About Devon Island:

• It is located in the Canadian arctic archipelago, within the zone classified as the High Arctic.
• It is the world’s largest uninhabited island.
• Ellesmere Island lies to the north of Devon Island and Baffin Bay lies to its east.
• Although completely devoid of human settlements, a few species reside on the island.
• Winters are extremely harsh with temperatures being as low as −50 °C.
• The “out-of-the-world-like” landscape here is cold, dry, and rocky. Snow and ice blanket the island’s ice cap for the entire year.
• NASA uses Devon Island to study Mars, primarily because it's barren, and its freezing, polar desert conditions allow researchers to test next-generation rovers.
• It is home to a 14-mile-wide Haughton Crater. It was formed when a meteorite struck millions of years ago, leaving behind terrain that resembles the surface of Mars. 

About Bascule Bridge:

• It is a type of bridge that can be raised to provide clearance for waterway traffic and is also referred to as a lifting bridge or a drawbridge.
• It makes use of a counterweight to balance a span or leaf through its upward trajectory.
• The balance of the weight is sometimes adjusted according to the frequency of waterway traffic.
• The counterweight is usually heavier than the leaf itself, which makes lifting easier and reduces the energy needed to operate the bridge.
• The span can be single or double, and in rare cases it may even be triple or quadruple.
• A pulley system helps raise and lower the bridge.
  • Cables or chains connected to the counterweight run through pulleys and are attached to the leaf.
  • This mechanical system helps reduce the force needed to lift the leaf, using something called "mechanical advantage.”
• The word ‘bascule’ is French in origin and translates loosely as a seesaw or a balancing mechanical device.
• It is thought that bascule bridges were first designed during the mediaeval era in Europe, when they served defensive purposes.
• The longest double-leaf bascule bridge in the world is the Broadway Bridge in Portland, Oregon, USA.

About Central Industrial Security Force (CISF):

• It is a Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) in India operating under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• It provides security to various critical infrastructures, including airports and important national installations.
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Motto: “Protection and Security”.
• Establishment:
  • The CISF came into existence in 1969 through the CISF Act 1968 with a sanctioned strength of only three battalions.
  • The Act was amended in 1983, declaring the CISF as an Armed Force of the Union.
• Organisation Structure:
  • CISF is headed by an Indian Police Service officer with the rank of Director-General, assisted by an IPS officer in the rank of Addl. Director-General.
  • The force is divided into seven sectors (Airport, North, North-East, East, West, South, and Training) and also has a Fire Service Wing.
  • The force consists of seven training institutes – six Recruit Training Centers and the National Industrial Security Academy (NISA).
• Functions:
  • The CISF security umbrella includes India’s most critical infrastructure facilities, like nuclear installations, space establishments, airports, seaports, power plants,
  • In addition, the CISF also protects important government buildings, iconic heritage monuments, Delhi Metro, Parliament House Complex, and Central Jails of Jammu and Kashmir.
  • The CISF also has a specialized VIP Security vertical, providing round-the-clock security to important protectees.
  • CISF personnel are trained in disaster management techniques, enabling them to actively respond to natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, and cyclones.
  • CISF is one of the largest Fire Protection Service providers in the country. CISF is the only force with a customized and dedicated fire wing.
  • It is a compensatory cost force, which means that it bills its clients for the services it provides.
  • The CISF is the only CAPF with a daily public interface – in the airports, in the Delhi Metro, and in the iconic monuments.