Geography 

WHAT CAUSED THE MASSIVE ERUPTION OF ITALY’S MOUNT ETNA - Indian Express 

Where is Mount Etna? 

Mount Etna is an active volcano located on the east coast of Sicily, Italy, and is the largest active volcano in Europe. Its peak is the highest in Italy south of the Alps.Summit has five craters, mainly responsible for eruptions. Flank eruptions occur through over 300 vents along its slopes. The volcano is in near-constant activity since 1600, with major eruptions in 2001, 2006, 2007-08, 2012 (twice), 2018, and 2021. Recognized as one of the most active and well-studied volcanoes globally.

What kind of eruption did it have?

• The eruption began due to rising internal pressure from expanding gases, causing the southeast crater to collapse and release lava.
• INGV classified it as a Strombolian eruption, known for moderate explosive bursts ejecting rocks and ash.
• Strombolian eruptions occur when gas bubbles in magma burst violently, like gas escaping a fizzy drink.
• Named after Italy’s Stromboli volcano, such eruptions typically happen every 10–20 minutes.
• Some experts argue it resembled a Plinian eruption, where ash, gas, and rocks are expelled into the stratosphere.
• The height of the material thrown (several kilometers) led some to believe the eruption was more intense than typical Strombolian events.

ECONOMY

DHRUVA (Digital Hub for Reference and Unique Virtual Address) - The Digital Address DPI-PIB 

What is DHRUVA?

• DHRUVA (Digital Hub for Reference and Unique Virtual Address) is a policy framework for creating a national Digital Address Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).
• Introduces the concept of Address-as-a-Service (AaaS) to manage and securely share address data.
• Promotes standardization, interoperability, and secure, consent-based access to digital address information.
• Empowers users with control over their address data, encouraging innovation and better governance.

Significance & Objectives

• Recognizes address management as core public infrastructure.
• Enables integration of address systems across ministries, state governments, and private sector entities.
• Aims to catalyze improvements in e-governance, e-commerce, logistics, and financial inclusion.
• Encourages collaborative ecosystem development involving both public and private stakeholders

Structural Components of DHRUVA

• Digital Postal Index Number (DIGIPIN):
  A unique 10-character alphanumeric code mapped onto a 4×4 metre grid across India using latitude and longitude.
  It ensures precise identification of physical locations, eliminating address duplication and ambiguity.
   
• Digital Address Layer:
  A user-friendly, consent-driven digital layer built over the DIGIPIN system.
  It enables users to assign custom tags to their addresses (e.g., "Home", "Office") and include descriptive details like landmarks or floor numbers, while maintaining accurate geospatial coordinates.

Environment 

Report flags tiger-human conflict risk as prey base shrinks in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha- Indian Express

A national-level assessment has flagged a tiger-human conflict risk in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha, due to the shrinking prey base in these regions—particularly the decline in ungulate populations like chital, sambar, and gaur.

Key Points

• Study Basis: Derived from the 2022 tiger census; conducted by WII and NTCA focusing on ungulate populations.
• Prey Decline: Notable drop in species like chital, sambar, and gaur in east-central India.
• Major Causes: Deforestation, urbanisation, civil unrest, poaching, and extremism.
• Impact: Shrinking prey base leading to increased tiger-human conflict and livestock attacks.
• Report Findings:
   
  • India has 3,600+ wild tigers, about 70% of the global population.
  • Forests support an average of 40 ungulates per 100 sq km; many reserves fall short.
  • Pench (Madhya Pradesh) has one of the highest densities—54 per sq km.
  • Quality habitat and reducing prey pressure are crucial.
     

Human-animal conflict
Human-animal conflict occurs when interactions between humans and wildlife result in negative consequences for both. These conflicts often arise due to activities like farming, infrastructure expansion, or resource extraction that encroach upon natural habitats.

Strategies to Mitigate Human-Animal Conflict :

1. Habitat Management:
   • Restore and protect wildlife habitats to reduce animal movement into human areas.
   • Create wildlife corridors and adopt sustainable land-use practices.
2. Crop Protection: Use fencing, scare devices, and crop diversification to reduce crop damage by wild animals.
3. Early Warning Systems: Install alert systems to warn communities about nearby wildlife to avoid encounters.
4. Community Awareness:
   • Educate locals on peaceful coexistence and the value of wildlife conservation.
   • Train communities in conflict prevention and response.
5. Conflict Response Teams: Set up dedicated wildlife response teams or helplines to ensure timely action during conflicts.

PM Modi to launch Aravalli Green Project - Indian Express 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the Centre’s Aravalli Green Wall Project on June 5, World Environment Day, to combat desertification and restore degraded land across four states—Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. 

Aravalli Green Wall Project 

• Objective: Create a green corridor from Delhi to Gujarat to fight desertification and ecological degradation.
• States Involved: Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Gujarat.
• Vegetation Focus: Remove invasive Prosopis juliflora and plant native species like Khair, Ronjh, Dhau, Salai, Pilkhan, Neem, Amaltas, Goolar, and Peepal.
• Buffer Zone: Establish a 6.45 million hectare ecological buffer around the Aravallis.
• Phase 1 Areas:
  • Delhi: 3,010 hectares in South Delhi
  • Haryana: 25,000 hectares across Gurugram, Faridabad, and Mahendragarh
• Global Goals Supported:
  • Paris Agreement: Aim to create a carbon sink of 2.5–3 billion tonnes of CO₂
  • Bonn Challenge: Restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030

About Aravalli Range:

• Oldest Fold Mountains in India, ~670 million years old, older than the Himalayas.
• Extends 692 km across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi.
• Formed during the Proterozoic Eon through tectonic activity; composed mainly of metamorphic rocks (gneiss, schist, granite).
• Acts as a barrier to desertification, regulates climate, and is a watershed for rivers like Sabarmati, Luni, and Banas.
• Guru Shikhar (1,722 m) in Mount Abu is the highest peak; Dilwara Temples nearby are Jain heritage sites.
• Divided into two ranges: Sambhar–Sirohi (taller) and Sambhar–Khetri (discontinuous).
• Home to waterfalls (Bhimlat, Kumbhalgarh) and lakes (Sambhar, Nakki, Ana Sagar).
• Rich in fossils and minerals like copper, zinc, lead, and marble.

Science and Technology

Government plans to wind down National Polio Surveillance Network centres in India - The Hindu 

The Government of India has proposed a phased winding down of the WHO-established National Polio Surveillance Network (NPSN) starting June 2025, raising concerns among public health experts amid a global resurgence of polio.

What is NPSN (National Polio Surveillance Network)?

• Established by: World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with the Government of India.
• Purpose: India's primary disease surveillance system for detecting and responding to polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
• Role in Polio Eradication: Played a crucial role in India's polio-free certification in 2014 through robust field surveillance and reporting mechanisms.
• Phased Drawdown Plan: Units to be reduced from 280 (2024-25) → 190 (2025-26) → 140 (2026-27). Accompanied by reduction in financial support from the government.

Expert Concerns:

• Virologist Dr. Jacob John calls the move premature and risky, highlighting ongoing polio cases in neighbouring countries.
• Suggests shifting from oral polio vaccine (OPV) to injectable polio vaccine (IPV) before winding down.