Why in the News?

Members of the Muthuvan tribe of the Anamalai hills, who are known for coexisting with the wildlife with their traditional knowledge, have joined hands with the Tamil Nadu Forest Department for a unique task.

About the Muthuvan Tribe:

• Inhabiting the border hill forests of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the Muthuvan tribe is distributed across this region.
• The tribe communicates in distinct dialects, identifying themselves as Malayalam Muthuvan and Pandi Muthuvan.
• Cultural Beliefs: Embracing animism and spirit worship, the Muthuvan tribe venerates forest gods and attributes the spirits of their ancestors as the initial settlers in the hill forests.
• Renowned for their harmonious coexistence with wildlife, the Muthuvan people leverage traditional knowledge to navigate their relationship with the natural environment.
• Unique Governance System - 'Kani System': Operating under the 'Kani System,' each village is overseen by a 'Kani' responsible for village administration, reflecting their distinctive form of governance.
• Traditional Medicine Expertise: Proficient in traditional medicines, the Muthuvan tribe safeguards their effective remedies, preserving and passing down this knowledge across generations.
• Occupation: Agriculture serves as the primary occupation for Muthuvan tribes, yielding various products such as ragi, cardamom, and lemongrass.

About Project Tahr:

• Project Tahr aims to enhance comprehension of the Nilgiri Tahr population through surveys and radio telemetry studies.
• The initiative focuses on reintroducing Tahrs to their historical habitat, fostering their return to natural landscapes.
• Addressing immediate threats, the project employs strategic measures to mitigate challenges facing the Nilgiri Tahr.
• A key component involves intensifying public awareness efforts to garner support and understanding for the conservation of this species.
• Project Tahr is slated for a comprehensive 5-year implementation, spanning from 2022 to 2027.

Why in the News?

Indian Naval Ship INS Sumedha recently made a port visit at Lagos, Nigeria as part of its deployment to the Gulf of Guinea (GoG).

About INS Sumedha:

• INS Sumedha is the third vessel among the indigenously crafted Saryu-class Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels (NOPV).
• Constructed and designed domestically, Goa Shipyard Limited played a pivotal role in the indigenous creation of INS Sumedha.
• The vessel officially joined the Indian Navy's fleet on March 7, 2014.
• Operational Base: A key asset of the Indian Navy's Eastern Fleet, INS Sumedha operates from its base in Visakhapatnam.
• Primary Functions: The vessel is tasked with a diverse range of functions, including EEZ surveillance, anti-piracy patrols, fleet support operations, maritime security provision to offshore assets, and execution of escort operations for high-value assets.
• Features:
• With a displacement of 2,230 tonnes, INS Sumedha boasts dimensions of 105 meters in length and 12.9 meters in beam.
• Equipped with a cutting-edge weapon and sensor package, the vessel ensures enhanced operational capabilities.
• Designed to carry an Advanced Light Combat Helicopter onboard, adding to its versatility in maritime operations.
• Powered by two of the largest diesel engines deployed in the Indian Navy, INS Sumedha attains a top speed of 25 knots.
• Featuring a remarkable range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km) at 16 knots (30 km/h), the offshore patrol vessel is well-suited for prolonged missions and operations.

About the Gulf of Guinea:

• Location: Situated as the northeasternmost part of the tropical Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Guinea is positioned off the western coast of the African continent.
• The Gulf lies at the confluence of the Prime Meridian and the Equator, specifically at 0°0’N and 0°0'E.
• Extent and Coastline: Encompassing an area of 2.3 million square kilometres, the Gulf features an extensive coastline stretching approximately 6,000 kilometres.
• Characterized by a narrow continental shelf, it boasts a distinctive coastal landscape.
• Oceanic Conditions: The Gulf of Guinea experiences warm tropical waters characterized by relatively low salinity, influenced by the inflow of rivers and high regional rainfall.
• Notable tributaries include the Volta and Niger rivers.
• Coastal Countries: 16 countries border the Gulf of Guinea, including Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gabon, Nigeria, Ghana, São Tomé and Principe, Togo, and Sierra Leone.
• Topography: The coastal region is predominantly low-lying, featuring mangrove swamps, marshes, and lagoons.
• Geological Significance: The Gulf's coastline bears a striking resemblance to the continental margin of South America, affirming the theory of continental drift.
• Holding over 35% of the world’s petroleum reserves, the Gulf of Guinea is a significant global repository of petroleum.
• Security Challenges: Regrettably, the Gulf of Guinea has gained notoriety as one of the world’s most perilous gulfs due to widespread piracy, significantly impacting West African countries and attracting international concern.

Why in the News?

The Broadcasting Content Complaint Council (BCCC) on Tuesday asked entertainment channels to exercise "extreme caution" while portraying the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in television programmes to avoid hurting the sentiments of the members of the two communities.

About the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC):

• The Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF) established the BCCC in June 2011 as an independent self-regulatory body.
• Regulatory Role: The primary function of the BCCC is to enforce self-regulatory guidelines for non-news channels, covering general entertainment, kids, and special interest channels.
• Formulation of Guidelines: Guidelines address crucial areas, including national interest, racial and religious harmony, treatment of children, social values, explicit content (sex and nudity), violence, crime, gambling, drugs, smoking, tobacco, alcohol, defamation, harm, and offence.
• Complaint Lodging Process: Any viewer can file a complaint regarding television programs, non-news channels, and digital content of IBDF India members.
• Composition of BCCC:
• The council comprises 13 members, including a chairperson, four non-broadcast members, four representatives from national-level statutory commissions, and four members from the broadcast industry.
• Functioning Mechanism: Upon receiving a valid complaint, the concerned channel is required to present its viewpoint on the contested content within one working week.
• If the BCCC committee finds the channel's response unsatisfactory, it holds the authority to issue directives, mandating modifications or withdrawal of the content.
• Reporting to Authorities: In case of non-compliance with directives, the BCCC promptly submits a detailed report to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting within 24 hours.

Key Details about the Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation (IBDF):

• Founded in 1999, the Indian Broadcasting Foundation initially served as the apex body for broadcasters.
• Recently rebranded as the Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF) to encompass digital platforms, consolidating oversight over all digital over-the-top streaming firms.
• Representative Role: Recognized as the official spokesperson for the Indian broadcasting industry, IBDF plays a crucial role in articulating industry perspectives.
• IBDF's membership includes a diverse range of channels, covering both news and non-news categories such as General Entertainment Channels (GEC), sports, music, movies, and infotainment.
• Actively involved in providing research-based legislative inputs to the government, IBDF engages in advocacy efforts on various fronts, including fiscal, regulatory, and business issues.
• The organization plays a pivotal role in facilitating the formulation of favourable policies, addressing industry challenges, and advocating for essential changes in the overall system.

Why in the News?

In a remarkable botanical discovery, a team of researchers from the Department of Life Sciences at Manipur University and Kwaklei and Khonggunmelei Orchids Pvt. Ltd. has unveiled a hitherto unknown plant species named "Curcuma kakchingense."

About Curcuma Kakchingense:

• Recently identified flowering plant species in Manipur, belong to the Zingiberaceae family.
• Member of the angiospermic family Zingiberaceae, which includes well-known plants like turmeric, gingers, and cardamom.
• Plant Characteristics: Robust plant reaching a height of eight feet, characterized by large terminal inflorescence.
• Natural Habitat: Thrives along the banks of the Sekmai River in the Kakching District of Manipur.
• Resemblance to Other Species: Bears a striking resemblance to local "Yaingung" (Curcuma longa) and Curcuma phrayawan from Thailand.
• Distinguished by lemon-yellow rhizomes with a notably bitter taste.
• IUCN Red List Classification: Classified as "Data Deficient" (DD) under the IUCN Red List category.

Importance of Curcuma Plants:

• Culinary and Traditional Uses: Various Curcuma species, including turmeric (Curcuma longa), play a vital role in cuisines, traditional medicines, spices, and dyes.
• Biological Activities: Curcumin and curcuminoids found in Curcuma species are nontoxic polyphenolic compounds with diverse biological activities.
• Pharmacological Properties: Essential oil of Curcuma species possesses pharmacological properties, including anti-inflammatory, anti-cancerous, anti-diabetic, and anti-microbial effects.
• Versatile Applications: Widely utilized in cosmetics, perfumes, and as ornamental plants, contributing to various industries and daily life.

Why in the News?

An international team led by Northwestern University has successfully created an artificial intelligence (AI) tool Bright Transient Survey Bot (BTSbot) that can detect, identify, and classify supernovae.

What is the Bright Transient Survey Bot (BTSbot)?

• The Bright Transient Survey Bot operates as a machine-learning algorithm, undergoing training with a vast dataset comprising over 1.4 million images from nearly 16,000 sources.
• Utilizing data from the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), it successfully identified the recently discovered supernova named SN2023tyk.
• Functionality: The algorithm seamlessly automates the process of seeking potential supernovae across the night sky.
• In the case of SN2023tyk, it autonomously requested the supernova's spectrum from the Palomar Observatory.
• Subsequently, the Spectral Energy Distribution Machine (SEDM), another robotic telescope, performed comprehensive observations to obtain the source's spectrum.
• Advantages: This innovative system not only streamlines the entire workflow of searching, detecting, confirming, classifying, and announcing new supernovae but also eradicates human error, significantly enhancing the speed of the process.
• The Bright Transient Survey Bot showcases the potential of automated technology in advancing astronomical discoveries.

What is artificial intelligence?

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the interdisciplinary field of computer science dedicated to developing algorithms and computational models that emulate human cognitive processes.
• Rooted in machine learning and advanced data analytics, AI aims to create systems capable of reasoning, problem-solving, and decision-making.
• AI involves the study and design of intelligent agents, encompassing areas like natural language processing, computer vision, and expert systems.
• It seeks to enhance machines' ability to learn from experience, adapt to new information, and perform tasks that traditionally necessitate human intelligence, fostering innovation across diverse domains, including healthcare, finance, and robotics.