CURRENT-AFFAIRS

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• The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has announced plans to hire 60 sanitation workers through a private agency to clean the Godavari River and its tributaries.
• About the Godavari River:
  • The Godavari is the second-longest river in India, following the Ganga, and ranks as the third-largest in the country, draining approximately 10% of India's total land area. Often referred to as the "Dakshina Ganga," which means "South Ganges," this river holds significant cultural and geographical importance.
  • Course: The river originates in the Brahmagiri Mountain at Trimbakeshwar in Maharashtra's Nashik district and flows for about 1,465 kilometers. It ultimately merges into the Bay of Bengal at Narasapuram in West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh. The main channel traverses three states: Maharashtra, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh, while its extensive basin encompasses areas in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, parts of Chhattisgarh, and Odisha. The Godavari basin covers approximately 121,000 square miles (313,000 square kilometers) and is bordered by the Satmala hills, Ajanta range, and Mahadeo hills to the north, the Eastern Ghats to the south and east, and the Western Ghats to the west. The basin experiences its highest rainfall during the Southwest monsoon.
  • Tributaries: The main tributaries of the Godavari include the Pravara, Purna, Manjra, Penganga, Wardha, Wainganga, Pranhita (a combined flow of Wainganga, Penganga, and Wardha), Indravati, Maner, and Sabri.

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• The Indonesian government has announced plans to implement partial closures of Komodo National Park in 2025 in order to alleviate the pressure from the growing number of visitors attracted to its unique ecosystem.
• About the Komodo Dragon:
  • The Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard species.
  • Scientific Name: Varanus komodoensis
  • It belongs to the monitor lizard family, Varanidae, and can be found on Komodo Island as well as several neighboring islands in the Lesser Sunda Islands of Indonesia.
• Features:
  • The Komodo dragon can grow up to 3 meters (10 feet) in length and can weigh around 135 kg (approximately 300 pounds). Its tongue is yellow and forked. Adults typically have a nearly uniform stone-like coloration with prominent, large scales, while juveniles often display brighter colors and patterns. While most young are conceived through sexual reproduction, isolated females may reproduce via parthenogenesis. These lizards are infamous for their venomous bite, which contains toxins that can lead to significant blood loss and shock in their prey. They are capable of running quickly and, on rare occasions, have been known to attack humans.
  • Lifespan: Approximately 30 years
  • Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Endangered

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• Israeli forces recently launched an attack on the headquarters of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) located in southern Lebanon.
• About the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL):
  • UNIFIL is a peacekeeping mission established in March 1978 by the UN Security Council in response to Israel's initial invasion of Lebanon, marking the beginning of the South Lebanon Conflict. Its primary purpose is to oversee Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon and to restore peace and security in the region.
  • Following a 34-day conflict in 2006 between Hezbollah and Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,100 Lebanese individuals, UNIFIL's mandate was expanded. It now includes monitoring the cessation of hostilities and supporting the Lebanese armed forces in southern Lebanon.
  • The force comprises approximately 10,500 peacekeepers from 48 contributing countries. The largest contingent comes from Indonesia, with significant contributions from Italy, India, Nepal, and China.
  • Funding: UNIFIL is financed through a dedicated account that is approved annually by the UN General Assembly. It operates as part of the broader UN Peacekeeping force.
  • UNIFIL's rules of engagement permit the use of force only when necessary for self-defense or to fulfill its operational duties.

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• Recently, the night sky was aglow with the northern lights, or aurora borealis, visible in various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and even the village of Hanle in Ladakh.
• What are Auroras?
  • Auroras are natural light displays occurring in Earth's sky, primarily observed in high-latitude regions, such as the Arctic and Antarctic. They are produced by the interaction between energetic particles (electrons and protons) from the solar wind and the atoms in the upper atmosphere. Auroras create dynamic patterns of stunning lights that appear as curtains, rays, spirals, or flickering waves across the sky. They are commonly referred to as the northern lights (aurora borealis) in the northern hemisphere and southern lights (aurora australis) in the southern hemisphere.
• What is the Aurora Borealis?

Known as the Northern Lights, the aurora borealis predominantly occurs in the northern hemisphere, particularly in areas close to the Arctic Circle, including countries like Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Canada, and Alaska. The phenomenon results from charged particles emitted by the sun, mainly electrons and protons, colliding with Earth’s magnetosphere and interacting with atmospheric gases. These interactions generate vibrant displays of light, primarily featuring colors like green, red, and purple. The vivid hues of the northern lights are influenced by the chemical composition of Earth's atmosphere.

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• A recent study by scientists from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP) in Lucknow revealed significant shale gas generation potential in the eastern South Karanpura coalfield located in the Ramgarh district of Jharkhand.
• Shale gas is a type of natural gas found within shale deposits, where it is trapped in tiny or microscopic pores. This gas is primarily composed of naturally occurring hydrocarbon gases generated from the decomposition of organic matter, such as plant and animal remains. Typically, shale gas consists of 70 to 90 percent methane (CH4), which is the primary hydrocarbon targeted by exploration companies.
• How is it Extracted?
  • Shale gas is extracted using a widely known method called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. This process involves drilling deep holes into the shale rock, followed by horizontal drilling to access larger gas reserves, as shale deposits are usually spread horizontally rather than vertically. Fracking fluids, composed of sand, water, and chemicals, are then pumped at high pressure into the drilled holes to create fractures in the rock, allowing the trapped gas to flow into collection wells. From these wells, the gas is transported for commercial use.
• India possesses promising reserves of shale gas and oil resources, with several sedimentary basins considered prospective for shale oil and gas exploration. These include the Cambay Basin, Gondwana Basin, KG Basin, Cauvery Basin, Indo-Gangetic Basin, and the Assam & Assam-Arakan Basin.
• Applications
  • Shale gas is primarily used for generating electricity and for domestic heating and cooking.