AI TO BE DEPLOYED FOR CLEARING DRAINS

• Local bodies in the Chennai Metropolitan Area are planning to deploy robotics and artificial intelligence solutions in the maintenance of sewer lines and storm-water drains.
• This was proposed to prevent death of workers who cleaned the sewer lines manually.V

INDIA’S LARGEST FRESHWATER LAKE  – KOLLERU

• The survival of India’s largest freshwater lake ecosystem, Kolleru Lake in Andhra Pradesh, is under severe threat.
• The aqua ponds continue to encroach and thrive in the heart of the wetland.
• It is a breeding and feeding ground for 220 avian species including nearly 100 species migrating from the Palearctic region.
• In 2006, the Andhra Pradesh government executed ‘Operation Kolleru’ as per the directives of the Supreme Court and demolished 1,776 aqua ponds.

OVER 1,000 TEACHERS TO TEACH INDIAN KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS FROM DEGREE LEVEL

• The teachers will undergo a six-day training divided into four parts.
• More than 1,000 university teachers are being equipped with a working understanding of Indian traditions, culture and way of life.
• It will enable them to teach relevant courses on Indian knowledge systems at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels from the next academic session.
• The training is being imparted to teach compulsory two credit courses on Indian culture and traditions.
• It is to be taught in the first years of both the UG and PG programmes in universities across the country.
• UGC intends to train 15 lakh teachers in IKS over the next two years.
• The main areas being covered are parampara (tradition), drishti (perspective), and loukik prayojan (modern relevance) of ancient Indian knowledge systems.
• The six-day training has been divided into four parts.
• The first part deals with the introduction to pre-14th century Vedic texts.
• The first part deals with the philosophical foundations of IKS such as Darshana Shastra (Vedic Philosophy).
• Vocabulary lessons, containing words which cannot be translated, such as karma and dharma, will be covered in the third part.
• In the fourth part, teachers will be trained in the methods of teaching IKS, such as Tantra Yukti, which is a research methodology and innovative pedagogy.
• The UGC decision is in line with the National Education Policy, 2020
• The policy states that knowledge from ancient India and its contributions to modern India must be part of the curriculum.
• The IKS cell has been established under the Education Ministry.
• The training programmes are being conducted in six cities — Nagpur, Chennai, Varanasi, Srinagar, Guwahati, and Delhi.
  

  GANGA-GHAGRA BASIN CANALS – THREAT TO DOLPHINS

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  • 19 Gangetic river dolphins had been rescued from the irrigation canals of the Ganga-Ghagra basin in Uttar Pradesh between 2013 and 2020.
  • Dams and barrages severely affect the habitat of dolphins.
  • They were at a risk of injury or death from a multiple factors, such as rapidly receding waters, heat stroke and human interferences.

  The Ganges river dolphin – Protection Status :

  • Schedule 1 of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972
  • Appendix 1 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
  • Appendix 1 of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS).
  • It is listed as “endangered” on the IUCN Red List.
  • The species is considered as the national aquatic animal.

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  COMMUNITY ANIMAL VACCINATION DRIVE

  • To curb rabies, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) along with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) held a mega vaccination drive for over 1,100 community animals as an extension of ‘World Rabies Day’ measures.
  • World Rabies Day is observed annually on September 28.

   

   PASSENGER FERRY SERVICE BETWEEN T.N. AND SRI LANKA TO BEGIN TOMORROW

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• • The resumption of the high-speed passenger ferry service between Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu and Kankesanthurai in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province will begin on October 10.
  • The vessel started its trial run from the Nagapattinam port.
  • It took roughly three hours to reach Kankesanthurai, 60 nautical miles away.
  • Nagapattinam is a non-major port located on the shores of the Bay of Bengal at the estuary of the River Kaduvaiyar.