It is a mysterious narrow-mouthed frog that was spotted in the seasonal roadside puddles in Kerala’s Wayanad district.
It is a new species and belongs to a completely new genus, Mysticellus.
Mysticellus is named after Latin ‘mysticus’, meaning mysterious; and ‘ellus’ meaning diminutive as the frog is just around 3 cm long.
The species is named after evolutionary biologist Franky Bossuyt from Brussel’s Vrije Universiteit.
Adults have two black spots that look like eyes on their backs, a defensive feature that probably helps startle predators.
The frogs’ calls are extremely different as it resembles that of insects.
Genetic studies further revealed that the frog is around 40 million years old and its nearest relatives live more than 2,000 km away, in Southeast Asia (including Indo-Burma, Malaysia and Vietnam).
The genetic studies add strength to the theories that India and Southeast Asia were connected in the past by land bridges.
National Commission for Safai Karmacharis (NCSK)
The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for Extension of tenure of the National Commission for Safai Karmacharis (NCSK) for 3 years.
The NCSK was established as per the provisions of the NCSK Act 1993.
The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis Act, 1993 lapsed with effect from 2004.
After that, the Commission is acting as a Non-Statutory body of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment whose tenure is extended from time to time through Government Resolutions.
The major beneficiaries are the Safai Karamcharis and persons engaged in manual scavenging in the country since the NCSK will work for their welfare and upliftment.
As per the provisions of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, the NCSK has been assigned the work to monitor the implementation of the Act.
It also tenders advice for the act’s effective implementation to the Centre and State Governments and enquire into complaints regarding contravention/non-implementation of the provisions of the Act.
e-AUSHADHI
The e-AUSHADHI portal was launched for online licensing of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy drugs and related matters.
This new e-portal is an acronym for Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy Automated Drug Help Initiative.
It is intended for increased transparency, improved information management facility, improved data usability and increased accountability.
It will provide real time information of the licensed manufactures and their products, cancelled and spurious drugs, contact details of the concerned authority for specific grievances.
Gross Domestic Knowledge Product (GDKP)
The Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation in collaboration with Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) held a one-day workshop on the emerging concept Gross Domestic Knowledge Product (GDKP).
GDKP provides a fundamental measure of growth by including a wide range of factors that involve the creation and accumulation of knowledge.
GDKP creates a comparable measure of the production of individual wealth based on knowledge.
GDKP creates a optimal capital investment measure for private companies in knowledge rather then in other forms of capital investments.
GDKP is based on four basic pillars
Knowledge items (Ki)
Country’s Knowledge Producing Matrix (CKPM)
Country’s Knowledge User Matrix (CKUM)
Cost of Individual Learning, compared to the Cost of Living
Guidelines for audio devices
World Health Organization and International Telecommunications Union issued a non-binding international standard for the manufacture and use of audio devices.
WHO considers a volume above 85 decibels for eight hours or 100 decibels for 15 minutes as unsafe.
The safe listening devices and systems standard calls for“sound allowance” software to be included in all audio devices.
It will track the volume level and duration of a user’s exposure to sound, and to evaluate the risk posed to their hearing.
Nord Stream 2
Nord Stream 2 is a gas pipeline project.
Its purpose is to bring Russian gas under the Baltic Sea direct to Germany.
The decision to build Nord Steam 2 was based on the successful experience in building and operating the Nord Stream gas pipeline.
So it is an expansion of the Russia’s existing Nord Stream gas pipeline.
It will also ensure a highly reliable supply of Russian gas to Europe.
