CURRENT CONTEXT : National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will begin work on the Chattergala tunnel at the earliest to ensure all-weather road connectivity.

• Length : 8 km long under the Chattergala Pass.
• Connects : Kathua and Doda districts of Jammu and Kashmir via basohli-bani through Chattergala.
• Its construction cost is around 4,000 crore.

About Chattergala Pass

• Chattergala Pass, is a mountain pass in the Middle Himalayas of the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir, India.
• Elevation : 3,200 m (10,500 ft)

CURRENT CONTEXT : Japan facing a record high of flesh-eating bacteria cases, with nearly 1,000 affected by Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome (STSS) this year.

ABOUT FLESH-EATING BACTERIA

• Flesh-eating bacteria is also called the Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome (STSS).
• The disease has a mortality rate of 30% and can become fatal within 48 hours of infection.
• It is a bacterial infection develops quickly and becomes life-threatening.
• The ‘flesh-eating bacteria’ can lead to rapid tissue destruction and organ failure.
• The bacteria spreads through respiratory droplets, direct contact and improperly handled food.
• Symptoms : Fever and chills, muscle aches, nausea and vomiting.

CURRENT CONTEXT : Recently, State of Global Air Report 2024 is released.

• Report is published by the US-based Health Effects Institute (HEI) in partnership with UNICEF.
• Air pollution is considered to be one of the biggest killers globally after high blood pressure.

RELEVANT DATA

• Air pollution killed 1 million globally.
• China and India account more than half of the global burden at 3 and 2.1 million deaths, which account for 55% of the global burden.
• Of the total deaths, 700,000 were children under the age of 5 years.
• India accounts 169,400 deaths of children under the age of five.
• It is followed by Nigeria with 1,14,100 child deaths, Pakistan with 68,100, Ethiopia with 31,100, and Bangladesh with 19,100.
• It was the second leading risk factor for death among children after malnutrition.
• 489,000 deaths globally were attributable to ozone exposure in 2021.
• Indians are also exposed to high levels of ozone deaths nearly 50% or 237,000 deaths took place in the country.

CURRENT CONTEXT : Recently, the Prime Minister of India inaugurated the new campus of Nalanda University in Rajgir, Bihar.

• The new campus is spread across 450 acres.
• It is designed as a ‘Net Zero’ Green Campus by focusing on environmental conservation.

HISTORICAL PROSPECTIVE

• Established in the 5th century by Gupta Emperor Kumaragupta I.
• It was flourished for 600 years until the 12th century.
• It was a center of learning, culture, and intellectual exchange that had a profound impact on the development of Indian civilization and beyond.
• It consist the largest library, “Dharma Gunj” or “Mountain of Truth,” with a collection of nine million books.
• It was the world’s first residential university, accommodating over 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers.
• The university is located near the Nalanda ruins, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016.

Celebrated on June 21 is the day of Summer Solstice, marking the longest day in the year.

• It is celebrated as the beginning of summer, or midsummer when one of Earth’s poles is at its maximum tilt towards the sun.
• In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice falls in June (while the Southern Hemisphere experiences the winter solstice).
• In the Southern Hemisphere, it falls in December (while the Northern Hemisphere experiences the winter solstice).

Celebrated on 21 June

• Theme: Yoga for self and society
• Aim : to raise awareness worldwide of the benefits of practicing yoga.
• Resolution for establishing the International Day of Yoga was proposed by India and endorsed by a record 175 member states.
• On 11 December 2014, the United Nations proclaimed 21 June as the International Day of Yoga.
• First International Day of Yoga was celebrated on June 21^st, 2015.

Celebrated on 21 June

• Theme : Hydrographic Information – Enhancing Safety, Efficiency and Sustainability in Marine Activities.
• Aim : to raise awareness on the importance of hydrography in improving our knowledge and understanding of the seas and oceans.
• It was adopted by the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO).

ABOUT IHO

• The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) is an intergovernmental organization that works to ensure the world’s seas, oceans and navigable waters are properly surveyed and charted.
• Established in 1921
• Headquarters –

Current Context : Himachal government plans to build centre of excellence for differently-abled in Kandaghat, Solan.

Aim : to provide essential facilities for differently-abled students, and to identify appropriate courses for visually and hearing-impaired students.

• It is collaborted with PWD for laying the groundwork and the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment for researching various national institute models.
• This facility will provide education and comprehensive amenities to differently-abled and adults up to age of 27, covering 300 students and providing playgrounds and residential accommodation in Tikkari village of Kandaghat area.

Current Context : Piplu fair is to be organised in Piplu village in the Bangana subdivision of Una from June 17 to 19.

About Fair

• The fair is celebrated on the occasion of ‘Nirjala Ekadashi’ at the Nar Singh temple located in the village.
• Thousands of devotees from Una, Hamirpur, Kangra and Bilaspur districts pay reverence to Nar Singh deity at the temple.
• They also offer a part of their agriculture produce to the deity, seeking blessings for good health and prosperity, besides praying for a bountiful harvest during the next season.

Historical Prospectus

• According to a legend, a villager had a dream that an idol of Nar Singh was buried in the nearby forest and he dug the area and unearthed a stone idol, which was kept under a dry peepal tree near his house and started worshiping it.
• In no time, the tree began to bear leaves and came back to life.
• The villagers built a small temple and began worshiping the deity.
• In the local dialect, ‘peepal’ is known as ‘piplu’ so the the village was named Piplu.

Current Context : India-made TB diagnostics technology (Truenat) wins acclaim at 77 World Health Assembly in Geneva.

ABOUT

• The Truenat platform is a rapid molecular test for the diagnosis of pulmonary, extrapulmonary and rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis.
• Developed by Goa-based Molbio, is a molecular diagnostics company.
• Launched in
• It is a portable, battery-operated machine that can be deployed at labs, health centres, and in the field.
• Truenat delivers results from samples in less than an hour and can test for over 40 diseases.