Why in news?

• Tamil Nadu has declared 5,151 hectares of Kaliveli wetlands in Villupuram as bird sanctuary.

About Kaliveli wetalnds

• Kaliveli wetland system is one of the largest waterfowl congregation sites in Tamil Nadu, and a well-known raptor roosting site for some bird species.
• Tamil Nadu government on Monday has declared 5,151.60 hectares of swamp/wetlands in Villupuram district as Kazhuveli Wetland Birds Sanctuary effectively putting brakes on some of the controversial infra projects proposed in the ecologically sensitive region.
• The declaration was made in exercise of the power conferred in subsection (1) of section 18 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• Kazhuveli or Kaliveli wetland system is one of the largest waterfowl congregation sites in Tamil Nadu, and a well-known raptor roosting site for species like the Eastern Imperial Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle, Red-necked Falcon and several harriers. The Grey-tailed Tattler, a rare migratory wader, has been recorded only here and in Pulicat across the country.

Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary will be the 16th Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu and will help to preserve the biological diversity of the region and conserve the future of threatened bird species in their natural environments.

Why in news?

• PANEX-21 a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Exercise is being held in the backdrop of the emergence of the Omicron variant.

About PANEX-21

• It is to be held for the BIMSTEC countries. It is a multinational disaster relief exercise. The exercise is to be held among the BIMSTEC countries: Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand.
• The aim of the exercise is to foster joint planning and build regional cooperation for responding to natural disasters.
• The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a body of seven countries for cooperation in areas of common interests. PANEX 21 is planned to be conducted at Pune from December 20-22, 2021.
• The exercise will be based on three scenarios built on the theme of disaster management in the backdrop of a pandemic. The participants will be divided into eight syndicates, with one syndicate each from the participating countries and two syndicates from India.
• The exercise will look at analysing capabilities of member states and share best practices, review existing procedures for notification, preparedness and response and recommend the evolution of an organised structure with mechanisms for response to disasters including capability development, training, the regional pool of experts. Protocols for military-to-military cooperation will also be discussed.

Why in news?

• The Nagaland government has recently scraped the Hornbill festival celebrations

About Hornbill festival

• Hornbill Festival is celebrated in Nagaland to encourage inter-tribal interaction.
• It is one of the largest indigenous festival organised by the state government of Nagaland to promote tourism in the state.
• The festival is celebrated annually in the first week of December in order to preserve, protect and revive the uniqueness and richness of the Naga heritage.
• The festival is considered the “Festival of Festivals” in Nagaland.
• The festival is named after the bird – Hornbill which is the most revered and admired bird for the Nagas.
• The festival is a tribute to this bird, known for its qualities of grandeur and alertness.
• The bird is also closely identified with the social and cultural life of the Nagas, as reflected in various tribal dances, songs and folklores.
• Hornbill festival exposes the culture and tradition of the tribal people and reinforces the identity of the Nagaland.

Why in news?

• The comet, also known as C/2021 A1, will appear brighter as it nears Earth’s horizon during its flyby during December, 2021.

About Comet C/2021 A1

• The comet, named Leonard after the astronomer Gregory Leonard, who discovered it earlier this year, is likely to be bright when it makes its closest approach to Earth on December 12.
• In fact, the comet is still visible in the sky in the east, before sunrise. Stargazers can spot it between the Big Dipper’s handle and Arcturus, one of the brightest stars seen from Earth.
• NASA says the comet, also known as C/2021 A1, will appear brighter as it nears Earth’s horizon during its flyby. This will make it difficult for stargazers to view it. However, after the close encounter on December 12, the comet will be visible in the evening sky, especially right after sunset, around December 14, says the space agency.

Why in news?

• The International Civil Aviation Day was observed on December 7, 2021 to help generate and reinforce worldwide awareness of the importance of international civil aviation to the social and economic development of States.

About International Civil Aviation Day

• The day also aims to throw light on the unique role of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in helping States to cooperate and realize a global rapid transit network at the service of all mankind.

International Civil Aviation Day theme 2021

• The ICAO Council has established a special anniversary theme for International Civil Aviation Day every five years that coincide with the ICAO anniversaries such as 2014, 2019, 2014 and 2029. The council representatives choose a single theme for full 4-year intervening period between the anniversaries.
• The International Civil Aviation Day theme from now till 2023 will be “Advancing Innovation for Global Aviation Development”.

International Civil Aviation Day Significance

• The importance of civil aviation as an engine of global connectivity is even more relevant now as the United Nations and world nations have adopted Agenda 2030 and have embarked towards a new era in global sustainable development.

Why in news?

• World Soil Day is celebrated every year on December 5 to raise awareness of the importance of soil quality for human well-being, food security and ecosystems.

About World Soil Day 2021

• World Soil Day 2021 (#WorldSoilDay) and its campaign “Halt soil salinization, boost soil productivity” aims to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being by addressing the growing challenges in soil management, fighting soil salinization, increasing soil awareness and encouraging societies to improve soil health.

History of the day:

• In June 2013, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Conference unanimously endorsed World Soil Day. It was also adopted officially in the 68th United Nations General Assembly. As a result, World Soil Day was for the First time Officially celebrated on 5th December 2014. The date of 5 December was chosen because it corresponds with the official birthday of the late H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand, who was one of the main proponents of this initiative.

Why in news?

• Jharkhand Chief Minister, Hemant Soren has launched a web portal named ‘Hamar Apan Budget’ and a mobile application prepared by the state finance Department from the Chief Minister’s residential office in Ranchi.

About Hamar Apan Budget Portal

• Through this portal, the general public of the state can share their suggestions for the 2022-23 budget.
• The public can give suggestions through Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp and e-mail and also through the app by downloading the ‘Hamar Budget’ from Google Playstore for Android phones.

How to give suggestions?

• The public could use the hyperlink https://finance.jharkhand.gov.in/budgetvichar to register oneself on ‘Hamar Apan Price range Portal’.
• The portal requires a Mobile number and e-mail (non-compulsory) to generate OTP.
• After profitable authentication of the OTP, the public can file the suggestion for the desired area in the budget.

Why in news?

• A 1990-batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, Alka Upadhyaya has been appointed as the chairperson of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

About National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)

• The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is an autonomous agency of the Government of India, set up in 1995 (Act 1988) and is responsible for management of a network of over 50,000 km of National Highways out of 1,32,499 km in India.
• It is a nodal agency of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
• It has been entrusted with the National Highways Development Project, along with other minor projects for development, maintenance and management.
• National Highways Development Project (NHDP) is a project to upgrade, rehabilitate and widen major highways in India to a higher standard. The project was started in 1998.
• NHAI maintains the National Highways network to global standards and cost effective manner and promotes economic well being and quality of life of the people.

Why in news?

• The death anniversary of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, which falls on December 6, is dubbed as Mahaparinirvana Divas.

About Mahaparinirvana Divas

• On this day each year, millions of people throng to Dr Ambedkar’s Samadhi in Mumbai, which is called Chaitya bhoomi to pay respect to the father of Indian Constitution. This year, due to the on-going pandemic, the Maharashtra government has urged people to refrain from visiting this site and observe the day staying home.

What is Mahaparinirvan?

• Mahaparinirvan is one of the major goals of Buddhism. It means ‘’Nirvana after death”. Parinirvan is written as Parinibbana in Pali. Pali language is native to Indian continent. The Buddhist text “Mahaparinibbana Sutta” considers the death of Lord Buddha at the age of 80 as the original Mahaparinirvan.

Why is Death anniversary of Dr Ambedkar celebrated on Mahaparinirvana Divas?

• Dr Ambedkar died in a few days after completing his work “The Buddha and his Dhamma”. Also, he converted to Buddhism after studying the religion for years together.
• He converted to Buddhism on October 14, 1956 in Nagpur along with five lakh supporters. These supporters considered Dr Ambedkar as their Buddhist leader.
• Also, he was considered as a Buddhist guru for his contributions to the eradication of untouchability. Thus, Ambedkar’s death anniversary is marked as Mahaparinirvan Divas.

Why in news?

• An Indian army contingent has left for the 11th edition of Exercise Ekuverin between India and the Maldives, which will be conducted at Kadhdhoo island in the Maldives from December 6-19.

About Exercise Ekuverin

• The exercise will enhance synergy and inter-operability between the Armed Forces of both the nations in terms of understanding transnational terrorism both on land and at sea, conducting counter terrorism and counter insurgency operations and sharing best military practices and experiences, an official press release said.
• Besides rigorous training, the joint military excercise will also include cultural and sports activities to enhance defence cooperation and bilateral relations.
• The exercise will go a long way in strengthening India’s relations with Maldives amidst emerging security dynamics in the Indian Ocean Region.