CURRENT-AFFAIRS

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• The National Pest Management System (NPMS) is a groundbreaking digital platform developed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. Utilizing cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), NPMS delivers timely pest management recommendations to farmers nationwide.
• This initiative is set to revolutionize pest management techniques and support farmers throughout India. NPMS aims to decrease dependency on pesticide vendors and promote a scientifically-based approach to pest control.
• The system features an intuitive mobile application and a web portal, ensuring that all farmers can easily access its resources. By harnessing real-time data and sophisticated analytics, NPMS provides precise pest identification, monitoring, and management solutions.
• Farmers will benefit significantly from NPMS, as it offers rapid responses to pest invasions and crop diseases, minimizing crop losses and enhancing overall productivity. With its detailed pest occurrence data and automated guidance, NPMS equips farmers with actionable insights, enabling them to make informed decisions and take proactive steps to safeguard their crops.

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• Recently, fifty-seven casual workers of Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve have been reinstated three months after their contracts were terminated. Situated in the Changlang District of Arunachal Pradesh, this park is bordered by Myanmar to the southeast.
• Namdapha National Park lies at the intersection of the Indian Sub-Continent Biogeographic Region and the Indo-China Biogeographic Region, resulting in a rich diversity of flora and fauna. The park is nestled between the Dapha Bum ridge of the Mishmi Hills in the North Eastern Himalayas and the Patkai Ranges.
• It shares boundaries with the Kamlang Wildlife Sanctuary in Lohit District and the Nampong Forest Division in the southwestern part of Changlang District, Arunachal Pradesh. The park is named after the Namdapha River, which originates from Dapha Bum and flows into the Noa-Dehing River, a tributary of the Brahmaputra.
• Vegetation: The park features several biomes, including evergreen forests, moist deciduous forests, subtropical forests, temperate forests, and alpine areas.
• Flora: The park is home to around 150 timber species, including unique varieties like Pinus merkusi and Abies delavavi. It also hosts the rare and endangered Blue Vanda orchid, as well as medicinal plants such as Mishimi Teeta (Coptis teeta), which is used by local tribes for treating various ailments.
• Fauna: Namdapha National Park is the only place in the world where all four major big cat species—Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard, and Clouded Leopard—coexist, along with various lesser cat species. It is also the habitat of the Hoolock Gibbons, the only ape species found in India and critically endangered.

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• Astronomers from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) have developed a new technique for forecasting the intensity of upcoming solar cycles.
• About the Solar Cycle
• The Sun is a massive sphere of electrically charged hot gas. This gas movement generates a significant magnetic field around the Sun. The Sun’s magnetic field undergoes a periodic cycle known as the solar cycle.
• Approximately every 11 years, the Sun’s magnetic field completely reverses, meaning the Sun’s north and south poles swap positions. It then takes around another 11 years for the poles to return to their original configuration.
• One method for tracking the solar cycle involves monitoring the number of sunspots on the Sun’s surface. The start of a solar cycle, called solar minimum, is characterized by the lowest number of sunspots. As the cycle progresses, solar activity, including sunspot numbers, increases, reaching a peak during the solar maximum when sunspots are at their highest.
• As the cycle concludes, activity wanes, returning to solar minimum, and the cycle starts anew. During the solar cycle, large solar phenomena, such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections, also become more frequent.

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• The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has overturned the environmental clearance previously granted to a pharmaceutical company for expanding its facility in the Krishnapatnam Industrial Area, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh.
• About the National Green Tribunal (NGT)
• Established under the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010, the NGT is tasked with the swift and effective resolution of cases related to environmental protection, forest conservation, and the management of natural resources. The tribunal's principal seat is in New Delhi, with additional benches located in Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata, and Chennai.
• The NGT has jurisdiction to adjudicate all civil cases concerning environmental matters and issues related to the enforcement of laws specified in Schedule I of the NGT Act. These laws include:
• The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
• The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977
• The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980
• The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981
• The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
• The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991
• The Biological Diversity Act, 2002
• The NGT also functions as an appellate court with authority to hear appeals. Although not bound by the procedures of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, the Tribunal operates under principles of natural justice. Additionally, the NGT is required to resolve applications or appeals within six months of their filing.

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• The Panama Canal is facing challenges in regaining the confidence of traders in liquefied natural gas and food commodities like grains, who were displaced by a historic drought last year.
• About the Panama Canal
• The Panama Canal is a man-made waterway that links the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean. It traverses the Isthmus of Panama and serves as a crucial conduit for global maritime trade. The canal was constructed through one of the narrowest points of the isthmus that connects North and South America.
• It is one of the world's two most strategically significant artificial waterways, the other being the Suez Canal.
• History:
• Construction of the canal began in 1881 under French leadership, but was plagued by financial difficulties and disease, leading to its failure. The United States took over the project on May 4, 1904, and successfully opened the canal on August 15, 1914. The U.S. managed the canal until 1999.
• On December 31, 1999, Panama assumed full control of the canal's operation, administration, and maintenance, in accordance with the Torrijos-Carter Treaties signed with the United States in 1977.