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1. The Himachal Pradesh High Court recently quashed the Himachal Pradesh Parliamentary Secretaries (Appointment, Salaries, Allowances, Powers, Privileges & Amenities) Act (HPPSA), 2006, declaring it unconstitutional. The Court ruled that the law violated Article 164(1-A) of the Constitution, which limits the size of a state's Cabinet to 15% of the Legislative Assembly. The Court found that Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPS) held roles similar to ministers, enjoying comparable perks and access to official files, despite lacking formal powers. The creation of such posts was deemed a violation of the "office of profit" clause, as it provided additional benefits without constitutional backing. The HP HC ordered the immediate termination of CPS appointments and the revocation of associated privileges. Similar rulings have been made by the Supreme Court in other states, including West Bengal, Punjab, Goa, and Assam.
2. The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite, launching in early 2025, is a joint project between NASA and ISRO. It integrates NASA's L-band and ISRO's S-band radar systems, marking the first satellite to carry both. NISAR will orbit Earth every 12 days, providing global data on ecosystems, ice mass, vegetation, sea level rise, groundwater, and natural hazards like earthquakes and tsunamis. Key features include a 12-meter wire-mesh reflector for enhanced radar focus and dual radar systems for precise surface observation. Its applications include disaster mitigation (seismic, volcanic, and landslide monitoring), environmental tracking (deforestation, wetlands), and infrastructure assessment. NISAR supports data-driven decision-making to improve resource management, promote sustainability, and monitor Earth's surface movements both day and night, even through clouds.
3. The National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM), approved by the Ministry of Textiles, aims to position India as a global leader in technical textiles by 2024. The mission, which runs from FY 2020-21 to 2023-24, focuses on four components: research and development, market promotion, export enhancement, and skill development. Recently, 12 new research projects were approved, bringing the total to 168, with a focus on strategic areas like geotextiles and sustainable textiles. Technical textiles are materials engineered for specific functions, such as in agriculture, defense, healthcare, and construction. They are used in products like bulletproof jackets, sportswear, medical textiles, and infrastructure applications. The mission also promotes innovation, international collaborations, and skill development in technical textiles, including specialized education and training programs.
4. The Kerala Fisheries Department has launched a sea ranching project off Thiruvananthapuram to promote sustainable fishing. Under this initiative, 10 lakh pompano and cobia fingerlings will be released at 10 locations along the coast to replenish marine fishery resources. This project complements the artificial reef initiative under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), which aims to boost marine biodiversity. Artificial reefs have already been deployed at 42 locations in Thiruvananthapuram, attracting species like tuna, trevally, and mackerel. Future phases of the project plan to expand artificial reefs to 96 villages across Kerala. PMMSY, launched by the Ministry of Fisheries, aims for the ecologically sustainable and economically viable development of India’s fisheries sector.
5. Scientists from the Agharkar Research Institute (ARI) have discovered a new species of Dicliptera, named Dicliptera polymorpha, in the Northern Western Ghats of India. This species has unique traits such as fire resilience, enabling it to survive droughts and adapt to grassland fires. It also has a dual blooming pattern, flowering post-monsoon and again after fires. Dicliptera polymorpha has morphological features similar to African species, but uncommon in Indian species. It thrives on open grassland slopes, with woody rootstocks producing dwarf flowering shoots. However, human-induced fires and habitat overuse, such as overgrazing, threaten its survival. The Western Ghats, where the species is found, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a global biodiversity hotspot, home to many endemic species. Conservation efforts, including the Gadgil and Kasturirangan committees, have sought to protect this ecologically sensitive region.