Articles Covered

1. Indian Institute of Astrophysics plays crucial role in bringing sunlight on forehead of Sri Ram Lalla
2. Athletics Federation of India (AFI)
3. Stricter view needed in custodial death cases: SC sets aside cop’s bail
4. SPACE, a premier testing & evaluation hub for sonar systems for Indian Navy, set up by DRDO, inaugurated in Kerala
5. BJP promises to extend Ayushman Bharat to all senior citizens: What is the significance?
6. Special Rupee Vostro Account (SRVA)
7. Three new fish species spotted using tools in the Laccadive Sea
8. River Systems: Socio-Economic Impact & Water Shortages in India
9. GOVERNMENT INTERVENTIONS TOWARDS WATER CONSERVATION IN INDIA
10. Gaia-BH3
11. Combined Maritime Forces (CMF)

Indian Institute of Astrophysics plays crucial role in bringing sunlight on forehead of Sri Ram Lalla

1. Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), an Autonomous body under the Department of science and Technology played a crucial role in the Surya Tilak Project at Ayodhya.
2. Under the Surya Tilak project, sunlight was brought on the forehead of Sri Ram Lalla at 12 noon on the occasion of Sri Ram Navami in the Chaitra month.  IIA team carried out the calculation of the sun position, design and optimisation of the optical system, and performed the integration & alignment at the site.

1. The English calendar date of Sri Ram Navami festival changes every year as it follows Lunar Calendar. Therefore, the position of the sun on the sky changes every year on the day of Sri Ram Navami. Detailed calculations show that the English calendar date of Sri Ram Navami repeats every 19 years. Calculating the position of the sun in the sky on these days requires expertise in astronomy.
2. IIA team led the calculation for identification of the calendar days of Sri Ram Navami for one cycle of 19 years followed by its repetition, estimation of the position in the sky on the calendar dates of the Ram Navami.
3. They also led the design of an opto-mechanical system to bring the sunlight from the top of the temple to the forehead of the idol, estimation of the size, shape and location of mirrors and lenses in the system for sufficient light to fall on the idol for about 6 minutes, opto-mechanical design of the lens and mirror holder assembly, and the manual mechanism to shift the position of the first mirror according to the position of the Sun in the sky. Crucial design optimisation as well as simulations were carried out to arrive at various quantities in the opto-mechanical design as well as the functioning of the mechanism.
4. As the temple is not fully complete now, the IIA experts modified the design to suit the existing structure and performed image optimisation. This design, with 4 mirrors and 2 lenses, is executed for the Surya Tilak on 17^thApril 2024. The IIA technical experts participated in the testing, assembly, integration and validation of the system at cite. The crucial alignment of the mirrors and lenses were performed by the technical experts from IIA during the trial runs in the Ram Mandir prior to the first Surya Tilak on 17^th April 2024.
5. At the site, the implementation of the opto-mechanical system is done by CBRI. The device is manufactured by Optics, Bangalore.
6. The final design of the Surya Tilak with 4 mirrors and 4 lenses, will be implemented once the full temple is constructed, by placing the mirrors and lenses in their permanent fixtures.The above mechanism was designed to work even if there is a shift of 1-2 days in the calendar date of the Ram Navami. A change will alter the duration of the spot on the idol. The mechanism will not work if there is no sunlight due to cloud or rain. An annual shift of the first mirror has to be performed manually before Ram Navami every year. The lenses and mirrors are mounted on holders are accessible and can be cleaned periodically.

The device has been manufactured by Optica, Bangalore & implementation of the opto-mechanical system at the site is being done by CSIR-CBRI.

Athletics Federation of India (AFI)

In a first, the Athletics Federation of India has disaffiliated 16 district associations across the country for failing to send teams for the National inter-district junior athletics meet held recently.

1. It is the top governing body responsible for overseeing athletics in India.
2. It is a non-governmental and non-profitable autonomous body.
3. It is affiliated to the World Athletics, the Asian Athletics Association (AAA), and   the INDIAN OLYMPIC ASSOCIATION.
4. It was formerly called the Amateur Athletic Federation of India (AAFI).
5. The AFI has as many as 32 affiliated state units and institutional units.
6. The AFI came into existence in 1946, and the federation organises the National Championships, trains the Indian Athletics National Campers, selects the Indian Athletics Teams for various international competitions, including the Olympics, Asian Games, CWG, World Championships, Asian Championships, and other international meets, conducts the National Championships for various age categories.
7. Besides, the AFI conducts international and national championships and various meets to promote the sport, popularise it amongst the masses, and make athletics commercially attractive for the further growth of the athlete and the sport.

The federation also supervises and assists its state units in their activities, plans and sets up special coaching camps, coaches training, and takes initiatives for development programme and grass root promotion of athletics in India.

Stricter view needed in custodial death cases: SC sets aside cop’s bail

The HC had granted bail to the constable on February 15, 2023.

• The Supreme Court has said there is a need to take a “stricter view” while dealing with bail pleas of police personnel accused in custodial death cases.
• “In cases of this nature, having regard to the overall influence a member of a police force may wield in connection with a case against them pertaining to custodial death, a stricter view is to be taken on the question of granting bail,” a bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and P V Sanjay Kumar said while setting aside the bail granted to a police constable accused in a February 12, 2021 custodial death case.

Custodial Deaths in India: Recent Cases and State Trends

1. Recently, UP DGP reiterated guidelines to prevent custodial deaths.
2. Also, in Tamil Nadu, a police inspector was suspended over ‘custodial death’.
3. In February this year, a Sub-Inspector from Surat had been booked for attempted murder subjected to custodial torture.
4. State has highest custodial death in India: From 2017-22, the highest number of custodial deaths have been reported in Gujarat followed by Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Bihar.

Custody & Its Types

• The Custody means someone assigned for the protection of care or guardianship of something.

1. However, for every arrest is custody but not every custody will be held for arrest.
2. Types of Custody: Following are the two types of custody the Indian judicial system has for the prisoners:
3. Police Custody: In this custody, a police officer arrests the accused by following the receipt of information or complaint or report by police about crime and prevents him/her from committing further offenses and brings him to the police station.
4. Here, the accused is kept in the lock-up.
5. Specific Timeframe: The police officer has the time of 24 hours to interrogate the suspect and if finds that the suspect is guilty then the duty of the police is to file a charge-sheet after taking him to the Magistrate.
6. Judicial Custody: In this custody, an accused is kept in jail by the order of the concerned magistrate. When an accused is presented before a magistrate, he/she can either be sent to jail or kept under police custody by the magistrate.
7. When the accused is in judicial custody the police have no right of interrogation and police find that interrogation is necessary as per the facts or instances of the case.

• Custody and Judicial Remand in India: As per Section 57 of the CrPC, a police officer cannot detain a person in custody for more than 24 hours and the officer needs to seek special permission from the magistrate to hold further.
• Custodial Violence: As per the Law Commission of India, custodial violence is the crime by a public servant against the arrested or the detained person who is in custody.

Custodial Death

1. Definition: It is defined as a death that takes place while a person is in custody, and is either directly or indirectly related to or significantly attributable to activities that were carried out while the person was in custody.
2. Coverage:It covers fatalities that take place in a jail, on a police or even other vehicle, at a private or medical facility, or in a public space.
3. Occurrence: It can happen due to negligence by the concerned authorities in any form of torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment by the police officers.
4. Custodial deaths can happen naturally, without any participation from the police, for example, when a criminal defendant or accused person passes away from 

NHRC had issued a general circular requiring all the District Magistrates and the Superintendents of Police to report to the Commission, incidents relating to custodial deaths within 24 hours of their occurrence.

Provisions Related to Custodial Deaths in India	Deals With
Constitutional Provisions	Article 20: It grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person, whether a citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation. It contains three provisions in that direction: No ex-post-facto law: It provides that a person should be prosecuted as per those laws that were in force when he committed the offense. No double jeopardy: It provides that a person shall not be prosecuted and punished for the same offense more than once. No self-incrimination: It provides that a person accused of an offense shall not be compelled to be a witness against himself. In Selvi vs. State of Karnataka, it was observed that the state could not perform narco-analysis, polygraph, and brain-mapping tests on any individual without their consent. Article 21: It provides the citizens of India with the right to life and personal liberty Following are certain rights available for prisoners: Right to Bail Right against Solitary Confinement Right against Inhuman Treatment Right against Illegal Detention Right to a Speedy and Fair Trial Right to meet Friends and Consult a Lawyer Article 22: It guarantees protection against arrest and detention in certain cases and provides that no person who is arrested shall be detained in custody without being informed of the grounds of such arrest. The Right to be presented before a magistrate within 24 hours of arrest. The Right not to be ill-treated or tortured during arrest or in custody.
Guidelines by the Supreme Court	In the Case of D.K. Basu vs. State of West Bengal, the Supreme Court held that the rights guaranteed un der Article 21 of the Constitution could not be denied to convicts, under-trials, and other prisoners in custody, except according to the procedure established by law. The SC of India has laid down specific requirements and procedures: Right to Inform: The person arrested, detained or being interrogated has a right to inform a relative, friend or well-wisher. When a friend or relative lives outside the district, the time, place of arrest and venue of custody must be notified by police within 8 to 12 hours after arrest.
Guidelines by NHRC	Interrogation on Identifiable Place: The interrogation should be conducted in a clearly identifiable place, which has been notified for this purpose by the Government. Right to Know Place by Relatives: The place must be accessible and the relatives or friends of the person arrested must be informed of the place of interrogation taking place. A Humane Interrogation: The methods of interrogation must be consistent with the recognised rights to life, dignity and liberty and right against torture and degrading treatment.
IPC-1860	Section 302: A police officer murdering an accused in custody shall be punished for the offense of murder. Section 304: A police officer can be punished for custodial death under ‘culpable homicide not amounting to murder’. The provisions of ‘causing death by negligence’ under Section 304 can also be attracted if the case falls within its ambit. Section 306: Once the victim has committed suicide and if it is proved that the police officer has abetted the commission of such suicide, then the police officer will be held liable for punishment under section 306. Section 330 & 331: If police officer voluntarily causes hurt or grievous hurt to extort confession, then such police officer shall be punished under section 330 of IPC for voluntarily causing hurt or under Section 331 of IPC for voluntarily causing grievous hurt. Section 342: A police officer can also be punished for wrongful confinement.
The Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973	Section 41: Arrests and detentions for interrogation have reasonable grounds and documented procedures and arrests are made transparent to family, friends, and the public, and there is protection through legal representation. Section 49: It provides that the police are not permitted to use more restraint than is necessary to prevent the escape of the person. Section 176: It requires the Magistrate to hold an inquiry into the cause of death whenever a person dies in custody of the police. There are some provisions like Section 53, 54, 57, and 167 which are aimed at providing procedural safeguards to a person arrested by the police.
Indian Police Act, 1861	Section 7 and 29 empower senior police officers to dismiss or suspend negligent police officers and penalises police personnel for carrying out their duty negligently.

International Conventions Against Custodial Torture:

1. International Human Rights Law, 1948
2. United Nations Charter, 1945
3. The Nelson Mandela Rules, 2015
4. United Nations Convention Against Torture, 1984

International Laws associated with Human Rights:

1. Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948
2. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966
3. United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, 2015
4. United Nations Charter, 1945
5. European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, 1950

SPACE, a premier testing & evaluation hub for sonar systems for Indian Navy, set up by DRDO, inaugurated in Kerala

• A state-of-the-art Submersible Platform for Acoustic Characterisation and Evaluation (SPACE) was inaugurated by Secretary, Department of Defence (R&D) and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat at Underwater Acoustic Research Facility, Kulamavu in Idukki, Kerala on April 17, 2024. The SPACE, set up by the Naval Physical & Oceanographic Laboratory of DRDO, has been designed as a premier testing and evaluation hub for sonar systems destined for Indian Navy onboard various platforms including ships, submarines and helicopters.
• The SPACE marks a milestone in naval technology advancement. It will consist of two distinct assemblages – a platform which floats on the water surface, and a submersible platform which can be lowered to any depth upto 100 m using winch systems. Upon completion of operations, the submersible platform can be winched up and docked with the floating platform.
• The SPACE will mainly be utilised for evaluation of complete sonar system, allowing for quick deployment and easy recovery of scientific packages such as sensors and transducers. It will be suitable for survey, sampling, and data collection of air, surface, mid-water, and reservoir floor parameters using modern scientific instrumentation. It will cater to the needs of data processing and sample analyses in modern, well equipped scientific laboratories heralding a new era of Anti-Submarine Warfare research capabilities.

BJP promises to extend Ayushman Bharat to all senior citizens: What is the significance?

• India’s senior citizen population is on the rise. The elderly are not only affected by chronic and non-communicable diseases, but are also more prone to infectious diseases. Here is how the scheme can help reduce out-of-pocket medical expenditure.

Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)

• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
• It is an umbrella scheme of two major health initiatives, namely

Health and wellness centers ( ayushman arogya mandir)

• These centers provide comprehensive health care, including for non-communicable diseases and maternal and child health services.

National Health Protection Mission (AB-PMJAY):

• It provides a defined benefit cover of  5 lakh per family per year. 
• This cover will take care of almost all secondary care and most of tertiary care procedures. To ensure that nobody is left out (especially women, children and elderly) there will be no cap on family size and age in the scheme.
• The benefit cover will include pre and post-hospitalisation expenses.
• All pre-existing conditions will be covered from day one of the policy.
• A defined transport allowance per hospitalization will be paid to the beneficiary.

Beneficiaries:

• The families covered under this scheme have been included on the basis of occupational criteria of Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011 (SECC 2011). 
• PM-JAY also included the beneficiaries of the then existing Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana, which were not present in the SECC 2011 database.

Objective:

• To alleviate the burden of out-of-pocket expenditure on the impoverished.
• To provide the poor with access to critical medical treatments and emergency care that were previously financially unattainable.
• It aims to achieve universal health coverage.

Out-of-pocket expenditure: 

• It is the money paid directly by households, at the point of receiving health care. This occurs when services are neither provided free of cost through a government health facility, nor is the individual covered under any public or private insurance or social protection scheme.

Universal health coverage (UHC):

• It means that all people have access to the full range of quality health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship. It covers the full continuum of essential health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care.

Reasons for Inclusion of All Senior Citizen under Ayushman Bharat health Insurance Scheme

• Ageing Population: According to the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI), the population over the age of 60 years will nearly triple from 103 million (8.6%  of total population) in 2011 to 319 million i.e. expected to increase to 19.5% of total country’s population in 2050.
• Low Insurance Cover: According to THE INDIA AGEING REPORT-2023Insurance coverage Just over 20% of people over the age of 60 years are covered under health schemes.
• Health challenges: The elderly are not only affected by chronic, non-communicable diseases and their complications, they are also more prone to infectious diseases because of a weakened immune system.
• Out-of-Pocket Expenditure: The out-of-pocket health expenditures account for more than 70% of health expenditures in India, leading to health vulnerabilities in the older population.

Significance of Expansion of Ayushman Bharat Health

Insurance Scheme to All Senior Citizens

1. Healthcare Accessibility: Extending insurance coverage to all senior citizens promotes overall well-being and quality of life by enhancing accessibility to healthcare services.
2. Financial Security & Economic Impact:It will help in reducing the financial burden of healthcare expenses as it covers costs associated with medical treatments, prescription drugs, and hospitalization.
3. Social Inclusivity: It will ensure equality and dignity among the elderly population to actively participate in societal activities without worrying about healthcare expenses regardless of financial status.
4. Reducing the Burden on Public Health Care Institutions:It will contribute to more efficient allocation of healthcare resources and improved healthcare delivery for all segments of the Society.

Special Rupee Vostro Account (SRVA)

India has simplified the payment mechanism for traders importing pulses from Myanmar, requiring them to use the Rupee/Kyat direct payment system through the Special Rupee Vostro Account (SRVA) through the Punjab National Bank.

SRVA

• The settlement of international trade through Indian Rupees (INR) is an additional arrangement to the existing system of settlement that uses freely convertible currencies and works as a complimentary system.
• Freely convertible currency is a currency which is permitted by the rules and regulations of the country concerned to be converted into major reserve currencies like the U.S. Dollar, Pound Sterling.
• This will reduce dependence on hard (freely convertible) currency.
• SRVA requires prior approval of RBI before opening, unlike Rupee Vostro account.

SRVA arrangement function

1. The framework entails three important components, namely, invoicing, exchange rate, and settlement.
2. Invoicing entails that all exports and imports must be denominated and invoiced in INR.
3. The exchange rate between the currencies of the trading partner countries would be market-determined.

The final settlement also takes place in Indian National Rupee (INR).

• The authorised domestic dealer banks (those authorised to deal in foreign currencies) are required to open SRVA accounts for correspondent banks of the partner trading country.
• Domestic importers are required to make payment (in INR) into the SRVA account of the correspondent bank against the invoices for supply of goods or services from the overseas seller/supplier.
• Similarly, domestic exporters are to be paid the export proceeds (in INR) from the balances in the designated account of the correspondent bank of the partner country.
• As for availing an advance against exports, it would be the responsibility of the domestic bank to accord foremost priority to ensuring that the available funds are used to meet existing payment obligations, that is, from the already executed export orders or export payments in the pipeline.
• All reporting of cross-border transactions is to be done in accordance with the extant guidelines under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999.

eligibility criteria of banks

1. Banks from partner countries are required to approach an authorised domestic dealer bank for opening the SRVA.
2. The domestic bank would then seek approval from the apex banking regulator, providing details of the arrangement.
3. It would be the responsibility of the domestic banks to ensure that the correspondent bank is not from a country mentioned in the
4. Updated FATF Public Statement on High-Risk and Non-Co-operative jurisdictions.
5. Domestic banks must also put forth, for perusal, financial parameters pertaining to the corresponding bank.
6. Authorised banks can open multiple SRV accounts for different banks from the same country.
7. Further, balances in the accountcan be repatriated in freely convertible currency and/or the currency of the beneficiary partner country, depending on the underlying transaction, that is, for which the account was credited.

Three new fish species spotted using tools in the Laccadive Sea

Reports of aquatic animals using tools have been uncommon because they’re more difficult to observe and a perception that fish are ‘less intelligent’

Recently, A study Published in Journal Corals Reefs shows that Three fish species that live in the Laccadive Sea, are capable of using tools.

Three new Wrasse Fish Species

Three New Wrasse Fish Species Spotted using tools:

1. The Jansen’s wrasse (Thalassoma jansenii),
2. The checkerboard wrasse (Halichoeres hortulanus)
3. Moon wrasse(Thalassoma lunare).

• These species used ‘live or dead coral structures’ as anvils to break the hard shells of sea urchins so they could get to the edible bits inside.
• Predators of Sea Urchins:  All three species were recorded carrying the assay urchins to a nearby coral or benthic substrate and striking them repeatedly to break off their spines and crack their tests before consuming them.

Wrasse Fish

1. Wrasse fish are small marine fishes, identified by their vivid and detailed colours, such as the moon and cuckoo wrasse.
2. Wrasse fish has a small mouth when compared to the size of the body & very strong teeth that tend to jut out of their thick lips.

Sea Urchin

• They belong to a group of marine invertebrates called Echinodermata, which means spiny-skinned (Animals in this group are known as echinoderms & include sea cucumbers, sea lilies, brittle stars and starfish etc)
• These are important herbivores on coral reefs, and in some ecosystems, they play a critical role in maintaining the balance between coral and algae.

Finding Matter

1. To know habitat, use by fish,
2. To study about the development of Animal intelligence,
3. To know the Predator-Prey interactions.

River Systems: Socio-Economic Impact & Water Shortages in India

• Drainage of Rivers:The rivers drain directly into the Bay of Bengal after flowing through the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha through an area of 86,643 square kilometre (sq km).
• water for irrigation, drinking and domestic consumption as well as cheap transportation and electricity.
• Water shortage in the river basins gravely affects the socio-economic conditions, livelihoods and agricultural activity of the region, which is dependent on the rivers for water supply.

Status of Indian River Basins

• States with Largest Deficit:According to the IMD Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have experienced ‘large deficits’ (65 and 67 percent respectively) in rainfall since March 1.
• Reduction in Water Storage: ACCORDING TO THE GANGA BASIN which is the largest basin in the country, recorded water storage at less than half (41.2 percent) of its total capacity.
• Narmada, Tapi, Godavari, Mahanadi and Sabarmati River basins recorded 46.2 percent, 56 percent, 34.76 percent, 49.53 percent and 39.54 percent storage relative to their capacities, respectively.
• The east flowing rivers between Pennar and Kanya kumari have just 12 percent storage and a departure of over 50 percent with respect to an average of ten years.

1. Drought Condition Within River Basins:According to India Drought Monitor, several areas within the boundaries of the river basins have been experiencing ‘extreme’ to ‘EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT.
2. At least2 percent area in the country is under ‘abnormal’ to ‘exceptional’ degrees of drought currently.
3. States like Karnataka and Telangana are facing drought and drought-like conditions because of rainfall deficits, which also left the country’s major reservoirs dry.  
4. Reduction in Live Storage Capacity: The live storage capacity in India’s 150 major reservoirs has dropped to 36 per cent of their total capacity, with at least six reservoirs recording no water storage. 
5. There are at least 86 reservoirs in which the storage is either 40 per cent or below. 
6. Most of these are in the southern states and in Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Reasons for Water Crisis in India

• Higher temperatures, extreme weather events, changed pattern of precipitation to disruption in natural flow of water reducing water availability and causing drying.
• Indiscriminate Construction of Dams:Natural River flow patterns are changed when dams, reservoirs, and diversions are built for hydroelectric production, irrigation projects, and urban water supply.
• The connectivity of groundwater with the river is being broken by concrete structures resulting in drying of most of the rivers.
• Deforestation and Land use Changes: Widespread deforestation causes soil erosion decreased groundwater recharge, and altered hydrological cycle.
• Reduced river flow and habitat loss are further exacerbated infrastructure, urbanization, agriculture
• Inefficient Water Management Practices: This includes excessive extraction for irrigation, industrial use, and domestic consumption.
• Groundwater Depletion:Over-exploitation of groundwater, prolonged droughts and unsustainable groundwater extraction techniques leads to reduced base flow of rivers.
• Sand Mining: The excessive sand extraction from the river disturbs the natural balance, impacting aquatic plants and microorganisms and food chains in the riverine system.
• Ex- Extraction of sand from the Yamuna has led to a decline in groundwater levels.
• Pollution-river ecosystems are weakened by pollution-induced stress, which increases their vulnerability to drying out during dry spells.
• River waters are contaminated by pollution from untreated sewage, industrial waste, and agricultural runoff, which lowers water quality and damages aquatic ecosystems.

Measures Needed to Address Issue of Drying Rivers

Restoration of Rivers: This includes: 

• Identification and marking of encroachment on the two kilometer-buffer on both sides of the river(s) on the drainage map using revenue/cadastral maps.
• Identification of the critical stretch which needs immediate attention such as channel obstruction, channel fragmentation, etc.
• Marking of origin points of a river/stream as well as confluence points in the respective districts for special conservation zoning/priorities.
• Traditional Water Conservation Techniques:The regeneration of ponds, reservoirs, and traditional water systems can save ten times more water, and at a fraction of the cost.
• Restoration, rejuvenation and renovation of existing water bodies needs to be given high priority in water scarce areas.
• Technological Innovations:Advanced irrigation techniques such as drip and sprinkler irrigation to water-efficient appliances and smart water management systems, technology offers solutions to optimize water usage and minimize wastage. 
• Remote sensing and GIS technologies can aid in monitoring water resources and implementing targeted interventions.
• Creating Inventories and Geo-Mapping of Water Bodies:Inventory of water bodies in villages and nearby areas needs to be prepared and geo-mapped.
• These water bodies when utilised for water storage would facilitate recharging for meeting the demand for drinking and irrigation purposes and act as natural sinks for excess water during the rainy season.
• Sustainable Groundwater Usage:It necessitates demand management, supply augmentation, enhanced water use efficiency in the agriculture sector.
• Regulation and management of ground water on the basis of aquifer mapping,with active participation of farmers is critical.
• Power Feeder Separation:Separation of power feeders for agriculture and regulating the use of power and its proper pricing is essential for sustainable extraction of groundwater.
• Community Participation: Local communities must engage in water conservation efforts, adopting sustainable practices, and raising awareness about responsible water usage. 
• Education and Awareness: Educational institutions like schools and colleges and community organizations can play a role in disseminating information about water conservation practices and encouraging behavioural change.

Other Measures include:

1. Mapping of free-flowing rivers.
2. Incentivising good practices such as reuse and recycling water, and dis-incentivising bad ones such as pollution.
3. Financial institutions, investors, to have decision-making frameworks based on water risks and adoption of better water management practices.
4. India needs to adopt the latest techniques of desalination in coastal areas.

GOVERNMENT INTERVENTIONS TOWARDS WATER CONSERVATION IN INDIA

1. Watershed Management Programs: Haryali is a watershed development projectsponsored by the Central Government which aims at enabling the rural population to conserve water for drinking, irrigation, fisheries and afforestation.
2. Atal Bhujal Yojana: It aims to improve the management of groundwater resources in select water stressed areas in identified states viz. Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
3. National Water Mission: It aims for the conservation of water, minimizing wastage and ensuring more equitable distribution both across and within states through integrated water resources development and management.
4. Water Management Index: It ranks states in management of water resources.

Best Practices:

1. Mukhya Mantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan: In Rajasthan, the scheme has led to convergence of resources available under integrated watershed programme, MGNREGA and state schemes for detailed mapping of each and every water structure through a community led initiative.
2. Mera Gaon Meri Yojana:In Jharkhand, the scheme has led to an integrated participatory planning exercise for conservation and preservation of water bodies through a community project.
3. Geo-Tagging of Farm Ponds: In Andhra Pradesh, 55,000 farm ponds have been developed in the last two years and 10 million hectares have been covered for irrigation through MGNREGA with all of them being geo-tagged.

Best Practice in Singapore: All waste water is collected and the city has a separate drainage system to ensure it doesn’t mix with runoff. 

The wastewater and drainage water are both recycled and put into the city’s water supply.

Singapore also has dynamic pricing of water and sets different rates for different consumption levels. This has significantly impacted water usage.

Gaia-BH3

Astronomers recently spotted the most massive known stellar black hole in the Milky Way galaxy named Gaia-BH3.

Gaia-BH3

1. It is the most massive stellar black hole yet discovered in the Milky Way galaxy.
2. This black hole was spotted in data from the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission because it imposes an odd ‘wobbling’ motion on the companion star orbiting it.
3. The researchers used the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope in Chile’s Atacama Desert and other ground-based observatories to confirm the mass of Gaia BH3.
4. It has a mass that is nearly 33 times that of oursun, and it’s located 1,926 light-years away in the Aquila constellation, making it the second-closest known black hole to Earth.
5. Gaia BH1, which is located about 1,500 light-years away and has a mass that is nearly 10 times that of our sun.
6. Most Massive Black Hole in Milky Way galaxy: The title for the most massive black hole in our galaxy will always belong to Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole located at the center of the Milky Way, which has about 4 million times the mass of the sun, but that is because it’s a supermassive black hole, rather than a stellar black hole.

STELLAR BLACK HOLE VS SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLE

1. Stellar-mass black holes are formed from the gravitational collapse of a single staror from the merger of two neutron stars.
2. Therefore, stellar-mass black holes have masses similar to the masses of stars.
3. More specifically, stellar-mass black holes have masses ranging from about 3 times the mass of our sun to about 50 times the mass of our sun.
4. In contrast, supermassive black holes have a mass greater than about 50,000 times the mass of our sun and are typically millions to billions of times the mass of our sun.
5. Supermassive black holes are far too large to have formed from the gravitational collapse of a single star.
6. However, scientists do not currently know how supermassive black holes form.
7. Supermassive black holes are always found at the center of a galaxy and almost all galaxies have a supermassive black hole at its center.

This seems to suggest that each supermassive black hole is formed as part of the formation of its galaxy.

Combined Maritime Forces (CMF)

INS Talwar of the Indian Navy recently seized 940 kg of drugs in the Arabian Sea as part of an operation led by the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF).

• It is a multi-national naval partnership based in Bahrain which exists to promote security, stability, and prosperity across approximately 3.2 million square miles of international waters, which encompass some of the world’s most important shipping lanes.
• CMF’s main focus areas are defeating terrorism, preventing piracy, encouraging regional cooperation, and promoting a safe maritime environment.
• CMF counters violent extremism and terrorist networks in maritime areas of responsibility; works with regional and other partners to improve overall security and stability; helps strengthen regional nations’maritime capabilities; and, when requested, responds to environmental and humanitarian crises.
• It is comprised of five task forces:
• Member Nations: Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, India, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Türkiye, UAE, United Kingdom, United States, and Yemen.
• Participation is purely voluntary. No nation is asked to carry out any duty that it is unwilling to conduct.
• The member nations are not bound by either a political or military mandate.
• CMF is a flexible organisation. Contributions can vary from the provision of a liaison officer at CMF HQ in Bahrain to the supply of warships or support vessels in task forces, and maritime reconnaissance aircraft based on land.
• It can also call on war ships not explicitly assigned to CMF to give associated support, which is assistance they can offer if they have the time and capacity to do so whilst undertaking national tasking.
• Headquarters are co-located with US Naval Central Command and US Navy Fifth Fleet at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain.

Command:

1. CMF is commanded by a U.S. Navy Vice Admiral, who also serves as Commander of the US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) and US Navy Fifth Fleet.
2. CMF’s Deputy Commander is a United Kingdom Royal Navy Commodore.
3. Other senior staff roles at CMF’s headquarters are filled by personnel from member nations.