India wins SAFF Championship Title for 8th Time

India won the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship for eighth time defeating Nepal 3-0 in Male.
Indian Captain Sunil Chhetri’s goal in the final game helped him level with Lionel Messi on 80 international goals.
This is the Indian football team’s first title victory under head coach Igor Stimac.
The SAFF was founded in 1997, with Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. In 2000, they expanded to 7 members, adding Bhutan. In 2005, Afghanistan joined too, but they left in 2015.
The seven-member SAFF has its headquarters at Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Annual Bilateral Maritime Exercise Konkan 2023

From 20^th to 22^nd March, 2023, the annual bilateral maritime exercise Konkan 2023 was held off the Konkan coast in the Arabian Sea between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.

The exercise involved the participation of INS Trishul and HMS Lancaster, which are guided missile frigates.
Multiple maritime drills were conducted during the exercise to enhance interoperability and exchange of best practices.
The drills covered all domains of maritime operations, including gunnery shoots, anti-air and anti-submarine warfare drills, helicopter operations, ship manoeuvres, VBSS, and exchange of personnel.
The focus on operation readiness, enhancing interoperability, and improving the ability to conduct joint operations will strengthen maritime security and uphold a rules-based order in the region.

Sagar Manthan

Recently, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) launched the Real-time Performance Monitoring Dashboard 'Sagar Manthan', a digital platform that integrates all data related to the ministry and its subsidiaries.

The launch of it is a step towards digitalization and transparency in the maritime transport sector.
It offers features such as data visualization, real-time monitoring, improved communication, data-driven decision making, and increased accountability.
Effective project monitoring can ensure timely completion of projects, informed decision-making, increased efficiency & effectiveness of projects, real-time project tracking, risk management, resource allocation, and progress reporting.
In the future, the dashboard would be further integrated with input from CCTV camera, live streaming from drones, AI-based algorithms to map actual progress, a digital twin feature on board, and a mobile app for easy access and usability by all stakeholders to increase efficiency.

Free Healthcare Services to All Residents in Rajasthan

On March 21, 2023, the Rajasthan Assembly passed the Right to Health Bill, becoming the first state in India to provide every resident with the right to access free outpatient and inpatient services at all public health facilities.

Features of the Bill include:

Access to free healthcare services for state residents, obligations on the state government to ensure right to health and maintain public health, and establishment of Health Authorities at state and district levels
Emergency care, stabilization, and referral provided without prepayment of fees or charges by any public health institution or designated health care center
Government will reimburse healthcare providers if patients do not pay charges after emergency care
Patients cannot be denied or delayed treatment due to police clearances or reports
Any establishment violating the Bill or its rules will be fined up to ₹10,000 for first instance and up to ₹20,000 for subsequent contraventions

Parliamentary Standing Committee Report on Water Resources

According to a recent report tabled by a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water Resources, groundwater levels in Delhi, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, and 20 other cities dipped by more than 20 meters from 2017 to 2020.

The report highlights that 14% of India's groundwater assessment units have been classified as over-exploited, while another 4% fall under the critical category.
Faridabad has already become 100% dependent on groundwater use, while Ghaziabad is on the verge of becoming completely reliant on it.
According to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), the depletion of groundwater in these cities is a result of increasing demand and unsustainable extraction practices.
India's total annual extractable groundwater resource until 2020 was 398 billion cubic meters (BCM), out of which 245 BCM was being extracted.
The depletion of groundwater resources is a significant concern in India, given that groundwater is the primary source of drinking water for many people and is also crucial for irrigation and industrial uses.
Sustainable water management practices, such as rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, and efficient use of water resources, are essential to address the issue of groundwater depletion in India.
The government, civil society organizations, and individuals must work together to promote responsible water use and ensure the sustainability of India's groundwater resources.

Laccase

Recently, scientists have discovered that an enzyme called laccase, generated by fungi, has the potential to degrade a variety of hazardous organic dye molecules found in waterbodies after being discharged by the textile industry.

The enzyme has a substrate promiscuity that makes it useful for designing enzyme-coated cassettes that can treat heavily dye-polluted water.
Through testing the efficacy of laccase in degrading standard dye molecules like Methyl Green, Crystal Violet, Thioflavin T, Coumarin 343, and Brilliant Blue, scientists have found that the enzyme can degrade a wide range of dye molecules with varying kinetics, charge, size, and shape. (Note: Methyl Green, Crystal Violet, Thioflavin T, Coumarin 343, and Brilliant Blue, are different types of dyesthat laccase has the ability to break down).
Using UV/Visible spectroscopy and computer simulations, researchers demonstrated that laccase contains an active site that can adapt to accommodate a wide range of dye molecules due to conformational plasticity of a loop covering the active site.
The substrate promiscuity of laccase offers potential for a broad-spectrum degrader for industrial dye effluents, which can help in making the environment greener.

Mall of Srinagar

On March 19, 2023, the UAE-based Emaar Group, known for developing the Burj Khalifa, announced its first foreign direct investment (FDI) project in Jammu and Kashmir.

The project will include the development of a shopping mall and an IT tower in Srinagar, which will create new job opportunities.
The "Mall of Srinagar" will cover 10-lakh sq. feet and will have 500 shops, many of which will be run by UAE-based companies.
The overall investment for the project is estimated to be Rs 500 crore.
The announcement was made on the day of an India-UAE investors' meet hosted in Srinagar, which was considered a unique opportunity for discussing investment opportunities in J&K.

Horseshoe crabs

Recently, scientists raised concerns about the disappearance of horseshoe crabs from their spawning grounds along Chandipur and Balaramgadi coast in Odisha.

Threats to Horseshoe Crabs: Unregulated fishing and damage to eggs by locals.
Medicinal Value: Horseshoe crab blood is crucial for development of rapid diagnostic reagents and potential treatment for pre-eclampsia (Note: Pre-eclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure and damage to organs, most commonly the liver and kidneys).
Importance for Human Health: Horseshoe crabs' strong immune system critical for medical research.
Warning of Extinction: Scientist who discovered horseshoe crabs warns of their impending disappearance in India.
Conservation Measures: Odisha government must protect breeding grounds and prevent destructive fishing practicesbydeveloping SpeciesRecovery Plan.

Starberry-Sense

Recently, researchers at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, developed a low-cost star sensor called Starberry-Sense.

The Starberry-Sense is based on commercial/off-the-shelf components and is powered by a Raspberry Pi, a small, single-board Linux computer, making it affordable and accessible.
It can help small CubeSat (cube-shaped satellite)class satellite missions to find their orientation in space.
The team coupled highly optimized algorithms with Raspberry Pi to create a potent star sensor.
Starberry-Sense has successfully undergone vibration and thermal vacuum tests, qualifying it for space launch and operations.
The sensor's success can lead to cost-effective solutions for small satellite missions in the future, revolutionizing space exploration.

Raspberry Pi is widely used in hobbyist and educational projects, as well as in professional applications. It was developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation in the UK and is designed to be affordable and accessible.

Geoffrey Bawa

On March 17, 2023, External Affairs Minister of India inaugurated the Sri Lankan exhibition "Geoffrey Bawa: It is Essential to be There" at the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi.

The exhibition features the works of Sri Lanka's iconic architect, the late Geoffrey Bawa, and marks the 75th anniversary of Indo-Lanka diplomatic relations.
This is the first major retrospective exhibition of Bawa's works to be shown internationally since 2004, and includes over 120 documents from the Bawa archives.
The exhibition explores relationships between ideas, drawings, buildings, and places, and the different ways in which images were used in Bawa's practice.
The exhibition, organized under the Sri Lanka-India Cultural Exchange Programme, will be on display until May 7, 2023.

Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) Technology

On March 16, 2023, it was reported that the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in Chennai is working on a green, self-powered desalination plant in Lakshadweep.

The plant is part of an initiative to provide potable water using LTTD technology.
Current desalination plants are powered by diesel generators requiring fuel shipment.
The new plant will generate its own power, making the process emission-free.
There are currently five plants operating, with four more expected and the self-sustaining plant expected to be operational later this year.

Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) is a process that converts seawater into potable water using the difference in temperature between warm surface sea water and cold deep sea water.

LTTD technology is environment-friendly, requires no chemical pre or post-treatment of seawater, and is suitable for island territories with minimal pollution problems.