Uttar Pradesh government approved a 1,200 MW pumped storage power project in Sonabhadra.

About Pumped Storage Hydropower

• Pumped storage plants use the principle of gravity to generate electricity.
• It is a configuration of two water reservoirs at different elevations that can generate power as water moves down from one to the other (discharge), passing through a turbine.
  • The system also requires power as it pumps water back into the upper reservoir (recharge).
• Central Electricity Authority estimates on-river pumped storage hydro potential in India to be 103 GW.

As per report, Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister, reviewed and approved amendments to the deal for 31 MQ-9B High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV).

About MQ-9B UAV

• It has two variants: SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian (Maritime variant).
• Designed to fly over the horizon via satellite for up to 40 hours (SkyGuardian) and 30 hours (SeaGuardian).
• Outfitted with the revolutionary Lynx Multi-mode Radar, an advanced electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor, and automatic takeoff and landing.
• Weapons: Laser guided missiles, Anti-tank missiles, Anti-ship missiles etc.
• Missions Capability: Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief, Electronic Warfare, Anti-Surface Warfare, Anti-Submarine Warfare etc.

CWC has been awarded GEEF (Global Energy and Environment Foundation) Global WaterTech Award under category ‘Water Department of the Year’ recognising its role in hydro-meteorological data collection, flood forecasting, etc. 

About CWC (HQ: New Delhi)

• Established in 1945 on advice of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. 
• Headed by Chairman, an Ex-officio Secretary to Government of India.
• Premier Technical Organization functioning as an attached office of Ministry of Jal Shakti. 
• Three technical wings: Designs and Research Wing; Water Planning and Projects Wing; River Management Wing.
• Aims to promote integrated and sustainable development and management of India's water resources by using state-of-the-art technology and competency and by coordinating all stakeholders.

Oil and gas exploration likely to threaten Hoolock Gibbon habitat in Assam.

About Hoolock Gibbon

• Only ape found in India (in northeast). They are primates like monkeys, langurs and chimpanzees.
• Form an arboreal species, and prefer to live in canopies of evergreen forests in northeast India.
• Western hoolock gibbon (Hoolock hoolock): Found in all states of north-east, restricted between south of Brahmaputra river and east of Dibang river; Eastern Bangladesh and north-west Myanmar.
  • IUCN Status: Endangered.
• Eastern hoolock gibbon (Hoolock leuconedys): Specific pockets of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in India, and southern China and north-east Myanmar. 
  • IUCN Status: Vulnerable.
• Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule 1 (Western hoolock gibbon).

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change launched Ideas4LiFE portal.

About Ideas4LiFE portal

• Aims to encourage and motivate students, faculty and research scholars to contribute their innovative ideas to global initiative of Mission LiFE.
• Focuses on bringing behavioral changes related to environment-friendly lifestyles.

Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment)

• Launched in 2022, focuses on bringing about behaviour changes in individuals for combatting climate change. 
• Objective is a global movement for transitioning from a model of destructive and mindless consumption to deliberate and mindful utilization of resources.

A first of its kind wind turbine to generate power for real-time monitoring cameras and Wi-Fi connectivity within its forests has been installed in PTR. 

About PTR

• Location: Thekkady (Idukki) district, Kerala. Situated in Cardamom Hills and Pandalam Hills of Southern Western Ghats of peninsular India.
• Climate: Cool and humid climate with high rainfall. 
• Forest Types: Tropical evergreen forests, tropical semi-evergreen forests, moist deciduous forests, grasslands and eucalyptus plantations.
• Major River: Periyar and Mullayar. Mullaperiyar Dam is located within PTR.  
• Fauna: Asian Elephant, Bengal Tiger, Sambar Deer, Leopard, Barking Deer, Nilgiri Tahr, Lion Tailed Macaque, etc. 
• Flora: More than 41 % of entire flowering plants (angiosperms).

Scientists developed enhanced, precise and more efficient genome-editing system than existing CRISPR-Cas9 technologies.

• Scientists explored FnCas9 enzyme, derived from rancisella novicida bacteria, which is highly precise.

About CRISPR-Cas9

• It is a genome-editing tool that allows scientists to precisely cut and modify DNA sequences. 
• It involves two key molecules: 
  • A guide RNA designed to find and bind to specific part of target genome.
  • Cas9 (CRISPR-associated protein 9): It acts as molecular scissors that can cut two strands of DNA.
• Applications: Treatment of cancer, hepatitis B, cardiovascular diseases; producing genetically modified organisms; enhance crop resilience etc. 

Defense Acquisition Council accorded Acceptance of Necessity for procurement of Advanced Land Navigation System (ALNS), ALNS Mk-II for Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) of Indian Army.

• It will be procured from Bharat Electronics Limited.

ALNS

• It is a Ring Laser Gyro (RLG) based navigation system. 
• It is an equipment mounted in Armoured vehicles for Land Navigation in featureless terrain. 
• Three different modes:
  • Inertial Mode (independent of GPS).
  • Hybrid Mode (taking inputs from both Inertial sensor and GPS receiver).
  • GPS Mode (independent of Inertial sensor input). 
• ALNS Mk-II is compatible with NaVIC and GLONASS.