The Supreme Court recently issued directives to several state governments, highlighting the urgent need to tackle escalating air pollution issues. The court has specifically urged Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Delhi to halt stubble burning immediately. In a stark statement, the court labeled pollution as a ‘health murder,’ underscoring its detrimental impact on citizens’ health.
The court further criticized the ‘odd-even’ scheme for its inefficiency in controlling vehicular pollution. It suggested barring taxis from other states from entering Delhi. These remarks are indicative of the urgency with which the court views the mounting pollution crisis and demands immediate action.
CORPAT & EX-BONGOSAGAR: India-Bangladesh Naval Collaboration
The 4th edition of the Bilateral Exercise between the Indian Navy and the Bangladesh Navy, BONGOSAGAR-23, was recently conducted in the Northern Bay of Bengal. Simultaneously, the two navies held the 5th edition of Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT). During these exercises, ships and aircraft from both countries jointly patrolled along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
Both navies also carried out maritime exercises to enhance interoperability. For the first time, CORPAT-23 included Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) drills, exercising a Search and Rescue scenario at sea.
Saturn’s Rings: A Spectacular Celestial Phenomenon
Come 2025, Saturn’s rings will briefly disappear due to an optical illusion caused by the planet’s tilt and the alignment of its rings with Earth’s line of sight. This unique event occurs every 13 to 15 years. NASA predicts that Saturn will entirely lose its rings in the next 300 million years owing to the gravitational pull and magnetic field of the planet.
Saturn, the 6th planet from the Sun, and the 2nd largest in our solar system, will continue to mesmerize us with its spectacle and complex rings made of ice, rock, and dust.
Acharya JB Kripalani: Remembering a Freedom Fighter
On Acharya Jivatram Bhagwandas (JB) Kripalani’s birth anniversary (11th November 1888), India’s Prime Minister paid tributes to the freedom fighter. Kripalani joined Gandhi’s cause in 1917 and was associated with significant movements like the Non-Cooperation Movement, Civil Disobedience Movement, and Quit India Movement. In 1947, he held the position of the president of the Indian National Congress (INC).
After India’s independence, Kripalani left INC to become one of the founders of the Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party (KMPP). In a significant move, he introduced the first-ever No confidence motion in Lok Sabha in 1963, immediately after the Indo-China War.
Maulana Azad: Celebrating a Visionary Educationist
India’s Prime Minister recently remembered Maulana Abul Kalam Azad on his birth anniversary, the 11th of November. Known for his progressive and liberal views indicated by his pen name ‘Azad,’ meaning ‘free,’ he was an ardent supporter of Gandhiji’s Non-Cooperation Movement and joined the Indian National Congress in 1920.
As the first education minister of independent India, under his tenure, the University Grants Commission, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, and the Indian Institutes of Technology were established. To commemorate his birth anniversary, India observes National Education Day on 11th November each year. In recognition of his immense contribution to the nation’s progress, Maulana Azad was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honor, in 1992.
