Idukki dam in kerala is constructed across the Periyar river, the longest river in kerala.
It is one of the highest arch dams in the continent, measuring 550ft in height.
It was commissioned in the year 1973 with financial aid from Canada.
It is built between two granite hills such as Kuravanmala and kuravathimala.
It is owned by the Kerala State Electricity Board.
It supports a hydroelectric power station in Moolamattom.
The hydel project is receiving water from two other dams at Cheruthoni and Kulamavu.
The water levels in the reservoir are rising at an alarming rate as a result of the record high rains Kerala has received this monsoon.
It has prompted authorities in Kerala to issue an "Orange Alert" - a precautionary messages to the public in light of possibility of water release from the reservoir.
The dam is going to be reopened after 26 years. Previous opening was in 1981 and 1992.
Strategic Partnership Model
The Defence Ministry has recently approved key guidelines for implementation of Strategic Partnership model.
The guidelines were approved by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the ministry's highest decision making body.
Under this model, select private firms will be roped in to build military platforms like submarines and fighter jets in India in partnership with foreign entities.
It aims to create a vibrant defence manufacturing ecosystem in the country through joint ventures between Indian corporates and global defence majors.
All procurements under the SP Model would be executed by specially constituted Empowered Project Committees (EPC).
It is to provide focused attention and ensure timely execution.
Additional Surveillance Measures
Additional Surveillance Measures (ASM) was introduced recently by SEBI.
It is a surveillance method in which SEBI impose trading curbs on excessively volatile stocks in the Indian market.
For example, if the "Spread" - Price variation of a stock between the high and low price, in the last three months is 200 per cent or more, then it will be placed under ASM.
Once a stock is caught in the ASM net, it attracts a bunch of stricter exchange rules on intra-day price movements.
Such curbs discourage speculators and intra-day traders from taking heavy positions in stocks and will result in stock prices to drop.
Stocks of PSUs, securities with derivative products and stocks under Graded Surveillance Measure are exempted from ASM net.
Graded Surveillance Measure
Graded Surveillance Measure, designed by SEBI, is to keep a tab on securities that witness an abnormal price rise, which is not commensurate with financial health and fundamentals of the company.
The underlying principle is to alert and protect small / retail investors from getting stuck in such stocks inadvertently on some wrong advice.
Currently, more than 900 companies are monitored under this.
Once a firm is identified for surveillance it goes through six stages.
In the first stage the securities are put in the trade-to-trade segment i.e no speculative trading is allowed and delivery of shares and payment of consideration amount are mandatory.
A maximum of 5% movement in share price is allowed.
With subsequent stages, corresponding surveillance actions and the restrictions gets higher progressively.
In the sixth and final stage, there are maximum restrictions.
Trading is permitted only once a month at this stage, with no upward movement allowed in price. Also, the additional surveillance deposit would be 200%.
There would a quarterly review of securities.
Based on criteria, the securities would be moved from a higher stage to a lower stage in a sequential manner.
Nepal-India Think Tank Summit
The first ever Nepal-India Think Tank Summit is going to begin in Kathmandu.
It is being jointly organized by the Asian Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs and Nehru Memorial Museum Library
It aims to foster greater collaboration and knowledge-sharing among the think tanks of the two countries.
The summit is proposed to become an annual feature for the participating organisations and it will be hosted alternatively in Nepal and India.
Lombak
It is a part of Indonesian group of Islands and located to the east of Bali.
An earthquake of 6.4 magnitude has recently struck the island and triggered landslides in a volcano Mt. Rinjani.
The volcano, which rises 3,726m (12,224ft) above sea level and is the second-highest one in Indonesia.
Indonesia is prone to earthquakes because it lies on the "Ring of Fire".
Ring of Fire is the line of frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions that circles virtually the entire Pacific rim.
