What is Gaj Utsav 2023 and why is it being celebrated? Answer: Gaj Utsav 2023 is being celebrated to mark the 30th anniversary of Project Elephant, a Centrally-sponsored Scheme launched in 1992 by the Ministry of Environment to ensure the long-term survival of elephants in their natural habitats. The celebration was inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu at the Kaziranga National Park in Assam.
What is Project Elephant and when was it launched? Answer: Project Elephant is a Centrally-sponsored Scheme launched in 1992 by the Ministry of Environment to support states to ensure the long-term survival of elephants in their natural habitats.
What is the scientific name of the Asian elephant? Answer: The scientific name of the Asian elephant is Elephas maximus indicus.
What is the habitat and distribution of Asian elephants? Answer: Asian elephants inhabit dry to wet forest and grassland habitats in 13 range countries spanning South and Southeast Asia.
What is the conservation status of Asian elephants? Answer: Asian elephants are listed as "Endangered" on the IUCN Red List of threatened species.
What are the threats posed to the elephant population? Answer: The demand for ivory leads to the illegal poaching of both African and Asian elephants. The loss of habitat due to deforestation and an increase in mining and agricultural activities has become problematic, especially for Asian elephants. Human populations increase, and forest cover decreases, forcing elephants into close proximity with human settlements. A lack of legislation regarding the care and treatment of elephants in zoos, circuses, and tourism often leads to their mistreatment.
What initiatives has the government taken to protect the elephant population? Answer: The government has taken several initiatives to protect the elephant population, such as the National Portal on human-elephant conflict called “Surakshya” for the collection of real-time information, the use of LiDAR technology for fodder and water augmentation in forest areas, and the Project RE-HAB, which uses bee boxes as a fence to prevent elephant attacks.
When was the World Health Organization (WHO) founded and where is its headquarters located? Answer: The WHO was founded in 1948 and its headquarters is located in Geneva, Switzerland.
How many Member States does the WHO have and with whom does it usually work in collaboration? Answer: The WHO has 194 Member States and usually works in collaboration with its member states through the Ministries of Health.
What is one of the biggest successes of the WHO and when was it achieved? Answer: One of the biggest successes of the WHO was the eradication of smallpox, which was officially announced in 1980.
What is an example of a failed attempt by the WHO? Answer: The WHO's agreement to give up on trying to eradicate malaria in the 1960s is an example of a failed attempt.
Why was the WHO criticized during the COVID-19 pandemic? Answer: The WHO was criticized for not doing enough to support member states in their fight against the disease.
What is one suggestion for reforms to the WHO? Answer: One suggestion for reforms to the WHO is to provide the agency with more powers to demand that member states comply with the norms and to alert the WHO in case of disease outbreaks that could cause global harm.
What is one of the goals of the WHO's Manifesto for a Healthy Recovery from COVID-19? Answer: One of the goals of the WHO's Manifesto for a Healthy Recovery from COVID-19 is to address climate change and health, reduce air pollution, and improve air quality.
What is the Genome India Project? Answer: The Genome India Project is a Department of Biotechnology initiative to sequence 10,000 Indian human genomes in three years and create a database.
How many genomes are expected to be sequenced by the end of the year 2023 under the Genome India Project? Answer: 10,000 genomes are expected to be completely sequenced by the end of the year 2023 under the Genome India Project.
How many genomes have been sequenced so far under the Genome India Project? Answer: The project has sequenced close to 7,000 genomes.
Who is leading the data collection for the Genome India Project? Answer: Investigators in hospitals will lead the data collection through a simple blood test from participants and the information will be added to biobanks.
What are some of the priority areas of the Genome India Project? Answer: Some of the priority areas are Precision health, Rare genetic disorders, Mutation spectrum of genetic and complex diseases in the Indian population, Genetic Epidemiology of Multifactorial Lifestyle Diseases, and Translational Research.
Why is creating a database of Indian genomes significant? Answer: Creating a database of Indian genomes means that researchers anywhere can learn about genetic variants that are unique to India's population groups and use that to customise drugs and therapies.
What is genome sequencing? Answer: Genome sequencing is a technique that reads and interprets genetic information found within DNA or RNA.
Why is genome sequencing important in understanding viruses like COVID-19? Answer: Genome sequencing is important in understanding viruses like COVID-19 as it helps in studying whether the vaccines developed so far are effective against such mutant strains of the virus and if they can prevent re-infection and transmission.
What are some of the challenges in Genome Sequencing in India? Answer: Some of the challenges in Genome Sequencing in India include a very high target, low capacity, and sample collection.
What is the significance of the Genome India Project for the biotechnology sector in India? Answer: The Genome India Project will boost India's biotechnology sector to expand and have more valuable companies and start-ups.
What is the TEMPO mission? Answer: The Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) mission is a high-resolution air pollution monitoring instrument developed by NASA as part of its Earth System Science Pathfinder program. It will measure atmospheric pollution over most of North America hourly and at high spatial resolution.
What will TEMPO measure? Answer: TEMPO will measure various atmospheric pollutants, including ozone, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, and formaldehyde levels.
What is the significance of TEMPO's measurements? Answer: TEMPO's measurements will create a revolutionary dataset that provides understanding and improves the prediction of air quality (AQ) and climate forcing.
What is the geostationary orbit (GEO)? Answer: Geostationary orbit (GEO) is a type of orbit where satellites circle Earth above the equator from west to east following Earth’s rotation – taking 23 hours 56 minutes and 4 seconds – by traveling at exactly the same rate as Earth. Satellites in GEO appear to be stationary over a fixed position.
How will TEMPO's use of geostationary orbit benefit its measurements? Answer: TEMPO's use of geostationary orbit will allow it to continually observe specific areas to see how weather trends emerge there, providing important scientific observations, including that of rush hour pollution, the potential for improved air quality alerts, the effects of lightning on ozone, the movement of pollution from forest fires and volcanoes, and even the effects of fertilizer application.
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