SRBSDV Fiji virus & Paddy dwarfing (GS Paper 3, Science and Tech)
Why in news?
- Recently, the Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) has stated that the disease-causing 'dwarfing' in rice plants across Haryana and Punjab is due to the Southern Rice Black-Streaked Dwarf Virus (SRBSDV), belonging to the genus Fijivirus.
What is SRBSDV?
- SRBSDV is a virus with ten double-stranded RNA segments.
- It is transmitted by a white-backed plant hopper (WBPH). Apart from rice, it can also be found in several weed species.
- IARI conducted surveys in 24 fields across Sonipat, Panipat, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Ambala, and Yamunanagar.
- The survey showed that the damage in the field ranged from 2 to 20 per cent. The highest damage was recorded in the fields of Panipat, with 20 per cent of the plants damaged by the virus.
- The case of SRBSDV was first recorded in Southern China in 2001.
What is paddy dwarfing?
- The main symptoms of a plant suffering from the rice dwarf disease are stunting and the appearance of white chlorotic specks on its foliage. The height of the plant is restricted to 1/2 - 1/3rd as compared to normal plants.
- These plants have shallow roots and can be uprooted easily. It is observed across almost all rice varieties, basmati and non-basmati.
- However, the symptoms are more prominent in early sown paddy crops.
What steps can be taken to prevent rice dwarfing?
- There is no exclusive corrective measure for viral diseases. But IARI has suggested the farmers monitor their fields continuously for the presence of WBPH.
- The plants must be tilted and tapped twice or thrice at the base in a week.
- If WBPH is seen floating in the water, insecticides like buprofezin, acetamiprid, dinotefuran or flonicamid can be sprayed.
- Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) has suggested that the paddy plants be transplanted. This will not only save the plants from diseases but also help in saving water.
First elevated wildlife corridor
(GS Paper 3, Environment)
Why in news?
India is paving a new way for wildlife protection. The upcoming Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, which will provide for an elevated wildlife corridoris India’s first and Asia’s largest.
Background:
- The corridor is one of the highlights of the Delhi-Saharanpur-Dehradun economic corridor, the foundation stone for which was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2021.
- The construction of the last 20-kilometre stretch of the highway has started and the project is expected to be completed by March 2024.
What is a wildlife corridor?
- A wildlife corridor is an area of habitat that provides passage for wildlife across artificial obstacles such as dams, roads, and railways. It is also known as a habitat corridor or a green corridor.
- In addition to connecting wildlife to habitats, the corridors also facilitate the migration and interbreeding of animals.
Key Highlights:
- The 12-kilometre elevated wildlife corridor will connect Ganeshpur-Mohand in Saharanpur district in Uttar Pradesh with Dehradun in Uttarakhand.
- It will run along the stretch of National Highway 72A that sits between the Shivalik forest range known for abundant wildlife, including elephants.
- While the existing two-lane highway will be used to allow the free movement of animals, the elevated corridor is expected to cut journey time drastically.
- The elevated highway will be the country’s first such road passing through a forest area.
- The wildlife corridor includes a 340-metre Daat Kali tunnel, which is part of the last 20-km stretch of the highway passing through the Rajaji national park.
How will the expressway help commuters?
- Once completed, the Delhi-Saharanpur-Dehradun Economic corridor will reduce the distance between the two cities from 235 km to 210 km and cut the travel time from the current six and a half hours to two and a half hours. Wayside amenities will be provided along the highway.
- The corridor will connect Delhi’s Akshardham to Uttarakhand’s Dehradun via cities like Saharanpur, Bhagpat, Shamli and Ghaziabad.
- The movement of vehicles often causes an inconvenience to wildlife in the Shivalik hills and the economic corridor aims to change that.
9.8 km-long tunnel completed on Katra-Banihal railway link
(GS Paper 3, Infrastructure)
Why in news?
- Recently, the 9.8 km tunnel connecting two stations on 111 km under-construction Banihal-Katra railway link in Jammu and Kashmir was completed.
- It is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Line (USBRL) project.
Details:
- This is the third tunnel following the 12.6 km tunnel T-49B, the longest tunnel of Indian Railways, which was completed in January 2022.
- On 14 August, the world’s highest rail bridge over the Chenab river in the Kouri area of Reasi district achieved a milestone when the overarch deck of the bridge was completed with a golden joint.
How the work was executed?
- The Dugga railway station located on its Jammu end has been connected with Basindadar (Sawalkote) railway station towards Srinagar end by completion of this tunnel.
- Two out of seven railway stations located in Katra-Banihal section of this railway project have been connected through this tunnel.
- Of the 272-km USBRL project, the work on 161 km was commissioned in phases.
- The first phase of 118-km Qazigund-Baramulla sectionwas commissioned in October 2009, followed by the 18-km Banihal-Qazigund in June 2013 and the 25-km Udhampur-Katra in July 2014.
What’s next?
- The under-construction 111-km Katra-Banihal section has a total of 37 bridges and 35 tunnels.
MoRTHstandardises process for issuing international driving permit
(GS Paper 3, Infrastructure)
Why in news?
Recently, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has standardised the process for issuance of international driving permit across the country in adherence to Convention on International Road Traffic of 1949.
Key Highlights:
- The provision for QR code to link international driving permit (IDP) with the driving licencehas also been made.
- Currently, the format, size, pattern, colouretc of IDP being issued differ across states in India. Due to this, many citizens face difficulties with their respective IDPs in foreign countries.
- A comparison of vehicle categories across various Conventions and Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989 has also been added for facilitation of regulatory authorities.
International Road Traffic of 1949:
- The convention addresses minimum mechanical and safety equipment needed to be on board and defines an identification mark to identify the origin of the vehicle.
- The Convention was prepared and opened for signature by the United Nations Conference on Road and Motor Transport held at Geneva from 23 August to 19 September 1949.
- It came into force on 26 March 1952.
- This conference also produced the Protocol on Road Signs and Signals.
- India, being a signatory to Convention on International Road Traffic of 1949 (Geneva Convention), is required to issue IDP as provided under this Convention, for the acceptance of the same on reciprocal basis with other countries.
