Jal Jeevan Mission Helps improve quality of life by providing tap water in remote villages of Nagaland, Air Pollution in Delhi is a major concern due to Stubble burning, ‘KAPILA’ Kalam Program for Intellectual Property Literacy and Awareness campaign, Celebration of 78th EME Corps Day, Main theme of 5th Ayurveda Day
Jal Jeevan Mission Helps improve quality of life by providing tap water in remote villages of Nagaland
- The spirit of community partnership amongst the villagers of Tekhouba, District Phekin, Nagaland is inspirational for other local communities.
- The community developed their indigenous method to deal with water scarcity.
- The water source located 5.5 kms from the village has enough discharge, but the real challenge was to bring water to the village through gravity system in such hilly terrain.
- Under the leadership of village council and local Water & Sanitation (WATSAN) committee, the community secured forest clearance, fencing, labour force requirement and also managed to get land donated for the water supply system.
- The scheme covers 553 households with a minimum service level of 55 lpcd.
- The Village Council collects water user charge from every household and also ensures its proper utilization towards operation & maintenance expenditure of water supply facilities.
- Similarly, the smiles of Vedami village members says it all with them basking in the new found ‘ease-of-living’ status, as envisaged under Jal Jeevan Mission.
- Every household of this village is now provided with 55 litres per capita per day of assured safe water supply in adequate quantity and of prescribed quality on regular basis and this has become possible only through community participation and active involvement of the local Water and Sanitation (WATSAN) committee.
- The same story echoes in Tsongphong village of 65 households which was one of the first villages to be covered under the Mission.
- The village is situated in Kiphire district, the only Aspirational district of Nagaland.
- As with most gravity schemes, the laying of the main pipeline was a huge task as road connectivity is almost non-existent here.
- This challenge did not deter the community spirit as the entire community came together and contributed generously in the form of cash and/ or labour to realize their dream of tap water connections.
- The WATSAN committee of this village also leads the operation and maintenance activities ensuring long-term sustainability of their water supply system.
- Union Government’s flagship programme, Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is under implementation in partnership with States with the objective of ensuring potable water supply in adequate quantity and of prescribed quality to every rural household on regular and long-term basis.
- JJM is a decentralized, demand-driven, community-managed program facilitating rural – local communities to function as water utilities and lead planning, implementation, management, operation and maintenance of in-village water supply systems.
- Success stories from such remote villages in hilly terrain overcoming many challenges speak volumes of the transformative role of the Mission in improving the quality of life of rural communities.
Air Pollution in Delhi is a major concern due to Stubble burning
- In order to step up efforts for ensuring better air quality, 50 teams of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) have been deployed to make extensive field visits in Delhi-NCR towns.
- Around 95 percent of the pollution in the city, is due to local factors like dust, construction and biomass burning and the share of stubble burning is only around 4 percent as on date.
- On spot reporting of major air polluting sources such as major construction activities without proper control measures, dumping of garbage & construction waste alongside the roads and on open plots, unpaved roads, open burning of garbage/industrial waste, etc. will be done by these teams using the SAMEER App.
- The teams will visit Delhi and NCR towns – Noida, Ghaziabad, Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ballabgarh, Jhajjar, Panipat, Sonepat in Haryana and Bhiwadi, Alwar, Bharatpur in Rajasthan.
- These teams will specifically focus on hotspot areas where the problem is aggravated.
- A Central Control Room at CPCB Head Quarters has been made functional for keeping track of pollution levels on hour to hour basis and overall coordination with State agencies.
- In addition, district wise nodal officers have been appointed for better management and coordination with teams.
- Air quality in winter season is a major environmental concern in Delhi and NCR region. Various efforts are being taken since past five years for air quality management in the region.
- Although gradual year on year improvement in air quality has been observed, a lot needs to be done.
'KAPILA' Kalam Program for Intellectual Property Literacy and Awareness campaign
- Union Education Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ virtually launched the ‘KAPILA’ Kalam Program for Intellectual Property Literacy and Awareness campaign on the 89th birth anniversary of former President and Scientist Late Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
- Speaking on the occasion the Minister said that it is necessary not only to invent for the self-sufficiency of the country, but also to patent the inventions.
- Patent of inventions will lead India towards Self-Reliance.
- India has a proud history of Nalanda and Takshila Universities so we already had the intellectual property inherited within our culture.
- India has to again lead the world as Vishwaguru in the field of patents.
- On ‘National Innovation Day’, this important initiative has been taken towards making India self-reliant.
- Under this campaign, students pursuing education in higher educational institutions will get information about the correct system of application process for patenting their invention and they will be aware of their rights.
- The Minister said that we have to work in a mission mode as we have ample resources that need to be tapped in the field of IP.
- He appealed to the youth of this country to come ahead with their inventions.
- The Institution Innovation Council (IIC 2.0) annual report was also presented on the occasion and the launch of IIC 3.0 was announced.
- It has also been decided to celebrate the week of October 15th to 23rd as ‘Intellectual Property Literacy Week’.
- The IIC 3.0 website was also launched.
- The Institution Innovation Council was established by the Ministry of Education in 2018.
- So far, IICs have been established in about 1700 higher educational institutions.
- IIC will be established in 5000 higher educational institutions under IIC 3.0.
- For India to become a $5 trillion economy, we have to be more aware of protecting intellectual property.
- Research students and scientists of India engaged in research and development must apply to preserve and safeguard their inventions.
- Under the Intellectual Property Literacy Week, a number of activities will be organized from October 15th to October 23, in which online awareness will be created about the system and the importance of the process of applying for a patent.
- Debates, poster contests, quizzes and community meetings will be held in this week.
- This mission of the Ministry of Education will promote entrepreneurship and startups in India’s higher education infrastructure.
Celebration of 78th EME Corps Day
- The Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers, which celebrated its 78th Corps Day on 15 Oct 2020, is responsible to provide integrated engineering support to the entire range of equipment and weapon systems of the Indian Army during complete life cycle from design to discard thus enhancing the Army’s combat potential by exploiting the power of technology and innovation.
- The Corps of EME has achieved new highs in various fields and has proved to be a force multiplier in enhancing combat effectiveness.
- The Corps proved its mettle during the COVID-19 pandemic where critical medical care equipment including Ventilators were kept in state of mission readiness.
- Numerous innovations were developed which have contributed to the national effort in fighting COVID-19.
- The Corps has always taken the lead in the field of adventure sports in Indian Army.
- It has given tremendous impetus in the field of mountaineering, sky diving, sailing, hot water ballooning, para sailing, hang gliding, skiing, rafting, canoeing and exploration to Antarctica. Padamshree Awardee Milkha Singh, also known as Flying Sikh, represented India in three Summer Olympics and Commonwealth Games.
- Col JK Bajaj, VSM, SM excelled in the field of mountaineering.
- More recently Lt Col Bharat Pannu won the ‘VirtualRace Across America’, while Lt Col Vishal Ahlawat, a marathon runner has brought laurels by creating records in numerous half marathons.
- The Corps of EME has always risen to the occasion to ensure that the operational preparedness of the Indian Army is maintained at highest level.
- The Soldier craftsman solemnly pledges to the fallen brethren that the Corps will uphold their legacy and bring glory to the country.
Main theme of 5th Ayurveda Day
- Potential role of Ayurveda in the management of the Covid 19 pandemic will be the focus of this year’s ‘Ayurveda Day’ observation.
- The Ayurveda Day is being observed every year from 2016, on the day of Dhanwantri Jayanti.
- This year it falls on 13th November 2020.
- The Objective of Ayurveda Day is to focus on strengths of Ayurveda and its unique treatment principles, to work towards reducing the burden of disease and related mortality by utilising the potential of Ayurveda, to tap into the potential of Ayurveda to contribute towards National Health Policy and National Health programmes, and to promote Ayurvedic principles of healing in society.
- Thus, Ayurveda Day is more an occasion of re-dedication to the profession and the society, than one of festivities or celebrations.
- A webinar on the theme of ‘Ayurveda for Covid-19 Pandemic’ will be organised on ‘Ayurveda Day.’
- It aims to be an occasion of virtual information dissemination about the various initiatives of the Ayurveda discipline to mitigate Covid 19 through.
- About 1.5 lakh participants from all over the world are expected to attend the webinar.
- The Ministry of Ayush has also requested embassies/missions abroad to observe the ‘Áyurveda Day’ with appropriate activities that would engage the public.
- Interactive webinars with BIMSTEC and IBSA countries in the second half of October, and interactive webinar for industry in association with the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, Exim Bank on export of Ayurveda products have been planned.
- Ayurveda, the original healthcare tradition of humanity, is not just a medical system, but a manifestation of our symbiotic relationship with nature.
- It is a well-documented systems of healthcare, wherein prevention of disease and promotion of health are both given due consideration.
