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1. Kerala has issued guidelines for diagnosing, managing, and preventing Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) due to recent cases. PAM, caused by Naegleria fowleri, a "brain-eating amoeba" in warm freshwater, has a >97% mortality rate and infects the brain via nasal passages. Symptoms include headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting, often mistaken for bacterial meningitis. Early diagnosis and timely antimicrobial treatment are critical. Prevention involves avoiding stagnant freshwater, using nose plugs, and properly maintaining swimming pools. Vermamoeba vermiformis, another amoeba found in various environments, can host pathogens and cause diseases like encephalitis and epithelial disorders.
2. The new NCERT textbooks align with the National Curriculum Framework 2023 and the National Education Policy 2020, integrating traditional Indian knowledge and a thematic social science approach. Key changes include referring to the Harappan civilization as the 'Indus-Sarasvati' or 'Sindhu-Sarasvati' civilization, emphasizing the significance of the Sarasvati river, now known as the Ghaggar-Hakra river. The textbooks highlight India's ancient prime meridian, the "Madhya rekha," through Ujjain, used for astronomical calculations. The new single-volume textbook covers five themes, merging History, Political Science, and Geography for an interdisciplinary approach. Additionally, the chapter on diversity now places less emphasis on caste-based discrimination and inequality.
3. The 'Moidams' of the Ahom dynasty, representing the 13th-19th century mound burial tradition of Assam's Tai Ahom Dynasty, have been proposed for UNESCO's World Heritage Sites list. India will host the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee in July 2024 in New Delhi. The Moidams, constructed using earth, bricks, and stone, are royal tombs in Assam’s Charaideo district, comparable to ancient Chinese royal tombs and Egyptian pyramids. The Ahom kingdom, established in 1228 by Chaolung Sukapha, ruled Assam’s Brahmaputra valley for 600 years until British annexation in 1826. The Ahom state relied on forced labor (paiks), had a clan-based society, and integrated Hinduism and Assamese language while retaining traditional beliefs. The Ahom military, noted for guerilla tactics, famously defeated Mughal forces in the 1671 Battle of Saraighat under Lachit Borphukan, who is commemorated by a gold medal for the best National Defence Academy cadet. UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites list, managed by the World Heritage Programme, includes places of special cultural or physical significance. India has 42 sites on this list, with recent additions including Santiniketan and the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas in 2023.
4. The Government e Marketplace (GeM) has expanded its e-learning Training Courses to 12 official languages. Introduced in 2024, the GeM Learning Management System (LMS) is a user-centric platform that offers registration, training, and certification for users and trainers. This expansion makes the LMS more accessible across India. GeM, launched in 2016 by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, is a National Public Procurement Portal that facilitates the online procurement of goods and services for government departments, organizations, and PSUs. It employs e-bidding, reverse e-auction, and demand aggregation to ensure transparency, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness in public procurement.
5. The mid-year air quality assessment by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) highlights severe air pollution across Indian cities from January to June 2024. Byrnihat, on the Assam-Meghalaya border, is the most polluted city with a PM2.5 concentration of 140 µg/m³. Delhi ranks 3rd with 102 µg/m³, exceeding both NAAQS and WHO guidelines. Out of 256 monitored cities, 163 exceeded NAAQS, and all exceeded WHO standards. Only 63 of these cities are part of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), leaving 100 without action plans. The report calls for expanding NCAP, enhancing pollution control measures, public health interventions, and improving air quality monitoring infrastructure. Strengthening emission standards, promoting green technologies, and community participation are essential for sustainable improvements.