Chhattisgarh
- Soil, water and air contaminated with heavy metals in these Chhattisgarh villages
- A report called “Poisoned” on water, air and soil pollution in Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh released recently highlights a severe pollution crisis in the region with levels of several carcinogenic heavy metals in air, water and soil not meeting standards. This is probably the first time environmental parameters in this region are being monitored, say authors of the study. No town or city in Chhattisgarh is being monitored under the National Air Quality Index (NAQI) programme of the Centre.
- Villagers are now demanding that Chhattisgarh government immediately initiate continuous monitoring of emissions and health data, apprehend the polluters and take remediation measures.
- Water and air samples collected from five villages—Kosampali, Dongamahua, Kodkel, Kunjemera and Regaon were also found to be contaminated with high levels of cadmium, chromium, manganese, selenium and others. In air, levels of manganese in a couple of villages for example exceeded health guidelines by 1.75 to 2.48 times, levels of arsenic again in samples from two villages exceeded environment ministry’s annual standard by 1.36 to 1.75 times.
INTERNATIONAL
- World Health Organisation declared Somalia as Free Polio.
- The United Nations World Health Organisation (WHO) declared no record of any case of polio disease in Somalia in the last three years declaring the country polio free.
- Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan are the remaining countries where polio is still being recorded.
- Somalia is still responding to an outbreak of acute watery diarrhea/cholera which began in January 2017.
- World’s first plant-based Zika vaccine
- Scientists from US have developed the world’s first plant-based Zika vaccine that may be more effective, safer and cheaper than other vaccines against the mosquito-borne Zika virus. The vaccine was developed using proteins derived from Tobacco plant. Currently, there are no licensed vaccines or therapeutics available to combat Zika.
- The plant protein-based vaccine uses smallest and most unique part of the Zika virus that can still elicit a potent and robust immune response. It produces a potent protective immune response against Zika Virus and also not produce antibodies that may be cross reactive for West Nile fever, Dengue, Yellow fever or others.
NATIONAL
- IONS maiden maritime search and rescue exercise will be held in November
ð Indian Ocean Naval Symposium’s (IONS) maiden International Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise (IMMSAREX) will be held in November 2017 in the Bay of Bengal.
ð The ships and aircraft of the members and observers of the IONS including China, India and Pakistan will participate in the exercise.
ð The IONS is a regional forum of Indian Ocean littoral states launched by India in February 2008.
Gk bit– IONS
ð The IONS is a regional forum of Indian Ocean littoral states launched by India in February 2008. It is a voluntary initiative that seeks to increase maritime co-operation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) by providing an open and inclusive forum for discussion of regionally relevant maritime issues.
- There are 35members -navies of the IONS which have been geographically grouped into the following four sub-regions:-
South Asian Littorals – Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan, Seychelles and Sri Lanka
West Asian Littorals – Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Yemen
East African Littorals – Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Eriteria, France, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan and Tanzania
South East Asian and Australian Littorals – Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Timor Leste
PP (Previous Paper) IAS 2017.
Consider the following in respect of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium(IONS):
- Inaugural IONS was hold in India in 2015 under the championship of the Indian Navy.
- IONS is a voluntary initiative that seeks to increase maritime co-operation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer (b)
- India’s First Online Course on Infusion Therapy Launched
ð Infusion Nurses Society (INS), a global authority in infusion therapy launched India’s first online course on Infusion Therapy for nurses.
ð It mainly aims to train over 3,000 nurses in the vital medical procedure.
ð It deals with all aspects of fluid and medication infusion, intravenous or subcutaneous application.
· India-ASEAN Youth Summit to be held in Bhopal.
- The event is being organised by Foreign Ministry, Madhya Pradesh government and India Foundation.
- The exercise will mark the 25th anniversary of the ASEAN-India dialogue partnership in the ongoing year and also the commemorative year’s theme of “Shared Values, Common Destiny”.
- Madhya Pradesh has been chosen for this event as the Sanchi stupa here strengthens the state’s cultural affiliation with the ASEAN countries.
- Taking into account the “Act East Policy” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the event becomes even more significant. Over 175 delegations of youths from Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and India will attend the Summit.