UTTARAKHAND
72 moth species spotted in Dehradun during NMW this year
A total of 72 moth species were identified in Dehradun during the National Moth Week observed from July 19 to 22 in coordination with the Forest Department and Biodiversity Board. The report of the moth diversity assessed during the said period in Dehradun prepared by Sanjay Sondhi, Titli Trust/Doon Nature Walks states that the 72 moth species identified during the assessment last month was lower than 116 species identified in the previous assessment.
The report states that one of the possible reasons for the lower count than earlier could be the full moon and local weather, considering which a recommendation has been made to the global organisers of National Moth Week that the event be held around new moon in the future. In addition, adverse weather conditions in 2021, in the form of persistent rain, possibly reduced the number of moths coming to the moth screen. Sondhi said, “At Lacchiwala and Kaduapani in 2020, we kept the screens on longer, on account of Covid travel restrictions as we spent the night at the forest rest house. In 2021, we observed moths till 1030 pm, consistent with the past years.”
The National Moth Week is a global citizen science event organised in the last week of July throughout the world. National Moth Week partners with organizations around the world that focus on moth ecology, distribution and biodiversity. Moths are among the most diverse and successful organisms on earth. Scientists estimate there are 1,50,000 to more than 5,00,000 moth species. Their colors and patterns are either dazzling or so cryptic that they define camouflage. Shapes and sizes span the gamut from as small as a pinhead to as large as an adult’s hand. Moths can be important bioindicators- a species or taxon that tells us about the health of an ecosystem. A greater diversity of moths typically means there is a greater diversity of plant species, which leads to a greater diversity of other species as well. They play a crucial role in pollination and are food for many creatures such as bats.
The Uttarakhand Forest department used National Moth Week in 2017 to launch a mechanism to monitor moth diversity annually in different landscapes in and around Dehradun. In 2021, with the restrictions of Covid-19 in place, awareness activities were not conducted, but monitoring activities continued at Lacchiwala reserved forest, Malsi reserved forest and Kaduapani reserved forest. Malsi displayed the maximum diversity with 53 species being identified, with 36 and 26 species being identified at Lacchiwala and Kaduapani respectively.
INTERNATIONAL
Hiroshima Day – 6th August
Each and every year 6th of August marks the anniversary of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima at some stage in World War II.
The horrific incident took place on 6th August 1945, when the United States dropped an atomic bomb named “Little Boy” on Hiroshima in Japan. This bomb attack was achieved with the motive to give up the Second World War in 1945. This day is remembered to promote peace and recognise the chance of nuclear strength and nuclear weapons.
During the 2nd World War, which was energetic in 1939- 1945, the world’s first deployed atomic bomb with more than 9000 kilos uranium-235 was loaded. US B-29 bomber aircraft, the Enola Gay, attacked the Japanese metropolis of Hiroshima on sixth August 1945. The explosion was so large that it right away killed 70,000 humans, wiping 90% of the city and later on, around 10,000 human beings died due to the effect of radiation exposure.
NATIONAL
Increase in the Global Hunger Index score
India’s composite Global Hunger Index score has been improved from 38.9 to 27.2 in the year 2020. India was ranked at 94th place among 107 countries in Global Hunger Index.
The Global Hunger Index goals to track starvation at the world, regional and Indian levels. It is an annual record (peer-reviewed) published with the aid of Concern Worldwide of Ireland and Welthungerhilfe (a German non-profit organization).
Global Hunger Index ranks international locations on a 100 point scale, with zero representing zero/no hunger. The GHI scores are based on 4 indicators. They are Undernourishment, Child Stunting, Child Wasting, Child Mortality
Global Hunger Index is Jointly posted through Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe. It was first produced in 2006. It is posted each and every October. The 2020 version marks the 15th edition of the GHI.
Funds for Janani Suraksha Yojana
Under National Health Mission (NHM), the Allocation of funds for Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is done as a part of the RCH Flexible Pool.
Highlights:
Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is a secure motherhood intervention under the National Rural Health Mission (NHM).
It is being carried out with the goal of reducing maternal and child mortality by promoting institutional delivery among pregnant women.
Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) was launched in April 2005 to enhance the National Maternity Benefit Scheme (NMBS).
Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is a centrally sponsored scheme, which integrates money assistance with post-delivery care.
The scheme focuses on the terrible pregnant females with a special dispensation for states that have low institutional delivery rates.
The scheme also gives performance-based incentives to women health volunteers acknowledged as ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) to promote institutional delivery among pregnant women.
Grants Under Kala Sanskriti Vikas Yojana
No grant under the Kala Sanskriti Vikas Yojana has been cancelled due to prevailing COVID-19. The information is by the Ministry of Culture.
The Culture Ministry issues guidelines for conserving cultural events/activities in virtual/online mode under quite a number of scheme aspects of the Central Sector Scheme ‘Kala Sanskriti Vikas Yojana’ (KSVY).
Kala Sanskriti Vikas Yojana (KSVY) is an umbrella scheme of the Culture Ministry under which cultural businesses are given financial assistance for the promoting of artwork and culture.
A few of the schemes:
♦ Repertory Grant: Repertory is the overall performance of ballets, dramas, operas at ordinary intervals by a company. Under Repertory Grant, coaching is provided.
♦ National Presence: Under National Presence, cultural programmes/festivals/seminars, etc., at the national level for the promoting of artwork & tradition may additionally be carried out online.
♦ Cultural Function and Production Grant (CFPG): Under the CFPG, seminars, conferences, Workshops, research, festivals, exhibitions, symposia, drama-theatre, production of dance, music, etc. and small research initiatives on one-of-a-kind elements of Indian subculture may also be carried out online.
♦ Himalayan Heritage: By Financial Assistance for the Preservation and Development of Cultural Heritage of the Himalayas, find out about, and research, maintenance and documentation, dissemination through audiovisual programmes, coaching in typical & fold art may additionally be carried out online.
♦ Buddhist/Tibetan: By the Financial Assistance for Development of Buddhist/Tibetan Arts, lookup project, purchase of books, documentation and cataloguing, award of scholarships to monks, holding of extraordinary publications and culture, audio-visual recording/documentation, IT upgradation education aids for monastic, salary to teachers may be carried out online.
♦ Scholarship/Fellowship: Under Scheme of Scholarships and Fellowships for Promotion of Art and Culture, advanced coaching inside India in the subject of Indian Classical Music, Indian Classical Dance, Theatre, Mime, Visual art, Folk, Traditional and Indigenous Arts and Light Classical Music and research may additionally be performed online, and document can further be submitted in tender version.