Mihir (meaning ‘Sun’), a High Performance Computer (HPC) System has been installed at the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF).
This HPC facility will be India’s largest HPC facility in terms of peak capacity and performance.
The new HPC facility is expected to improve the following services:
Weather forecasts for predicting extreme weather events.
High resolution seasonal/extended range forecasts of active/break spells of Monsoon.
Very high resolution prediction of cyclones with more accuracy and lead time.
Ocean state forecasts like marine water quality forecasts and Tsunami forecasts.
Air quality forecasts for various cities.
INS Karanj
The Indian Navy has launched the third Scorpene class submarine Karanj.
It has been constructed by shipbuilder Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) with collaboration of French shipbuilding major Naval Group (formerly DCNS).
The submarine will undergo rigorous tests for the next one year before it is commissioned.
Nilgiri Marten
It is a vulnerable and little known carnivorous animal which is endemic to the Western Ghats.
Nilgiri Marten looks like a civet or a mongoose and it most prefers higher altitudes.
The present global population of the Nilgiri Marten is estimated below 1000.
The animal is placed in schedule 2 of the part 2 of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.
Recent studies shows that Nilgiri marten is thriving in the Pampadum Shola National Park located on the southern portion of Western Ghats.
Shola forests
'Sholas’ are patches of evergreen tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests.
It is found in Southern India, particularly in the regions of Nilgiri, Palani Hills and Annamalai Hills.
The Western Ghats and associated ranges in the states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
The main varieties of Trees in this type of forest are Zenker, bishop wood, Indian mahogany, gular fig tree etc.
Guru Ravidas
Guru Ravidas was a North Indian mystic poet saint of the bhakti movement believed to be born in Varanasi.
He taught removal of social divisions of caste and gender, and promoted unity in the pursuit of personal spiritual freedoms.
He founded 21st-century Ravidassia religion, by a group who previously were associated with Sikhism.
He is devoted as guru in the regions of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.
Prevention of Atrocities acts
Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 is an act of parliament.
It falls within the provisions of Article 17 of the constitution, enacted for preventing atrocities against members of SC/ST
It also provide special courts for the trial of such offences as well as relief and rehabilitation of the victims of atrocities.
The PoA Act extends to the whole of India except Jammu & Kashmir, and responsibility for its implementation rests with State Governments.
Zero budget natural farming project
To promote organic farming Himachal Pradesh has launched Zero Budget Natural Farming project.
Zero budget farming is a natural farming technique that uses biological pesticides instead of chemical-based fertilizers.
In this method the cost of growing and harvesting plants is zero, which makes it highly beneficial for farmers.
