About Purse Seine Fishing:

• Purse seines are used in the open ocean to target dense schools of single-species pelagic (midwater) fish species of various sizes.
  • Pelagic fish are those that swim in the water column of the open ocean, up to approximately 600 feet deep.
• A purse seine is a huge wall of netting that is set in a circle around a school of fish.
• Once the fish school is encircled, the net is closed underneath the school by hauling the purse line at the bottom of the net, which is called “pursing”.
• As the volume of the net becomes smaller, the fish become more concentrated, and the catch is harvested by either hauling the net aboard or bringing it alongside the vessel.
• The size can vary depending on the vessel they are deployed from, the size of the mesh, and the target species.
• Advantages:
  • Purse-seine fishing in open water is generally considered to be an efficient form of fishing.
  • It has no contact with the seabed and can have low levels of bycatch (accidental catch of unwanted species).
  • It can also be used to catch fish congregating around fish aggregating devices.
• Why is it banned in some states?
  • In some States, it is linked to concerns about the decreasing stock of small, pelagic shoaling fish such as sardines, mackerel, anchovies, and trevally on the western coasts.
  • Because this fishing method uses a wide net to draw in not only the targeted fish but also at-risk varieties, including turtles.
  • Fishing is a State subject, and the management plan for marine fisheries in territorial waters is the job of the states (Under the Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution).
  • Currently, bans on purse seine fishing are implemented in the territorial waters of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Odisha, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands up to 12 nautical miles.

About Uparkot Fort:

• It is an ancient fort located in the city of Junagadh in Gujarat.
• It is strategically perched at the foothills of Girnar Hill.
• History:
  • This ancient fort is believed to have been built in 319 BC by the Mauryan emperor Chandragupta, though it has been extended many times.
  • The fort was known previously as the Revath Nagri.
• Architecture:
  • One of the most famous attractions of Uparkot Fort is the Buddhist caves, which were carved out of the rock by Buddhist monks around the 2nd century BCE.
  • These caves are adorned with beautiful carvings and inscriptions and are considered to be some of the oldest surviving Buddhist caves in India.
  • There is also an ancient mosque, a 15th-century Jama Masjid, which also houses the tomb of Nuri Shah in proximity.
  • The fort also encloses a couple of temples and even two stepwells called Adi Chadi, or the Adi Kavi Wav, and the Navghan Kuvo.
  • A huge cannon of more than fifteen feet is located on the grounds. This is said to have been made in Egypt in 1531.
  • The Fort also has a square lake in its premises, called the Nawabi Lake.

About Sepsis:

• Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that happens when the body’s immune system has an extreme response to an infection, causing organ dysfunction.
• The body’s reaction causes damage to its own tissues and organs, and it can lead to shock, multiple organ failure, and sometimes death.
• Cause:
  • Sepsis happens when an infection one already has triggers a chain reaction throughout body.
  • Sepsis is usually caused by bacterial infections but may be the result of other infections such as viruses, parasites, or fungi.
  • The infections are often in the lungs, stomach, kidneys, or bladder.
• Treatment:
  • It usually includes:
    • Antibiotics.
  • In serious cases, one might need kidney dialysis or a breathing tube.
  • Some may need surgery to remove tissue damaged by the infection.

About Ponnaniyar Dam:

• It is located in the Kadavur hill region of Karur district, Tamil Nadu, near Pooncholai village.
• Built between the Perumalmalai and Semmalai mountains in 1976, the Ponnaniyar dam has its downstream in the Trichy district.
• The dam is built across the Ponnaniyar River, which is a tributary of the Kaveri
• It is a concrete gravity dam with a storage capacity of 120 million cubic feet (mcft).
• Its principal purpose is irrigation. The reservoir is important for agricultural lands in the surrounding region.
• The dam's water also supplies the nearby towns and villages, ensuring a regular supply of drinking water for the people.
• Dense forests, home to various wildlife, such as elephants, gaurs, sloth bears, sambar deer, and several species of birds and reptiles, surround the dam.

About Fulvous Whistling Duck:

• The Fulvous whistling duck, also known as the fulvous tree duck, is a large, goose-like bird characterized by its long legs and neck.
• Scientific Name: Dendrocygna bicolor
• Habitat and Distribution:
  • It is one of the most widely distributed species of waterfowl in the world, occurring mostly in tropical and subtropical regions but also in temperate areas of the Americas, Africa, and Asia.
  • In India, the bird is more commonly found in the wetlands of Assam and other northeastern States.
  • It prefers shallow wetlands with plenty of tall grass and other vegetation.
  • It can be found in freshwater lakes, seasonal freshwater pools, slow-flowing streams, marshy areas, swamps in open flat terrain, flooded grasslands, and very frequently in areas of wet rice cultivation.
  • These ducks are notable for their distinctive squealing sounds when taking off and their loud, shrill whistles during flight.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Least Concern

About Polychaete worms:

• Polychaete worms are a diverse group of marine annelids.
• They are also known as bristle worms and are among the most diverse groups of marine invertebrates on Earth.
• Polychaeta means “having much hair”, refers to the bristles on the fleshy, leg-like protrusions on their body.
• Habitat: They occur in almost all marine habitats, from estuaries, mangroves, sandy shores, coral reefs, and seagrass beds to the continental shelf and deeper waters.
• Characteristics:
  • They have parapodia (small leg-like structures) for crawling, swimming and burrowing.
  • Each segment has a pair of parapodia with chaetae (bristles).
  • Their bodies consist of circular layer of muscle around a coelom (fluid-filled space).
  • Many have tentacles for feeding or feather-like branchial radioles for feeding and breathing.
  • Reproduction: Some reproduce sexually, others asexually. Some species are hermaphrodites, which mean they have both male and female reproductive organs.
  • Their high ecological adaptability and sensitivity to environmental stresses also makes them great bioindicators of ecological health.
• Ecological role: They are detritivores (that consume detritus to obtain nutrients) and play a major role in the breakdown of organic matter, oxygen transport, and its redistribution.

About Khagantak-243:

• It is a 300-kg-class airborne long-range stand-off precision-guided glide bomb.
• Developed By: It is jointly developed by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and JSR Dynamics.
• Features of Khagantak-243
  • It is designed to be launched from a fighter aircraft and glide towards its target after release.
  • Unlike conventional free-fall bombs, glide bombs allow aircraft to engage targets from a stand-off distance without having to fly directly over them.
  • Range: It can cover a range of 144 km to 180 km when released from an altitude of 12 km at Mach 0.8. 
  • The bomb features a cylindrical body, swivel-type mid-body glide wings and five aft control surfaces that help it navigate towards its target.
• Significance:
  • Long-range glide bombs are designed to enable combat aircraft to engage targets from stand-off distances, allowing platforms to strike enemy targets while remaining outside the reach of certain air defence systems.

About Pacific Islands Forum:

• It was established in 1971.
• It is the region's top political and economic organisation, with 18 members across the Pacific Ocean.
• Vision: To create a resilient Pacific region of peace, harmony, security, social inclusion and prosperity, that ensures all Pacific peoples can lead free, healthy and productive lives.
• Members: Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Naoero, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
• Headquarters: Suva, Fiji
• Annual Meetings: The annual Forum meetings are chaired by the Head of Government of the Host Country, who remains as the Forum Chair until the next meeting.
• Key areas of focus of PIF: It includes regional security, economic development, climate change, ocean governance, and strengthening regionalism under the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.

About Districts as Export Hubs Initiative:

• It is aimed at identifying products and services with global potential and connecting local producers with international markets.
• It is an initiative of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Department of Commerce.
• Under this initiative, the export promotion activities are being decentralised to make the districts active stakeholders in boosting export growth of the identified products and services from the districts.
• Institutional Architecture:
  • DEH runs on a layered system of coordination between the Centre, States and districts.
  • The Department of Commerce provides overall policy direction, while the DGFT anchors implementation, facilitates stakeholder coordination and monitors progress.
    • At the State level, State Export Promotion Committees (SEPCs) guide implementation and ensure convergence across departments.
    • At the district level, District Export Promotion Committees (DEPCs), identify export opportunities, resolve local challenges and coordinate with industry, exporters and other stakeholders.
  • A key responsibility of the DEPCs is preparing District Export Action Plans (DEAPs). These plans map products and services with export potential, assess infrastructure and logistics, identify export bottlenecks.
• Coverage: The initiative has identified export potential in 734 districts across the country, spanning critical sectors like agriculture, toys, and GI products.
• Focused phase: From 1 June 2026, the initiative adopted a phased, outcome-oriented approach covering districts across 27 States and Union Territories, supported by 24 DGFT regional authorities and 11 partner agencies.