What is the News ?

Recently, a tiger was found dead in the Susarda range within the buffer zone of Melghat Tiger Reserve's Paratwada division.

Facts About:

The name "Melghat" signifies the confluence of various 'ghats' or valleys, reflecting the landscape of the reserve.

Location: Melghat Tiger Reserve is situated in the Amaravati district of Maharashtra.

• It's positioned on the southern offshoot of the Satpura Hill Range known as Gavilgarh Hill, approximately 225 km west of Nagpur.

Establishment: It was initially designated as a wildlife sanctuary in 1967 and later declared a tiger reserve in 1974.

• Melghat was one of the first nine tiger reserves established under Project Tiger in 1973-74, an initiative for the conservation of Bengal tigers in India.
• It is one of the largest tiger reserves in India in terms of its area.

Rivers: Melghat Tiger Reserve serves as the catchment area for five significant rivers: Khandu, Khapra, Sipna, Gadga, and Dolar.

Vegetation: The forest primarily consists of tropical dry deciduous trees, with teak being the dominant species.

Wildlife: Apart from Bengal tigers, the reserve is home to a variety of wildlife, including Sloth Bears, Indian Gaur, Sambar deer, Leopards, Nilgais, and more.

• Notably, the endangered Forest Owlet, once believed to be extinct, has been found in various areas of Melghat.

Tribal Communities: The largest tribal community in Melghat is the Korkus.

What is the News ?

The popular SARAS Mela Gurugram was recently inaugurated by the Union Minister of State for Rural Development, Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution.

Facts About:

• SARAS Mela is a women empowerment initiative by the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana National Rural Livelihoods Mission of the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD)
• It’s aim is to bring the rural women self-help group members under one platform where they can showcase their skills, sell their products and build connections with potential market players at fair prices.
• The organisation trains women in different livelihood craftsmanship skills and gives them a platform to market their products.
• Their stalls are entirely free, and all their expenses, including their stay, are borne by the Mela organising committee.
• The SARAS Mela is organised by the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR).
• Saras Melas are regularly organised across India throughout the year.

What is the News ?

The Rashtriya Gokul Mission is actively supporting the promotion of the Gir indigenous cow breed.

Facts About:

• It is being implemented for the development and conservation of indigenous bovine breeds since December 2014.
• With a budget of Rs. 2400 crore, the program is also carried out under the general Rashtriya Pashudhan Vikas Yojna from 2021 to 2026.
• The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying is the nodal ministry.

Mission Objectives:

• To use cutting-edge technologies to raise milk production and sustainably improve the productivity of cows.
• To spread the practice of breeding bulls with high genetic merit.
• To increase the breeding network's strength and provide farmers with doorstep artificial insemination services to increase the coverage of artificial insemination.
• To encourage the scientific, all-encompassing rearing of native cattle and buffalo as well as conservation.

What is the News ?

A woman uses Thallium to seek revenge from in-laws in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra

Facts About:

• Thallium is a chemical element with the symbol "Tl" and atomic number 81 on the periodic table.
• It is a rare and heavy metal that is often considered a post-transition metal.

                It is a soft, malleable metal that can easily be cut with a knife.

• Historical Use: In the past, thallium compounds were used in rat poisons and insecticides, but their use has been largely discontinued due to their toxicity.
• Electrical Conductivity: It has good electrical conductivity and is sometimes used in the manufacturing of electrical conductors.
• Radioactive Isotope: Thallium has a radioactive isotope, thallium-201, which is used in medical imaging as a radioactive tracer in cardiac stress tests.
• Chemical Properties: Thallium is chemically similar to lead and is often found in association with lead and zinc ores.
• Applications: Despite its toxicity, thallium has some limited applications in industries, including the manufacture of electronics, optical glasses, and low-melting thermometers.
• It is highly toxic to humans and is sometimes referred to as "the poisoner's poison" due to its extreme toxicity.

Exposure to thallium can cause a variety of health problems, including hair loss, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, peripheral neuropathy, and seizures.

In severe cases, thallium poisoning can be fatal.

• Due to its toxicity, thallium is a highly regulated substance and its use is restricted to a limited number of industrial applications, and it is not available to consumers.

What is the News ?

Reliance Jio recently declared that it had effectively tested the first gigabit internet service in India, based on satellite technology.

Facts About:

• Satellite Internet operates in a way similar to satellite TV.
• It begins with an internet service provider launching satellites into space to orbit the Earth.

                 These satellites, placed in low- or high-Earth orbit, transmit a signal.

• A receiver dish, positioned in your home or business, captures this signal.

                 It should have an unobstructed view of the sky.

• You connect a modem to this dish to convert the received signal into usable internet connectivity.
• High-speed satellite internet is typically delivered through constellations of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites.
• LEO satellites orbit the planet at altitudes ranging from 250 to 2,000 kilometers.
• Communication between these satellites and Earth occurs using radio waves.

Advantages of Satellite Internet:

• Satellite Internet is ideal for users residing in rural or remote areas, far from urban centers or cable/phone offices.
• It relies on a satellite dish for two-way communication and doesn't require telephone cables or lines.
• When compared to other internet options, satellite internet experiences fewer or minimal network outages.