Carnivorous alligator gar, the latest threat for Srinagar idyllic Dal Lake (GS Paper 3, Environment)
Why in news?
- Recently, a non-native alligator gar fish, known for its crocodile-like head and razor-sharp teeth, was found in one of Kashmir’s idyllic lakes, raising apprehensions about its impact on the native fish species.
- The rare, carnivorous fish was caught by the Jammu and Kashmir Lake Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA) during the routine deweeding process near Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC).
Key features:
- The alligator gar is a close relative of the bowfin species. It is a ray-finned euryhaline fish and is one of the biggest freshwater fish in North America and the largest species in the ‘gar’ family.
- presence of non-native fish species will spell doom for the eco-fragile flora and fauna of the waterbody.
- It is normally found in northern and central America and also in Mexico.
- But in recent years it was also found in some parts of India like Bhopal, Kerala and from the waterbodies of Maharashtra and Kolkata.
Threat:
- Being a predator fish and a carnivore, it can eat all types of fishes and therefore poses a threat to native species and to the overall ecosystem. For example, gar fish grows rapidly and has a life span of 20-30 years. It would kill all fingerlings of fish species already present in the waterbody and has a tendency to destroy natural aquatic life of Dal Lake.
- A total 12 native fish species are found in Dal and any exotic species can be dangerous to the indigenous fish species.
- Dal, along with the adjoining Nigeen lake, is a major source of fresh fish consumed by the people of Kashmir and outside.
Encroachment:
- Dal has already suffered extensively over the past four decades due to increasing encroachment, human interference and pollution.
- The lake, which is linked to the livelihood of thousands, has witnessed extreme loss in water quality, mainly because of anthropogenic pressures such as discharge of untreated sewage.
- Dal Lake has already shown the impacts of warming temperatures, variation in hydrological regime, excessive nutrient load and invasion of non-native species.
Writer Arundhati Roy receives European Essay Prize for lifetime achievement
(Miscellaneous)
Why in news?
- Writer Arundhati Roy has been awarded the 45th European Essay Prize for lifetime achievement.
- She will receive the award, along with the prize money of CHF 20,000 (approx Rs 18 lakh), at a ceremony on September 12 in the Swiss city of Lausanne.
Key Highlights:
- She has been awarded the prize for the French translation of her compilation of essays titled ‘Azadi’ (2021).
- In ‘Azadi’, she has reflected on the meaning of freedom in a world of ‘growing authoritarianism’.
- The essays include meditations on language, public as well as private, and on the role of fiction and alternative imaginations in current times.
Other works by Roy:
- The Delhi-based author's works, including Booker Prize winning "The God of Small Things", "The Ministry of Utmost Happiness", and "My Seditious Heart" have garnered her national and international acclaim.
About European Essay Prize:
- Since its inception in 1975, the award by the Charles Veillon Foundation has honoured a book or the work of an author "who, through their writings, contributes to nourishing and spreading the evolution of thought".
- It draws attention to authors whose work bear witness to and offer a fertile commentary on current societies, their practices, and ideologies.
- Earlier, authors including Alexandre Zinoviev, Edgar Morin, Tzvetan Todorov, Amin Maalouf, Siri Hustvedt, Alessandro Baricco, Jean Starobinski, Iso Camartin, and Peter von Matt have been awarded the European Essay Prize.
Dugdh Sankalan Sathi Mobile App
(GS Paper 2, Governance)
Why in news?
- Recently, the Union Minister of Heavy Industries unveiled the ‘Dugdh Sanakalan Sathi Mobile App’ at Mussorie, Uttarakhand.
Developer:
- It is designed and developed by Rajasthan Electronics & Instruments Limited (REIL), Jaipur, a “Mini Ratna” Central Public Sector Enterprises under the Ministry of Heavy Industries.
Aim:
- It is poised to make a lasting impact on the Indian Dairy Industries by addressing key challenges in the milk collection process.
- This mobile app aims to improve the quality of milk, foster transparency among stakeholders, and streamline operations at the grassroots village level, including Milk Cooperative Societies.
Key features:
- Increased transparency among stakeholders
- Online monitoring of daily milk poured at Milk Cooperative Societies
- Real-time milk price updates from the cloud server, ensuring transparency and eliminating human errors
- Direct beneficiary transfers of milk payment and government subsidies to the milk producers' bank accounts through the app
- Push notifications for milk collection to the milk producers' app
- Multilingual app with support for English, Hindi, Punjabi, Telugu, and more.
Way Forward:
- It will bring significant benefits for all stakeholders involved in the milk collection process, including milk producers, cooperative societies, milk unions, and state federations.
