Odisha and Chhattisgarh expressed willingness to resolve Mahanadi water dispute ‘amicably’.

• In 2016, Odisha, the lower riparian state, alleged unilateral construction of multiple barrages by Chhattisgarh in the upper catchment areas, which reduced water flow during non-monsoon seasons.
• Consequently, Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT), 2018 was constituted under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956.
  • The final decision is pending.

Constitutional Provisions related to interstate water dispute

• Article 262 empowers Parliament to adjudicate such disputes.
• Inter State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 empowers the Central Government to constitute water dispute tribunals.
• River Boards Act, 1956 provides for the establishment of River Boards to advise on interstate river development.

NW-57 on Kopili River was operationalised in Assam with cargo trials in line with the Maritime India Vision 2030 and PM Gati Shakti.

• Four National Waterways in Assam including Brahmaputra (NW 2), Barak (NW 16), Dhansiri (NW 31) and Kopili (NW 57) are now operational.

About Kopili River

• River Kopili is one of the important major left bank tributaries of the Brahmaputra.
• Kopili River is an interstate river in Northeast India that flows through the states of Meghalaya and Assam.
• It originates from the Saipong Reserve Forest situated in south east of Meghalaya.

Matri Van Initiative is launched in Gurugram to develop a 750-acre urban forest in the Aravalli hills.

• The initiative is part of the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ programme
• It aims to enhance ecological preservation and foster community participation, marking a significant step towards urban sustainability.
• Ecological Restoration Components includes removal of invasive species, plantation of native trees and restoring Aravalli-specific biodiversity.

Recently, Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki Volcano erupted twice sending ash 18,000 meters into the sky.

About Mount Lewotobi

• It is one of Indonesia’s 127 active volcanoes. 
• Mount Lewotobi is composed of two adjacent stratovolcanoes: 
  • Laki-Laki and Perempuan, which lie less than 2 kilometers apart.
  • Laki-Laki has been frequently active since the 19th century, while Perempuan erupted most in 1921 and 1935.
• The country is prone to volcanic eruptions due to its location along the “Ring of Fire".
  • Ring of Fire is a string of volcanoes and sites of seismic activity, or earthquakes, around the edges of the Pacific Ocean.

Researchers from IIT Delhi and IIT Gandhinagar have developed a District Flood Severity Index that factors in flood duration, historically flooded area, etc., to assess flood impact.

About District Flood Severity Index (DFSI)

• It is designed to quantify flood severity at the district level, which is India's key administrative unit for disaster planning and management.
• Composite DFSI consists of six factors classified in two groups: 
  • variables representing the occurrence of floods – number of flood events, mean flood duration, flooded area, and population; 
  • variables representing the damage due to floods – human fatality and the number of humans injured in a district.

A new study by researchers at the University of Washington says rain sometimes makes the ocean's surface heavier and more stable due to Cold Pools.

About Cold Pools

• Cold pools are small-scale areas of evaporatively cooled downdraft air that spread on the surface underneath precipitating clouds.
• Phenomenon: When rain falls during a storm, some of it evaporates before reaching the ground. This evaporation cools the air, making it heavier. The cool, heavy air then sinks and spreads out across the ground like a shallow, cold bubble - that’s a cold pool.

India received the final batch of 16 Airbus C-295 military transport aircraft in Spain.

About C-295 Transport Aircraft

• It is a new-generation tactical airlifter in the light and medium segment.
• Designed and built by: Airbus, a European multinational aerospace corporation.
• Features of Airbus C-295 Military Aircraft:
  • It is an efficient tactical transport aircraft having a flight endurance of up to 11 hours.
  • It is set to replace the IAF’s ageing Avro fleet.

Recently, a team of scientists at Harvard engineered a synthetic activator of a key cellular pathway called Notch signalling.

About Notch Signalling

• It is a cell-to-cell communication system vital for various developmental processes and tissue homeostasis in multicellular organisms.
  • Homeostasis is the process by which living organisms maintain a stable internal environment despite external changes.
• It plays a vital role in cell fate determination, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis.
• It can lead to birth defects and diseases like cancer.

The first-ever exhibition showcasing Sharda, the ancient script that originated in Kashmir and was traditionally used by Kashmiri Pandits, was held during the Chinar Book Festival.

About Shāradā Script

• Shāradā script is a writing system based on the Brahmic family of scripts.
  • It was the main script used to write Sanskrit.
• Flourished in: Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Punjab.
• Shāradā Script in Afghanistan: On a Ganesh statue  (Gardez) and on a Uma Maheshwara sculpture (near kabul).
• The script developed in between the 8th and 9th centuries AD. However, few manuscripts survive today.