• The Indian Coast Guard Day or ICG Day is celebrated on 1 February every year.
• This year marks the 48th anniversary of the Coast Guard’s establishment.
• The history of ICG Day dates back to 1 February 1977, when the interim Indian Coast Guard was established to prevent the sea-borne smuggling of goods.
  • ICG was established in August 1978 by the Coast Guard Act, 1978 as an independent Armed force of India.
• It is the fourth largest Coast Guard in the world.
• On 18 August 1978, the Indian Parliament officially declared the ICG Day to be celebrated on 1 February of every year.
• It works under the purview of Ministry of Defence.
• The Maritime Zones of India are divided into five Coast Guard Regions, namely,

• Functions
  • They conduct search and rescue operations, safeguard against maritime smuggling, and diligently patrol our borders.
  • They work closely with various agencies like the Navy, Customs, Fisheries department, and state police to ensure comprehensive maritime security.

General Studies Paper -3

Context: India’s first nationwide report, ‘Status Report of Snow Leopards in India’, was released by the Government of India recently.

• The assessment estimates 718 snow leopards in India based on systematic surveys covering over 70% of their potential habitat from 2019-2023.
• For this, the Wildlife Institute of India coordinated the Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI) program across snow leopard range states.
• The SPAI used a two-step approach aligned with Ministry guidelines. The first step mapped snow leopard spatial distribution and habitat analysis. The second step estimated abundance through camera traps in identified areas.
• Until recently, snow leopard ranges in India were poorly defined and studied only across 5% of their habitat. The SPAI has significantly expanded habitat surveys to 80% versus just 56% in 2016.

Key Findings of the Report

• Only 34 percent of the 120,000 square kilometre (sq km) snow leopard habitat in India is legally protected. Almost 70 percent of it, crucial for the predator, remains unprotected.
• According to the report, the highest number of snow leopards are in Ladakh (477).
• It is followed by Uttarakhand (124 animals) and Himachal Pradesh (51). Sikkim and Jammu and Kashmir recorded 21 and 9 individuals respectively.

Suggestions of the report

• The report emphasised the need for a dedicated Snow Leopard Cell at the Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII) under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
• Its objective should be long-term population monitoring, organised studies and consistent field surveys.
• For the same, states and Union territories (UT) can consider adopting a periodic population estimation approach(every fourth year) in the snow leopard range.
• These regular assessments will offer valuable insights for identifying challenges, addressing threats, and formulating effective conservation strategies.
• It also underscored the need to make a revised assessment from the earlier estimate of 400-700 snow leopards in India, among the 4,000-7,500 estimated to be present across the globe.

• The Status of Snow leopards in India report was released recently by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change (MoEFCC).
• The Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI) Program is the first-ever scientific exercise that reports Snow leopard population of 718 individuals in India.
• The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is the National Coordinator for this exercise that was carried out with support the support of all snow leopard range states and two conservation partners, the Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysuru and WWF-India.
• The SPAI systematically covered over 70% of the potential snow leopard range in the country, involving forest & wildlife staff, researchers, volunteers, and contributions from knowledge partners.
• Covering approximately 120,000km² of crucial Snow leopard habitat across the trans-Himalayan region, including UTs of Ladakh and J & K, and states such as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh.
• Based on data analysis, the estimated population in different states are as follows-
  • Ladakh (477), Uttarakhand (124), Himachal Pradesh (51), Arunachal Pradesh (36), Sikkim (21), and Jammu and Kashmir (9).

ABOUT SNOW LEOPARD (PANTHERA UNCIA)

• The Snow Leopard is an apex predator in Himalayan ecosystem.
• Also known as Ghost of Mountain.
• Habitat includes 12 snow leopard range countries -Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
• It is also the State animal of Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh.
• They play a key role of an indicator species of the health of their high-altitude habitat
• Threats include- poaching, habitat loss, declining prey, Human-wildlife conflict and warming in the mountains.
• Protection Status
  • IUCN Red List –Vulnerable
  • WPA 1972- Schedule-I
  • CITES- Appendix I

• Three panels of judges were appointed for assessing the performance of Marching Contingents from three Services, Marching Contingents from Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF)/other auxiliary forces and tableaux from various States/Union Territories and Ministries/Departments.

RESULTS

• Best Marching Contingent among the three services – Sikh Regiment Contingent
• Best Marching Contingent among CAPF/other auxiliary forces – Delhi Police Women Marching Contingent
• Best three Tableaux (States/UTs)
  • First – Odisha (Woman Empowerment in Viksit Bharat)
  • Second – Gujarat (Dhordo : A Global Icon Of Gujarat’s Border Tourism)
  • Third – Tamil Nadu (Kudavolai System in ancient Tamil Nadu – Mother of Democracy)
• Best Tableau (Ministries/Departments) – Ministry of Culture – (Bharat : Mother of Democracy)
• Special Prize – Central Public Works Department (Central Vista -Viksit Bharat Ka Pratibimb)
• Special memento to ‘Vande Bharatam’ – Dance Group

In addition to the panel of judges, an online poll was conducted by MyGov for the citizens to vote for their favourite Tableaux

Results

• Best Marching Contingent among the three services – Rajputana Rifles Regimental Marching Contingent
• Best Marching Contingent among CAPF/other auxiliary forces – CRPF Woman Marching Contingent
• Best three Tableaux (States/UTs):
  • First – Gujarat (Dhordo : A Global Icon Of Gujarat’s Border Tourism)
  • Second – Uttar Pradesh (Viksit Bharat Samradh Virasat)
  • Third – Andhra Pradesh (Transforming School Education in Andhra Pradesh – Making Students Globally Competitive)
• Best Tableau (Central Ministries/Departments) – Vibrant Villages (Ministry of Home Affairs

• The academic community has mourned the loss of eminent historian R. Champakalakshmi.
• She was the former president of Indian History Congress and professor in the Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University.
• Champakalakshmi was a multidisciplinary expert in archaeology, iconography, ideology, statecraft and trade.

• World Leprosy Day (WLD) is celebrated on the last Sunday of January.
• This year it falls on Sunday, 28^th
• The theme for World Leprosy Day 2024 is “Beat Leprosy”.
• This theme encapsulates the dual objectives of the day: to eradicate the stigma associated with leprosy and to promote the dignity of people affected by the disease.
• In 1954, French Journalist Raoul Follereau established the World Leprosy Day to be celebrated to campaign to create awareness about this disease and explore the treatment options available.

• Every year, the country observes Shaheed Diwas or Martyrs’ Day on January 30^th.
• On January 30^th 1948, during Mahatma Gandhi’s evening prayer at Birla Bhavan, Delhi, he was shot thrice by Nathuram Vinayak Godse.
  • As per historical records, Gandhiji succumbed instantly to his injuries.
• In November 1949, Godse was sentenced to death.

Other fact

• The International Day of Non-Violence is also celebrated on Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary on 2^nd

• The Indian Navy’s INS Sumitra safely rescued fishermen hijacked by pirates along the East coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden.

ABOUT INS SUMITRA

• INS Sumitra is an indigenous Offshore Patrol Vessel.
• Sumitra, is the fourth of the Saryu class ships, based on an indigenous design and constructed by M/s Goa Shipyard Ltd, India.
• Since commissioning in 2014, the ship has been deployed for multiple operational tasks.
• It is propelled by two diesel engines.
• The ship has a range of 6,500 nautical miles and is capable of embarking one Dhruv/ Chetak helicopter.
• Measuring about 105 metres in length, 13 metres in breadth and displacing 2,200 tonnes, the ship can achieve speed of 25 knots.
• The primary role of the ship is to undertake surveillance of the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) besides other operational tasks such as anti-piracy patrols, fleet support operations, maritime security of offshore assets and escort operations of high value naval platforms.

• The Goa-headquartered National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) has launched a coral monitoring autonomous underwater vehicle, Coral Reef Monitoring and Surveillance Robot, or C-bot.
• It can reach depths of 200 metres.
• It will help in maintaining surveillance over the coral reefs in the ocean.
• C-bot will also help the Indian Navy perform bathymetry studies to help plot navigation channels.
• The robot will also help in finding the active hydrothermal vents which are emitting a lot of elements into the ocean and active biology which is going on in many places, like in many extreme environments where the temperature is 400-500 degrees Celsius.
• The vehicle can send real time data and photographs, which will help researchers in their studies.

• Recently, an Indian grey wolf was sighted in National Chambal Sanctuary, which is its first confirmed sighting in the region in about two decades.
• The last wolf sightings were reported during Operation Bhediya carried out between 1997 and 2000 to map the canines’ footprint in Chambal.

ABOUT INDIAN GREY WOLF

• Scientific Name: Canis lupus pallipes
• It is a subspecies of grey wolf that ranges from Southwest Asia to the Indian Subcontinent.
• Habitat includes scrublands, grasslands and semi-arid regions.
• Indian wolves generally live in smaller packs rarely exceeding 6-8 individuals.
• They are also relatively less vocal and have rarely been known to howl.
• Indian wolves are monogamous and mate for life.
• They are nocturnal and hunt from dusk to dawn.
• Threats include habitat loss, unregulated hunting, and loss of prey.
• About 2,000-3,000 individuals are remaining in India.
• Protection status
  • IUCN Red list status – Least Concern
  • WPA 1972- Schedule I
  • CITES- Appendix I