Short News
Short News
Ozone Accumulation over North Bay of Bengal
Context (Press Information Bureau): Atmospheric scientists recorded an abnormal concentration of stratospheric ozone accumulating directly over the North Bay of Bengal.
- Driven by horizontal advection and descending vertical winds, forming a dense localized layer at 21–23 kilometres altitude.
- Stratospheric "good ozone" filters out harmful solar ultraviolet-C (UV-C) and most ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation before reaching Earth.
- Atmospheric ozone column thickness is scientifically quantified using Dobson Units (DU), where 1 DU equals a 0.01-millimetre layer.
- Safeguarded globally through the Vienna Convention (1985) and the binding Montreal Protocol (1987) eliminating ozone-depleting substances.
Kollidam River
Context (The Times of India): Archaeologists discovered remnants of an ancient Sangam era water-management system along the Kollidam River bed in Tamil Nadu.
- Bifurcates as the northern distributary of the Cauvery River at the Upper Anicut (Mukkombu) in Tamil Nadu.
- Traverses eastward across fertile deltaic plains before emptying directly into the Bay of Bengal.
- Encloses the sacred riverine Srirangam Island and links historically with Karikala Chola’s ancient Grand Anicut (Kallanai).
- Sustains the globally significant Pichavaram Mangrove Forest ecosystem located near its estuarine confluence.
Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards
Context (Press Information Bureau): The President of India presented the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships and Awards for 2024–2025 to 115 distinguished performing artists.
- Conferred the prestigious Akademi Ratna upon seven masters, an apex honour restricted to 40 living fellows simultaneously.
- Honourees receive a Tamrapatra, Angavastram, and cash purses of ₹3 lakh (Fellowship) or ₹1 lakh (Puraskar).
- Created in 1952 under the Ministry of Culture as India’s premier national academy for music, dance, and drama.
- Officially inaugurated in 1953 by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, appointing jurist P. V. Rajamannar as its inaugural Chairman.