Daily Current Affairs

To The Point Notes

Art and Culture

1.Shree Jagannath Temple, Puri: Ratna Bhandar Reopened

• Ratna Bhandar: The sacred treasury of the 12th-century Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha.
• Recently reopened: After 46 years of legal battles and debates.
• Two chambers:
  • Bhitar Bhandar (Inner Treasury)
  • Bahar Bhandar (Outer Treasury)
• Significance: Not just wealth, but a testament to devotees’ faith for centuries.
• Temple:
  • Built in 12th century AD by King Anatavarman Chodaganga Deva.
  • One of the four Dhammas (holiest places) in India.
  • Part of the Char Dham pilgrimages.
  • Kalingan architecture.
  • Four gates: Singhadwara (east, main gate), Ashwadwara (south), Vyaghra Dwara (west), Hastidwara (north).
  • Nilachakra (Blue wheel) on top, made of eight metals (Ashtadhatu).
  • Aruna Stambha pillar: Originally located at the Sun Temple, Konark.

 

 

 

Health

2.Tirzepatide for Weight Management

• News: Recently approved by India’s drug regulator.
• Background:
  • 2017: US FDA approves Ozempic (semaglutide) for type 2 diabetes.
  • Doctors observed weight loss as a side effect.
  • November 2023: Eli Lilly receives FDA approval for Zepbound (tirzepatide) for obesity.
• Function:
  • Mimics natural hormones like glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) to control weight.
  • Approved for obese (BMI > 30) or overweight (27 < BMI < 30) adults with weight-related health conditions.
• Side effects: Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, rare risk of thyroid tumors.

 

 

 

Geography

3.Injection Borewells

• Citizens in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh are using injection borewells to address water scarcity.
• Function:
  • Capture rainwater from large surfaces.
  • Filter and inject it into deep underground layers.
  • Recharge aquifers for year-round water availability.
• Benefits:
  • Combats water scarcity and rising demand (e.g., Visakhapatnam & Hyderabad IT Corridor).
  • More sustainable than traditional borewells that deplete groundwater.
  • Cost-effective alternative to relying on surface water.
  • Reduces soil erosion by directing rainwater underground.

 

 

Economy

4.Margin Trading 

• Recent News: National Stock Exchange (NSE) removed 1,010 stocks from margin trading eligibility list.
• About:
  • Investors borrow funds to buy securities, aiming to profit from price movements.
  • Increases potential returns but also amplifies potential losses.
  • Similar to “Buy Now Pay Later” concept, but with interest on borrowed amount.

 

 

Environment

5.Vulture Conservation & Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve

Vulture Population Decline in India:

• Since 1990s:
  • Oriental white-backed vulture: 99% decline.
  • Long-billed vulture: 99% decline.
  • Slender-billed vulture: 99% decline.
  • Red-headed vulture: 91% decline.
  • Egyptian vulture: 80% decline.
• Threats: Diclofenac (veterinary pain medication) and other vulture-toxic drugs.

Importance of Vultures:

• Carcasses eaters, vital for ecosystem health.
• Stomach acid kills pathogens in carcasses, preventing disease spread.

Conservation Efforts:

• Vulture Conservation Breeding Programme: Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) & Central Zoo Authority (CZA).
• Action Plan for Vulture Conservation 2006: Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• Vulture Safe Zone Program: Eight locations across India with existing vulture populations.
• Vulture Conservation Breeding Centres (VCBCs): Four centers by BNHS for vulture breeding & reintroduction.

Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR):

• Located in Erode district, Tamil Nadu.
• Declared a tiger reserve in 2013.
• Connects Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (TN), Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Tiger Reserve (BRT), Bandipur Tiger Reserve (Karnataka).
• Crucial wildlife corridor between Eastern and Western Ghats.