Short News Article

Polity & Governance (GS-II)

Sarvadawa Sevan campaign

Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched a nationwide ‘SarvaDawa Sevan’ or Mass Drug Administration (MDA) campaign.

• Aim:To eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) by 2027
• The World Health Organization target year for elimination of lymphatic filariasis (LF) is 2030.
• About LF
• Lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis, is a neglected tropical disease.
• It impairs the lymphatic system and can lead to the abnormal enlargement of body parts, causing pain, severe disability and social stigma.
• Lymphatic filariasis is caused by infection with parasites classified as nematodes (roundworms) of the family Filariodidea. There are 3 types of these thread-like filarial worms:
  • Wuchereriabancrofti, which is responsible for 90% of the cases
  • Brugiamalayi, which causes most of the remainder of the cases
  • Brugiatimori, which also causes the disease.

Science & Technology (GS-III)

World's largest radio telescope

The world's largest Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST) located in China scanned 33 exoplanets for a signal from aliens.

About Five Hundred Metre Aperture Spherical Telescope

• The construction of FAST was completed in 2016.
• It is located in the Dawodang depression. 
  • The Dawodang depression is a natural basin in Guizhou, southwest China.
• It is the largest filled-aperture Radio Telescope and second largest single dish aperture. 
  • The RATA-600 in Russia is the world's largest Single-dish aperture telescope.
• The telescope has a reflecting surface of 500-metres in diameter. However, only a circle of 300 metres diameter can be used at one time.
• It is located in a natural sinkhole. 
  • A sinkhole is formed due to erosion.
• It has super sensitivity to detect cosmic phenomena. This includes radio bursts and pulsars as well.
• It is also known as the “Eye of Heaven” or Tianyan.

Environment (GS-III)

Wildlife enthusiasts spot 145 species during first Sundarban bird festival

Birders, wildlife enthusiasts and forest officials have sighted 145 different bird species during the first Sundarban bird festival. 

About Sundarbans mangrove forest

• The first-ever festival was organised by the Sundarban Tiger Reserve (STR) division of West Bengal Forest Department.
• The species recorded during the Bird Festival included 78 forest birds and 42 species of waders, raptors etc.
• The Sundarbans mangrove forest is one of the largest such forests in the world (140,000 ha), lies on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers on the Bay of Bengal.
• It is adjacent to the border of India’s Sundarbans World Heritage site inscribed in 1987.