to 78.5% between 2017-18 and 2022-23, while for women, it increased from 23.3% to 37% during the same period. This indicates greater female involvement in the workforce. Voter Turnout 

  • Election Participation: Women’s voter turnout has increased over the years. In the 2019 elections, women’s participation reached 67.2%, surpassing men’s turnout for the first time. This reflects growing political engagement among women. 
  • Women Entrepreneurs: The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has recognized a total of 1,17,254 start-ups between 2016 and 2023. 

Among these, 55,816 start-ups are led by women, constituting 47.6% of the total recognized start-ups.

CSIR-NPL Launches Certification Process for Continuous Emission Monitoring 

The Continuous Emission Monitoring System (CEMS) is crucial for tracking pollution in India’s industries. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) made it mandatory to install CEMS in 2014.

To address concerns over the reliability of these systems, the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research-National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL) launched a certification process to ensure CEMS meet national and international standards.

The certification process includes four levels of quality assurance (QAL-1 to QAL-3) along with yearly checks to keep CEMS functioning well. QAL-1 focuses on proving the equipment’s suitability through thorough testing and audits. 

To further improve the quality of CEMS data, CSIR-NPL is working with the CPCB to develop additional quality assurance procedures, aiming to create a complete framework.

About CSIR-NPL 

  • The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research-National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL) was set up in 1947. 
  • It focuses on measuring and setting standards. 
  • It helps industries by making sure their measurements are correct. 
  • The lab has advanced research facilities for many  scientific areas.

 

Assam Current Affairs – January 13-15, 2024

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Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – January 13-15, 2024

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for January 13-15, 2024)

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Current Affairs Assamexam

January 13-15, 2024 

Buffalo Fights Revived in Assam 

The Assam Government revived the traditional buffalo fight (Moh-Juj) after nine years.

About Moh Juj:  A Traditional Buffalo Fight in Assam

  • The riverside town of Ahatguri has hosted buffalo fight tournaments as part of Magh Bihu since 1972. But these large-scale events were stopped after the 2014 prohibition.
  • In May 2022 there was a major development – a Supreme Court bench upheld amendments to animal cruelty legislation by certain states. 
  • This allowed the resumption of specific bull-taming sports and related rural events. 
  • Following this, in October 2022, the Assam Government assured the Gauhati High Court that it would formulate standard operating procedures (SOPs) to regulate traditional practices like buffalo fights. 
  • Subsequently, in December 2023, the Assam cabinet formally approved the revival of buffalo fights under strict rules and protocols. 
  • This nod from the state government paved the way for restarting this cultural event in a regulated manner after years of prohibition. 

Seven products from Odisha Geographical Indication (GI) Tag

Recently, seven products from Odisha, ranging from the Similipal Kai chutney made with red weaver ants to the embroidered Kapdaganda shawl, have bagged the coveted Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

About Lanjia Saura Painting

  • Lanjia Saurpa Painting is one of the oldest tribal art forms.
  • It is also known as Idital. The artworks are famous for their beauty, aesthetics, ritualistic association and iconography. 
  • It belongs to the Lanjia Saura community, a PVTG largely residing in the Rayagada district. 
  • These paintings are in the form of exterior murals painted on the mud walls of homes.

About Kapdaganda Shawl 

  • It is woven and embroidered by the women of the Dongria Kondh tribe, a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) in the Niyamgiri hills in Odisha’s Rayagada and Kalahandi districts. 
  • The shawl reflects the rich tribal heritage of the Dongria Kondhs. 
  • The shawl is worn by both men and women and the Dongrias gift it to their family members as a token of love and affection.

Koraput Kala Jeera Rice 

  • Famous for its aroma, taste, texture and nutritional value. 
  • As the rice grains resemble cumin seeds, it is also called Kala Jeera. 
  • Its consumption helps in increasing haemoglobin levels and improves metabolism in the body. 

Nayagarh Kanteimundi Brinjal 

  • It is known for its prickly thorns on the stems and the whole plant. The green and round fruits contain more seeds as compared to other genotypes. 
  • It is famous for its unique taste and relatively short quick cooking time. 
  • The plants are resistant to major insects and can be grown with minimal pesticide. 

Odisha Khajuri Guda (Jaggery) 

  • It is a natural sweetener extracted from date palm trees and has its origin in the Gajapati district. 
  • Traditionally, the jaggery is prepared in a trapezoidal form called ‘Patali Gur’ and is organic by nature. 
  • It is dark brown and has a unique taste. 

Dhenkanal Magji 

  • It is a type of sweet made from cheese from buffalo milk, with distinct characteristics in terms of appearance, taste, flavour, shape, and size. 
  • It also has unique nutritional values that distinguish it from other cheese-brd sweets.

SBI Green Rupee Term Deposit (SGRTD) Scheme

Recently, the State Bank of India (SBI) launched the SBI Green Rupee Term Deposit (SGRTD) to mobilize funds to support environment friendly initiatives and projects.

About SBI Green Rupee Term Deposit (SGRTD) Scheme

  • The SGRTD is a deposit scheme that aims to raise funds for environmentally-friendly initiatives and projects.
  • The scheme is open to NRIs, non-individuals, and resident individuals.
  • It offers investors the flexibility to choose from three distinct tenors: 1,111 days, 1,777 days, and 2,222 days.
  • Pre-mature withdrawals are allowed under the scheme. 
  • Loan/ overdraft facility will be available against the deposit. 
  • Senior Citizens/ Staff/ Staff Senior Citizens are eligible for an additional interest rate over the applicable rate for the public. 
  • The benefit of additional interest shall not be available to NRI Senior Citizens/NRI Staff.

About Green Deposit

A Green deposit is an interest-bearing deposit, received by the regulated entities (RE) for a fixed period, the proceeds of which are earmarked for being allocated towards green finance. 

The deposits raised under the framework are covered by the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC).

IUCN Assessment of the Himalayan Wolf

The Himalayan Wolf has been assessed for the first time on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and categorised as ‘Vulnerable’.

 

About Himalayan Wolf

  • The Himalayan Wolf (Canis lupus chanco), a prominent lupine predator found across the Himalayas.
  • The Himalayan wolf resides on the Tibetan Plateau in China, particularly in Gansu, Qinghai, Tibet, and western Sichuan provinces.
  • It is a subspecies of the gray wolf found in the Himalayan region, spanning areas such as Nepal, India, and the Tibetan Plateau.
  • Himalayan wolf has now  been categorised as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List

Reason for the declining population of Himalayan Wolf 

  • Hybridization Threats: Increasing populations of feral dogs in regions like Ladakh and Spiti pose a threat of hybridization. 
  • Illegal Hunting: The Himalayan Wolf is hunted illegally for its fur and body parts, contributing to its declining numbers.
  • Conflict with Livestock: Livestock depredation conflicts are significant, exacerbated by habitat modification and depletion of wild prey.
  • Habitat Destruction: The IUCN Red List Assessment has highlighted an ongoing reduction in the area, extent, and quality of habitat for Himalayan wolves.

Measures should be taken to enhance the protection of Himalayan wolves

  • Securing and restoring healthy wild prey populations and landscapes and setting aside wildlife habitat refuges. 
  • Enhancing livestock guarding methods, including predator-proof corral pens, sustainable herding practices, and holistic management practices.
  • Management of feral dog populations.
  • Trans-boundary efforts in conservation of the species in range countries through research and monitoring.

Pench Tiger Reserve Becomes India’s first Dark Sky Park

The Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Maharashtra has been marked as India’s first Dark Sky Park and the fifth Dark Sky Park in Asia for protecting the night sky and preventing light pollution. The certification was given by the International Dark-Sky Association, a global dark-sky movement to promote astronomy.

About India’s First Dark Sky Park: 

  • Dark Sky Place certification focuses on lighting policy, dark sky-friendly retrofits, outreach and education, and monitoring the night sky. 
  • The reserve’s certification recognizes its commitment to protecting the night sky, reducing light pollution, and creating an ideal environment for astronomy enthusiasts and stargazers.
  • This designation positions PTR as a sanctuary where tourists can witness celestial spectacles, shielded from the intrusion of artificial light pollution.

About Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR)

  • The Reserve is named after the Pench River, which flows from north to south through the Reserve.
  • It is located in the southern reaches of the Satpura hills in the Seoni and Chhindwara districts in Madhya Pradesh and continues in Nagpur district in Maharashtra as a separate Sanctuary.
  • The reserve is famous for large herds of Chital, Sambar, Nilgai, Gaur (Indian Bison), and wild boar.
  • It was declared a sanctuary in 1965, raised to the status of national park in 1975.

The Rural Development Ministry and State Bank of India signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to help rural Self-Help Groups (SHGs)

The Ministry of Rural Development and State Bank of India signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate Enterprise Financing for rural Self-Help Group (SHG) women.

Key Points

  • State Bank of India introduced Svyam Siddha, a financial product tailored for SHG women entrepreneurs, offering loans up to Rs 5 lakhs. 
  • This initiative is uniquely designed to alleviate the challenges associated with extensive documentation requirements for bank loan applications and reduce the Turn Around Time (TAT). 
  • The requirement of burdensome documents like quotations and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) has been dispensed with, allowing an easy application process where a simple loan application with KYC details can be submitted at local SBI bank branches. 
  • DAY-NRLM will facilitate the loan application process and oversee loan repayment through its dedicated field cadre.
  • A training toolkit package was also launched to promote access to formal finance by SHG women entrepreneurs, marking a significant milestone in DAY-NRLM’s commitment to empowering communities and advancing financial inclusion at the grassroots level. 
  • The toolkit covers crucial topics like fundamentals of banking, concepts on financial statements, working capital calculation etc. The key modules of this toolkit have been converted into animated videos for self-capacity building of entrepreneurs. This will facilitate access to formal finance for its SHGs women entrepreneurs.

‘Sinomicrurus Gorei’ a new species of coral snake was discovered in Mizoram

Researchers from Mizoram University’s zoology department have discovered a new species of coral snake in the state. It has been named Sinomicrurus gorei after British India doctor Gore.

This newly discovered coral snake species is locally recognised as “Rul Thi Hna” due to its striking resemblance to Thi Hna, a traditional amber necklace in the Mizo culture.

It has unique patterns and different scales, hemipenis, DNA, and skull.

In Mizoram, Sinomicrurus macclellandi is primarily found in hilly or elevated areas, while Sinomicrurus gorei is found in both low-lying and hilly areas.

Green Fuels Alliance India

Green Fuels Alliance India (GFAI) is an alliance between Denmark and India to boost collaborative efforts in the sustainable energy solutions sector.

The initiative is part of the Green Strategic Partnership signed in 2020 between India and Denmark.

Key Points

  • This strategic alliance, led by the Danish Embassy and the Consulate General of Denmark in India, aims to boost collaborative efforts in the sustainable energy solutions sector and advance the joint global goal towards carbon neutrality.
  • The initiative aims to advance the green fuels sector, including green hydrogen, through innovation and partnerships.
  • It promotes sustainable energy growth in India by establishing an ecosystem that encourages collaboration among businesses, government entities, research institutions, and financial stakeholders.
  • The alliance is significant in its potential contribution to global decarbonization efforts.

 

Important Lakes in India – Geography of India Notes for APSC Exam

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Important Lakes in India

Geography of India Notes for APSC, UPSC and State Exam

 

 Go to Geography Notes

 

Top 10 largest Lakes in India

List of largest Lakes (Decreasing order of size/area covered)

State

Vembanad Lake

Kerala

Chilika Lake

Odisha

Shivaji Sagar Lake

Maharashtra

Indira Sagar lake

Madhya Pradesh

Pangong Lake

Ladakh

Pulicat Lake

Andhra Pradesh

Sardar Sarovar Lake

Gujarat, Rajasthan

Nagarjuna Sagar Lake

Telangana

Loktak Lake

Manipur

Wular lake

Jammu and Kashmir

APSC Prelims 2020 Test Series

 

Other Important Lakes in India

Lakes in India

State

Pulicat lake

Andhra Pradesh

Kolleru Lake

Andhra Pradesh

Haflong Lake

Assam

Deepor Beel

Assam

Chandubi Lake

Assam

Kanwar lake

Bihar

Hamirsar Lake

Gujarat

Kankaria Lake

Gujarat

Badkhal Lake

Haryana

Brahma Sarovar

Haryana

Chandra Taal

Himachal Pradesh

MaharanaPratap Sagar

Himachal Pradesh

Dal Lake

Jammu Kashmir

Wular Lake

Jammu Kashmir

Agara Lake

Karnataka

Ulsoor Lake

Karnataka

Kuttanad Lake

Kerala

Sasthamkotta

Kerala

Bhojtal

Madhya Pradesh

Shivsagar

Maharashtra

Loktak lake

Manipur

Umiam Lake

Meghalaya

Tam Dil

Mizoram

Chilika Lake

Odisha

Harike

Punjab

Kanjli

Punjab

Sambhar Lake

Rajasthan

Tsomgo Lake

Sikkim

Chembarambakkam

Tamil Nadu

Hussain Sagar

Telangana

Govind Bhallabh Pant Sagar

Uttar Pradesh

Belasagar

Uttar Pradesh

Bhimtal

Uttarakhand

Kaliveli

Tamil Nadu

Some Important Facts

  1. Wular lake is one of the biggest freshwater lakes in Asia.
  2. Cholamu Lake in Sikkim is the highest lake in India.
  3. Chilika Lake in Odisha is the largest saline water lake in India.
  4. Vembanad Lake in Kerala is the longest lake in India.
  5. Upper lake in Madhya Pradesh is the largest artificial lake in Asia.

Elephant Census 2017 Highlight & State of Elephants in India

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Elephant Census 2017 – Highlight & State of Elephants in India
(APSC Geography Notes)

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In the first-ever synchronised all-India Elephant Census 2017, the population of India’s national heritage animal, the elephant, is at 27, 312 across 23 states.

This means the population has decreased by about 3,000, compared to last census in 2012. In 2012, the population of Asian elephant, an endangered and protected species in India, was estimated at around 30,000 (29,391-30,711) and in 2007 it was estimated at about 27,670 (27,657-27,682).

As per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the population of Asian elephants was about 41,410 to 52,345 and of that India alone accounts for nearly 60%.

Director of the Project Elephant, R.K Shrivastav, said he is hopeful that the exercise will set new standards in population estimation of elephants in India and in other countries as well. “Quality of data collected during the elephant census will be high. It will be helpful in effective planning of various issues relating to elephant conservation in the country,”.

India started Project Elephant in 1992 to protect the Asian elephant, its habitat and corridors and address the man-elephant conflict. Since then, the government has been counting the elephant population every four to five years.

At present, there are 32 elephant reserves across India, covering over 58,000 sq. km. But loss and degradation of wildlife habitats, including the elephant corridors, are increasing the human-elephant conflict.

Geographical Distribution

The highest population was in southern region (11,960) followed by the northeast region (10,139), east-central region (3,128) and northern region (2,085).

Country’s over 55 percent of elephant population is in Southern region and mainly in two states of Karnataka and Kerala.

Among the states, the highest population was recorded in Karnataka (6,049), followed by Assam (5,719) and Kerala (3,054).

In North-East Region, Assam has the maximum number of elephants, 5,719, followed by 1,754 in Meghalaya and 1,614 in Arunachal Pradesh. The population of elephants in north Bengal has been included in the Northeast population.

Overall elephant density of 0.23 elephants per square km in Assam. In Assam, elephants are found in 36 forest divisions. A total area of 11,601 square km was sampled for block count direct method for the state and the elephant density of 0.38 animals per square kilometre was estimated for this state.

In Meghalaya, much of the elephant habitat area is under community forest. A total of 232 blocks were sampled in the state and the overall density was 0.16 elephants per square kilometre.

Recent Initiatives

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate change (MoEFCC), Dr Harsh Vardhan launched a nationwide campaign, “Gaj Yatra”, on the occasion of World Elephant Day on 12 August, to protect elephants, which will cover 12 elephant range states.

The environment minister also released a document—“Agreed points of action on trans-boundary conservation of elephants by India and Bangladesh”—which highlighted the issues on which the two nations have achieved consensus. The agreed points included constitution of a joint working group within 60 days to evolve and develop protocols and standard operating procedures for trans-boundary conservation and management of elephants.

It also called for facilitating trans-boundary migration along the India-Bangladesh border, establishment of response teams to guide such elephants which may stray into human settlements, ensure sharing of information, discouraging erection of electric fences for protection of agriculture and horticulture crops in the areas falling in identified migratory corridors to prevent death of elephants from electrocution and steps to protect, improve and expand natural habitats for elephants.

As per official numbers, in last four years, one human life was lost every day due to the human-elephant conflict. A total of 1,465 humans have been killed in the last four years (2013-14 to 2016-17).

Governments, both at the centre and in the states, have been making efforts to address the issue, but due to the huge pressure for development, natural habitats have suffered. They have even used methods like beehives and chilli fences to prevent the human-elephant conflict—to limited success.

 

World Elephant Day

World Elephant Day is a yearly worldwide occasion celebrated over the world on August 12, to focus the attention of various stakeholders in supporting various conservation policies to help protect elephants, including improving enforcement policies to prevent illegal poaching and trade in ivory, conserving elephant habitats, providing better treatment for captive elephants and reintroducing captive elephants into sanctuaries.

The objective of World Elephant Day is to make mindfulness about the predicament of elephants and to share learning and positive answers for the better care and administration of captive and wild elephants.

African elephantsare listed as “vulnerable” and Asian elephants as “endangered” in the IUCN Red List of threatened species.

Key Fact: As per the available population estimates, there are about 400,000 African elephants and 40,000 Asian elephants.

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Rivers and Drainage System of Assam (APSC Assam Geography Notes)

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Rivers and Drainage System of Assam : Assam Geography Study Materials & Notes

Assam Geography - Assamexam

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The State of Assam comprised of two valleys namely the Brahmaputra and Barak. The geographical area of Assam is 78,438.00 Sq. Km out of which 56,194.00 Sq. Km and 22,244.00 Sq. Km fall under the Brahmaputra and Barak Valley including 2 (Two) hill districts respectively. The flood prone area of the state is 31,500.00 Sq Km, which is about 39.58 % of the total area of the state and 9.40% of total flood prone area of the whole India.

River System of Assam

A) Brahmaputra river system

The main river of the valley, Brahmaputra is one of the largest rivers in the world and is a trans-boundary river which flows through China, India and Bangladesh. With 3,848 km in length, it is the 15th longest and tenth largest river in the world by discharge.

The river originates from the Kailalsh ranges of Himalayas at an elevation of 5300 M. After flowing through Tibet it enters India through Arunachal Pradesh and flows through Assam and Bangladesh as the Jamuna. It merges with the Padma, the popular name of the river Ganges in Bangladesh, and finally the Meghna and from here it is known as Meghna before emptying into the Bay of Bengal.

The river drains the Himalaya east of the Indo-Nepal border, south-central portion of the Tibetan plateau above the Ganga basin, south-eastern portion of Tibet, the Patkai-Bum hills, the northern slopes of the Meghalaya hills, the Assam plains, and the northern portion of Bangladesh. The basin, especially south of Tibet, is characterized by high levels of rainfall. Kangchenjunga (8,586 m) is the only peak above 8,000 m, hence is the highest point within the Brahmaputra basin.

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The river is often called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra river. The lower reaches are sacred to Hindus. While most rivers on the Indian subcontinent have female names, this river has a rare male name, as it means “son of Brahma”.

The Brahmaputra is an important river for irrigation and transportation. It is a classic example of a braided river and is highly susceptible to channel migration and avulsion. It is also one of the few rivers in the world that exhibit a tidal bore. It is navigable for most of its length. The catchments area of Brahmaputra in Tibet is 2,93,000 Sq. Km; in India and Bhutan is 2,40,000 Sq. Km and in Bangladesh is 47,000 Sq. Km. The Brahmaputra basin extends over an area of 5,80,000 Sq. Km up to its confluence within Bangladesh.

The average width of Brahmaputra is 5.46 Km. The average annual discharge is about 20,000 cumec and average dry season discharge is 4,420 cumec. The river slope is very steep till it enters India. A drop of about 4800 M is achieved in a length at about 1700 Km. This average slope of about 2.82 m/Km in China (Tibet) gets reduced to about 0.1m/Km in Assam valley. Due to this sudden flattening of river slope, the river becomes braided in nature in the Assam valley. During its course in Assam valley from Kobo to Dhubri the river is joined by about 20 (twenty) important tributaries on its North bank and 13 (thirteen) on its South bank. Joining of these tributaries bringing high sediment load activates braiding.

The drainage area lying in India is 1,94,413 sq.km which is nearly 5.9% of the total geographical area of the country. The sub-basin lies in the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, West Bengal and Sikkim.

The most predominant soil type found in the sub-basin is the red loamy soil and alluvial soil. Other important soil types are sandy, loamy, clayey soils, their combinations and laterite soils. The culturable area of the sub-basin is about 12.15 M. ha which is 6.2% of the culturable area of the country.

Heavy precipitation occurs here from May to September. All its tributaries experience number of flood waves as per rainfall in respective catchments. If the flood of the tributaries coincides with the flood of Brahmaputra, it causes severe problem and devastation. The severity of flood problem of the state has been further aggravated by the acuteness of erosion on both banks of river Brahmaputra and its tributaries. Study reveals that an area of 4.27 Lakh Hectare of the state has been eroded by the rivers since 1950, which is 7.40 % of area of the state. The average annual rate of erosion is 8000.00 Ha. The world’s largest river island Majuli is also under the grip of erosion by river Brahmaputra and about 60 % of its original area has already been engulfed by the river.

The tributaries namely Subansiri, Ronganadi, Dikrong, Buroi, Borgong, Jiabharali, Dhansiri (North) Puthimari, Manas, Beki, Aie, Sonkosh are the main tributaries on the North while the Noadehing, Buridehing, Desang, Dikhow, Bhogdoi, Dhansiri (South), Kopilli, Kulsi, Krishnai, Dhdhnoi, Jinjiran are the main tributaries on the south bank of the river Brahmaputra.

The characteristics of the north bank tributaries are different than that of the south bank tributaries, which may be summarized as below –

The North Bank Tributaries:

  • Have very steep slopes and shallow braided channels for a considerable distance from the foot hills and in some cases right up to the outfall.
  • Have boulder, pebble and coarse sandy beds and carry a heavy silt charge.
  • Generally have flashy floods.

The South bank Tributaries:

  • Have comparatively flatter grades and deep meandering channels almost from the foot hills.
  • Have comparatively low silt charge.

Right Bank Tributaries of the Brahmaputra River

   Rivers

  Length (km)
Subansiri 442
Ranganadi 150
Baroi 64
Bargang 42
Jia Bharali 247
Gabharu 61
Dhansiri 123
Noa-Nadi 75
Nanoi 105
Barnadi 112
Puthimari 190
Pagladiya 197
Manas-Aie-Beki 215
Champamati 135
Gaurang 98
Tipkai 108
Godadhar 50
Balsiri 110

Left Bank Tributaries of the Brahmaputra River

  Rivers   Length (km)
Buridihing 360
Desang 230
Dikhow 200
Jhanji 108
Bhogdoi 160
Dhansiri 352
Kopili 297
Krishna 81
 Kulsi 93
Jinari 60 
Barak River system

Barak is the second largest river system in Assam as well as in North East. The river with a total length of 900 km from source to mouth drains an area of 52,000 sq. km. The Barak is also a perennial river of the state.

It originates from Japvo mountain of Manipur hills at an altitude of 3,015 m, near the border of Manipur and Nagaland and forms a part of the northern boundary of the Manipur State with Nagaland where it is known as Kirong. Then it flows south through mountainous terrain up to Tipaimukh near the tri-junction of the three states: Assam, Manipur and Mizoram. Here, the river takes a hairpin bend and debouches into the plains of Cacher district of Assam and forms the border of Assam and Manipur states up to Jirimat. The river then flows through the Barak valley of Assam and then it enters Bangladesh where it forks into the Surma and Kushiyara rivers. From the source to the Indo-Bangladesh border, the Barak River flows for 564 km.

The local rainfall run off of the valley along with that of adjacent hilly areas flows through river Barak and its various tributaries and is drained out to Bangladesh. The Katakhal, Jiri, Chiri, Modhura, Longai, Sonai, Rukni and Singla are the main tributaries of the valley. The tributaries are mainly rain fed and cause flood problems when precipitation occurs.

The Barak sub-basin drains areas in India, Bangladesh and Burma. The drainage area lying in India is 41723 sq.km which is nearly 1.38% of the total geographical area of the country. It is on the north by the Barail range separating it from the Brahmaputra sub-basin, on the east by the Na Lushai hills and on the south and west by Bangladesh. The sub-basin lies in the States of Meghalaya. Manipur, Mizoram, Assam, Tripura and Nagaland.

There are two major physiographic regions in the sub-basin, namely, the hilly region and the plain plains are thickly populated and extensively cultivated. The predominant soil types found in the sub-basin are laterite and red and yellow soils. The culturable area in the sub-basin 0.893 M-ha which is only about 0.5% of the culturable area of the country.

Some important north bank tributaries of Barak River
Jiri
Siri
Madhura
Jatinga
Larang

Some important south bank tributaries of Barak River
Sonai
Ghagra
Katakhal
Dhaleswari
Singla
Longai 
Statewise Drainage Area of Barak River
  • Meghalaya – 10,650  Km2
  • Manipur 9,550  Km2
  • Mizoram 8,280  Km2
  • Assam 7,224  Km2
  • Tripura 4,725  Km2
  • Nagaland 728  Km2

Total Drainage Area of Barak Basin- 41,157  Km2

Hydropower Potential – The Hydro power Potential at 60% load factor for Barak River is 3908 MW.

Major Projects – Tipaimukh Dam Project, Tista Champamati and Dhansiri barrages.

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Mountains and Hills of Assam and NE Region (APSC Assam Geography Notes)

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Mountains and Hills of Assam and NE Region :Assam Geography Study Materials & Notes

Assam Geography - Assamexam

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The state of Assam along with whole Northeast India region is full of amazing valleys, Astonishing Waterfalls, dense forest and great hills and that’s why it’s also called as “The land of the Red River and Blue Hills”. Assam has numerous mountain ranges and hills which are home to wide range of flora and fauna.

Some of the major mountain ranges and hills located in Assam ( along with other neighboring states)

Purvanchal Range

The Purvanchal Mountains or Eastern Mountains are a sub-mountain range of the Himalayas in northeast India covering the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram.

The range is an eastern extension of the Himalayan Range System, is north eastern India. It bends sharply to the south beyond the Dihang River gorge, and spreads along the eastern boundary of India with Myanmar.

The Purvanchal range includes the hill ranges of the Patkai Hill, Barail Range, Mizo Hills and Naga Hills.

The Garo, Khasi and Jaintia hills are part of Shillong Plateau, and not part of the Purvanchal range.

Assam Himalaya

A portion in the lower Himalayan mountains range is known as Assam Himalaya between the border of Bhutan and the Great Bend of the Tsangpo River. Yarlung Tsangpo River originates from Lake Manasarovar in Mount Kailash and known as Dihang river in Arunachal Pradesh. The range provides shelter to number of flora and fauna.

Namcha Barwa is the highest mountain peak of Assam Himalaya range. Namcha Barwa (7,782 m) is the highest peak of its own section as well as Earth’s easternmost peak over 7,600 metres.

Other high peaks include Gyala Peri, sister peak to Namcha Barwa; Kangto, and Nyegyi Kangsang.

Patkai Range

The Patkai mountain range also known as Purvanchal Range, one of the eight mountain range in India and the major of India’s North Eastern states. Patkai Range is consist of three major hills, viz. The Patkai-Bum,the Garo-Khasi-Jaintia and Lushai Hills.

The Patkai hill range are not as rugged as the Himalayas and the peaks are much lower in height. Features of the range include conical peaks, steep slopes and deep valleys. The climate range from temperate to alpine due to differencies in altitude.

Three mountain ranges come under the Patkai. The Patkai-Bum (Burmese Kumon Taungdan), the Garo-Khasi-Jaintia, and the Lushai Hills, highest point Phawngpui Tlang, also known as ‘Blue Mountain‘. The Garo-Khasi range is in the Indian state of Meghalaya. Mawsynram and Cherrapunji, on the windward side of these hills are the world’s wettest places, having the highest annual rainfall.

The Pangsau Pass offers the most important route through the Patkai. The Ledo Road was built through Pangsau Pass as a strategic supply road built over the range during World War II to link India with the Burma Road into China.

 

Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills

The Khasi and Jaintia Hills are a mountainous region is a part Meghalaya, which includes the present districts of East Jaintia Hills district, West Jaintia Hills district, East Khasi Hills district, and West Khasi Hills district.

The hills of Khasi is the part of major Garo-Khasi range in Meghalaya and also the part of the Patkai mountain ranges. Khasi Hills got its name by Khasi tribes of the region.

Cherrapunji is the wettest place in the world is situated in the East Khasi Hills and Lum Shyllong is the highest peak(1,968 metres high).

The Jaintia Hills are located further to the east from the Khasi Hills.

Garo Hills

The Garo Hills is located in Meghalaya state and part of Garo-Khasi range. It is one of the wettest places in the world. The range is part of the Meghalaya subtropical forests eco-region.

Nokrek Peak is the highest point of the Garo Hills region of the State, Nokrek Peak stands 1412 metres above sea level. The mother germo plasm of Citrus-indica have been discovered by science researchers within Nokrek Range. This discovery led to the establishment of the National CitrusGene Sanctuary-cum-Biosphere Reserve at Nokrek covering an area of forty seven square kilometres.

Tura Peak is a majestic hill stands on the eastern flank of Tura, the largest town in the Garo Hills region of the State. It peaks 872metres above sea level.

Balpakram is a National Wildlife Park, located in SouthGaro Hills and 167 km from Tura. It is home to the rare Lesser Panda, the Indian bison and the Stag like Serow.

Siju Caves is the famous limestone caves of Siju are located near Simsang River in Siju village.

 

Lushai Hills

The Lushai Hills also known as Mizo Hills is one of the three part of Patkai mountain range, located in Mizoram and Tripura. Mizo Hills is highly covered with dense bamboo jungle and rank undergrowth; but in the eastern portion, owing probably to a smaller rainfall, open grass-covered slopes are found, with groves of oak and pine interspersed with rhododendrons.

Phawngpui, also known as Blue Mountain is the highest mountain peak (elevation of 2157 m), located in Mizoram.

Naga Hills

The Naga Hills are actually part of Indian Territory mountain ranges of Arakan Mountains between the western Burma and the Naga Hills district. The hills, due to their complexity and position, form a barrier between the India and Myanmar (Burma).

The Naga Hills, reaching a height of around 3,825 metres (12,549 ft). The highest point of Naga hills is Mount Saramati (3826 m).

Naga Hills is one of the major tribal region of Nagaland state and inhabited by Naga people.

Jampui Hills

Jampui Hills is a hill range located in the North Tripura district of Tripura. The average altitude of the hill range is approximately 1000 metres above sea level. Its habitants are mainly Mizo or Lushai.

The Jampui Hills stretch from North to South and are bordering the state Mizoram in the east.

Betalongchhip (930 m high), also known as Betlingchhip, Balinchhip and Thaidawr, is the highest point in Tripura.

Jampui Hills is famous for its unique Orange Festival, view of rising and setting sun and excellent panoramic views of the deep valley and villages around.

Chin Hills

The Chin Hills is a range of mountains extends northward from Manipur to Chin State of Myanmar. Chin Hills are the part of Arakan Mountain Range with an highest peak of Nat Ma Taung with 3,053 m(10,500 feet). Chin Hills are very close to Lushai Hills of Patkai Range and offers a wide range of flora and fauna.

In the Second World War the hills formed a point of armed conflict between Japanese forces and a combined British and Indian force.

Mikir Hills are a group of hills located to the south of the Kaziranga National Park, Assam. It is part of the Karbi Anglong Plateau.

Daphla Hills is a tract of hilly country on the border of western Arunachal and Assam occupied by an independent tribe called Daphla. It lies to the north of the Tezpur and North Lakhimpur subdivisions, and is bounded on the west by the Aka Hills and on the east by the Abor Range.

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Seven National Parks of Assam (APSC Assam Geography Notes)

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Assam is one of the lands comprising of the seven sisters. Blessed richly with diverse flora and fauna. Geographically made up of The Eastern Hills of The Northern Himalayas and The Brahmaputra Plains, Assam has copious forests. With the tropical monsoon rainfall type of climate Assam is one of the greenest states of the country. Because of its profuse forests Assam witnesses ample of rare species that seek shelter in the greens of the nature. Assam’s rich biodiversity has an enormous wildlife of flora and fauna, that draws a lot of wildlife lovers to this state.

Assam has seven national parks, viz. Kaziranga National Park, Manas National park, Orang National Park, Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, Nameri National Park, Dihing Patkai National Park and Raimona National Park. These protected area of Assam considered as one of the important wildlife areas for the protection of primate diversity and flora and fauna.

 

 

  1.  Kaziranga National Park

This famous national park of Assam is situated in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of the state of Assam, India. It is located on the banks of the Brahamputra River. Covering an area of approximately 430 sq. kms is recognized as an Important Bird Area of the world.

The Kaziranga Park is one of the oldest National parks in Assam, being declared as National Park in 1974.  Kaziranga was originally established as a reserved forest in 1908. Later, it was converted in to a game sanctury till 1938. A forest conservationist, P. D. Stracey renamed this sanctury to Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary in 1950.

Kaziranga was declared as World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its quality natural environment. In 2006 it is also declared as Tiger Reserve.

Kaziranga National Park is home to world’s great one-horned rhinoceroses with total population of 2401. Intersected by four major rivers the forest land shows multiple areas with different characteristics and hence housing some of the rarest species of both flora and fauna. Apart from the rhinos the Asian Elephants also find their shelter in the grasslands of Kaziranga National Park. The other inhabitants of the park are wild boars, barasingha (swamp deer), monitor lizards, Indian bison, Swamp deer, Samber, Hog deer, Sloth Bear, Tiger, Leopard, Leopard cat,Jungle cat, hog badger, Capped langur, Hoolock gibbon, Jackal, Goose, Hornbills, lbis, Cormorants, Egret, Heron Fishing Eagle etc. Kaziranga is also known for its vibrant bird life. Birds including Fishing Eagle, Oriental Honey Buzzard, Himalayan Griffon and White-tailed Eagle are easily spotted in the area.

9 of the 14 primate species found in India occur in the Kaziranga National Park as well as the only ape found in India, the hoolock gibbon.

The landscape of Kaziranga is of sheer forest, tall elephant grass, rugged reeds, marshes & shallow pools. This park is very famous for its wild life inhabitation including many species of rhinoceroses, as well as many animals, including elephant, and numerous bird species. Kaziranga is one of the largest Protected Areas in India and one of the most significant conserved forest areas on the earth.

In addition to numerous species of resident birds it serves as the winter visiting ground to many migratory birds. So, the park has also been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA).  Today, Kaziranga is one of the richest, most picturesque wildlife habitats of southern Asia.

  1.  Manas National Park

Manas National Park is a national park, UNESCO Natural World Heritage site, a Project Tiger reserve, an elephant reserve and a biosphere reserve. The park area falls in Assam’s five districts viz. Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, Barpeta, Udalguri and Darrang, on the foothills of the Himalayas and it is contiguous with the Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan.

It is spread over an area of 391 square kilometers in Assam. Occupying a large area the park is home to an ample of flora and fauna. With the typical tropical monsoon rainfall type of climate the national park houses more than twenty five species that are endangered world-wide. Animals like Wild Water Buffaloes, Assam Roofed Turtle, Golden Langoor and Hispid Hare can also be seen along with the rare Pygmy Hog.

The Manas National Park was declared a sanctuary on 1 October 1928 with an area of 360 km2. Manas bioreserve was created in 1973. It was declared a national park in 1980. It was declared a World Heritage site in December 1985 by UNESCO. On 25 February 2008 the area was increased to 950 km2. On 21 June 2011, it was removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger and was commended for its efforts in preservation. in 1973 it got its designation as a Tiger Reserve and it’s the only tiger project of Assam.

The name of the park is derives from the Manas River, which is named after the serpent god Manasa. The Manas River is a major tributary of Brahmaputra River, which passes through the heart of the national park.

Manas known for its Project Tigers, Rhinos & Elephants, and is Assam’s one of the two Tiger projects. The sanctuary is home to a great variety of wildlife, including tiger, Golden Langur, Wild Buffalo, Hispid Hare, Pigmy Hog, Capped Langur, Indian one-horned Rhinoceros, Elephant, Gaur, Hog Deer, etc. The Manas Wildlife National Park is home to more than 450 species of birds also.

374 species of major flora are recorded from the park includes Melastoma malbathricum, Oroxylum indicum, Toona ciliata, Trewia nodiflora, Sterculia villosa, Bischofia javanica, Pouzolzia zeylanica, Syzygium formosum, Terminalia bellarica, Zingibar zecumber, Bauhinia sps., Bombax ceiba, Careya arborea, Chukrasia tabularis etc.

The main types of forests are Sub-Himalayan High Alluvial Semi-Evergreen Forests, East Himalayan Moist Mixed Deciduous Forests, Low Alluvial Savana Woodland ,Assam Valley Semi-Evergreen Alluvial Grasslands .

  1.  Dibru Saikhowa National Park

Dibru-Saikhowa National Park is one of the largest park of Assam, is situated in the south bank of the river Brahmaputra in the extreme east of Assam state in India. It is a National Park as well as a Biosphere Reserve having an area of 340 sq. kms in Tinsukia district. This national park is a home to some of the rare creatures.

Dibru Saikhowa National Park area lies in the Indo-Burma Global Biodiversity Hotspot ( one of the 19 biodiversity hotspots in the world). It’s fauna diversity comprises of semi wet evergreen forests, tropical moist deciduous forest, swamp forests, bamboo, cane brakes and grasslands.

The national park consists of a total of 36 species which include Hog Deer, Gangetic Dolphin, Royal Bengal Tiger, Jungle Cat, Asaiatic Water Buffalo, Capped Langur, Small Indian Civet, barking Deer, Slow Loris, Clouded Leopard, Asian Elephant, Chinese Pangolin, Malayan Giant Squirrel, etc. Semi-wild horse. It witnesses over 500 species of birds, both migratory and local. Species like white-winged duck, marsh babbler, white rumped vulture that are close to extinction seek refuge in this park. White winged Wood- Duck and Black-breasted Parrotbill Feral Horses are species of wild life which makes Dibru Saikhowa very famous. The National Park also conserve the White-Winged Wood Duck which are very rare.

This area was called as the Dibru Reserve Forest in the year 1890 and in the year 1920 some additional areas were also added to this Dibru Reserve Forest. The in the year 1929 the Dibru Reserve Forest was named as Saikhowa Reserve Forest. In the year 1995 this Saikhowa Reserve Forest was declared as a Wildlife Sanctuary. It was designated a Biosphere Reserve in July 1997. In the year 1999 this Wildlife Sanctuary was again declared as a National Park.

NOTE – White-Winged Wood Duck is the state bird of Assam state

 

  1.  Nameri National Park

Sharing its boundary with Arunachal Pradesh and therefore merging with the Pakhui Wildlife Sanctuary, Nameri National Park is built up on an area of approximately 200 sq km.

The Park situated in the District of Sonitpur of Assam,  is also an Elephant reserve. Animals like tiger, Himalayan Black Bear, Wild Boar and Indian Giant Squirrel are its common inhabitants. Birds like Ibis bill, Wreathed horn bill, black stork and Rufous necked hornbill find home here. The National Park also houses the orchids that make it rich in its flora as well.

The park is the second Tiger reserve of Assam. It was established as a sanctuary on 18th September 1985 and was officially declared as a National Park on 15th November, 1998. It is counted amongst the richest and most threatened reservoirs of plant and animal life in the world.

Nameri is a haven for many rare animals. The rich wildlife includes Tiger, Black bear, elephant, Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Indian Bison, Pangolin, Indian wild dog, deer, Civet Cat, Capped Langur, Jackals etc.Various species of birds such as the endangered white winged wood duck, four species of Hornbill, butterflies and reptiles are also found here.

Together the Nameri National Park in Assam and the Pakhui wildlife sanctuary in Arunachal pradhesh cover up a vast area of more or less 1000 square kilometres. This deciduous and moist jungle of bamboo brakes, canes and narrow grass strips along river banks is the ideal habitation for animals like elephants, tigers and a wide range of migratory birds.

  1.  Orang National Park

Orange National Park is situated in the Darrang and Sonitpur districts of Assam. Being comparatively small, the park is spread in about 78 sq km. Orang National Park has a strong hold of one-horned rhinos in the region.

The uniqueness of the park lies in the fact that it houses more than 50 species of fishes. This park is oldest game reserve of the State and an important breeding ground for varieties of Fishes. The animals found in this sanctuary are the One-horned Rhinoceros, Leopard, Elephant, Sambar, Barking Deer, Tiger, varieties of water birds, Green Pigeon, Florican, Teal , Goose, Otters, hog deer, Indian civet, Rhesus macaque, Bengal porcupine, Indian pangolin, Indian fox etc. Various species of birds such as the Pelican, Cormorant, Greylag Goose, Large Whistling Tea Great Adjutant Stork, King Vulture etc. have also found this sanctuary to be their ideal habitat.

It is also known as the mini Kaziranga National Park because of similar landscape, streams and grassland. The Park was established as a sanctuary in 1985 and declared a National Park on 13th of April 1999.

    6. Dihing Patkai National Park

234 sq. km stretch covering Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts of Upper Assam. considered the “last remaining stretches” of the Assam Valley tropical wet evergreen forests. It is a major elephant habitat and Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary was declared as Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve under Project Elephant.

It has recorded 310 species of butterflies. 47 mammal species including tigers and clouded leopards. 47 reptile species and 310 species of butterflies have been recorded in Dihing Patkai. It also has highest concentration of Rare endangered white winged wood duck.

It was declared a wildlife sanctuary on 13 June 2004.  On 9 June 2021 Forest Department of Assam officially notified it as a National Park.

     7. Raimona National Park

Located in Kokrajhar district of the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) in lower Assam Raimona National Park spread across 422 sq km. Phipsoo wildlife sanctuary in Bhutan to its north, Buxa tiger reserve in West Bengal to its west and Manas national park in Assam to its east. It is home to elephants, tigers, golden langurs, clouded leopard, wild buffalo, spotted deer, over 150 species of butterflies, 170 species of birds including the white bellied heron and nearly 380 species of plants.

On 09th June, 2021; it became as National Park. It is a part of a contiguous forest patch with an area of 422 km2  covering the northern part of the notified Ripu Reserve Forest, which forms the westernmost buffer to Manas Tiger Reserve in the foothills of Eastern Himalaya Biodiversity Hotspot. It is also part of Chirang-Ripu Elephant Reserve.

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India State of Forest Report 2017 – Highlights & Summary

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India State of Forest Report 2017

India state of Forest Report 2017. - Assamexam

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The 15th India State of Forest Report shows that India’s total forest cover increased by 0.94 per cent, from 7,01,673 square kilometers to 7,08,273 square kilometers since its last assessment in 2015.

The report also points towards an expansion of agro-forestry and private forestry. There is a jump from 42.77m3 in the 2011 assessment to 74.51m3 in timber production in ‘Trees outside Forests’ (TOF) category.

The increase of 8, 021 sq km in the forest cover has been observed as 6,778 sq km and that of tree cover as 1, 243 sq km. The total forest and tree cover is 24.39 per cent of the geographical area of the country. India has been trying to achieve to put 33 per cent of its geographical area under forest but has failed to do so.

Most of the increase in the forest cover was observed in Very Dense Forest (VDF) was a positive sign,  as VDF absorbs maximum carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, followed by increase in open forest.

Class Area

( in sq kms)

 % of geographical area ( SFR 2017) % of geographical area (SFR 2015)  
Very dense forest 98,158 2.99 2.26
Moderately dense forest
(all lands with tree cover- including mangrove cover -of canopy density between 40-70%)		 3,08,318 9.38 9.59
Open forest
(all lands with tree cover – including mangrove cover- of canopy density between 10% and 40%)		 3,01,797 9.18 9.14
Total Forest Cover 7,08, 21.54 21.34

The total forest and tree cover is 24.39 per cent of the geographical area of the country. There are encouraging sign that much of the increase in the forest cover has been observed in Very Dense Forest (VDF), as VDF absorbs maximum carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The increase in forest cover in VDF is followed by increase in open forest. The only category that has registered a decline in the latest assessment is the Moderate Dense Forest.

India ranks among the top ten countries of the world in terms of forest area, despite the fact that none of the other 9 countries has a population density of more than 150 persons per sq km, compared to India, which has a population density of 382 persons per sq km.

India is ranked 10th in the world, with 24.4% of land area under forest and tree cover, even though it accounts for 2.4 % of the world surface area and sustains the needs of 17 % of human and 18 % livestock population. India is placed 8th in the list of Top Ten nations reporting the greatest annual net gain in forest area.

Three states  – Andhra Pradesh (2141 sq km), followed by Karnataka (1101 sq km) and Kerala (1043 sq km) have shown the maximum increase in forest cover.

  • Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover of 77,414 sq km (equal to Assam’s total area) in the country in terms of area, followed by Arunachal Pradesh with 66,964 sq km and Chhattisgarh (55,547 sq km).
  • In terms of percentage of forest cover with respect to the total geographical area, Lakshadweep with (90.33 per cent) has the highest forest cover, followed by Mizoram (86.27 per cent) and Andaman & Nicobar Island (81.73 per cent)”, the Minister stated.
  • The present assessment also reveals that 15 states/UT’s have above 33 per cent of the geographical area under forest cover.
  • Out of these States and Union Territories, seven States/UTs namely Mizoram, Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Manipur have more than 75 per cent forest cover.
  • 8 states – Tripura, Goa, Sikkim, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Chhattisgarh and Assam have forest cover between 33 per cent to 75 per cent.
  • About 40% per cent of the country’s forest cover is present in 9 large contiguous patches of the size of 10, 000 sq.km, or more.

Top 5 states where maximum forest cover has increased are Andhra Pradesh (2,141 sq kms), Karnataka (1,101 sq kms), Kerala (1,043 sq kms), Odisha (885 sq kms) and Telangana (565 sq kms).

The increasing trend of forest and tree cover is largely due to the various national policies aimed at conservation and sustainable management of our forests like Green India Mission, National Agro-Forestry policy (NAP), REDD plus policy, Joint Forest Management (JFM), National Afforestation Programme and Funds under Compensatory Afforestation (COMPA) to States.

Successful agro-forestry practices, better conservation of forests, improvement of scrub areas to forest areas, increase in mangrove cover, conservation and protection activities have also led to increase in the forest and tree cover.

Green Highways (Plantations & Maintenance) Policy to develop 1,40,000 km long tree line with plantation along with both sides of national highways will go a long way in enhancing the forest & tree cover.

Top 5 states where forest cover has decreased are Mizoram (531 sq km), Nagaland (450 sq km), Arunachal Pradesh (190 sq km), Tripura (164 sq km) and Meghalaya (116 sq km). It is important to mention here that these states are in the North Eastern region of the country where the total forest cover is very high i.e. more than 70% in each state.

The main reasons for the decrease are – shifting cultivation, other biotic pressures, rotational felling, diversion of forest lands for developmental activities, submergence of forest cover, agriculture expansion and natural disasters.

Mangrove cover of the country has shown a positive change

As per ISFR 2017, mangrove forests have increased by 181 sq kms. Maharashtra (82 sq kms), Andhra Pradesh (37 sq kms) and Gujarat (33 sq kms) are the top three gainers in terms of mangrove cover. 7 out of the 12 mangrove states have shown an increase in mangrove cover and none of them show any negative change.

Mangrove eco-systems are rich in biodiversity and provide a number of ecological services. They also play a major role in protecting coastal areas from erosion, tidal storms and tsunamis.

The total mangrove cover stands at 4,921 sq km and has shown an increase of 181 sq km. All the 12 mangrove states have shown a positive change in the mangrove cover, as compared to the last assessment.

Mangrove ecosystem is rich in biodiversity and provides a number of ecological services.

 

Water bodies inside forests have increased over a decade

Forests play a vital role in water conservation and improve the water regime in the area.

State Forest Departments besides plantation and protection also undertake steps to improve water conservation through different interventions such as building Check dams, vegetation barriers, percolation ponds, contour trenches etc. under various Central & State Government schemes

As per the latest assessment, water bodies inside forest cover have increased by 2,647 sq kms during the last decade.

Maharashtra (432 sq kms), Gujarat (428 sq kms), Madhya Pradesh (389 sq kms) are top three states showing increase in water bodies within forest areas. Overall, almost all the states have shown a positive change in water bodies.

 

Bamboo

The extent of bamboo-bearing area in the country has been estimated at 15.69 million ha. In comparison to the last assessment done in 2011, there has been an increase of 1.73 million ha in bamboo area.  The growing stock of the bamboo in forest has been estimated to be 189 million tonnes. There is an increase of 19 million tonnes in the bamboo-growing stock as compared to the last assessment done in 2011.

The total annual potential production of timer from trees outside forest has been estimated at 74.51 million cum.

The Government has recently enacted a Bill in the Parliament for taking out bamboo from the tree category, where it is grown outside forest areas. This will encourage people to grow bamboo on private lands, which will be helpful in increasing the livelihood opportunities for farmers and also enhance the green cover and carbon stock of the country.

Carbon Stock
  • The total growing stock of India’s forest and trees outside forests is estimated as 5,822.377 million cum, of which 4,218.380 million cum is inside the forests and 1,603.997 million cum outside. There is an increase of 53.990 million cum of total growing stock, as compared to the previous assessment. Out of this the increase in growing stock, there is an increase of 23.333 million cum inside the forest and 30.657 million cum outside the forest area.
  • The total carbon stock in the country’s forest is estimated to be 7,082 million tonnes, which shows an increase of 38 million tonnes, as compared to the previous assessment.
Striving towards achieving NDC goal
  • India is striving towards achieving its NDC goal of creating additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3.0 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.
  • As per present assessment total carbon stock in forest is estimated to be 7,082 million tonnes. There is an increase of 38 million tonnes in the carbon stock of country as compared to the last assessment.

Factfile - India State of Forest Report (ISFR)
  • The biannual report is prepared by The Forest Survey of India (FSI), a body under MoEFCC, which conducts surveys and assessment of forest resources in the country.
  • The information given in the report will serve as an important tool to monitor the country’s forest resources and plan suitable scientific and policy interventions for its management. It will also serve as a useful source of information for the policy makers, planners, State Forest Departments, line agencies involved in various developmental works, academicians, civil society and others interested in natural resource conservation and management.
  • The India State of Forest Report 2017 is 15th such report in the series. In line with the Government of India’s vision of Digital India and the consequent need for integration of digital data sets, the Forest Survey of India has adopted the vector boundary layers of various administrative units upto districts developed by Survey of India along with digital open series topo sheets, bringing about full compatibility with the geographical areas as reported in Census, 2011.
  • Forests play a vital role in water conservation and improve the water regime in the area. Considering the importance of water bodies in forest, FSI has assessed water bodies in forest cover for the decade 2005-2015. As per the assessment, there is an increase of 2,647 sq km in the extent of water bodies inside forest cover between 2005 to 2015.
  • The report contains information on forest cover, tree cover, mangrove cover, growing stock inside and outside the forest areas, carbon stock in India’s forests and forest cover in different patch size classes. Special thematic information on forest cover such as hill, tribal districts, and north eastern region has also been given separately in the report. The report for the first time contains information on decadal change in water bodies in forest during 2005-2015, forest fire, production of timber from outside forest, state wise carbon stock in different forest types and density classes.
  • The spatial information given in the report is based on interpretation of LISS-III data from Indian Remote Sensing satellite data (Resourcesat-II) with a spatial resolution of 23.5 meters. Satellite data for the entire country was procured from NRSC for the period October, 2015 – February, 2016. The satellite data interpretation is followed by rigorous ground truthing. In addition extensive ground data collected by field parties at more than 18000 points all over the country and information from other collateral sources are also used to improve the accuracy of the interpreted image.
  • Forest Survey of India (FSI) has been assessing the forest and tree resources of our country on a biennial basis since 1987. The results of the assessment are published in its biennial report titled “India State of Forest Report (ISFR)”.

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