Current Affair 1:

“Green Cover Index” for National Highways of India

 

News:

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) under the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) for a period of three years to develop and report a "Green Cover Index" for the extensive network of National Highways in India.

Since the initiation of the Green Highways Policy in 2015, the prioritization of greening Highway Corridors has been a focal point for the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and NHAI. Presently, the monitoring of plantations relies on site visits by field personnel.

NRSC will undertake a comprehensive pan-India estimation of green cover, referred to as the "Green Cover Index" for National Highways using high-resolution satellite imagery.

This innovative approach promises to be a robust and reliable mechanism, providing a time-saving and cost-effective solution to generate a macro-level estimate of the degree of greenness along National Highways.

The findings of the index will facilitate comparison and ranking of various National Highways for timely and periodic intervention.

This initiative underscores a sincere commitment to evaluate NHAI's pivotal role in fostering the green transformation of highways, thereby, contributing to the nation's overall environmental well-being.

Current Affair 2:

Five-year survival rate after a breast cancer decreased

 

News:

The five-year survival rate after a breast cancer diagnosis in India is 66.4 percent, dismally low when compared to developed countries like the US where more than 90 percent women are alive five years after being diagnosed with the disease, a new Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) study has found.

The 5-year survival rate is a percentage indicating the proportion of people with a particular disease that will be alive after five years. With any cancer, there will be several five-year survival rates. There will be different numbers for survival without treatment and with treatment.

The analysis covered 17,331 women who were diagnosed with breast cancer between 2012 and 2015 from 11 population-based cancer registries (PBCRs).

According to the study, five-year survival of patients with breast cancer was higher than the national average of 66.4 percent in Mizoram (74.9 percent), Ahmedabad (72.7 percent), Kollam (71.5 percent) and Thiruvananthapuram (69.1 percent).

The exercise revealed heterogeneity in cancer survival across the country, with a 33 percent disparity ranging from 41.9 percent in Pasighat (Arunachal Pradesh) to 74.9 percent in Mizoram. The national average was 66.4 percent. The study did not elaborate on why the survival data was starkly different in Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh.

The latest study underlines that breast cancer is the most common cancer in India.

The analysis also showed that patients diagnosed with local-stage cancer had a 4.4 times greater five-year survival rate than those diagnosed with distant-stage cancer.

In addition, patients older than 65 years had a 16 percent lower chance of survival compared with those aged 15-39 years.

 

Current Affair 3:

Odisha's red ant chutney gets GI tag

 

Link:

Odisha's 'Kai chuteny' or red ant chutney made with red weaver ants has been given the Geographical Indication tag. The dish is commonly consumed in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha.

Known for their potent sting-causing skin blisters, these ants live in the verdant forests of Mayurbhanj, including the Similipal forests, the second-largest biosphere in Asia. The red weaver ants are scientifically referred to as Oecophylla smaragdina.

Although these ants leave painful bump after a sting, the locals have turned them into a spicy condiment 'Kai chuteny'.

Scientists from the Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology have found out that these ants are packed with proteins, calcium, zinc, vitamin B-12, and more and eating them can boost the immune system, help the eyesight, and make the brain and nervous system healthy.

Current Affair 4:

Navy gets its first MALE drone

 

News:

The Indian Navy took delivery of its first India-made Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drone, acquired under emergency procurement mechanism, to augment India’s ability to keep a close eye on the waters of the Indian Ocean.

It was manufactured by Adani Defence and Aerospace in partnership with the Israeli firm Elbit.

While only four of these UAVs have been ordered for now, the military is looking at acquiring about 150 MALE drones.

The drone is qualified for flight in civilian non-segregated airspace and in adverse weather conditions thanks to its unique and unlimited deicing mechanism. According to the company, the drone also has Starliner features over-the-horizon, persistent multi-mission, multi-sensor capabilities with a class-leading payload carrying capacity.

The Navy currently operates tactical drones in addition to the four High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) drones called ‘Sea Guardians’.

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