Daily Prelims 21st February 2024

PRELIMS BOOSTER

1. Vaitarna River : It is one of the west flowing rivers in the region North of Mumbai and South of the Tapi River.

• • It originates in the Trimbakeshwar Hills of Nasik district of Maharashtra. 
  • It receives most of the rainfall from the South West monsoon during June to October. Almost 98% of the annual rainfall of the basin is received during this period. 
  • Tributaries: The main tributaries are Pinjal, Ganjai, Surya, Daharji and Tansa. 
  • The catchment area of Vaitarna basin completely lies in Thane and Nasik districts of Maharashtra. 
  • It drains an area of 2019 sq. km before it falls into the Gulf of Khambhat.  

2. Bull Shark :

• • They’re known to be aggressive towards humans and are thought to be one of the most dangerous shark species in the world. 
  • Habitat: These are frequently spotted in tropical coastal areas worldwide, including shallower waters along coastlines. 
  • Bull sharks have a unique ability to tolerate freshwater and saltwater habitats, meaning they can sometimes be found venturing into rivers and travelling great distances upstream.  
  • It reproduces through viviparity, the process in which the embryo develops within the mother’s body, leading to live birth.  
• Conservation status 

• • IUCN: Vulnerable 

3. Pandaram lands

• • Pandaram lands is a form of land ownership. According to the agreement signed in 1884, the Pandaram land was handed over to them and if they continued to possess them for 40 years, then the ownership of these Pandaram land would pass on to the islanders. 
  • Over 60% of the land in Lakshadweep, falls under the Pandaram lands. This land covers parts of Androth, Kalpeni, Kavaratti, Minicoy, and Agatti islands, as well as six uninhabited islands. 

What is the recent controversy? 

• Local people claim that the earlier governments used to pay them compensation for acquiring Pandaram lands in their possession. 
• However, the current administration is continuing the process of numbering of trees on Pandaram lands, insisting that such property belongs to the government. They fear that the government is displacing them from their native lands in the name of advancing developmental projects. 

Places In News

Papua New Guinea 

• Recently, numerous men lost their lives in a fresh outbreak of tribal conflict in the remote highlands of Papua New Guinea. 
• It is an island country situated in the south-western Pacific. 
•  It covers the eastern part of New Guinea, the world’s second-largest island, and many smaller nearby islands. 
• It shares its land border only with Indonesia. 
• It is the world’s third-largest island nation, spanning 462,840 square kilometers.