The Gujarat Forest Department has started evacuating mugger crocodile from two ponds on the Sardar Sarovar Dam premises on the Narmada.
This evacuation is to facilitate a seaplane service at the Statue of Unity.
The mugger/marsh crocodile is a species native to freshwater habitats from southern Iran and Pakistan to the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka.
It is already extinct in Bhutan and Myanmar.
So the mugger has been listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1982.
In India, it is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 mainly to prevent their trade.
The transfer of these reptiles in such large numbers is against the principles of the Act.
Crocodiles need space on land to nest and also to come out of the waters during winters.
So releasing them into the dam reservoir would mean that the female crocodiles may not be able to nest if the slope of the dam is more than about 40 degrees.
It might also disturbe the ecological balance.
Assam Rifles
All women marching contingent of the Assam Rifles took part for the first time in the Republic Day Parade.
The Assam Rifles came into being in 1835, as a militia called the ‘Cachar Levy’.
Other names are ‘Sentinels of the North-East’, ‘Friends of the Hill People’.
The Post-Independence role of the Assam Rifles continued to evolve ranging from conventional combat role to peacekeeping role
Important Role played by Assam Rifles,
Sino-India War 1962,
Operated in foreign land as part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to Sri Lanka in 1987 (Op Pawan) in the North-Eastern areas of India in the face of growing tribal unrest and insurgency wherein the maintenance of law and order,
Assam Rifle is majorly involved in countering insurgency and reassuring the people of the region.
Elephanta Caves
An event that showcased the rich handloom and textile tradition of India was held at Elephanta Caves.
It was organized by the Ministry of Textiles.
Elephanta Caves is a UNESCO World Heritage site constructed about the mid 5th centuries AD.
The Caves are located on Elephanta Island near Mumbai.
It contains a collection of rock art linked to the cult of Shiva.
Sadashiva sculpture dominates the entrance to one of the caves.
It represents three aspects of Shiva: the Creator, the Preserver, and the Destroyer.
