About Sambar Deer:

• It is a large deer native to the Indian Subcontinent, southern China and Southeast Asia.
• Scientific Name: Rusa unicolor
• Several races of sambar are recognized, among them the large Indian sambar and the smaller Malayan sambar.
• Habitat and Distribution:
  • They are native to India, Pakistan, Ceylon, Sri Lanka, Burma, the Philippines, southern China, Taiwan, Borneo, Malaysia, Sumatra, and Java.
  • Sambars inhabit both gently sloping and steep forested hillsides.
  • They reside preferably near cultivated areas, such as gardens and plantations, in order to acquire food, but are also found in thick forests, swamp forests, and open scrub.
• Features:
  • It is the largest oriental deer.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUSN Red List: Vulnerable.

About Mumps:

• It is a contagious disease caused by the mumps virus, which belongs to a group of viruses known as paramyxoviruses.
• It can cause painful swelling in parotid salivary glands (parotitis).
• Transmission:
  • Humans are the only known host for the mumps virus, which is spread from person to person by drops of moisture from the nose and mouth, such as through sneezing.
  • It is also spread through direct contact with items that have infected saliva on them.
• Mumps occurs worldwide and usually affects children and young adults.
• Incubation period: Typically 16 to 18 days; ranging from 12 to 25 days.
• Symptoms:
  • Face pain
  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Sore throat
  • Loss of appetite
  • Swelling of the parotid glands (the largest salivary glands, located between the ear and the jaw)
  • Swelling of the temples or jaw (temporomandibular area)
• Normally mumps is a mild, self-limiting disease and disappears without sequelae.
• However, complications may occur, such as encephalitis or sensorineural deafness.
• Orchitis (a painful inflammation of the testes) occurs in 20% of young adult males who develop mumps.
• Treatment: There is no specific treatment for mumps. The various symptoms may be relieved with medicines.
• Prevention:
  • Vaccination is the main preventive measure against mumps.
  • MMR immunization (vaccine) protects against measles, mumps, and rubella. 

About Dudhwa Tiger Reserve:

• Location: It is located on the Indo-Nepal border in the district of Lakhimpur-Kheri in Uttar Pradesh.
• It includes the Dudhwa National Park and two nearby sanctuaries, viz. Kishanpur and Katerniaghat.
• Topography: It is a typical Tarai-Bhabar habitat of the upper Gangetic plains biogeographic province.
• Rivers: The Sharda River flows by the Kishanpur WL Sanctuary, the Geruwa River flows through the Katerniaghat WL Sanctuary, and the Suheli and Mohana streams flow in the Dudhwa National Park, all of which are tributaries of the mighty Ghagra River.
• Vegetation: The vegetation is of the North Indian Moist Deciduous type, containing some of the finest examples of Sal forests in India.
• Flora: It mainly consists of Sal Forest along with its associate tree species like Terminalia alata (Asna), Lagerstroemia parviflora (Asidha), Adina cordifolia (Haldu), etc.
• Fauna: Tiger, leopard, Swamp deer, Rhinoceros, chital, hog deer, barking deer, Sambhar, wild boar, and Ratel.
• There are many species of birds in the park, such as the Florican and black-necked storks.

About Striped Hyena:

• It is one of four species belonging to the family Hyaenidae.
  • Other three are the Spotted Hyena, the Brown Hyena and the Aardwolf.
• Appearance: It is a bit smaller than the spotted hyenas and has stripes all over their bodies. 
• Habitat: It inhabits savannas, grasslands, semi-deserts, open woodlands, and mountainous regions.
• Distribution: It is mainly found in South Asia (India, Nepal, Afghanistan), North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Western Asia, and Central Asia.
• Characteristics of Striped Hyena
  • They are territorial creatures and scent-mark their territorial boundaries as a warning to their rivals.
  • Diet: Striped hyenas are primarily scavengers and eat mainly carrion and human refuse
  • Adult Striped hyena females are dominant over males and aggressive toward other females.
  • The striped hyena is generally considered solitary, but has some social organization.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN: Near Threatened.
  • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I.

About SWAYATT Initiative:

• It was launched in 2019.
• It was conceptualised with a clear objective of invigorating participation of women-led enterprises and youth in public procurement.
• Objective: It democratizes government procurement by enabling startups, women entrepreneurs, youth, Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs), Self Help Groups (SHGs) and last-mile sellers to directly participate in the public procurement ecosystem through Government e-Marketplace.
• It is rooted in GeM’s foundational pillar of social inclusion.
• SWAYATT focuses on addressing three critical challenges often faced by emerging enterprises—access to markets, access to finance and access to value addition.

Key Facts about Government e Marketplace

• It is an Online Market platform that was set up in 2016.
• It facilitates the procurement of goods and services by government ministries, departments, public sector undertakings (PSU) etc.
• It has been envisaged as the National Procurement Portal of India.
• It was developed by the Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals (Ministry of Commerce and Industry) with technical support from the National e-governance Division (Ministry of Electronic and Information Technology).
• GeM is a completely paperless, cashless and system-driven e-marketplace that enables procurement of common-use goods and services with minimal human interface.

About Low Temperature Thermal Desalination Technology:

• It is a process under which the warm surface sea water is flash evaporated at low pressure and the vapour is condensed with cold deep sea water.
• The LTTD technology does not require any chemical pre and post-treatment of seawater and thus the pollution problems are minimal and suitable for island territories.
• Significance: Since no effluent treatment is required, it gives less operational maintenance problems compared to other desalination processes.
• The first LTTD plant in Lakshadweep was commissioned in Kavaratti in 2005.

About G- SPIDER Robot:

• It is an automated canal cleaning robot, created by Genrobotic Innovations.
• It is engineered to operate in complex, high-risk canal environments without any human entry.
• Features of G- SPIDER Robot:
  • Efficient Operation: It is designed to function efficiently even during high water levels and continuous flow conditions.
  • Advanced Technology:
    • It is built on Cable-Driven Parallel Robotics (CDPR) architecture and powered by AI-enabled vision and sensor intelligence.
    • It has five-degrees-of-freedom robotic mechanism, equipped with a biomimetic claw-type grabber, ensures accurate positioning and secure handling of mixed and irregular debris.
    • It enables precise detection, assessment, and removal of accumulated waste.
    • By using advanced machine vision, the system autonomously identifies and adapts to different waste types, flow conditions, and structural challenges in real time.
  • The extracted waste is directly transferred into designated collection vehicles, enabling a fully hands-free and end-to-end canal cleaning process— from detection to safe disposal.
  • Uninterrupted Maintenance: It ensures uninterrupted and consistent maintenance of urban waterways.
  • Safe Waste Extraction: It is capable of safely extracting mixed and hazardous waste—including plastics, sharp debris, and other harmful materials.

Why in news?

The ongoing conflict in West Asia may disrupt the supply of critical industrial inputs to India, affecting sectors beyond oil and gas. Industries such as steel, fertilisers, cement and power transmission depend heavily on raw materials imported from the region.

Key imports include limestone, sulphur, gypsum, direct reduced iron (DRI) and copper wires, with more than half of India’s imports of these commodities coming from West Asia.

The region — including the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and other West Asian economies — is an important trade partner for India. In 2025, India imported goods worth $98.7 billion from the region.

Escalating attacks on energy and logistics facilities and the potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global trade route, have increased fears of supply disruptions. Any disturbance in this region could therefore affect multiple Indian industries beyond the energy sector.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Impact of West Asia Conflict Beyond the Energy Sector
• Energy Stress on the Steel Sector

Impact of West Asia Conflict Beyond the Energy Sector

• West Asia is a major global supplier of oil and gas, making global energy markets highly sensitive to regional conflicts.
• With crude stocks expected to last about a month, Indian refiners have begun increasing imports of discounted Russian oil.
• Gas companies are also considering curbing industrial gas supplies if LNG shipments from Qatar are disrupted.
• Risk to Fertiliser, Manufacturing and Exports
  • If disruptions in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz persist, the impact could extend beyond energy markets.
  • According to the GTRI report, sectors such as fertilisers, manufacturing inputs, construction materials, and export industries like diamonds could face supply challenges.
• Construction Sector Vulnerability
  • India relies heavily on West Asia for key minerals used in construction.
  • Limestone: India imported $483 million, accounting for 68.5% of total imports. It is a crucial input for cement production.
  • Gypsum: Imports were $129 million, making up 62.1% of total imports, and it is widely used in cement and construction materials.
  • Supply disruptions could increase cement prices and delay infrastructure projects.
• Risks to Fertiliser and Steel Industries
  • Sulphur: India imported $420 million worth from West Asia, representing 65.8% of imports. It is used to produce sulphuric acid, essential for fertilisers and chemicals.
  • Direct Reduced Iron (DRI): Imports of $190 million (59.1% of total imports) are critical for steel production.
• Impact on Diamond Processing
  • India’s diamond processing industry could also be affected.
  • Over 40% of rough diamonds used in India’s cutting and polishing centres are imported from West Asia, making the sector vulnerable to supply disruptions.

Energy Stress on the Steel Sector

• Experts note that while alternative sources exist for some raw materials, the bigger challenge is rising and volatile energy prices.
• The ongoing conflict in West Asia could push up oil and gas prices, affecting industrial costs.
• Availability of Alternative Raw Materials
  • Inputs such as limestone and direct reduced iron (DRI) can be sourced from other countries if supplies from West Asia are disrupted.
    • Limestone: Alternatives include Thailand and Vietnam.
    • DRI: Potential suppliers include Libya and Malaysia.
  • However, these alternatives do not solve the issue of energy price fluctuations.
• Steel Industry’s Dependence on Gas
  • India’s steel industry increasingly relies on natural gas (LPG and LNG) as part of its decarbonisation strategy.
  • This dependence makes the sector vulnerable to global gas market disruptions.
  • Industry representatives warn that availability of gas and scrap has already become a concern for steel producers.
• Possible Impact on the Fertiliser Sector
  • The fertiliser sector may not face immediate disruption because it is currently the off-season for fertiliser demand.
  • However, prolonged disruption of LNG and sulphur supplies could affect domestic urea production and availability for the next agricultural season.
  • To reduce risks, the fertiliser industry is exploring alternative suppliers, particularly in Southeast Asia, for inputs such as sulphur.