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Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 25 August 2021

::NATIONAL::

India has signed a deal with Russia for the procurement of 70,000 AK-203 assault rifles to be bought off the shelf.
Army is also trying to buy a limited number of Kamov-226 helicopters off the shelf to meet immediate shortage of light utility helicopters.

About:

AK-203 assault rifle is considered to be the latest and most advanced version of the AK-47 rifle.
It is a 7.62×39mm variant from the AK-100 rifle family (one that offers the AK-74M system, in multiple cartridges and lengths).

AK 203: Strengths & Advantages

Popular because of robust mechanics and simplicity of operation, these rifles have been tested under the conditions of extreme heat and cold. This variant is an advanced version of AK-47 and its magazine can hold 30 bullets.
Unlike the INSAS rifles, these rifles never get jammed as these belong to AK series. These rifles are a type of Kalashnikov rifles, which can work under extreme climatic conditions and are effective even in sand, soil and water.
These rifles also offer high degree of versatility, adjustability and customizability The 7.62 mm ammunition in AK-203 gun is NATO grade and therefore more powerful.
The rifle, which can fire 600 bullets in one minute, means 10 bullets in a second, can be used in automatic and semi-automatic mode.
Having an effective range of 400 metre, these guns are considered 100% accurate and provide better ergonomics and density of fire as compared to earlier Kalashnikov rifles.

India has its first “highest” herbal park at Mana in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district.
The stunning park is situated at a height of 11,000 feet and was inaugurated at Mana Village, which is situated close to the Indo-China border. The herbal park near Indo-China Border has about 40 species.

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It took three years to develop this park under the Central Government’s Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) scheme.
The interesting aspect of this park is that it has around 40 species that are usually found in high-altitude alpine areas in the Indian Himalayan region.
The park has been divided into four sections. The first section will contain species that are associated with Badrinath (Lord Vishnu), which will include Badri Tulsi, Ber, Badri Tree, and sacred tree of Bhojpatra.
The second section has been dedicated to Ashtavarga species, which is a group of eight herbs that are found in the Himalayan region, which are Riddhi (Habenaria Intermedia), Jeevak (Malaxis Acuminata), Vriddhi (HabenariaEdgeworthii), Kakoli (Fritillaria Roylei), Rishbhak (MalaxisMuscifera), Maida (Polygonatum Cirrhifolium), Ksheer Kakoli (Lilium Polyphyllum), and Maha Maida (PolygonatumVerticillatum).
These species are, reportedly, the most important ingredients of Chyawanprash.
The fourth section will have assorted alpine species including Meethavish, Ateesh, Choru, and Vankakdi, all of which are medicinal herbs and are in great demand, Chaturvedi added.

Greece has completed building a 40-km long wall and installed a hi-tech surveillance system on its border with Turkey to avoid the influx of Afghan migrants following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.
The development comes amid apprehensions about heavy migration of Afghan citizens into Greece via Turkey, and then further into Europe.
Greece built the wall stating that the country cannot let Afghan nationals penetrate their borders and enter the country.

About:

Greece is a country located in Southeast Europe.
Its population is approximately 10.7 million as of 2018; Athens is its largest and capital city, followed by Thessaloniki.
Situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, Greece is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa.
It shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to the northeast.

Ministry has decided to vaccinate returnees from Afghanistan with free polio vaccines as a preventive measure.
Poliomyelitis (polio) is a highly infectious viral disease that largely affects children under 5 years of age.
Today, the virus remains endemic in just two countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Five out of six World Health Organization regions are now certified wild poliovirus free: theAfrican Region, the Americas, Europe, South East Asia and the Western Pacific.

National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) has commissioned India’s largest 25 MW floating solar PV project at NTPC Simhadri, Andhra Pradesh. With this plant, the total installed capacity of NTPC has now reached 66,900 MW.
In July 2021, NTPC commissioned the initial 10MW. And recently, the rest 15 MW was also declared open by NTPC. Thereby, the floating solar PV project at NTPC Simhadri was declared for commercial operation w.e.f. 10:00 AM of August 21, 2021.

Features of the floating solar PV project at NTPC Simhadri

The floating solar PV project at NTPC Simhadri is spread over 75 acres in an RW reservoir. The solar installation is based on a unique anchoring design. The floating solar plant can generate electricity from more than 1 lakh solar PV modules.
The plant will power around 7,000 households and will reduce about 46,000 tons of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) from the environment every year during the lifespan of this project.
As floating Solar plants reduce evaporation, the plant will also be expected to save 1,364 million liters of water per annum. The water is adequate to meet the yearly water requirements of 6,700 households.

Minister of Earth Science informed that India is going to have 35 more earthquake Observatory By end of this year and 100 more such Observatories in next five years.
Presently the country has 115 observatories.

About:

National Center for Seismology (NCS) is the nodal agency for monitoring of earthquake activity in the country.
It is an attached office of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Earthquake is the any sudden shaking of the ground caused by the passage of seismic waves through Earth's rocks.

Earthquakes in India

Major earthquakes occur around the Himalayas. Urbanization, widespread unscientific construction, and exploitation of natural resources have led to an increase in the number of earthquakes in the Indian subcontinent.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority, scientific publications have warned about the possibility of a powerful earthquake in the Himalayan region, which could adversely affect the lives of millions of people in India.
The north-eastern region of the country continues to receive moderate to large earthquakes at frequent intervals. There have been several mild earthquakes in the region since 1950.
On average, the region has been hit by one earthquake with a strength of more than 6.0 per year.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are also located on the inter-plate boundary and are prone to frequent destructive earthquakes.