About Shongtong–Karchham Hydroelectric Project:

• It is a hydro power project on the river Satluj in the Kinnaur District of Himachal Pradesh.
• The project is envisaged as a run-of-river (RoR) scheme.
• Capacity: 3 × 150 MW Francis turbines, totaling 450 MW.
• It is being developed by Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL).

About Chagas Disease:

• Chagas disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, is an inflammatory, infectious disease caused by the protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi.
• It is an illness that can cause serious heart and stomach problems.
• It is the result of a complex health problem typical of neglected tropical diseases and socially- and environmentally-determined diseases.
• Transmission:
  • The most common way people are infected with Chagas is through the blood-sucking triatomine bugs.
  • This parasite is found in the feces of the triatomine bug.
  • These bugs also are called reduviid. They may also be known as “kissing bugs” because they tend to bite people’s faces.
  • The parasite can also be transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy or childbirth, through contaminated food and beverages, blood transfusions, organ transplants, or laboratory accidents.
  • Once a person has the infection, they remain infected for decades, often with no signs or symptoms of illness.
  • Chagas disease is common in South America, Central America, and Mexico, the primary home of the triatomine bug.
• Prevention:
  • There is no vaccine to prevent Chagas disease.
  • Vector control, reducing interaction between humans and vector insects, has been the most effective method of prevention.
  • Blood screening is necessary to prevent infection through congenital transmission, transfusion, and organ transplantation.
• Treatment:
  • During the first phase of infection, treatment of Chagas disease aims to kill the parasite.
  • Later, it’s no longer possible to kill the parasite. Treatment in this later phase is about managing symptoms.

About Whole-Exome Sequencing (WES):

• WES is the approach used to sequence only the protein-coding regions of the human genome.
• These protein-coding regions within the genome are known as exons, and they make up less than 2% of our entire genome, but they are very important because they contain about 85% of the genetic variants linked to different diseases.
• Together, all the exons in a genome are known as the exome.
• WES focuses on the exome and provides a more targeted approach compared to whole-genome sequencing (WGS), which sequences the entire genome, including non-coding regions.
• Since most disease-related mutations are found in the exome, this makes WES an effective tool for diagnosing genetic conditions and understanding disease mechanisms.
• WES is a faster and cost-effective alternative to WGS. It also simplifies the data analysis
• WES is especially useful in research and clinical settings to identify both common and rare genetic variants.

About INS Dhruv:

• It is India's first dedicated nuclear missile tracking and ocean surveillance ship.
• It was commissioned on 10 September 2021.
• It was built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited in collaboration with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO).
• Functions of INS Dhruv:
  • The ship has the capability to map ocean floors, which aids in the research and detection of enemy submarines
  • It is a highly secretive strategic asset designed to track ballistic missiles and gather electronic intelligence (ELINT) to support India's missile defence programme.
  • It provides early warning of missile attacks and helps calibrate India's own ballistic missile defence systems by gathering data on flight trajectories and terminal performance.
  • It is operated jointly by the Indian Navy, the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
• Features of INS Dhruv:
  • It is equipped with powerful X-band and S-band AESA radars, it can track nuclear-capable ballistic missiles and satellites from thousands of kilometres away.
  • It is capable of monitoring missile re-entry vehicles, distinguishing between different payload signatures and generating data useful for ballistic missile defence calibration, countermeasure development and strategic warning systems.

About Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary:

• It is located near the border of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana of Telangana.
• It was established in 1952.
• Rivers: It has a water source called Dayyam Vagu, which separates the sanctuary into two parts.
• The river Godavari also passes through it.
• Terrain: The landscape is undulating, ranging from steep slopes to gentle slopes from west to east. 
• The famous Sammakka-Saralamma Temple is situated inside the sanctuary.
• Vegetation: The region is covered completely with thick natural vegetation, and it falls in the tropical dry deciduous.
• Flora: It is rich in the growth of teak, bamboo, and other trees like madhuca and terminalia.
• Fauna: This sanctuary provides shelter to Tiger, Leopard, Panther, Wolf, Wild Dogs, Jackals, Sloth Bear, Chousingha, Black Buck, Nilgai, Sambar, Spotted Deer, Four Horned Antilope, Chinkara, Black Buck, Gaur, and Giant Squirrels.

About Calamaria garoensis:

• It is a new species of burrowing reed snake.
• It is found mainly in Garo Hills of Meghalaya.
• It is currently known only from this region, indicating a potentially restricted distribution.

Key Facts about Reed Snakes

• They are small, slender, non-venomous snakes.
• Reed snakes of the genus Calamaria are small, secretive, and largely burrowing.
• Appearance: Typically brown, reddish, or blackish in color.
• Distribution: They are found in southern and southeastern Asia.
• Habitat: They are mostly found in moist forests, leaf litter, under logs, stones, and soil.
• They are fossorial/semi-fossorial – spend most of their time underground or hidden in leaf litter.
• Diet: They eat small, soft-bodied invertebrates.