- MANIPUR PROTEST
- Police personnel across the Meitei-dominated valley districts of Manipur laid down arms
- To protest against the abduction of a police officer by members of Arambai Tenggol, a radical Meitei outfit
- The force’s morale was down
- Around 200 armed men stormed the residence of Additional superintendent of Police Moirangthem Amit in Imphal East
- They were seeking the release of Robin M., chief of Arambai Tenggol’s Sekmai unit, who was arrested earlier in the day for allegedly snatching a vehicle from a petrol pump
- In the midst of the incident, the Additional SP and one of his escorts were abducted by the armed miscreants
- They were later rescued from Kwakeithel Konjeng Leikai area and admitted for medical treatment
- Who are the Arambai Tenggol? Arambai Tenggol is a militant group that emerged in the state of Manipur in northeastern India in the early 2020s
- The group claims to represent the interests of the Meitei, which is the majority ethnic group in Manipur
- Genesis
- The group is thought to have been created by cadres of Meitei insurgent groups
- With the support of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and Manipur’s titular king Leishemba Sanajaoba
- Who is also the state’s lone representative to the Rajya Sabha
- The group adopted a religious and nationalist rhetoric
- Invoking the ancient Meitei religion of Sanamahism
- Invoking the historical Meitei kingdom of Kangleipak
- Why in news?
- The group, along with another recently formed organisation called Meitei Leepun, led the mass killing of Kuki-Zo civilians in the Imphal Valley
- It played a lead role in attacking tribal settlements in other parts of the state
2. INDIA FIGHT AGAINST RARE DISEASE
- Rare diseases are health conditions that affect a small percentage of the population
- They are often complex, have a genetic origin, and can be life- threatening or chronically debilitating Rare Disease Day is an international awareness day, which takes place on the last day of February each year It aims to raise awareness for rare diseases and improve access to treatment and medical representation for individuals with rare diseases and their families
- Some of the Rare Diseases India is focusing on are — Lamin A/C-related dilated cardiomyopathy: A rare genetic disorder that affects the heart muscle, leading to heart failure
- These chromatin alterations result in premature cardiomyocyte differentiation, cell cycle withdrawal, and abnormal contractility leading to the rare condition
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA): A genetic disorder characterised by weakness and wasting (atrophy) in muscles used for movement
- Gaucher’s disease: A genetic disorder in which fatty substances accumulate in cells and certain organs
- Mucopolysaccharidosis type I: A metabolic disorder caused by the absence or malfunctioning of lysosomal enzymes needed to break down molecules called glycosaminoglycans
- Whipple’s disease: A rare bacterial infection that most often affects the gastrointestinal system
3. MIZORAM ASSEMBLY ADOPTS RESOLUTION AGAINST BORDER FENCE
- The 60-member Mizoram Assembly adopted a resolution against the Centre’s decision Centre had decided to fence the India-Myanmar border and scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR) agreement with the civil war-torn neighbouring country of Myanmar
- Centre was urged to reconsider its decision
- Mizoram urged centre to take steps instead to ensure the Zo ethnic people can live together without a fence dividing their ancestral land
- The FMR allows residents along the 1,643-km border between the two countries to travel up to 16 km in each others’ territory without any visa and stay for a limited period
- The dominant Mizos of Mizoram, the Kuki-Zomis of Manipur, the Chins of Myanmar and the Kuki-Chins of Bangladesh belong to the Zo ethnic group
- The British geographically divided the Zo ethnic people who have inhabited Mizoram and the Chin Hills of Myanmar for centuries together, once under their own administration
- The communities have been dreaming of reunification and cannot accept the India-Myanmar border imposed upon us
- On February 6, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the India-Myanmar border would be fenced
- On February 8, his announcement on scrapping the FMR to “maintain the country’s internal security and demographic structure of the Northeastern States” followed
- How have the NE states reacted?
- Of the four States bordering Myanmar
- Mizoram and Nagaland are opposed to the fencing plan
- Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh are in favour of the plan
4. INDIA’S FIRST INDIGENOUS HYDROGEN FUEL CELL FERRY
- The hydrogen-fuelled electric vessels project
- PM Modi flagged off India’s first indigenously built hydrogen fuel cell ferry boat in virtual mode
- The vessel has been built at the Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL)
- The pilot vessel is a 24-metre catamaran which can carry 50 passengers
- It also has a fully air conditioned space for passengers
- It will make urban mobility smooth and easy
- The hydrogen fuel vessel has fully home-grown technology
- It can be replicated in other parts of the country for urban mobility application Significance
- The vessel built at the CSL underscores the pioneering step for embracing clean energy solutions
- Aligning with the nation’s net-zero commitments
- Part of India’s transformative efforts on the innovative and new technology front on green energy and sustainable cost-effective alternate fuel front
- Hydrogen fuel cells can be used in a wide range of applications, including transportation, material handling, stationary, portable, and emergency backup power applications
- The govt announced the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) in January 2023 With an outlay of Rs 19,744 crores to make India the Global Hub for production, usage and export of Green Hydrogen and its derivatives
- NGHM is expected to lead to development of 5 Million Metric Tons per annum of Green Hydrogen production capacity by the year 2030
- The tender for selection under the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) Scheme (Mode-1-Tranche-I), has been awarded
- Green Hydrogen Producers for setting up Production Facilities for Green Hydrogen in India for a total capacity of 4,12,000 tons per annum
- Electrolyser Manufacturers (EM) for setting up Manufacturing Capacities for Electrolysers in India — for a total capacity of 1,500 MW per annum
5. NEPAL – INDIA (PANCHESHWAR PROJECT)
- It’s been more than a month since India and Nepal signed the agreement on long-term power sharing
- Yet, the two sides have not managed to make any forward movement on the stalled negotiations over the landmark Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project (PMP)
- It is a bi-national project between India and Nepal, aimed primarily at energy production and enhancing irrigation in both countries
- It involves the construction of a 315-meter high dam across the River Mahakali (Sarada in India)
- It forms an 80 km long reservoir with a surface area of 116 km square and a total gross storage volume of about 11.35 billion cubic meters.
- Once completed, the PMP is expected to have a capacity of 5,040 megawatts (MW)
- It will be among the tallest dams globally ○ With an estimated cost ranging from Rs. 401.84 billion to Rs. 500 billion
- The project’s objectives include energy production and irrigation enhancement But environmentalists have raised concerns about its potential impact on the region’s ecology and local communities.
- Why is there a delay?
- The project is stalled because the Indian and the Nepali sides are unable to come to a consensus on sharing of benefits
- Electricity is divided equally
- But India gets the lion’s share of irrigation and flood control benefits
- On the other hand, Kathmandu feels water is ‘white gold’ and India should pay Nepal for it
- India cannot accept this claim as it challenges India’s understanding of other water-based treaties, including the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan
- Solution – A seasoned observer said, that India should find a way to compensate the Nepalese in a satisfactory manner
- This project underscores the progress of the Mahakali Treaty signed in February 1996 between India and Nepal includes provisions for the integrated development of the Mahakali River basin
ONE LINER
5th edition of annual bilateral military exercise between two countries. Participating countries are India and Japan. Location in Mahajan Field, Japan. Its objective to improvising intergrated operational capacities and enhancing inter operability.
