World Health Organisation (WHO)

• It is a specialised agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health.
• It is governed by two decision-making bodies — the World Health Assembly and the Executive Board.
• The agency’s headquarters are located at Geneva in Switzerland.
• India is a member state of the South East Asia Region at the WHO.

WHO Executive Board

• The Board is composed of 34 members technically qualified in the field of health, with members being elected for three-year terms.
• The Health Assembly is the WHO’s decision-making body, and consists of 194 Member States.
• The Board chairman’s post is held by rotation for one year by each of the WHO’s six regional groups.

1. African Region
2. Region of the Americas
3. South-East Asia Region
4. European Region
5. Eastern Mediterranean Region
6. Western Pacific Region

Sonic boom

• Sound travels in the form of waves which are emitted outwards from its source.
• In air, the speed of these waves depends on a number of factors, such as the temperature of the air and altitude.
• From a stationary source, such as a television set, sound waves travel outwards in concentric spheres of growing radii.
• When the source of sound is moving – e.g, a truck– the successive waves in front of the truck get closer together, and the ones behind it spread out.
• This is also the cause of the Doppler effect– in which bunched waves at the front appear at a higher frequency to a stationary observer, and spread out waves that are behind are observed at a lower frequency.
• As long as the source of the sound keeps moving slower than the speed of sound itself, this source– say a truck or a plane – remains nested within the sound waves that are travelling in all directions.
• When an aircraft travels at supersonic speed – meaning faster than sound (>1225 kmph at sea level) – the field of sound waves moves to the rear of the craft.
• A stationary observer thus hears no sound when a supersonic flight approaches, since the sound waves are at the rear of the latter.
• At such speeds, both newly created as well as old waves, are forced into a region at the aircraft’s rear called a ‘Mach cone’, which extends from the craft and intercepts the Earth in a hyperbola-shaped curve, and leaves a trail called the ‘boom carpet’.
• The loud sound that is heard on the Earth when this happens is called a ‘sonic boom’.
• When such aircraft fly at a low altitude, the sonic boom can become intense enough to cause glass to crack or cause health hazards.
• Overland supersonic flights have thus been banned in many countries.

• Till 1947, Sikkim was an Indian princely state ruled by Chogyal.
• In 1947, after the lapse of British paramountcy, Sikkim became a ‘protectorate’ of India, whereby the Indian Government assumed responsibility for the defence, external affairs and communications of Sikkim.
• In 1974, Sikkim expressed its desire for greater association with India.
• Accordingly, the 35th Constitutional Amendment Act (1974) was enacted by the parliament.
• This amendment introduced a new class of statehood under the constitution by conferring on Sikkim the status of an ‘associate state’ of the Indian Union.
• For this purpose, a new Article 2-A and a new schedule (10th Schedule containing the terms and conditions of association) were inserted in the Constitution.
• This experiment, however, did not last long as it could not fully satisfy the aspirations of the people of Sikkim.
• In a referendum held in 1975, they voted for the abolition of the institution of Chogyal and Sikkim becoming an integral part of India.
• Consequently, the 36th Constitutional Amendment Act (1975) was enacted to make Sikkim a full-fledged state of the Indian Union (the 22nd state).
• This amendment amended the First and the Fourth Schedules to the Constitution and added a new Article 371-F to provide for certain special provisions with respect to the administration of Sikkim.
• It also repealed Article 2-A and the 10th Schedule that were added by the 35th Amendment Act of 1974.

• Zardalu Mango/ Jardalu Mango" of Bhagalpur (Bihar) are famous in world by virtue of its unique fragrance.
• This mango variety is known for its light yellow skin, and sweetness.
• Jardalu mango was first planted in Bhagalpur region by Maharaja Rahmat Ali Khan Bahadur of Kharagpur.
• Jardalu mango from Bhagalpur had found a preferred place on the dining tables of different Prime ministers, the Presidents of India, Lok Sabha Speakers, vice-presidents of India and other dignitaries at national and state level.

Mount Harriet National Park is located in Andaman & Nicobar Islands.