Mihir
- Mihir (meaning ‘Sun’), a High Performance Computer (HPC) System has been installed at the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF).
- This HPC facility will be India’s largest HPC facility in terms of peak capacity and performance.
- The new HPC facility is expected to improve the following services:
- Weather forecasts for predicting extreme weather events.
- High resolution seasonal/extended range forecasts of active/break spells of Monsoon.
- Very high resolution prediction of cyclones with more accuracy and lead time.
- Ocean state forecasts like marine water quality forecasts and Tsunami forecasts.
- Air quality forecasts for various cities.
INS Karanj
- The Indian Navy has launched the third Scorpene class submarine Karanj.
- It has been constructed by shipbuilder Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) with collaboration of French shipbuilding major Naval Group (formerly DCNS).
- The submarine will undergo rigorous tests for the next one year before it is commissioned.
Nilgiri Marten
- It is a vulnerable and little known carnivorous animal which is endemic to the Western Ghats.
- Nilgiri Marten looks like a civet or a mongoose and it most prefers higher altitudes.
- The present global population of the Nilgiri Marten is estimated below 1000.
- The animal is placed in schedule 2 of the part 2 of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.
- Recent studies shows that Nilgiri marten is thriving in the Pampadum Shola National Park located on the southern portion of Western Ghats.
Shola forests
- 'Sholas’ are patches of evergreen tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests.
- It is found in Southern India, particularly in the regions of Nilgiri, Palani Hills and Annamalai Hills.
- The Western Ghats and associated ranges in the states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
- The main varieties of Trees in this type of forest are Zenker, bishop wood, Indian mahogany, gular fig tree etc.
Guru Ravidas
- Guru Ravidas was a North Indian mystic poet saint of the bhakti movement believed to be born in Varanasi.
- He taught removal of social divisions of caste and gender, and promoted unity in the pursuit of personal spiritual freedoms.
- He founded 21st-century Ravidassia religion, by a group who previously were associated with Sikhism.
- He is devoted as guru in the regions of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.
Prevention of Atrocities acts
- Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 is an act of parliament.
- It falls within the provisions of Article 17 of the constitution, enacted for preventing atrocities against members of SC/ST
- It also provide special courts for the trial of such offences as well as relief and rehabilitation of the victims of atrocities.
- The PoA Act extends to the whole of India except Jammu & Kashmir, and responsibility for its implementation rests with State Governments.
Zero budget natural farming project
- To promote organic farming Himachal Pradesh has launched Zero Budget Natural Farming project.
- Zero budget farming is a natural farming technique that uses biological pesticides instead of chemical-based fertilizers.
- In this method the cost of growing and harvesting plants is zero, which makes it highly beneficial for farmers.
Source: PIB, the Hindu
