About Lavan Island:

• It is a strategic Iranian island located in the Persian Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz.
• Lavan Island is also known as the Hidden Pearl Island, which has long been home to pearl fishing.
• However, now the main occupation of the people of Lavan Port is working in the oil and fishing industry.
• It is now one of the most important oil export terminals in Iran.
  • It is the operating base for Iran’s three offshore fields, namely, Salman, Resalat, and Reshadat.
  • Salman field, 144 km south of the Lavan Island, has one of the largest offshore complexes in the Persian Gulf.
  • The island features infrastructure such as process plants, storage and export systems, utility and maintenance facilities, a storehouse, and a loading jetty.
  • Produced oil from offshore fields is transferred to Lavan for final processing.

About Kukke Subrahmanya Temple:

• It is a 5000-year-old Hindu temple located in the village of Subramanya, in the Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka.
• It stands on the banks of the Kumaradhara River at the foot of Kumara Parvatha, in a dense pocket of the Western Ghats.
• Lord Subramanya (also known as Kartikeya, Murugan, and Skanda) is worshiped as the lord of all serpents in this temple.
• It is one of the foremost centers for Sarpa (serpent) worship in the country.
• Puranic Origin: Kukke Subramanya is considered one of the seven holy places created by Saint Parashurama.
• It is adorned with classic Dravidian design - intricate columns, majestic gateways, while the inner chamber is serene.
• Inside, there are rooms for ceremonies, peaceful spots for meditation, together with smaller temples dedicated to other gods.

About ‘One Case One Data’ Initiative:

• It is a major digital initiative launched by the Supreme Court of India.
• It is a comprehensive digital platform designed to integrate case-related information from the Supreme Court, High Courts, district courts and taluka courts into a unified system.
• It is aimed at strengthening the case management framework through integrated judicial data access in courts across India.
• It will automate data retrieval from the concerned courts’ database and facilitate swift online verification of case-related information.
• Each case will be assigned a single unique digital identity, allowing all related records to be linked in one continuous case file.
• When a case moves from a lower court to a higher court, existing records will not be recreated but will be seamlessly integrated and updated , ensuring continuity and easier access to complete case history.
• Reciprocal access to case information shall also be provided to High Courts and Government departments as and when required.
• The integration could significantly reduce procedural delays arising from manual verification and fragmented judicial records while improving coordination between courts.

What is Su Sahay?

• It is an Artificial Intelligence-powered assistance chatbot integrated with the Supreme Court website to facilitate easier access to justice and court-related services for litigants.
• It was developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) in collaboration with the Supreme Court Registry.
• The tool provides essential guidance on accessing services, filing procedures, and general court-related inquiries.

About Valley Fever:

• Valley fever, also known as acute coccidioidomycosis, is a fungal infection that primarily affects the lungs.
• It is caused by the Coccidioides fungus, which grows in dry and dusty soil in parts of the southwestern United States, Mexico, and regions of Central and South America.
• Transmission:
  • The fungi’s spores can be stirred into the air by anything that disrupts the soil, such as farming, construction, and wind.
  • People can then breathe the fungi into their lungs.
  • Pets can also become infected.
  • It does not spread from person to person or between people and animals.
• Treatment:
  • Mild cases of valley fever usually resolve on their own.
  • In more-severe cases, doctors treat the infection with antifungal medications.
  • Sometimes surgery is needed to remove the infected part of the lung (for chronic or severe disease).
  • There is no vaccine to prevent valley fever.

About Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary:

• It is located in the Wayanad district in Kerala.
• It is part of the larger Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
• Tholpetty in the north is one of the two discontinuous pockets of Wayanad Sanctuary, the other being Muthanga in the south.
• Flora:
  • The forests consist of both tropical moist dry deciduous and semi-evergreen
  • Plantations of teak, eucalyptus, silver oak, and rosewood cover about one-third of the sanctuary.
• Fauna:
  • Elephants, tigers, panthers, jungle cats, civet cats, monkeys, wild dogs, bison, deer, bears, and snakes can be spotted in the sanctuary.
  • The sanctuary is also a bird watcher's paradise, hosting over 300 species of birds.
  • Some notable avian residents include the Malabar grey hornbill, crested serpent eagle, peafowl, and various species of woodpeckers and kingfishers.

Key Facts about Gaur:

• Gaur, also known as Indian bison, is the largest species among the wild cattle and the Bovidae.
• Scientific Name: Bos gaurus
• Habitat and Distribution:
  • Gaurs are indigenous to the South and Southeast parts of Asia.
  • They are found in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Myanmar, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, and Nepal.
  • They are primarily found in evergreen and semi-evergreen forests along with moist deciduous forests with open grasslands.
  • They prefer hilly-terrains below an altitude of 1,500-1,800 m with large and undisturbed forest tracts and abundant water.
• Features:
  • Gaur is a large animal with a sturdy build.
  • It has a short and deep neck, a massive head, and frequently a large dewlap on the throat and chest.
  • The color of their body varies from reddish or brown to black, while the limbs are pale colored.
  • Both males and females have upwardly curved horns, growing from the sides of their heads. Their horns have a yellow base and black tip.
  • These animals have a hump on their shoulders, which is especially prominent in adult males.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable

About Limestone:

• It is a sedimentary rock made of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), usually in the form of calcite or aragonite.
• It occurs across almost all geological sequences from Pre-Cambrian to recent, except in Gondwana formations.
• Composition of Limestone:
  • It often contains magnesium carbonate, either as dolomite CaMg (CO3 )2 or magnesite (MgCO3 ) mixed with calcite.
  • It also contains minor constituents of clay, iron carbonate, feldspar, pyrite, and quartz.
• Distribution of Limestone in India: Karnataka has the largest share (28%) of total resources, followed by Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Meghalaya, and Chhattisgarh.
• Uses of Limestone:
  • The principal use of limestone is in the Cement Industry.
  • Metallurgical Processes: It is used as a flux in iron and steel production.
  • Chemical Production: It is used in production of Calcium carbide, alkali, bleaching powder.
  • Agriculture: It is used as soil conditioning agent, fertilizer (calcium ammonium nitrate).
  • Consumer Products: Whiting (chalk and precipitated limestone) in rubber, paint, cosmetics, toothpaste, and shoe polish.

About National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture:

• It was launched in 2014-15 under the framework of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
• It was envisaged as a strategic intervention to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate variability on agriculture while ensuring long-term food and livelihood security.
  • Since 2022-23 it has been included under the umbrella of Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PMRKVY).
• It promotes climate-resilient farming through a set of targeted and integrated interventions.
• It provides a strong foundation for sustainable agricultural development by enhancing water-use efficiency, improving soil health, and strengthening climate resilient agriculture.
• Key interventions under NMSA:
  • Rainfed Area Development (RAD): It encourages Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) for diversified and risk-resilient agriculture.
  • Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) initiative: It promotes micro-irrigation to improve water-use efficiency.
  • Soil Health Management (SHM): It is supported by the Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme, which promotes balanced nutrient use and sustains long-term soil fertility.
  • Climate Change and Sustainable Agriculture: Monitoring, Modeling and Networking (CCSAMMN): It provides creation and bidirectional (land/farmers to research/scientific establishments and vice versa) dissemination of climate change related information and knowledge. 
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

About Fermented Organic Manure:

• It is a type of organic fertilizer produced through a controlled fermentation process of organic materials like manure, crop residues, and compost.
• It is a byproduct of operational biogas or compressed biogas (CBG) plants used as a fertilizer.
• Preparation of Fermented Organic Manure:
  • It involves organic materials like animal manure, crop residues, and kitchen scraps which are combined with water and allowed to ferment in a controlled environment.
  • This fermentation process breaks down the organic matter, releasing nutrients and beneficial microorganisms. 
• Benefits of Fermented Organic Manure
  • It improves soil fertility
  • It enhances soil structure
  • It is beneficial for microorganisms
  • It helps in waste management
  • It also helps in sustainable farming