Current Context : Fishermen around Pulicat Lake have demanded a long-term solution to address siltation problems that threaten fishing livelihoods and the lake’s ecosystem.

ABOUT PULICAT LAKE

• Type – Coastal shallow brackish water lagoon.
• Location – Spreads across Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, separated from the Bay of Bengal by Sriharikota Island.
• Rivers Feeding It – Aarani River (south) and Kalangi River (northwest).
• Special Feature – Buckingham Canal passes through the lagoon.
• Status – Designated as a Ramsar Site (2002).
• Biodiversity – Home to mudskippers, seagrass beds, oyster reefs, and over 200 avian species.
• Significance – India’s second-largest brackish water lagoon after Chilika Lake.

Current Context : The Philippines is preparing to host Southeast Asia’s first coral larvae cryobank, connecting institutions in the Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand to preserve coral species across the Coral Triangle.

ABOUT CORAL TRIANGLE

• Also Known As – “Amazon of the Seas.”
• Area Covered – Over 10 million sq. km of marine area.
• Member Countries – Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, the Philippines, Timor-Leste, and Solomon Islands.
• Significance –
  • Home to 75% of the world’s coral species and 33% of reef fish species.
  • Supports 120 million people through fisheries and tourism.
  • Habitat for 6 of the 7 marine turtle species and vast mangrove forests.
• Threats – Coral bleaching, overfishing, pollution, and climate change.

ABOUT CORALS

• Nature – Marine animals that are sessile (fixed to the sea floor).
• Symbiotic Relationship – Live with algae called zooxanthellae, which provide nutrients through photosynthesis.
• Structure – Each coral unit is called a polyp, and many polyps form a colony.

Current Context : Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav inaugurated Rajasthan’s first Namo Biodiversity Park (NAMO VAN)at Pratap Bandh, Alwar.

ABOUT NAMO BIODIVERSITY PARK

• Developed As – A “green lung” for the Alwar region to improve air quality and urban greenery.
• Objective – To preserve native flora and fauna of the Aravalli ecosystem and serve as a model for sustainable urban development.
• Key Goals –
  • Acts as a natural carbon sink and mitigates air pollution.
  • Promotes environmental awareness among students and citizens.
  • Encourages eco-friendly lifestyles through education and community involvement.

Current Context : Exercise KONKAN-25, a bilateral naval exercise between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy (UK), commenced on 05 October 2025 off the western coast of India.

ABOUT EXERCISE KONKAN-25

• Type – Bilateral naval exercise between India and the United Kingdom.
• Phases – Conducted in two phases – Harbour Phase and Sea Phase.
• Harbour Phase – Includes professional interactions, cross-deck visits, sports fixtures, and cultural programmes.
• Sea Phase – Focuses on anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine operations, flying drills, and other seamanship evolutions.

Celebrated on 7 October 2025.

Aim : To mark the birth anniversary of Maharishi Valmiki, the revered sage and author of the epic Ramayana.

ABOUT MAHARISHI VALMIKI

• Title: Revered as the Adi Kavi (First Poet) in Indian tradition.
• Early Life: Born as Ratnakar, who lived as a dacoit before a spiritual transformation inspired by Sage Narada.
• Transformation:
  • Guided to meditate on the name of Lord Rama as penance.
  • Deep meditation led to anthills forming around him — hence the name Valmiki (from “Valmika” meaning anthill).
• Major Work:
  • Composed the Ramayana, consisting of around 24,000 verses across seven sections.
  • The epic narrates the ideals and virtues of Prince Rama of Ayodhya.

Observed every year on 7 October

Aim : To raise awareness about cotton’s importance in livelihood generation and global trade and to promote sustainable cotton production and fair trade.

Current Context : Australia has approved the use of Lecanemab, a new drug for treating early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, aimed at slowing its progression.

ABOUT LECANEMAB DRUG

• Nature
  • A monoclonal antibody drug.
  • Administered intravenously (IV) through a drip bag.
• Working
  • Targets amyloid proteins in the brain.
  • Works with brain immune cells to clear amyloid build-up.
  • Shown to reduce disease progression by 27% in clinical trials.
• Issues
  • High cost and limited accessibility.
  • Potential side effects like brain swelling.

ABOUT ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

• A progressive brain disorder that destroys memory and thinking skills.
• Most common cause of dementia (60–80% of cases).
• Usually affects people 65+ years; 10% of cases occur below this age.
• Symptoms caused by toxic amyloid protein build-up damaging brain cells.

Current Context : The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has launched the Swachh Shehar Jodi (SSJ) initiative, pairing mentor and mentee cities to improve sanitation and waste management.

ABOUT SWACHH SHEHAR JODI INITIATIVE

• Nature
  • Structured mentorship and collaboration program.
  • Includes 72 mentor cities and around 200 mentee cities.
  • Implemented under Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban (SBM-U).
• Objectives
  • Support weaker cities by replicating best practices.
  • Encourage peer learning and knowledge sharing.
• Implementation
  • Mentor cities: Top performers in Swachh Survekshan rankings (2022–2024).
  • Mentee cities: Low performers, often from bottom state rankings.
  • Funding: Capacity Building (CB) Funds under SBM-U 2.0, with possible State/UT top-ups.

Current Context : The Bathukamma Festival of Telangana has recently set two Guinness World Records during its grand celebrations organized by the State Government.

ABOUT BATHUKAMMA FESTIVAL

• Type – Floral festival celebrated by women in Telangana.
• Meaning – Bathukamma means “Mother Goddess Come Alive.”
• Legends – Connected with Goddess Gauri and Chola dynasty folklore.
• History – Promoted by Kakatiya dynasty as a festival of feminine strength and agricultural prosperity.
• Time of Celebration – During Durga Navratri (September–October), lasting 9 days.
• Culmination – Saddula Bathukamma or Pedda Bathukamma.
• State Recognition – Declared as the State Festival of Telangana.

Current Context : During Durga Puja immersions, heightened security was deployed on the Ichamati River along the India-Bangladesh border.

ABOUT ICHAMATI RIVER

• Type – Trans-boundary river between India and Bangladesh.
• Origin – Bifurcation of Mathabhanga River (distributary of Padma) at Mahjdia, Nadia district (West Bengal).
• Course – Flows through Nadia & North 24 Parganas (India), then Satkhira & Khulna (Bangladesh).
• Length – About 216 km, joins Kalindi River at Hasnabad, and outfalls into Bay of Bengal.
• Issues – Siltation, thin flow in dry season, floods in rainy season.