Watershed Development (WD)
Department of Land Resources (DOLR) signed an MoU with the National Remote Sensing Center for Watershed Development
- Objective – To monitor the Watershed Development Component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana 2.0 projects through high-resolution satellite data.
- A watershed is a geo-hydrological unit draining to a common point by a system of drains.
- WD refers to the conservation; regeneration and judicious use of all the natural resources particularly land, water, vegetation, and animals and human development within the watershed.
Mount Vesuvius
Researchers used an AI program to read from an ancient scroll that was burned by eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
- Location: Naples, Italy.
- It is one of the active volcanoes on Europe’s mainland.
- It is a composite stratovolcano, made up of pyroclastic flows, lava flows, debris from lahars.
Use of Bamboo to prevent landslide
Kerala Forest Department is planning to plant bamboo and creeper bamboo along the highway in Munnar to prevent repeated landslides.
- Indian Forest Amendment Act 2017 – Categorised bamboo as a grass.
- Now there is no prohibition on growing or cutting bamboo trees even outside the forests.
- Bamboo grow 4 to 5 feet deep into the soil and ensure strong protection to the soil.
- Successful examples – Malaysia, Philippines and Nepal.
Balfour Declaration
Recently in news as there are attacks between Israel and Palestine.
- A public statement issued in 1917 by British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour to Lord Rothschild, a leader of the British Jewish community.
- For the 1st time, it promised British support for a “Jewish national home” in Palestine, at the time a British Mandate.
- It went on to be the basis of the creation of Israel, 30 years later.