About Western Disturbances:

• They are extratropical storm systems that form over the Mediterranean Sea and travel eastwards towards the Indian subcontinent.
• They carry moisture-laden air and interact with the subtropical jet stream, influencing weather conditions over vast regions, including parts of Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Bangladesh.
• Western Disturbances primarily affect India during the winter months, from November to March.
• They bring crucial rainfall and snowfall, vital for the Rabi crop season, especially in northwestern India, including Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi.

Why is it named Western Disturbances?

• Western Disturbances are named so because of their origin and movement patterns.
• These weather systems originate from the western regions of the Earth, specifically from the Mediterranean region.
• As they form over the Mediterranean Sea and adjacent areas, they are referred to as Western Disturbances.
• The term “disturbance” indicates the disruptive nature of these weather systems as they travel eastwards from their origin towards the Indian subcontinent and beyond.
• While they are called Western Disturbances in India, similar weather phenomena may be referred to by different names in other regions of the world, depending on their origin and impact. 

About Panna Tiger Reserve:

• Situated in the Vindhyan mountain range in the northern part of Madhya Pradesh, the reserve is spread over the Panna and Chhatarpur districts.
• It is the only tiger reserve in the entire Bundhelkhand region.
• It falls in biogeographic zones of the Deccan Peninsula and the Biotic Province of the Central highlands.
• Landscape:
  • It is characterized by a ‘Table Top’ topography.
  • The terrain here consists of extensive plateaus and gorges.
  • Two plateaus run parallel to each other from southwest to northeasterly direction.
• River: Flowing from the south to the north through the reserve is the River Ken.
• The reserve is also dotted with two-thousand-year-old rock paintings.
• The region surrounding the reserve is home to various indigenous tribes, each with its distinct culture and traditions. The Baiga and Gond tribes are among the prominent ones.
• Flora:
  • The dominant vegetation type is dry deciduous forest interspersed with grassland areas.
  • It forms the northernmost tip of the natural teak forests and the easternmost tip of the natural Anogeissus pendula (Kardhai) forests.
  • The tree species Acacia catachu dominates the dry, steep slopes of the plateaus here.
• Fauna:
  • It supports a sizable population of Tiger, Sloth Bear, Leopard, and Striped Hyena.
  • Other prominent carnivores are Jackal, Wolf, Wild Dog, Jungle Cat, and Rusty Spotted Cat.
  • It is also a haven for birdlife. Notable sightings include the white-necked stork, bar-headed goose, honey buzzard, blossom-headed parakeet, paradise flycatcher, slaty-headed scimitar babbler, and five species of vultures.

About Somnath Temple:

• It is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.
• It is located in Prabhas Patan near Veraval in Saurashtra on the western coast of Gujarat.
• It is the first of the 12 jyotirlinga shrines in India that are regarded as the manifestation of the Lord Shiva Himself.
• The site of Somnath has been a pilgrimage site from ancient times on account of being a Triveni Sangam: the confluence of three rivers, namely Kapila, Hiran, and Saraswati.
• The ancient temple’s timeline can be traced from 649 BC but is believed to be older than that.
• The temple faced several invasions, the most notable being by Mahmud Ghazni in the 11th century.
• Reconstruction Efforts: Rebuilt multiple times by different dynasties, including the Paramaras, Chalukyas, and the Marathas.
• The present temple was reconstructed in the Chalukya style of Hindu temple architecture and completed in May 1951.
• The reconstruction was completed by Vallabhbhai Patel.
• Architecture:
  • The temple features an elaborate and extravagant architecture marked with many rich, intricate carvings.
  • The temple is seven-storied and reaches up to a height of 155 ft.
  • The temple’s positioning is quite unique. The temple is positioned in such a way that not a single piece of land is visible from the Somnath seashore until Antarctica.
  • A magnificent Kalash or pot vessel tops the temple Shikhara and weighs up to 10 tons approximately.
  • The summit is adorned with a flag whose mast is 37 ft in length.

About Baiga Tribe:

• They are one of India’s Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
• They are found in central India, primarily in the state of Madhya Pradesh, and in smaller numbers in the surrounding states of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand.
• Language: The Baiga tribe primarily speaks Baigani, a dialect of Chhattisgarhi heavily influenced by Gondi and Hindi.
• Livelihood: Traditionally semi-nomadic, they practised slash-and-burn cultivation, locally called “Bewar”, and now depend mainly on minor forest produce.
• Live-in relationships are common among the Baiga. If marriage does take place, the man compensates the woman's family for the loss of a working member.
• Tattooing is integral to their culture, with specific tattoos designated for different body parts and age groups.
• Tattoos are made using kajal derived from Ramtilla seeds (Niger seeds).
• Mahua Tree: These are fermented and distilled to prepare an intoxicant, forming an essential part of their diet and culture.
• The Baiga tribe is the first community in India to be granted habitat rights, reflecting their deep connection with forests.

About INS Sagardhwani:

• It is an oceanographic research vessel which was commissioned in Jul 1994. 
• The meaning of the name 'Sagardhwani’ is sound/ voice of the sea.
• It was designed by Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), Kochi.
• It was built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE).
• It is equipped with an array of scientific equipment and laboratories for conduct of scientific research in the field of oceanography.
• Objective: The vessel has served as a key platform for marine scientific research, contributing significantly to advancements in marine acoustics and naval oceanography.
• It works in tandem with scientific organisations and laboratories of DRDO like Naval Science and Technology Laboratory, Defence Research and Development Laboratory.
• It has participated in the Sagar Maitri initiative.
  • Sagar Maitri is a flagship collaborative initiative of the Indian Navy and DRDO, aligned with the Government of India’s vision of 'Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions (MAHASAGAR)'.
  • The initiative aims to promote closer cooperation in socio-economic aspects and greater scientific interaction, especially in ocean research, among Indian Ocean Rim (IOR) countries.

About Teesta River:

• Origin: It originates from the Tso Lhamo Lake at an elevation of approximately 5,280 meters in North Sikkim, India.
• It is glacier-fed, with sources like Pahurni Glacier, Khangse Glacier, and ChhoLhamo Lake contributing to its flow.
• It is a major tributary of the Brahmaputra River (known as the Jamuna in Bangladesh) and flows through India and Bangladesh.
• Course: 
  • It flows cutting a deep gorge through the Siwalik Hills east of Darjiling (in West Bengal, India).
  • It turns southeast to run through the Sivok Khola pass onto the plains of West Bengal.
  • It then enters Bangladesh, where it joins the Brahmaputra River (known as the Jamuna River in Bangladesh). 
• Tributaries: Major tributaries include Lachung Chhu, Dik Chhu, and Rangpo Chhu on the left bank and the Rangit River on the right bank.
• Notably, 83% of the basin lies in India, while 17% is in Bangladesh.

About Grievance Redressal Assessment and Index:

• It is developed by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).
• Objective: It evaluates ministries and departments on the effectiveness and timeliness of grievance resolution through the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS).
• It has been formulated based on 4 dimensions (Efficiency, Feedback, ,Domain and Organisational Commitment and corresponding ) and 11 indicators.

Key Facts about Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System

• It is an online platform available to the citizens 24×7 to lodge their grievances to the public authorities on any subject related to service delivery.
• It was developed and monitored by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions.
• It is a single portal connected to all the ministries/departments of the Government of India and States.
• The status of the grievance filed in CPGRAMS can be tracked with the unique registration ID provided at the time of registration of the complainant.
• The grievances received on the CPGRAMS shall be resolved promptly as soon as they are received but within a maximum period of 21 days.

About D’Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary:

• Location: It is situated in the East Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh.
• It lies on the border of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in the floodplains of the river Siang and its tributaries.
• The sanctuary was previously known as Lali Wildlife Sanctuary after the declaration of Lali Reserve Forest as a sanctuary. It was renamed as D`Ering in the year 1986. 
• Climate: It enjoys a tropical climate and receives north-east and south-west monsoons.
• Rivers: It is also home to the Siang River, which is one of the major rivers in Arunachal Pradesh. 
• Vegetation:
  • It mainly comprises riverine plains, and the vegetation has a floristic composition.
  • Thatch and grasses constitute a major portion of the sanctuary.
• Flora: The woodland of the sanctuary includes scattered patches of trees like Termenelia myriocarpa, Dillenia indica, Albizia spp., Bombax ceiba, and others.
• Fauna: Mammals in the sanctuary are represented by Hog Deer, Wild Pig, Tiger and Elephant.
  • Many species of birds are the inhabitants of the sanctuary, including the endangered ones like White-Winged Wood Duck, and Bengal Florican.

About Buff Tip Moth:

• The buff-tip (Phalera bucephala) moth belongs to the family Notodontidae.
• Distribution: It is native to parts of Africa, East Asia, and Europe.
• It blends in perfectly with its surroundings, looking just like the twig of a birch tree.
• Ecological Impact:
  • It is a voracious feeder and can strip an entire tree bare in a few weeks.
  • It is polyphagous nature (ability to feed on a wide range of plants) makes it particularly threatening.

About Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation weapon:

• It is India’s first indigenous glide weapon system to convert unguided warheads into precision guided weapons.
  • Glide weapon system once released from an aircraft, the system uses aerodynamic lift and onboard guidance mechanisms to glide towards a target instead of falling directly under gravity like a conventional free-fall bomb.
• TARA has been designed and developed by Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad along with other DRDO laboratories.
• Features:
  • It is developed to enhance the lethality and accuracy of a low-cost weapon to neutralise ground-based targets.
  • It enables stand-off attacks from safer distances.
  • It improves targeting accuracy against ground-based targets.
  • It uses modular architecture for compatibility with existing munitions
  • It incorporates low-cost indigenous guidance technologies.
  • It supports rapid integration with Indian Air Force platforms.
  • It is the first glide weapon to utilise state-of-the-art low-cost systems.
• The development of the kit has been undertaken with Development cum Production Partners (DcPP) & other Indian industries.