Dicliptera srisailamica

• It is a new flowering plant species discovered in Eastern Ghats of Andhra, Telangana.
•  Family – Acanthaceae, represented globally by 223 known species.
• Genus – Dicliptera
  • It includes 27 species in India, 8 of which are endemic and Andhra Pradesh alone is home to 7 recorded species of Dicliptera.
  • Dicliptera is known for its tropical and subtropical presence worldwide.
• It is located in the Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve near the popular Srisailam area.
• Nomenclature - Named after the temple town of Srisailam.
• Habitat – It was found in rare patches along stream banks and rocky edges near waterfalls.
• It is an erect herb, reaching up to 90 cm, with four-angled stems covered in fine, deflexed hairs when young.
• Its leaves are ovate, with prominent veins and smooth margins.
• The plant blooms with small, pink, bi-lipped flowers arranged in clusters, commonly seen from October to January.
• Distinction – Dicliptera srisailamica differs from Dicliptera beddomei having short, downturned hairs on the stem and distinctive bracts around the flowers. 
• Conservation status of the species has not yet been evaluated.

GRAP Stage-4 restrictions in force in Delhi

• According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, Delhi’s overall 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) was 484.
• The contribution of stubble burning in neighbouring states to PM2.5 (a chief pollutant) recently in Delhi was 25.1%.
• The air quality is likely to improve slightly to the ‘very poor’ category.
• GRAP is a set of emergency measures that kick in to prevent further deterioration of air quality once it reaches a certain threshold in the Delhi-NCR region. 
• Graded Response Action Plan -4 Restrictions
  • Ban on truck entry except essential items carrying or using clean fuel
  • Temporary halt on construction at public projects
  • Strict bans on open burning of waste and biomass.
  • It bans all activities that involve the use of coal and firewood, as well as diesel generator use for non-emergency services.
  • Authorities have also urged residents to stay indoors as much as possible and to use public transport to cut vehicular emissions.
• The CAQM suggested online teaching for Classes 6 to 9 students and Class 11.
• It also recommended that offices in the National Capital Region (NCR) work at 50% capacity, with the rest working from home.
• Work-from-home options may be introduced for central government employees.
• State governments could also decide to close colleges, limit non-essential commercial activities and implement odd-even vehicle rules.

Measles

• World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that Measles cases rose 20% last year, driven by a lack of vaccine coverage in the world’s poorest countries.
• Measles is a highly contagious viral disease caused by the measles virus, which is a single-stranded RNA virus of the genus Morbillivirus within the family Paramyxoviridae.
• Symptoms- High fever, Cough, Runny nose, Diarrhea and Pneumonia.
• Transmission- It is an airborne disease, spreads through person-to-person contact.
• Vulnerable- Unvaccinated young children and pregnant persons are at highest risk of severe measles complications.
• It is preventable and it mostly affects children under the age of 5.
• Prevalent Regions - Measles is still common, particularly in parts of Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
• Treatment - There is no specific treatment for measles.
• Prevention - Measles Vaccines- The primary method for preventing measles is vaccination. There are several types of measles vaccines:
• MMR Vaccine- MMR stands for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella. This combined vaccine protects against all three diseases.
• MMRV Vaccine- MMRV stands for Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella (chickenpox). This combined vaccine protects against all 4 diseases.
• In some regions, a single measles vaccine may be available, but it is less commonly used compared to the MMR and MMRV vaccines.

Suez Canal

• The Suez Canal remains one of the busiest waterways in the world through which 12% of global commerce passes.
• It is a sea-level waterway running north-south across the Isthmus of Suez in Egypt that connects Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea through the Isthmus of Suez.
• The canal separates the African continent from Asia, and it provides the shortest maritime route between Europe and the lands lying around the Indian and western Pacific oceans.
• The Suez Canal was built as a joint enterprise between the French and the Ottoman Empire. 
• The canal extends between Port Said in the north and Suez in the south, with dredged approach channels north of Port Said, into the Mediterranean, and south of Suez.
• To the west of the canal is the low-lying delta of the Nile River, and to the east is the higher, rugged, and arid Sinai Peninsula.
• The Suez Canal is an open cut canal system without the locks system.

Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary

• Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area located in Mysuru district of Karnataka and a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
• It serves as a crucial buffer area for the Bandipur Tiger Reserve.
• It includes the backwaters of Nugu Dam, constructed across the river Nugu flowing through the Kaveri basin.
• It was included in UNESCO World network of Biosphere.
• Vegetation - Mixed deciduous trees and dry deciduous scrubs.
• Flora- Dipterocarpus indicus, Calophyllum tomentosum, and Hopea parviflora.
• Fauna – It harboured a good number of tigers, leopards, wild dogs or dholes, spotted hyenas, sloth bear, gaur, sambar, chital and four-horned antelope.
• All India Tiger Estimation for 2022 showed the presence of tigers and elephants in the Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary and hence had suggested that it be notified as core and critical area of Bandipur.