India first National Dolphin Research Centre finally a reality (GS Paper 3, Environment)
Why in news?
- India’s first centre for research on conserving the endangered Gangetic river dolphin, National Dolphin Research Centre (NDRC), located close to Ganga river in Patna, was inaugurated recently.
- Earlier, Bihar accounted for 50 per cent of the world’s river dolphin population. But the habitat is under threat now.
Details:
- The research will delve into various aspects such as changing behaviour, survival skills, food habits, causes of death, and more. The objective is to establish the NDRC as a centre of excellence.
- The centre will also provide training to fishermen on how to conserve and protect dolphins during fishing.
Background:
- The NDRC, spanning a 4,400 square metre plot on the premises of Patna University near the Ganga, offers a strategic location for researchers to closely observe dolphins in their natural habitat.
- The project had received approval in 2013.
- Renowned expert on the Gangetic river dolphin, RK Sinha, had proposed the idea a decade ago.
- Montek Singh Ahulwalia, then-deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, had approved the proposal during his visits in mid-2011 and early 2012, after he was impressed by the sight of dolphins along the 22 kilometre stretch of the Ganga.
Gangetic river dolphin:
- The Gangetic river dolphin is India’s national aquatic animal.
- It is a Schedule I animal under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
- It has been declared an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
- The Gangetic river dolphin is one of four freshwater dolphin species in the world.
- The other three are found in the Yangtze river in China (now extinct), the Indus river in Pakistan and the Amazon river in South America.
- The dolphin is found in India, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Characteristics:
- It is blind and finds its way and prey in river waters through echolocation. Bihar is home to around half of the estimated 3,000 Gangetic dolphins in India.
- Dolphins prefer water that is at least five to eight feet deep. They are usually found in turbulent waters, where there are enough fish for them to feed on.
- Gangetic dolphins live in a zone where there is little or no current, helping them save energy. If they sense danger, they can dive into deep waters.
- The dolphins swim from the no-current zone to the edges to hunt for fish and return.
India’s 1st Green Hydrogen Plant in Stainless Steel Sector
(GS Paper 3, Environment)
Why in news?
- Recently, the Union Minister for Steel and Civil Aviation virtually inaugurated India's 1st Green Hydrogen Plant in Stainless Steel Sector located at Jindal Stainless Limited, Hisar.
Key Highlights:
- It will be the world’s first off-grid Green Hydrogen plant for the stainless steel industry and the world’s first Green Hydrogen plant with rooftop & floating solar.
- This project is also a state-of-the-art green hydrogen facility with a target to reduce carbon emissions considerably by around 2,700 Metric Tonnes per annum and 54,000 tons of CO2 emissions over next two decades.
National Green Hydrogen Mission:
- The National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) was launched in 2023 with an outlay of around ₹20,000 crore with an aim to make India a Global Hub for production, usage and export of Green Hydrogen and its derivatives.
- The Mission is also supporting pilot projects in the steel sector with a budget of around ₹500 crore until FY 2029-30.
- Allocation of 11% additional outlay for infrastructure development in 2024 Interim Union Budget also reflects the importance the government attaches to sectors crucial for growth.
