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- The recently concluded third annual Deepor Beel Winter Birding Festival 2025 witnessed a notable rise in the number of both migratory and resident bird species compared to the previous year's count in 2024.
- About Deepor Beel:
- Located on the outskirts of Guwahati, Assam, Deepor Beel is a perennial freshwater lake.
- The lake lies in a former channel of the Brahmaputra River.
- Spanning across an area of 4.1 sq.km.
- It serves as the city's primary stormwater storage basin.
- The Khandajan rivulet, which flows into the Brahmaputra, is the lake's outflow.
- Designated as a Ramsar Site in 2002 and an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) in 2004, it remains the only Ramsar site in Assam.
- This lake acts as a crucial staging point along migratory flyways, supporting some of Assam's most significant concentrations of aquatic birds, particularly during winter.
- Globally endangered bird species such as the Spot-billed Pelican, Lesser and Greater Adjutant Storks, and Baer's Pochard are found here.
- The lake's ecosystem supports around 50 fish species, benefiting the livelihoods of approximately 1,200 families in 12 villages located on its edges.
- The southern part of the beel is bordered by the Rani and Garbhanga hills, home to Asiatic elephants, further enhancing the biodiversity of the area.
- The Finance Minister recently unveiled a ₹20,000 crore ‘Nuclear Energy Mission’ aimed at developing indigenous Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).
- About Small Modular Reactors (SMRs):
- SMRs are compact nuclear reactors with a maximum output of 300 Megawatt electric (MWe), capable of producing 7.2 million kWh per day. In contrast, large nuclear power plants typically generate over 1,000 MWe and can produce 24 million kWh per day. SMRs, which can generate substantial low-carbon electricity, are characterized by:
- Small: They are significantly smaller in size compared to conventional nuclear reactors.
- Modular: Components are pre-assembled in factories and can be transported as a unit for on-site installation.
- Reactors: They use nuclear fission to produce heat, which is then converted into energy.
- Advantages:
- Smaller physical footprint;
- Lower capital investment compared to traditional reactors;
- Factory-built, unlike large reactors that require on-site construction;
- Can be deployed in locations unsuitable for larger nuclear plants;
- Potential for incremental power generation;
- Enhanced safeguards, security, and non-proliferation benefits.
- SMRs are ideal for integration with other energy sources in energy hubs, and they can also provide electricity, heat for industrial processes, district heating, and even hydrogen production.
- The recent detection of Camp Hill virus, a henipavirus related to Nipah, in North America has sparked concerns about the potential for an outbreak.
- About Henipavirus:
- Henipaviruses, part of the Paramyxoviridae family, are zoonotic, negative-sense RNA viruses. Fruit bats (Pteropus species, also known as ‘flying foxes’) are the natural reservoirs of Henipaviruses. These viruses can jump species, infecting a wide range of mammals, including humans. Henipaviruses are known to cause severe respiratory diseases and encephalitis, often associated with high mortality rates. The two most prominent henipaviruses are the Hendra virus and the Nipah virus.
- Hendra virus, first identified in Australia, has led to outbreaks with fatality rates as high as 70%.
- Nipah virus has been linked to several outbreaks in Southeast Asia, particularly in Malaysia and Bangladesh, with case-fatality rates ranging from 40% to 75%, depending on the region's clinical management and surveillance.
- Transmission:
- Direct contact with infected animals (such as bats, horses, or pigs).
- Consumption of contaminated food or water.
- Human-to-human transmission through bodily fluids, close contact, or respiratory droplets.
- Symptoms:
- Early symptoms include dizziness, headache, fever, and muscle aches.
- Fatality occurs when the infection progresses to severe encephalitis, with symptoms such as confusion, abnormal reflexes, seizures, and coma.
- Why are henipaviruses so deadly? These viruses encode several proteins that can suppress the innate immune response in infected individuals. This helps the virus evade the host's immune system, allowing it to replicate and spread more effectively.
- Treatment: Currently, treatment is supportive, as there are no specific vaccines or antiviral drugs available for henipavirus infections.