The Prayas ePathshala

Exams आसान है !

1 – About Rafflesia: GS III – Environmental Conservation

Key information:

A genus of parasitic flowering plants in the Rafflesiaceae family is called Rafflesia.
Huge flowers are produced by the species.
The world’s largest flower belongs to one species.
Rafflesia is a parasitic plant that does not photosynthesise and has no leaves, stalks, or roots.
Instead, it harvests food and water from tropical rainforest vines in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand using long filaments that resemble fungal cells.

Threat and status of conservation:

Due to the degradation of forest habitats in southeast Asia, it is under danger.
Researchers warn that all 42 Rafflesia species, of which 25 are considered critically endangered and 15 are endangered, are in risk.
Current conservation efforts do not safeguard more than two thirds of them.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) only lists one species as severely endangered (Rafflesia magnifica).

2 – Details of Wollemi pine: GS III – Environmental Conservation

Key information

In 1994, a group of hikers rediscovered the Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis).
The Wollemi pine, or Wollemia nobilis, is sometimes referred to as a “living fossil” because it resembles preserved remains from the Cretaceous period (145 million to 66 million years ago) almost exactly.
Only 60 of these trees remain in the wild today.
It is believed to have vanished about 2 million years ago.
Wollemia is a genus of conifers that are native to Australia and members of the Araucariaceae family.
Despite not being a real pine or a member of the pine family, the tree is nearly generally known as the Wollemi pine.

Status of conservation:

The Wollemi pine is protected by law in Australia and is included on the IUCN Red List as critically endangered (CR).

Threat:

Source – The Hindu

3 – About Mohalla Clinic: GS II – Social issues

Key information:

The Mohalla Clinic is the government of Delhi’s most prominent undertaking.
These are primary care clinics that provide free basic medical care.
They provide a minimal set of complimentary basic healthcare services, such as prescription drugs, diagnostic testing, and consultations.
These clinics act as the patients’ initial point of contact, which lowers the state’s high referral rates to intermediate and tertiary healthcare facilities.
The Mohalla Clinics project seeks to lessen the financial strain on low-income households by preventing lost wages and travel expenses.

A physician is in charge of each Mohalla Clinic.
District nodal representatives oversee the Mohalla Clinics’ operations in their respective regions.
The top of the hierarchical structure is occupied by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Family Welfare.

Source – The Hindu

4 – Details of Samvatsari: GS I – Indian Culture

Key information:

The final day of Paryushana for the Shwetambar sect of Jainism is called Savatsari.
Jains ask for and receive forgiveness from all living things on this day for whatever faults they have made, whether intentionally or accidentally.
On this day, an elaborate annual penitential retreat known as “samvatsari pratikramana” is performed.
After the pratikramana, Jains use the term Micchami Dukkadam to ask for forgiveness from all living things, including friends and family.
Samvatsari is a language developed from Sanskrit.
In ancient books like the Rigveda and other works of Vedic literature, the term “year” or “Samvatsara” is used.
As a result, Samvatsari literally refers to an annual day.

Kshamavaani and Samvatsari:

Kshamavaani is connected to the Digambara sect and Samvatsari is connected to the Shwetambar sect.
Both days are marked as Forgiveness Days, and there are no significant differences between them.
Despite both Samvatsari and Kshamavaani falling on the final day of Paryushan, there is a significant distinction between them.

Source – The Hindu