Science & Tech by Kumar Manish

What are the salient features of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan launched by the Government of India for water conservation and water security? (UPSC CSE 2020)

Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain Ministry of Jal Shakti launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) in the year 2019 in 1,592 blocks out of 2,836 blocks in 256 water stressed districts of the country. JSA could not be taken up in 2020 due to Covid pandemic. A campaign “Catch The Rain” with the tag line “Catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls” was implemented in 2020 to nudge the states and all stakeholders to create Rain Water Harvesting Structures (RWHS). In 2021, “Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain” (JSA: CTR) with the theme “Catch the Rain – Where it Falls When it Falls” was launched by Hon'ble Prime Minister subsuming Catch the Rain (CTR) campaign to cover all the blocks of all districts (rural as well as urban areas) across the country. JSA: CTR has become an annual feature since 2021. JSA: CTR 2023 with the theme “Source Sustainability for Drinking Water” was implemented across the country with special focus on 150 districts identified by Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain – 2024 with the theme "Nari Shakti se Jal Shakti" will be implemented from 09.03.2024 to 30.11.2024 emphasising the pivotal role played by women in the field of water conservation. Five focused interventions, like in the previous years, include (i) water conservation and rainwater harvesting; (ii) enumerating, geo-tagging & making inventory of all water bodies; preparation of scientific plans for water conservation based on it; (iii) setting up of Jal Shakti Kendras in all districts; (iv) intensive afforestation; and (v) awareness generation. Apart from the five focused interventions, JSA: CTR 2024 will have a distinctive emphasis on following key aspects this year: (i) de-silting and cleaning of water bodies; (ii) Revitalizing Abandoned/Defunct Borewells for groundwater recharge; (iii) Geo-tagging of water bodies, coupled with meticulous mapping and regular updates in the State's revenue records; (iv) Intensified afforestation efforts in the catchment areas surrounding water bodies; (v) Snow harvesting in hilly area like stupas in Ladakh for conserving water; and (vi) Rejuvenation of Small Rivers.

A type of protein, peptides or polypeptides are the building blocks of collagen and elastin fibres that are found naturally in our skin. They have several benefits, including firming, brightening, anti-ageing properties, and wrinkle reduction. "Pregnant or breastfeeding women" may also use peptides. Unlike retinoids, peptides are relatively safe to use during pregnancy because they are not absorbed into the bloodstream or cause harm to the foetus, making them safe for both mother and child. Peptides suppress tyrosinase, which slows the production of melanin, the brown pigment. Peptides have anti-inflammatory qualities, which assist in calming the skin.

KAVACH: It is a set of electronic devices and Radio Frequency Identification devices installed in locomotives, in the signalling system as well the tracks, that talk to each other using ultra-high radio frequencies to control the brakes of trains and also alert drivers, all based on the logic programmed into them.

(Only for UPSC) HOOCH At least 53 people have died, and around 140 others have been hospitalised after consuming hooch, or spurious liquor, in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi. Hooch is a commonly used term for poor-quality alcohol, derived from Hoochinoo, a native Alaskan tribe that was known to produce very strong liquor. Hooch is produced using distillation of a fermented mixture, generally of locally available yeast, and sugar or fruit (often fruit waste). There is an inherent risk associated with the crude methods of hooch production. The fermented mixture which is distilled contains more than just consumable alcohol (ethanol). It also contains methanol, an industrial alcohol that is highly toxic for human beings. • Methanol has a boiling point of 64.7 °C, lower than that of ethanol 78.37.

Use elimination, CO2 cannot be there.