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The working of a solar tree is much like that of a real one—leaf-like solar panels connected through metal branches using sunlight to make energy. Availability of land of installing solar panels on a large scale is often a hurdle in the progress of renewable energy. A solution to this is planting solar trees, which are more ergonomic, using little space. Solar trees are complementary to rooftop solar systems, or other green building measures, symbolizing these larger investments and their environmental benefit. The Solar tree panels charge batteries during the day. At dusk, the tree automatically switches on LED lights. It is programmed to regulate the amount of light it produces. Solar trees are flexible and rotate to face the sun and produce maximum possible amount of energy using a technique called “spiralling phyllataxy”. Its calculated rotations allow even the lowermost solar panels to receive ample sunlight for electricity production. It can also be used in street lighting a...

The exploitation of judicial support staff continues to be widespread The lower cadre of employees working in subordinate courts across the country have aired grievances from time to time which are related to the terms of their employment and deplorable conditions of work. These employees form the backbone of the justice delivery system, yet the problems they face — primarily related to administration — have led them to raise their voices, often to no avail. While a litigant can approach a court to access justice, these court employees lack an efficient grievance redress mechanism, with none or a rare personal hearing given to them by their senior judicial officers. Written complaints are put aside and the injustices meted out to them often go unreported. If they raise a voice against this victimisation, it has resulted in notices being issued to them, adverse annual confidential reports, fines, transfers out of the district, departmental inquiries or even suspension. Reports ...

The ideal of a low, single rate and comprehensive coverage is still far away, but the journey has begun In about a month, India’s new indirect tax system will be rolled out. It has been described as the biggest reform in indirect taxes. India now joins some 160 other countries that already have a Goods and Services Tax (GST). The only large economy exception without a GST is the United States. Most other countries have this consumption tax as a key component of their indirect taxes. In a nutshell Here are the key features of the GST. First, it moves the tax system from production to consumption. It covers the gross domestic product (GDP) more comprehensively. Because the tax base is now a much wider set of transactions, hopefully the per capita tax incidence will be lower. Second, it eliminates a major bane of cascading, i.e. having to pay tax on tax. It will thus increase efficiency of taxation. Third, the GST has interlocking incentives for compliance, because your tax incidenc...

India begins the heavy-lifting needed to transform economic partnerships in Africa The African Development Bank’s decision to hold its annual general meeting in India this month is a signal of the importance African countries attach to New Delhi’s growing role in its development. It was nearly a decade ago, in 2008, that India made a serious attempt for a strategic partnership with all of Africa, instead of just the nations it traded with, at the first India-Africa Forum Summit. At that time, India’s efforts seemed minimal, a token attempt at keeping a foothold in a continent that was fast falling into China’s sphere of influence. New Delhi had its work cut out, building a place for India as a partner in low-cost technology transfers, a supplier of much-needed, affordable generic pharmaceuticals, and a dependable donor of aid that did not come with strings attached. Over the past few years the outreach to Africa has also been driven by visits of President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice-Pres...

Q.1- Which of the following is correct regarding inland waterways of India? 1. The total cargo moved by the inland waterway is just 10% of the total inland traffic in India 2. National Waterway 1 is the longest of all waterways in India A. 1 only B. 2 only C. Both D. None Q.2- Sabarimala temple is situated in which of the following states? (a) Tamil Nadu (b) Andhra Pradesh (c) Kerala (d) Karnataka Q.3- Who among the following is eligible to be a registered voter in India? A. Any citizen of India attaining 18 years at the time of election B. Any citizen of India attaining 18 years at the time of last electoral rolls preparation C. Any citizen of India attaining 18 yearsFirst Jan of the year of revision of electoral rolls D. None of the above. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Answer  1-B,  2-C,  3-D.

Q.1- Which of the following is not main organ of United Nations? A. International Court of Justice B. Economic and Social Council C. Secretariat D. International Monetary Fund Q.2- Which of the following is not a function of SEBI? A. regulating the business in stock exchanges and any other securities markets; B. Registering and regulating the working of venture capital funds and collective investment schemes,including mutual funds; C. promoting and regulating self-regulatory Organizations D. All of the above are functions of SEBI Q.3- Which of the following will be the effect of demonetisation? A. More money supply in the stock markets B. Less money into stock markets C. More electronic transactions D. Less electronic transactions 1. Only A and B 2. Only B and C 3. Only A and C 4. Only B and D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Answer DD3

Q.1- Which of the following is correct regarding India’s renewable energy targets. 1. India plans to make 175 Gigawatts by 2022 2. Of the target capacity, 100 GW would be from solar power. 3. 60 GW from biomass A. 1,2 B. 2,3 C. 1,3 D. All Q.2- Which of the following statements are correct regarding nuclear power in India? 1. India has 7 nuclear power plants in operation 2. Kudankulam Nuclear power plant is hosting French reactors A. 1 only B. 2 only C. both D. None Q.3- With respect to NPA which of the following statements is correct? a) NPA in public sector banks has decreased over last year. b) Infrastructure, iron and steel, textiles, aviation and mining are five main sector that are under stress. A) a only B) b only C) Both D) None. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Answer 1-A, 2-A, 3-B.

Many Asian countries are witnessing the destruction of forests, giving rise to apprehension that one of the key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) may not be achieved by 2030. The Goal 15 of SDGs aims to “sustainably manage forests”, along with protecting, restoring and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems; combating desertification; halting and reversing land degradation and halting biodiversity loss. According to Patrick Durst, senior forestry officer at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in Asia and the Pacific region, forests continue to be degraded and lost at a rate of 3.3 million hectares per year. The main reason is the conversion of forests into agriculture lands. A book argues that in Southeast Asia, pulp and paper, timber and palm oil are the major contributors to deforestation. Infrastructure development, housing, mining and forest fires also pose a threat to the region’s forests. Managing forests Forests need to be managed in a sustain...

European study finds drug residues in high concentrations around specific pharmaceutical units in Hyderabad, but industry rebuts the claim The pharma industry in Hyderabad is polluting the environment with antimicrobials which in turn may contribute to a rise in drug-resistant infections, a new study published in the journal Infection alleges. Claiming that Indian authorities have not done enough to ensure efficient treatment of waste water discharged by the pharma industry, the study also calls upon European regulators to ensure enforcement of regulations during the manufacturing process. Water samples tested Hyderabad is a global market for bulk drug purchasing with 50% of India’s drug exports, pegged at over $3 billion, coming from the city. Researchers from Leipzig University Hospital, Germany, tested 28 water samples from difference places in the city, including sewage from around pharma manufacturing units in Patancheru-Bollaram Industrial Development Area on the outsk...

f the aircon isn’t set to Arctic temperatures in the office, and you simply don’t understand why you’re cold, read on Your body has an in-built thermostat, a sort of climate-control mechanism that helps regulate internal temperatures. It keeps you cool when temperatures soar in summer, and changes that up when the weather turns cold. But what when you’re cold even in hot weather? “It’s natural for a person to shiver when there’s an infection or a deficiency,” says Dr Sujit Kar Purkayastha, Consultant Gastroenterologist, Peerless Hospital, Kolkata. For instance, many women who get a UTI, shiver, and you may find your child buried under a quilt when she gets the flu. There is, of course, the rare case of cold intolerance, possible in some people who are abnormally sensitive to cold temperatures, but for most, there’s a underlying cause that can be cured. Hypothyroidism The thyroid gland regulates heat in the body. When the gland is underactive, the body metabolism goes down and a ...

In an attempt to raise awareness on conservation of tortoise and turtles, and on illegal trafficking, May 23 is celebrated as World Turtle Day. We take a look at various threats faced by the reptiles in India and the initiatives taken to save the animal. Smuggling One of the greatest threats facing turtles and tortoises in India is smuggling to East Asian and Southeast Asian markets. Many freshwater turtles and tortoises are considered delicacies just across the Bay of Bengal in Southeast Asia. TURTLEMOHAMMEDYOUSUF3jpg This has led to the creation of massive smuggling rings on the east coast of India that send live turtles to those countries. Some of these turtles are also smuggled to be kept as pets. In 2016 alone, 30,000 live turtles were confiscated from smugglers by the Indian government. In addition to live specimens, thousands of sea turtle eggs are dug up and sold as delicacies in Southeast Asian countries. West Bengal has become a focal point of the turtle smuggling t...

Nothing has fascinated humankind as has the vast night sky. With its many stars and planets, it holds within its expanse mystery and intrigue. Little wonder then that movies such as Interstellar have us glued to our seats the entire duration. The fact that there is so much more out there that we may not even know of, is enough to pique our curiosity. It certainly did mine. I once spent the better part of the night in freezing Ooty attempting star trail photography. Another time, I dragged a hapless friend to the planetarium after work. I spend hours browsing through my Instagram feed filled with time lapse videos and star trail pictures. When I’m tired of city life, I often find myself driving to the outskirts in the hopes of finding a dark sky sans all that light pollution. To lie flat on my back and look at a sky teeming with stars is a dream, I hope to realise one day. In the meantime, I’ll keep myself occupied with gleaning as much information as I can about the stars that I can...

Various models of federalism are on the table at the Panglong conference Myanmar is to hold the second round of the 21st Panglong Union Peace Conference in its administrative capital, Nay Pyi Taw, from May 24 to 28. A major issue at the meet will be the question of federalism. During the government-led Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) meeting in Nay Pyi Taw on May 12, the committee agreed in principle to grant the seven states and seven regions permission to draft their own constitution on the condition that they would not break away from the country. The UPDJC, headed by State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, includes representatives from the ethnic armed groups, political parties and the government. The Panglong conference is likely to discuss the question of self-determination and the drafting of the Constitution by states and regions. The question of federalism or autonomy in Myanmar goes back to the pre-Independence era. It is an important historical issue whic...

The Paris Climate Agreement recognises that all countries have responsibilities. However, the developed world needs to shoulder the major funding requirement The Paris Climate Agreement (PA) was signed in December 2015 in an attempt to limit the release and the effects from greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere. Ahead of the meeting, various countries developed and submitted pledges or national commitments, referred to in climate parlance as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which are effectively the actions each country is now required to take. The Conference of the Parties-22 (COP-22) in Marrakesh in November 2016 continued discussions on the implementation of the PA and specific aspects continue to be deliberated upon in interim meetings such as the recently concluded one in Bonn. For about three-fourths of the 165 listed NDCs, implementation of pledges is conditional upon assistance on the finance and technology fronts. These countries depend on help from industr...