Indian Skimmer (Rynchops albicollis)

Recently India and Bangladesh submitted the joint proposal to list Indian skimmer under the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) of Wild Animals at the 14th COP meeting of CMS.

• Habitat – It is almost completely restricted to India as a breeding bird, with only occasional breeding in western Bangladesh.
• It occurs primarily on larger, sandy, lowland rivers, around lakes and adjacent marshes and, in the non-breeding season, estuaries and coasts.
• It can be found in the coastal estuaries of western and eastern India.
• The recent population decline has been accompanied by a range contraction and there are no recent confirmed breeding records from Pakistan or Myanmar.
• Nesting success is currently very low.
• Distribution – It was formerly widely distributed across the Indian Subcontinent, along the major rivers of Myanmar and along the Mekong in Indo-China.
• In India the species remains widely distributed, but breeding areas are now highly restricted along the rivers such as Chambal, Ganges, Yamuna, Mahanadi and Son.
• In India it can be found in the following states:

• They breed between February to June and raise one to three chicks per clutch.
• Conservation – It is listed as endangered under the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list.
• It is listed under the Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
• It is not listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
• Threats – The declines appear to be driven by very low nesting success due to disturbance and predation.
• Sand mining, agricultural activities, cattle movement and human disturbance are major threats to the bird.
• Widespread increases in exploitation and degradation of rivers and lakes through irrigation schemes and transportation.

Article 142

Recently the supreme court of India invoked the article 142 to overturn Chandigarh mayor poll results.

• Article 142 provides a unique power to the Supreme Court, to do “complete justice” between the parties, where, at times, the law or statute may not provide a remedy.
• While the powers under Article 142 are extraordinary in nature, the apex court has defined its scope and extent through its judgments over time.
• In the Prem Chand Garg case, the supreme court has ruled that that orders or decrees issued under Article 142 must be:
  • Consistent with the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution and
  • Adhere to existing laws established by the Parliament.
• The limitations imposed by ordinary laws (those passed by Parliament or State Legislatures) do not automatically apply to Article 142.
• Article 142 derives its power from the Constitution itself, which is higher than any ordinary law.
• Under the Article 142 the court has significant discretion in using this power to achieve justice, even if it means deviating from established legal norms.
• Despite its expansive power, the Supreme Court clarified in a 2023 ruling that Article 142 is not universally applicable and may not be invoked in every case.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

Recently Prime Minster Narendra Modi lauded Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his birth anniversary (February 19).

• Shivaji was born in Shivner near Junnar. He was the son of Shahji Bhonsle by his first wife Jijabai.
• Shivaji began his military career at the age of 19. In 1646, he captured the fortress of Torna from the Sultan of Bijapur.
• The fort of Raigad, located five miles east of Torna, was captured and wholly rebuilt.
• In 1656, Shivaji re-started his military activities. He captured Javli in the Satara district and the immense booty that he won made him popular among the Marathas.
• The Treaty of Purandar (1665) – Was signed between the Jai Singh I and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
• On 6 June 1674, Shivaji was crowned at Raigarh. He assumed the title of “Chhatrapathi” (supreme king).
• He allowed his half-brother Venkoji or Ekoji to carry on administering Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu.
• Religious heads such as Ramdas and Tukaram, also influenced Shivaji.
• Ramdas was regarded by Shivaji as his guru.
• Shiv Jayanti, also known as Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj Birth Anniversary, is a festival and public holiday of the Indian state of Maharashtra.
• This festival is celebrated on February 19, celebrating the birth anniversary of Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the first Chhatrapati of the Marathas.

National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED)

In the recent talks between the government and farmers, the government has proposed a solution involving cooperative societies like NAFED to ensure the purchases at MSP without quantity limitations.

• National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) is an apex organization that deals with marketing cooperatives for agricultural produce in India.
• It was established on 2nd October 1958 and registered under the Multi State Co-operative Societies Act.
• NAFED was setup with the object to promote Co-operative marketing of agricultural produce to benefit the farmers.
• Agricultural farmers are the main members of Nafed, who have the authority to say in the form of members of the General Body in the working of Nafed.
• It is a nodal agency to implement price stabilization measures under "Operation Greens" which aims to double the farmers' income by 2022.
• The objectives of the NAFED includes:
  • Facilitate, coordinate and promote the marketing and trading activities of the cooperative institutions, partners and associates in agricultural, other commodities, articles and goods
  • Collaborate with any international agency or a foreign body for development of cooperative marketing, processing and other activities for mutual advantage in India or abroad.
  • Undertake purchase, sale and supply of agricultural, marketing and processing requisites, such as manure, seeds, fertilizer, agricultural implements and machinery.
  • Act as warehouseman under the Warehousing Act and own and construct its own godowns and cold storages
  • Act as agent of any Government agency or cooperative institution, for the purchase, sale, storage and distribution of agricultural, horticultural, forest and others.
  • Under takes grading, packing, standardization, scientific treatment and process of agricultural produce and other articles.
  • Act as insurance agent and to undertake all such works related to the agricultural activities.
  • Organizes consultancy work in various fields for the benefit of the cooperative institutions in general and for its members in particular.
  • Sets up storage units for storing various commodities and goods, by itself or in collaboration with any other agency in India or abroad.
• The management of NAFED vests in the Board of Directors, which includes Chairman and Managing Director.
• e-Samridhi portal is an initiative of it.
• NAFED offers the following business services:
  • Internal Trade
  • Government (PSSMIS)
  • International Trade
  • Industrial activities
  • Consumer Marketing
  • Seed (Production and distribution of certified seeds)
  • Organic Farming

African-Eurasian Migratory Land-birds Action Plan (AEMLAP)

The AEMLAP was recently adopted at the 14th COP of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) of Wild Animals.

• The African-Eurasian Flyway – The Birds that migrate through the African-Eurasian Flyway can be divided in 3 main groups:
  1. Water-birds
  2. Land-birds
  3. Birds of Prey (Raptors)
• The African- Eurasian migratory bird includes species such as Common Cuckoo, the Turtle Dove, swallows and songbirds.

• Throughout their migration, these birds are facing various threats, from habitat loss to illegal killing, most of them being anthropogenic such as pollution.
• Conserving migrant birds is a global challenge that is addressed by the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).
• African-Eurasian Migratory Land-birds Action Plan (AEMLAP) – Is an initiative of the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) to conserve the migrant birds in the flyway.
• The aim of this Action Plan is to improve the conservation status of migratory land-bird species in the African-Eurasian by:
  • Uniting nations across borders – This Action Plan joins forces internationally to protect migratory land-birds in Africa and Eurasia.
  • Empowering local action – By sparking national efforts to improve the conservation status of these precious birds.
• The overall goal is to develop a common strategic framework for different countries to work together to save and protect birds that migrate across Africa and Europe.
• The geographic scope – Of this Action Plan is the area of the migration systems of African-Eurasian land-bird species, hereafter referred to as the ‘Action Plan area’.
• This includes Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, Afghanistan and the Indian sub-continent.
• The Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Water-birds (AEWA) – Is an intergovernmental treaty dedicated to the conservation of migratory water-birds and their habitats across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, Greenland and the Canadian Archipelago.
• It is developed under the framework of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
• The Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Water-birds (AEWA) is an independent treaty, not a subcomponent of the African-Eurasian Migratory Land-birds Action Plan (AEMLAP).