Guidelines to Enhance Waste Tyre Management
In September 2024, the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) introduced new Environmental Compensation (EC) guidelines to improve waste tyre management.
- Manufacturers failing to meet their Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) targets will face penalties of up to Rs 8.40 per kg of waste tyres.
Key Points
- Fines for Non-Compliance Violations under the Hazardous and Other Waste (Management and Transboundary Movement) Amendment Rules, 2022, will incur fines starting at Rs 25,000. Repeat offenders could face penalties of up to Rs 1 lakh.
- EPR Obligations and Challenges: EPR is a policy that holds producers accountable for a product’s entire lifecycle, from production to disposal.
- Recycling Goals: Producers must purchase EPR Certificates from registered recyclers to meet their targets. Recycling processes convert waste tyres into valuable materials like reclaimed rubber, crumb rubber, and pyrolysis oil.
- Rising EPR Targets: Manufacturers and importers of tyres face increasing recycling obligations, with targets starting at 35% for 2022-23 and reaching 100% by 2024-25.
- Approval and Compliance: Currently, 130 producers and 164 recyclers have received approval, with 52 original equipment manufacturers, 126 importers, and 355 recyclers applying for registration.
New Spider Species Mimics Bird Droppings
In September 2024, a new spider species, Phrynarachne decipiens, known for its bird droppings mimicry, has been newly identified in India, expanding the country’s arachnid diversity.
Key Points:
- Discovery Locations: Phrynarachne decipiens, previously found in Malaysia, Java, and Sumatra, has been recorded for the first time in India, specifically in Assam’s Sonapur and the Chirang Reserve Forest.
- Research Team: A team of zoologists from Pragjyotish College, Gauhati University, and Bodoland University documented the spider’s presence and described it in the journal Acta Arachnologica, published by Japan’s Arachnological Society.
- Spider Characteristics: The bird dung crab spider grows to about 13.14 mm in length and uses its bird droppings mimicry to blend into its surroundings, making it extremely difficult to spot.
- Phrynarachne Genus Update: With the addition of Phrynarachne decipiens, the Phrynarachne genus now includes 35 species. Prior to this discovery, India had already recorded three species from this genus.
Vishvasya-Blockchain Technology Stack
On 4th September 2024, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) introduced the Vishvasya-Blockchain Technology Stack, offering Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS) through a distributed infrastructure to improve digital trust and service efficiency.
Key Points
- NBFLite and Praamaanik: MeitY Secretary launched the NBFLite platform, a lightweight blockchain for startups and academia, enabling rapid application prototyping.
- Additionally, Praamaanik, a blockchain-powered solution for verifying mobile app origins, was introduced.
- National Blockchain Portal Launched: The National Blockchain Portal was unveiled to further support blockchain initiatives across India, promoting research and development in blockchain applications.
- National Blockchain Framework (NBF): The NBF focuses on research, application development, and secure digital service delivery. The stack includes core functionalities like smart contracts and API gateways, with enhanced security and privacy hosted across NIC data centers in Bhubaneswar, Pune, and Hyderabad.
- Collaborative Research and Innovation: The NBF initiative is a joint effort involving C-DAC, NIC, IIT Hyderabad, IIIT Hyderabad, IDRBT Hyderabad, and SETS Chennai.
IISc Researchers Develop Light-Powered Supercapacitor
In September 2024, Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, in collaboration with international partners, have developed a new supercapacitor that can be charged by exposure to light. This innovation could power devices like streetlights and sensors.
Key Points
- Advanced Electrochemical Energy Storage: Supercapacitors are upgraded versions of traditional capacitors, using electrochemical processes to store more energy.
- The new supercapacitor uses Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanorods on transparent Fluorine-doped Tin Oxide (FTO) electrodes for superior performance.
- Photo-Rechargeable Properties: The supercapacitor charges when light falls on the optically active ZnO nanorods, with ultraviolet (UV) light significantly boosting its capacitance, far surpassing previous designs.
- Novel Capacitor Behaviors: Two unusual properties were observed: the capacitance increased with voltage under light (a “necking behavior”) and energy storage improved during fast charging under UV light, challenging typical supercapacitor behavior.
- Applications and Future Research: These findings could lead to the development of fast-charging, energy-dense supercapacitors. Potential applications include replacing solar cells in streetlights and powering microchips in electronic devices.
India Successfully Test-Fires Agni-4 Ballistic Missile
On 6th September 2024, India conducted a successful test-fire of its Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile, Agni-4, from the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, Odisha.
Key Points
- Strategic Forces Command Oversees Launch: The test was carried out under the Strategic Forces Command, which is part of India’s Nuclear Command Authority (NCA), ensuring the missile’s preparedness for strategic use.
- Missile Specifications: Agni-4 has a range of up to 4,000 km and is capable of carrying a 1,000 kg payload. The 20-meter-long missile can be fired from a road-mobile launcher, enhancing its flexibility.
- Historical Milestone: During a 2012 test, Agni-4 traveled over 3,000 km in 20 minutes, marking a significant milestone for India’s missile development program, which is led by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
- Agni Missile Program: The Agni series of missiles, including Agni-5, represents India’s progress in indigenously developing strategic missile capabilities.
India-Bhutan Bilateral Cooperation in Space Science
On 6th September 2024, India and Bhutan held the first Bhutan-India Joint Working Group meeting, reviewing ongoing space cooperation and planning the future roadmap under the Joint Plan of Action (JPoA) on Space Cooperation.
Key Points
- JPoA Signed: The JPoA, signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bhutan in March 2024, provides a structured framework for bilateral collaboration in the space sector.
- Bandwidth Allocation to Bhutan: As part of the collaboration, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) allocated 16 MHz bandwidth to Bhutan on the South Asia Satellite, boosting Bhutan’s space communication capabilities.
- Joint Satellite and Capacity Building: India and Bhutan have jointly developed the ‘INDIA-BHUTAN SAT,’ launched in November 2022 by ISRO.
- India also supports capacity-building programs for Bhutanese engineers in space science and technology.
- Future Goals: Both nations aim to deepen their space collaboration, using space technology to improve societal welfare in both countries, building on their dynamic partnership established in the Memorandum of Understanding on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, signed in 2020.
Sickle Cell Anaemia Test
In September 2024, the new test, developed by CSIR-Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB), can identify sickle cell anaemia (SCA) status using just a drop of blood for under ₹100.
Key Highlights
- PCR-Based Accuracy: The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, validated by ICMR, boasts 100% sensitivity and specificity, outperforming traditional methods.
- Wide-Reaching Impact: Designed for tribal and non-tribal populations, the test has been implemented in Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, with plans for expansion.
- Immediate Diagnosis and Counseling: This test allows prenatal diagnostics, helping in early detection and genetic counseling, improving patient outcomes.
- Collaboration for Better Treatment: CSIR is working with AIIMS and other institutions to expand the testing infrastructure, aiming to screen millions across affected states.
- Hydroxyurea Treatment: The team is making the drug Hydroxyurea more accessible in child-friendly forms, addressing treatment gaps for young patients.
New Jumping Spider Species Discovered in Tamil Nadu
In September 2024, a newly identified jumping spider, Carrhotus piperus, highlights the rich biodiversity of the lower Palani Hills in Tamil Nadu, expanding the known Carrhotus species count in India to ten.
Key Points
- Discovery Details: Carrhotus piperus was discovered during a 2016 survey in Thadiyankudisai, Dindigul, where the spider was found on pepper (Piper nigrum) plants, approximately two meters above the ground.
- Species Name Origin: The specific epithet ‘piperus’ is derived from the plant’s generic name, reflecting the spider’s unique habitat on pepper plants.
- Distinctive Features: Carrhotus piperus is distinguishable by its unique prolateral protrusion and beak-shaped embolus, differentiating it from closely related species in the Carrhotus genus.
Boeing Starliner Capsule
On 7th September 2024, Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft successfully returned to Earth after an empty journey from the International Space Station (ISS) due to safety concerns.
- Boeing’s Starliner capsule made a safe landing at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico, using parachutes and airbags to cushion its descent.
- The capsule had undocked from the ISS about six hours before its landing, having departed the station 260 miles over China.
- NASA decided it was too risky to return the test pilots, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, due to previous technical issues with the capsule.
- The Starliner capsule was sent back without astronauts, containing only blue spacesuits and some old ISS equipment.
- NASA’s decision to keep the pilots at the ISS extends their stay until February 2025 when SpaceX will return them to Earth.