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- State-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) recently announced the successful commissioning of the first two units at the 6x170 MW Punatsangchhu-II hydroelectric project (PHEP-II) in Bhutan.
- About Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project (PHEP-II):
- The Punatsangchhu-II is a 1 GW run-of-the-river hydroelectric power generation facility currently under construction in the Wangdue Phodrang district of Bhutan. It is situated on the right bank of the Punatsangchhu River. The project is being developed by the Punatsangchhu II Hydroelectric Project Authority, in line with an Inter-Government Agreement (IGA) between the Royal Government of Bhutan and the Government of India.
- Key Specifications:
- The project includes the construction of a concrete gravity dam, 91 meters high and 223.8 meters long. Additionally, it features an 877.46-meter-long diversion tunnel with a diameter of 12 meters and a discharge capacity of 1,118 cubic meters per second. The project also involves the construction of a 168.75-meter-long and 22-meter-high upper cofferdam, as well as a 102.02-meter-long and 13.5-meter-tall downstream cofferdam.
- The Punatsangchhu-II hydroelectric power plant will feature an underground powerhouse, equipped with six Francis turbines, each with a capacity of 170 MW. Once all six units are commissioned, the expected annual power generation will be 4,357 million units of electricity.
- Funding:
- The project is funded by the Government of India (GoI), with 30% provided as a grant and 70% as a loan, which carries a 10% annual interest rate. The loan is to be repaid in 30 semi-annual installments starting one year after the project’s operational commencement.
- All excess power generated by the project will be exported to India.
- The Central government has announced that employees who donate organs will be entitled to 42 days of special casual leave, as per a recent announcement by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO).
- About National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO):
- NOTTO is a national-level body established under the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. It serves as the apex organization responsible for implementing the National Organ Transplant Program (NOTP) and for executing activities in accordance with the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA) 1994.
- NOTTO plays a crucial role in creating an efficient and organized system for organ procurement and distribution in India. It also maintains a national registry for organ and tissue donors and recipients.
- Divisions of NOTTO:
- National Human Organ and Tissue Removal and Storage Network: This division functions as the central hub for coordinating organ and tissue procurement and distribution activities across India. It is also responsible for maintaining the national registry for organ and tissue donation and transplantation, as mandated by the Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Act 2011.
- National Biomaterial Centre (National Tissue Bank): This division focuses on addressing the gap between the demand and supply of various tissues and ensuring quality assurance. It was established in response to the inclusion of tissue donation and the registration of tissue banks under the Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Act 2011.
- Key Activities:
- Coordination of tissue procurement and distribution
- Screening of donor tissues
- Tissue removal and storage
- Preservation and sterilization of tissues
- Laboratory screening and tissue tracking
- Maintenance of records, ensuring data protection and confidentiality
- Ensuring quality management of tissues
- Providing patient information on tissues
- Development of guidelines, protocols, and standard operating procedures
- Conducting training sessions
- Assisting in the registration of other tissue banks, as required.
- A rare and fascinating carnivorous plant, Utricularia, has been discovered in large numbers this season in Rajasthan's Keoladeo National Park.
- About Utricularia:
- Utricularia (commonly known as bladderwort) is a genus of carnivorous plants belonging to the family Lentibulariaceae. There are currently 220 known species, found in temperate and tropical environments across the globe. This genus is the most diverse and widespread group of carnivorous plants.
- These plants are recognized by their small, hollow sacs that actively capture and digest tiny organisms like insect larvae, aquatic worms, and water fleas. Utricularia species thrive in lakes, streams, and waterlogged soils, with some species even becoming invasive in new habitats.
- Bladderworts do not have roots and typically feature horizontal floating stems with simple or divided leaves. Along the stem, small carnivorous bladders—ranging from dark to transparent—are produced. These bladders trap small organisms through a mechanism that involves a trapdoor, triggered by sensitive hairs. When prey comes into contact with the hairs, the door opens in a fraction of a second, rapidly sucking in the prey before sealing shut in about 2.5 milliseconds.
- The flowers of Utricularia are bisexual and bilaterally symmetrical.