NATPOLREX-VIII: It is the 8th edition of the National Level Pollution Response Exercise. Conducted by Indian Coast Guard (ICG) off Mormugao harbour, Goa. The objective of NATPOLREX-VIII is to enhance the preparedness and response capability of all the stakeholders in combating marine spills. It aims at validating the procedures and guidelines as contained in the National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOSDCP) at the national and regional levels.
World Heritage Site: April 18 as the International Day for Monuments and Sites. In many countries the day is also celebrated as World Heritage Day. Globally, the day is promoted by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). These sites are officially recognised by the UN and the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation, also known as UNESCO. UNESCO believes that the sites classified as World Heritage are important for humanity, and they hold cultural and physical significance. The list is maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 UNESCO member states which are elected by the General Assembly. Each World Heritage Site remains part of the legal territory of the state wherein the site is located and UNESCO considers it in the interest of the international community to preserve each site.
- India is home to 40 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
- Harappan city of Dholavira in Gujarat as India’s 40th world heritage site. Ramappa Temple (Telangana) was India’s 39th.
- Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim has been inscribed as India’s first and the only “Mixed World Heritage Site”.
FSSAI Health Star Rating System: Similar to BEE ratings for electronic appliances, FSSAI Health Star Rating System will rate packaged food based on salt, sugar, and fat content. Based on a IIM-A study, ratings will be printed on the Front of Packaging Labelling (FOPL) of packaged and processed foods to: Guide consumers to opt for healthy food, and Reduce the burden of lifestyle diseases. Presently, it is in its initial stage of discussion at FSSAI.
State Energy and Climate Index: Recently, the NITI Aayog launched the SECI. It is the first index that aims to track the efforts made by states and UTs in the climate and energy sector. The parameters of the index have been devised keeping in mind India’s goals for climate change and clean energy transition. Gujarat, Kerala and Punjab have been adjudged as top three performer states in the NITI Aayog’s SECI. The top three performers among smaller states are Goa, Tripura and Manipur. Objectives: The objectives of the index are:
- Ranking the States based on their efforts towards improving energy access, energy consumption, energy efficiency, and safeguarding the environment.
- Helping drive the agenda of the affordable, accessible, efficient and clean energy transition at the State level,
- Encouraging healthy competition among the states on different dimensions of energy and climate.
Kavach: It is India’s own automatic protection system, which is in development since 2012, under the name Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), which got rechristened Kavach or “armour”. It is a set of electronic devices and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) devices installed in locomotives, in the signalling system as well as the tracks. They connect to each other using ultra high radio frequencies to control the brakes of trains and also alert drivers, all based on the logic programmed into them. It will also carry features of the high-tech European Train Control System Level-2 in future. The Kavach system was announced in the 2022 Union Budget as a part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. Around 2,000 km of rail network is planned to be brought under the indigenous system to enable safety and capacity augmentation in 2022-23.
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