National Test House

The Quality Council of India has recently provisionally approved National Test House as a Certification Body for the type certification of drones under the Certification Scheme for Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

• National Test House (NTH) was established in 1912 in Alipore, Kolkata, originally under the Railway Board. (Statement 2 is incorrect)
• It is now a premier scientific institution under the Department of Consumer Affairs.
• It is a subordinate office under the administrative control of Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.
• National Test House has its Headquarters at Kolkata and has a network of 6 regional offices at Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Ghaziabad, Jaipur and Guwahati. 
• Functions of NTH:

• Certification Body for drones – NTH, specifically its Northern Region branch in Ghaziabad, has been provisionally approved by the Quality Council of India (QCI) as a Certification Body for type certification of drones.
• Ensuring compliance – NTH is tasked with evaluating drone models to ensure they comply with applicable national and international standards.
• Testing and evaluation – Conducts testing and evaluation of materials, products, equipment, and systems across various scientific and technological fields, excluding pharmaceuticals and arms & ammunition.
• Calibration – Provides calibration services in electrical and non-electrical measurements with traceability to national standards.
• On-site testing – Performs on-site testing and calibration at customer premises.
• Certification – Certifies welders under the Central Authority for Testing and Certification of Welders.
• R&D support – Aids industries and user organizations with research and development work in test engineering.
• Accreditation – Assists the National Accreditation Board for Testing & Calibration Laboratories (NABL) in accrediting testing and calibration laboratories.
• Arbitration – Acts as an independent reference laboratory for resolving disputes related to quality compliance.
• Impact on Indian Industry – NTH’s affordable certification services reflect its commitment to fostering innovation and growth in the drone sector.
• Supporting the Certification Scheme for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) – NTH plays a vital role in implementing this scheme, which is part of the Drone Rules 2021.

Typhoon Yagi

Recently, countries such as Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar were devastated by Typhoon Yagi.

• A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm that begins over tropical oceans and they can vary in speed, size, and intensity.
• Tropical cyclones are also called hurricanes or typhoons, depending on the region.
• According to the World Meteorological Organization, Tropical cyclones are the second-most dangerous natural hazards, after earthquakes.
• Formation – The tropical cyclones form over warm ocean waters near the equator, where the rising warm, moist air creates low pressure, leading to the development of clouds and winds.
• The typhoon first made landfall in the Philippines, where it claimed the lives of over a dozen people.
• Impact – It significantly affected countries such as the Philippines and Japan, causing widespread disruption and damage in these regions.
• It was classified as a Category 5 typhoon at its peak intensity.
• Damage – Typhoon Yagi caused severe disruptions, including damages to infrastructure and maritime activities. 
• Such typhoons typically lead to port closures, shipping delays, and damage to coastal infrastructure.
• Operation Sadbhav is an initiative by India to send urgent supplies to the countries such as Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar devastated by Typhoon Yagi.

Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (RVP)

• Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar is a prestigious national-level award in India, recognizing outstanding contributions in the field of science and technology.
• The award is organized and presented by the Ministry of Science and Technology.
• Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (SSB) Awards – It has been replace by the the RVP and SSB was traditionally given to outstanding scientists younger than 45 years of age.
• The main differences between the SSB and RVP award processes are:
  • SSB was administered by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) where as RVP is administered by the government.
  • RVP has a different selection committee structure, including the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar Committee (RVPC).
• Eligibility – Scientists, researchers, and individuals who have made significant contributions to their respective fields in science and technology are eligible for the award.
• The award is specifically designed only for Indian citizens who have excelled in the domain of science and technology.
• It is given for both individual and organization.
• Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar Commitee (RVPC) is the apex body which subject advisory committees, which give their recommendation of nominated scientists and returns it to the RVPC.
• The RVPC is chaired by the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India.
• Four categories – The award is given in four categories such as:
  • Vigyan Ratna (VR) award to be awarded to recognize lifetime achievements & contributions made in any field of science and technology.
  • Vigyan Shri (VS) award to be awarded to recognize distinguished contributions in any field of science and technology.
  • Vigyan Yuva- Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (VY-SSB) award to be awarded to recognize & encourage young scientists who made an exceptional contribution in any field of science and technology.
  • VigyanTeam (VT) award to be awarded to a team comprising three or more scientists/researchers/innovators who have made an exceptional contribution working in a team in any field of science and technology.

• The Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar shall be given in the following 13 domains:
  • Physics
  • Chemistry
  • Biological
  • Sciences
  • Mathematics & Computer Science
  • Earth Science
  • Medicine
  • Engineering Sciences
  • Agricultural Science
  • Environmental Science
  • Technology & innovation
  • Atomic Energy
  • Space Science and Technology
  • Others
• Benefits – The awardees shall be presented a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President of India & a medallion.
• A commemorative brochure, containing the citation and photograph of the awardees shall also be released on the day of the ceremony.
• In case of posthumous award, the decoration of the award shall be received by the ‘next of kin’ of such awardee.
• The decoration to such persons who are not able to attend the award ceremony due to personal reasons (including indisposition, preoccupation, etc.) the award shall be deemed to have been conferred on such a person.
• No other person (including the spouse/next of kind) should be allowed to receive the award on behalf of the absentee awards except in posthumous cases.

Amolops Formosus

Scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India have recently studied the Amolops formosus to gain insights into how water flow impacts the presence and abundance of the species in Western Himalayan streams.

• Amolops formosus is commonly known as the Assam cascade, Assam sucker frog, beautiful stream frog or hill stream frog.
• It is a species of frog found in high gradient streams of northern India, northern Bangladesh and Nepal. (Statement 1 incorrect)
• Since it is found in Bangladesh, which is not part of Himalayas it is not endemic to Himalayas. (Statement 2 incorrect)
• In India, it is recorded in the states such as Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.

• They belong to the genus Amolops comprise 72 distinct species distributed throughout the hilly regions with fast-flowing streams in southern and Southeast Asia.
• Amolops are highly adapted to fast-flowing hill streams because they have adhesive disks on the tips of their digits with circum-marginal grooves that help them stick to rocks and other substrates.
• It is accorded ‘Least Concern’ status in the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.
• The species is associated with streams and riparian vegetation within tropical evergreen forest.
• Breeding takes place in streams and there is a continuing loss of suitable stream habitats, through both deforestation and changes in water management (dams).

Tian-Shan or Tien Shan

Melting glaciers in the recent times pose major threat to Central Asia.

• Tien Shan is a great mountain system of Central Asia and its name is Chinese for “Celestial Mountains.”
• It stretches about 1,500 miles (2,500 km) from west-southwest to east-northeast, it mainly straddles the border between China and Kyrgyzstan and bisects the ancient territory of Turkistan.
• It is bounded to the north by the Junggar (Dzungarian) Basin of north-western China and the southern Kazakhstan plains and to the southeast by the Tarim (Talimu) Basin.
• The tallest peaks in the Tien Shan are a central cluster of mountains forming a knot, from which ridges extend along the boundaries between China, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan.
• The area is home to thousands of glaciers that are melting at an alarming rate in Central Asia, already hard-hit by climate change.
• According to a report by the Eurasian Development Bank, Tian-Shan and Pamir are the two main mountain ranges in Central Asia that have melted over the last 60 years.
• The shrinking glaciers have also created a new threat for towns and cities in Kyrgyzstan with meltwater forming new lakes before tumbling down mountains in dangerous torrents.
• A growing appetite for immense natural resources in the region, including for gold, whose extraction with chemicals accelerates the melting of ice.
• Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have stepped up efforts to draw attention to a looming catastrophe.