CURRENT CONTEXT: The iconic elephant Vatsala, believed to be Asia’s oldest female elephant (aged 100+), died at Panna Tiger Reserve. ABOUT PANNA TIGER RESERVE: Location: Vindhyan range, northern Madhya Pradesh; the only Tiger Reserve in Bundelkhand (~542 sq km) . Ecology: Biogeographic zones include Deccan Peninsula and Central Highlands; called a "table top" landscape with plateaus and gorges. River: The Ken River runs south-to-north through the reserve. Heritage: Home to 2,000-year-old rock paintings; inhabited by Baiga & Gond Flora: Dry deciduous forests with teak and Acacia catechu on steep slopes; edge of teak’s northern natural range. History: Declared a Project....Read More

CURRENT CONTEXT: The Haryana Government announced plans to build Asia’s largest jungle safari, spanning 10,000 acres across Gurugram and Nuh in the Aravalli Hills. The project aims to protect wildlife, boost eco‑tourism, and create local jobs.  About the Jungle Safari: Location & Area: Encompasses 6,000 acres in Gurugram + 4,000 in Nuh, totalling 10,000 acres in protected Aravalli forest land Planned Zones & Attractions: Large herpetarium, aviary/bird park Four big‑cat zones (including leopards) Herbivore section, exotic fauna, underwater aquarium. Botanical gardens, multiple biomes (equatorial, tropical, coastal, desert), and nature trails. Design & Governance: Modeled after Sharjah Safari (~2,000 acres), five....Read More

Current Context : A recent report highlights a 198.91% increase in the leopard population in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) since 2022. ABOUT DUDHWA TIGER RESERVE Location: Indo-Nepal border, Lakhimpur-Kheri district, Uttar Pradesh. Constituents: Includes Dudhwa National Park, Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary, Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, and adjoining forest divisions (North Kheri, South Kheri, Shahjahanpur). Topography: Part of Terai-Bhabar region, under Upper Gangetic Plains biogeographic zone. Rivers: Sharda River: flows through Kishanpur WL Sanctuary. Geruwa River: through Katerniaghat WL Sanctuary. Suheli & Mohana: flow in Dudhwa NP. All rivers are tributaries of Vegetation: North Indian Moist Deciduous type; dominated by Sal (Shorea robusta)....Read More

Current Context: The Green Climate Fund announced approval of over USD 120 million for climate resilience projects in Ghana, Maldives, and Mauritania, via UNEP-developed programmes.  About GCF Established: At COP16 (Cancún, 2010); world’s largest climate-specific fund under UNFCCC . Headquarters: Songdo (Incheon), South Korea. Mandate: Provide equal funding (~50% mitigation, 50% adaptation), with at least half adaptation funds to SIDS, LDCs, Africa .  New funding details Ghana: US $70 million (US $63 m grant) to strengthen agro-ecosystem and rural livelihoods across 8 districts, aiding ~120 communities. Maldives & Mauritania: Nature-based solutions, climate-resilient agriculture, early warning systems, improved water security—benefitting 5+ million people.Read More

CURRENT CONTEXT : Recently, five tigers (a tigress and her four cubs) were found dead due to poisoning in the MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka. About MM Hills Sanctuary Location: Southeast Karnataka, in Chamarajanagar district Notified: 2013 Corridor: Links Biligiri Ranganatha Swamy Temple (BRT) and Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary Forest Types: Dry deciduous forests Semi-evergreen and Shola forests at higher altitudes Key Species: Tiger, Elephant, Leopard, Dhole (wild dog), Sloth Bear Communities Present: Soligas and Lingayats Ecological Role: Vital Eastern Ghats–Western Ghats corridorRead More

Current Context: UP CM Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh laid the foundation stone for a ₹1,000 crore “Green Data Centre” in Sahibabad, Ghaziabad – a 30 MW Tier-III facility built by Central Electronics Ltd in partnership with ESDS. ABOUT THE GREEN DATA CENTRE Public–Private Partnership between CEL (Mini-Ratna PSU under CSIR, Ministry of Science & Technology) and ESDS. Designed to Tier-III standards: 200 high-density racks per floor, dual 10 Gbps links, sustainable features (rainwater harvesting, smart cooling, reflective roofing). Emphasises renewables: aligns with UP target of 20,000 MW renewable generation by 2027; first green data centre in Uttar Pradesh. What Is....Read More

Current Context: Salkhan fossil park Added to UNESCO’s Tentative List of World Heritage Sites in June 2025—step toward formal nomination. ABOUT SALKHAN FOSSIL PARK Location: Sonbhadra district, Uttar Pradesh; covering area. 15 km from Robertsganj; spans ~25 hectares near Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary. Geological Significance: Contains stromatolites (~1.4 billion years old) — fossilised cyanobacteria marking early oxygenation of the planet. Scientific Value: Offers rare window into Precambrian era (~85 % of Earth’s history) via domal, columnar, stratiform stromatolite varieties. UNESCO Status: Entry in Tentative List (June 2025); dossier under preparation, with full inscription expected by 2026–27.Read More

Current Context: Adani Group commissioned India’s first off‑grid 5 MW green hydrogen pilot plant in Kutch, Gujarat, fully powered by solar energy and included Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). ABOUT GREEN HYDROGEN PILOT PLANT Location: Kutch, Gujarat – pilot by Adani New Industries Ltd (ANIL), part of Adani Enterprises. Off‑Grid System: Independent from national grid; uses solar energy + BESS. Electrolyser: Fully automated, closed-loop; adjusts to real‑time renewable input. Significance: Proof-of-concept ahead of Mundra Green Hydrogen Hub—enabling decarbonization of sectors like fertilisers, refining & heavy transport. Policy Link: Supports National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM), aligned with India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat energy goals.Read More

Current Context : On 17 June  2025, India celebrated the 50th anniversary of its Crocodile Conservation Project, launched on 1  April  1975 to reverse crocodilian decline through habitat protection and captive breeding.  About Crocodile Conservation Project Launch & Support: Based on H.  Bustard’s 1974 recommendations; technical and financial aid from UNDP/FAO. Objectives: Protect wild habitats and endemic crocodilian species (mugger, gharial, saltwater). Breed in captivity and reintroduce juveniles into rivers. Key Achievements: Mugger crocodile: Population rebounded to ~ 8,000–10,000 across Ganga basin. Saltwater crocodile: ~ 2,500 individuals, concentrated in Bhitarkanika (Odisha), Sundarbans, Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Gharial: India hosts ~ 80 percent of global wild population;....Read More

General Studies Paper-3 Context: France and Brazil launched a landmark international initiative Blue Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Challenge. About Blue Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Challenge It urges countries to embed ocean-centric actions into their climate plans, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The challenge aims to dramatically scale up ocean-focused climate action ahead of the 30th Conference of Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Belem, Brazil. The initiative is supported by various organizations like Ocean Conservancy, the Ocean & Climate Platform, the World Resources Institute (through the Ocean Resilience and Climate Alliance –....Read More