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- Why in News?
- On World Environment Day 2025, celebrated annually on June 5th under the leadership of the UN Environment Programme, two wetlands in Rajasthan—Khichan and Menar—were officially designated as Ramsar Sites, bringing India’s total count to 91, the highest in Asia. The 2025 theme, Beat Plastic Pollution, highlights ongoing environmental challenges. With this addition, Rajasthan now hosts four Ramsar Sites, joining Sambhar Salt Lake and Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur.
- Key Provisions:-
- Khichan Wetland, located in the northern Thar Desert in Phalodi, features habitats like Ratri Nadi and Vijaysagar Talab, and supports large flocks of migratory demoiselle cranes. Menar Wetland Complex, situated in Udaipur district, includes freshwater ponds—Braham Talab, Dhand Talab, and Kheroda Talab—and is home to endangered species like the white-rumped and long-billed vultures.
- The Ramsar Convention, adopted in 1971 in Iran and effective from 1975, aims to ensure global wetland conservation. India joined the convention on February 1, 1982.
- Why in News?
- India has put forward a proposal to collaborate with Norwegian agencies on a joint feasibility study to explore the operationalization of the Northern Sea Route (NSR), a strategic maritime corridor through Arctic waters.
- Key Provisions:-
- Also known as the Northeast Passage (NEP), the NSR runs along Russia’s northern coastline, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
- Geographically, the NSR starts at the boundary between the Barents Sea near Norway and the Kara Sea, stretching to the Bering Strait between Russia and Alaska. This Arctic passage offers a significantly shorter transit—approximately 13,000 kilometers—between Europe and Asia, compared to the traditional 21,000-kilometer Suez Canal route. As a result, shipping via the NSR could reduce travel time by 10 to 14 days.
- The route features five key ports: Sabetta, Dudinka, Khatanga, Tiksi, and Pevek. With climate change opening up Arctic navigation, India’s interest in the NSR aligns with efforts to enhance connectivity and diversify global trade routes.
- Why in News?
- The Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched the ECINET App, a new digital tool designed to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of voter turnout reporting during elections.
- Key Provisions:-
- This app aims to streamline the data flow by minimizing delays in updating polling trends.
- Though Presiding Officers (PROs) are still mandated under the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961 to provide Form 17C—which contains the official account of votes—to polling agents after voting concludes, the ECINET App introduces a real-time layer of reporting.
- Through this platform, PROs will now input voter turnout figures directly into the app every two hours on polling day, significantly reducing reporting lag.
- The app also serves as a unified interface, integrating over 40 existing mobile and web applications of the ECI. To maintain accuracy and integrity, only authorized ECI personnel are permitted to enter data into the ECINET system