Read Current Affairs
- The Greater Noida Authority has recently launched a project aimed at preserving and safeguarding the Surajpur Wetland.
- About Surajpur Wetland:
- Located near Surajpur village in the Dadri Tehsil of Gautam Budh Nagar, this wetland falls under the jurisdiction of the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority, Uttar Pradesh.
- The wetland is a remarkable example of an urban ecosystem in the Yamuna River basin.
- It serves as a vital green space for Greater Noida, covering 308 hectares of catchment area, with 60 hectares dedicated solely to the waterbody.
- Surajpur Wetland is designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International.
- It provides an ideal breeding habitat for various waterfowl species, including the Spot-billed Duck, Lesser-whistling Duck, Cotton Pygmy Goose, and Comb Duck, as well as wintering species like the Red-crested Pochard, Ferruginous Pochard, Bar-headed Goose, Greylag Goose, Common Teal, Northern Shoveler, and Gadwall.
- In addition to a diverse bird population, the wetland also supports six species of mammals, including Nilgai, Indian Grey Mongoose, Indian Hare, Golden Jackal, and Five-striped Squirrel.
- However, the wetland faces significant threats due to the unchecked discharge of heavily polluted wastewater into its channels.
- The Nagoba Jatara, an eight-day sacred pilgrimage event for the Mesram clan of the Adivasi Gonds, is set to begin at Keslapur village in the tribal heartland of Indervelli Mandal, Adilabad district, in north Telangana.
- About Nagoba Jatara:
- Nagoba Jatara is a tribal festival celebrated annually in January or February at Keslapur village in Adilabad district, Telangana.
- It is the second largest tribal festival in India, following the Sammakka Saralamma Jatara, also held in Telangana.
- The festival is celebrated over 10 days by the Mesram clan of the Gond tribes.
- Tribal people from various regions, including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Karnataka, Jharkhand, and Madhya Pradesh, all belonging to the Mesram clan, gather to offer prayers during the festival.
- The central deity worshipped at the festival is ‘Nagoba,’ a representation of the Cobra (Sri Shek).
- Rituals:
- Prior to the Jatara, a few elder members of the Mesram clan make a barefoot pilgrimage to the Godavari River to collect holy water, which is then placed near the Banyan Tree in front of the Nagoba Temple.
- The Jatara includes the significant ‘Bheting’ ceremony, where new brides are formally introduced into the clan. The brides, dressed in white saris, are led by elder women to the Nagoba Temple to offer prayers, after which they are officially accepted as full members of the clan.
- One of the main attractions of the event is the Gusadi Dance, performed by the Gond tribe dancers, adding a vibrant cultural element to the festival.
- Sweden recently seized a ship believed to be responsible for damaging a fibre-optic cable that connects the country to Latvia beneath the Baltic Sea.
- About the Baltic Sea:
- The Baltic Sea is part of the Atlantic Ocean, located in Northern Europe.
- It is the youngest sea on Earth, formed around 10,000-15,000 years ago as glaciers retreated at the end of the last Ice Age.
- Stretching about 1,600 km in length and 193 km in width, the Baltic Sea covers an area of roughly 377,000 square kilometers.
- Surrounding Countries:
- With a coastline of around 8,000 km, the Baltic Sea is bordered by several countries, including Sweden, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, Estonia, Germany, Denmark, and Russia.
- The Baltic Sea is linked to the Atlantic Ocean through the Danish Straits.
- It connects to the White Sea via the White Sea Canal and to the North Sea’s German Bight through the Kiel Canal.
- Features of the Baltic Sea:
- The Baltic Sea includes three major gulfs: the Gulf of Bothnia to the north, the Gulf of Finland to the east, and the Gulf of Riga to the south.
- Often regarded as the world’s largest brackish inland body of water, its salinity is lower than that of the World’s oceans due to a large influx of freshwater from surrounding rivers and the sea’s relatively shallow depth.
- Around sixty rivers drain into the Baltic Sea, with the Neva River being the largest.
- Islands:
- The Baltic Sea is home to over 20 islands and archipelagos. Gotland, located off the coast of Sweden, is the largest island in the sea.
- Environmental Concerns:
- Algal harmful blooms are a significant environmental issue in the Baltic Sea, affecting water quality and marine life.