- MOVING MOUNTAINS
SUBJECT: GEOGRAPHY
- Healthcare workers in Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, serve isolated tribal hamlets despite poor connectivity, infrastructure gaps, and threats from wild animals.
- Workers, including ASHA staff, provide essential services like maternal care, vaccinations, and health monitoring.
- They traverse difficult terrains and forests inhabited by elephants, tigers, and leopards to reach remote areas.
- Act as a bridge between the district healthcare system and tribal communities.
- Challenges include lack of resources, infrastructure, and constant risks from wildlife.
- Highlights the importance of grassroots healthcare delivery in improving welfare for vulnerable populations.
- Reflects the need for better infrastructure and support for healthcare workers in remote areas
2. COWPEA SEEDS SPROUT IN SPACE, AND FIRST ROBOTIC ARM OPERATED, SAYS ISRO
SUBJECT: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
- Cowpea seeds (lobia)successfully sprouted in space aboard the PSLV-C60 mission’s POEM-4 module.
- Conducted using the CROPS(Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Sustenance) payload, developed by VSSC.
- Objective: To study germination and plant sustenance under microgravity conditions as part of extraterrestrial agriculture research.
3. CRUISE TERMINAL PROPOSED FOR GREAT NICOBAR ISLAND
SUBJECT: ECONOMY
- A ₹72,000 crore infrastructure project proposed for Great Nicobar Islandhas raised concerns about its environmental impact and strategic implications.
- Initial Project: International container transshipment port at Galathea Bay, airport, power plant, township, and tourism project across 130 sq. km.
- Shipping Ministry Additions: International cruise terminal, ship-breaking yard, shipbuilding and repair facilities, and designation of Campbell Bayas an exim port
- Environmental Concerns: The project involves significant diversion of pristine forest land and potential damage to coral reefs, raising ecological concerns.
- Strategic Concerns:The government has cited national security and strategic interests to deny RTI requests related to the project, particularly regarding the dual-use military-civil airport.
- Transparency Issues: The Shipping Ministry’s proposals for tourism and ship-related activities seem to contradict the secrecy surrounding the project’s strategic implications. The lack of public information and justification for these additions raises transparency concerns.
- Conflicting Objectives: The proposed ship repair and tourism infrastructure appear incompatible with the stated strategic importance and ecological sensitivity of the area.
4. CHIDAMBARAM DOYEN OF NUCLEAR PROGRAMME NO MORE
SUBJECT: PERSONALITIES
- Former Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Principal Scientific Adviser(2002–2018).
- Played a pivotal role in India’s nuclear tests in 1974(Smiling Buddha) and 1998(Operation Shakti).
- Strengthened India’s nuclear energy program and strategic capabilities.
- Advocated for advancements in energy security, supercomputing, and nanotechnology.
- Recipient of Padma Shri (1975) and Padma Vibhushan (1999)
- Championed initiatives like RuTAG for rural technology development and SETS for cybersecurity.
5. NATIONAL SECURITY ACT (NSA) 1980
SUBJECT: DEFENSE
- Purpose: Preventive detention to safeguard national security and public order.
- Powers: Enables Central and State governments to detain individuals without formal charges.
- Grounds for Detention: Broadly defined, including activities prejudicial to national security, public order, and essential supplies.
- Detention Period: Initial detention up to 12 days, extendable with advisory board approval.
- Advisory Board: Reviews detention grounds but government isn’t bound by its recommendations.
- Judicial Review: Limited scope, focusing on procedural aspects rather than merits of detention.
- Impact on Fundamental Rights: Restricts Article 21(personal liberty), curtails Article 22(protection against arrest), and potentially infringes on Article 19(freedom of speech).
- Criticisms: Potential for misuse, lack of transparency, violation of international norms.
- Supreme Court’s Stance: Emphasis on procedural safeguards and caution against arbitrary use.
