A water clinic for jumbos opens 

 

Topic Important for: General Studies - 3 I Biodiversity and Environment

 

 

Context

 

India's first fully equipped hospital dedicated to elephants open in Mathura.

 

About

 

·        The clinic is well equipped with specialised hydrotherapy treatment for elephants suffering from arthritis, joint pain and foot ailments.

 

·        The clinic provides the hydrotherapy jumbo pool with high pressure jet sprays that create water pressure that massage the elephants’ feet and body and help in increasing blood circulation.

 

·        The clinic is run in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department and the NGO Wildlife SOS.

 

·        The hospital is located in Mathura near the Elephant Conservation and Care Centre (ECCC) run by Wildlife SOS.

 

About Wildlife SOS   Wildlife SOS was established in 1995 by a small group of individuals inspired to start a movement and make lasting change to protect and conserve India's natural heritage, forest and wildlife wealth.

 

Other important facilities offered by the clinic include:

 

·        State-of-the-art facilities,

·        Wireless digital X-ray

·        Laser treatment

·        Dental X-ray

·        Thermal imaging and ultrasonography to treat injured, sick and geriatric elephants.

 

Why water clinic is needed?

 

·        The elephants in India are facing a variety of problems, with respect to habitat loss, use in the entertainment industry and lack of medical facilities.

·        The elephants that are rescued from Wildlife have been rescued from extreme distress and disturbing pattern.

·        To cure the elephants that were found with weakened due to improper nutrition, their bodies and delicate feet are riddled with wounds.

·        Some of the common found include Osteoarthritis and foot issues.

·        To provide specialised treatments, identify and develop a model for the management of Asian elephants in captivity across the world.

 

Way forward

 

·        The elephant population in India is 50-60 percent of all the elephants in Asia. Thus, the country should give paramount importance for the survival of the species.

 

·        There is an urgent need to address human-elephant conflict issues and improving the welfare of domesticated elephants.

 

Source Link:

 

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/a-water-clinic-for-jumbos-opens-on-the-banks-of-the-yamuna/article28078217.ece

 

 

Topic Important for: General Studies - 3 I Sci & Tech and Environment. 

 

 

Context

 

Scientists have developed a chemical process that helps to detect cancer cells.

 

About

 

·        A team of scientists in Assam has developed a chemical process that turns ‘dirty’ coal into a biomedical ‘dot’ to help detect cancer cells.

 

·        The team is also looking forward to apply for a patent for their chemical method of producing carbon quantum dots (CQDs)

 

The carbon quantum dots   ·        The carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are developed from cheap, abundant, low-quality and high-sulphur coals. ·        CQDs are carbon-based nonmaterial whose size is less than 10 nm, or nanometre. ·        The CQDs developed emit a bluish colour ·        A few chemical companies in the U.S. and Japan have been manufacturing CQDs

 

Advantages/benefits

 

·        Carbon-based nanomaterials are used as diagnostic tools for bio-imaging, especially in detecting cancer cells.

 

·        It is also used for chemical sensing and in opto-electronics.

·        The CQDs are high-stability, good-conductivity, low-toxicity, environmental friendliness, and good optical properties

 

·        Other advantages of the process are the use of environment-friendly reagents and less water than methods elsewhere.

 

·        Scientist claims that the source material which is used is abundant, low-quality Indian coal not directly suitable for thermal electricity production.

 

Way Forward

 

·        The CQDs are futuristic materials whose demand in India has been increasing leading to a considerable volume of import.

 

·        The CSIR-NEIST technology can produce approximately 1 litre of CQDs per day at a low cost to become an import substitute.

 

Source Link:

https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-life/cancer-cell-detection-dots-developed-from-coal/article28080409.ece

 

 

Topic Important for: General Studies - 3 I Biodiversity and Environment.

 

Context

 

The sea turtles found in net at goa beach have been released back into the ocean.

 

 

About

 

Sea turtles are air-breathing reptiles

 

The nets in which the marine mammals get entangled are commonly called ghost nets.

 

Fish, sea snakes, cetaceans, turtles and other marine animals continue to get trapped in ghost nets.

 

The sea turtles were found entrapped in a net last week.

 

The sea turtle was found by the lifeguards of Drishti.

 

Drishti is an agency contracted by Goa Tourism department to ensure the safety of tourists along the coastline and others spotted sea turtles caught in fishing net and washed up on the shore in Betalbatim, Cavelossim, and Rajbag Canacona, south Goa.

 

Concern

 

·        The increase in the incident of entrapped turtles found on the shore.

·        The population decrease of the turtle

·        There are a lot of fishing nets and are hazardous to turtles and other marine animals.

·        In India, sea turtles are protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, under the Schedule I Part II, Despite this legal protection they face grave threats.

·        Goa’s coast has witnessed a number of incidents of turtle stranding.

 

Source Link:

https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-life/turtles-wrapped-in-nets-wash-ashore-in-goa-saved/article28080413.ece

 

 

Topic Important for: General Studies - 2 I Polity and Constitution

 

Context

 

Om Birla was elected Lok Sabha Speaker for 17th Lok Sabha.

 

About

 

Om Birla is Member of Parliament of BJP from Kota-Bundi in Rajasthan.

 

He was unanimously elected Lok Sabha Speaker.

 

The motion moved by the Prime Minister was adopted by a voice vote.

 

A total of 13 motions were moved in support of Mr. Birla.

 

Speaker Pro Tem   As provided by the Constitution, the Speaker of the last Lok Sabha vacates his office immediately before the first meeting of the newly-elected Lok Sabha.   Therefore, the President appoints a member of the Lok Sabha as the Speaker Pro Tem. Usually, the seniormost member is selected for this.   The President himself administers oath to the Speaker Pro Tem.   The Speaker Pro Tem has all the powers of the Speaker. He presides over the first sitting of the newly-elected Lok Sabha. His main duty is to administer oaths to the new members. He also enables the House to elect the new Speaker.   When the new Speaker is elected by the House, the office of the Speaker Pro Tem ceases to exist. Hence, this office is a temporary office, existing for a few days

 

More about Speaker of Lok Sabha

 

·        The Speaker is the head of the Lok Sabha,and its representative.

 

·        He is the guardian of powers and privileges of the members, the House as a whole and its committees.

 

·        He is the principal spokesman of the House, and his decision in all Parliamentary matters is final.

 

·        The Speaker is elected by the Lok Sabha from amongst its members (as soon as may be, after its first sitting).

 

·        Whenever the office of the Speaker falls vacant, the Lok Sabha elects another member to fill the vacancy. The date of election of the Speaker is fixed by the President.

 

Source Link:

 

https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/birla-unanimous-choice-promises-impartiality/article28080498.ece