■ The Gulf of Aden:

• The Gulf of Aden lies within the territories of 3 different nations.

• The Gulf of Aden is majorly shared between 3 neighbouring nations- Djibouti to the East, Somalia to the South, and Yemen to the North.

🗞 PM Modi announces solar roof-top scheme for one crore households:

• The Union government will launch ‘Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana’ with the target of installing rooftop solar on one crore houses.

• This will not only reduce the electricity bill of the poor and middle class, but will also make India self-reliant in the field of energy.

• As of July 31, 2023, only 2.2 GW (1 GW is 1,000 MW) worth of rooftop installations were reportedly installed in Indian homes, according to information presented to the Lok Sabha.

• To put that in perspective, the government, since 2010, has been claiming to install 100 GW by 2022 — 60 GW from utility project (mega concentrated solar parks) and 40 GW from rooftop solar.

• So far, about 56 GW has been installed in the utilities (July 2023) and 12 GW in rooftops.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/pm-modi-promises-one-crore-rooftop-solar-households/article67766221.ece

■ India adds five more wetlands to the list of Ramsar Sites:

• India adds five more wetlands to the list of Ramsar Sites. This takes our tally to 80.

• Three of these sites, Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve, Aghanashini Estuary and Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve are located in Karnataka whereas two, Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary and Longwood Shola Reserve Forest are in Tamilnadu.

• With the addition of these five wetlands to List of Wetlands of International Importance, the total area covered under Ramsar sites is now 1.33 million ha which is an increase of 5,523.87 ha from existing area of 1.327 million ha.

• Tamil Nadu continues to have maximum number of Ramsar Sites (16 sites) followed by Uttar Pradesh (10 sites).

• India is one of the Contracting Parties to Ramsar Convention, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971.

• World Wetlands Day (WWD) is celebrated across the globe to commemorate the adoption of this international agreement on wetlands on 2nd February 1971.

• The theme of WWD-2024 is ‘Wetlands and Human Wellbeing’

• India ratified this Convention on 1st February 1982.

• Earlier in August 2022, India achieved a significant milestone of taking the total number of Ramsar Sites to 75 during the 75th Year of Independence.

🌴 World Wetlands Day, February 2:

• The theme of World Wetlands Day 2024 is 'Wetlands and human wellbeing'.

• This day marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran, an international treaty aimed at conserving and sustainably using wetlands around the world.

• India is also the part of Ramsar Convention and is one of the most active players in the group.

• Currently, India has 80 Ramsar sites.

• Tamil Nadu continues to have maximum number of Ramsar Sites (16 sites) followed by Uttar Pradesh (10 sites).

• Wetlands are a wide variety of habitats such as marshes, swamps, peatlands, mangroves, and estuaries. They play a crucial role in supporting biodiversity, regulating water flow, providing clean water, and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

■ Ramsar sites in India (Statewise list):

• Ramsar sites are those wetland sites that are considered of international importance. These sites are protected under the Ramsar Convention.

• The International Treaty for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Wetlands was signed at a city in Iran called Ramsar in 1971. It came into force in 1975.

• February 2 is celebrated as International Wetlands Day, as the Ramsar Convention was signed on February 2, 1971.

• It entered into force in India on 1 February 1982.

• Currently, India has 80 Ramsar sites.

• Tamil Nadu (16) has the highest number of Ramsar sites in India.

• The Largest and Samllest Ramsar site in India is Sundarbans wetland (4220 sq-km) of West Bengal and Renuka Wetland (0.2 sq-km) of Himachal Pradesh respectively.

□ Andhra Pradesh (1):

• Kolleru lake.

□ Assam (1):

• Deepor Beel.

□ Bihar (1):

• Kanwar Lake or Kabal Taal lake.

□ Goa (1):

• Nanda Lake.

□ Gujarat (4):

• Nalsarovar Bird sanctuary.
• Thol lake Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Wadhvana Wetland.
• Khijadia Wildlife Sanctuary

□ Haryana (2):

• Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Sultanpur National Park.

□ Himachal Pradesh (3):

• Chandra Taal.
• Pong Dam Lake.
• Renuka lake.

□ Jammu and Kashmir (5):

• Hokera Wetland.
• Surinsar-Mansar lakes.
• Wular lake.
• Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve.
• Shallbugh Wetland Conservation Reserve.

□ Karnataka (4):

• Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve.
• Aghanashini Estuary.
• Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve.
• Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary.

□ Kerala (3):

• Vembanad Kol Wetland.
• Sasthamkotta lake.
• Ashtamudi Wetland.

□ Ladakh (2):

• Tso Kar Wetland Complex.
• Tsomoriri Lake.

□ Madhya Pradesh (4):

• Bhoj Wetlands.
• Sakhya Sagar wetland.
• Sirpur Wetland.
• Yashwant Sagar.

□ Maharashtra (3):

•  Nandur Madhameshwar.
• Lonar Lake.
• Thane Creek.

□ Manipur (1):

• Loktak lake.

□ Mizoram (1):

• Pala wetland.

□ Odisha (6):

• Chilika Lake.
• Bhitarkanika Mangroves.
• Satkosia Gorge.
• Tampara Lake.
• Hirakud Reservoir.
• Ansupa Lake.

□ Punjab (6):

• Beas Conservation Reserve.
• Harike Wetlands.
• Kanjli Wetland.
• Keshopur-Miani Community Reserve.
• Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Ropar Wetland.

□ Rajasthan (2):

• Keoladeo National Park.
• Sambhar Lake.

□ Tamil Nadu (16):

• Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary (Kodiakkarai wildlife sanctuary).
• Karikili Bird Sanctuary.
• Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest.
• Pichavaram Mangrove.
• Koothankulam Bird Sanctuary.
• Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve.
• Vembannur Wetland Complex.
• Vellode Bird Sanctuary.
• Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary.
• Udhayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary.
• Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary.
• Suchindram Theroor Wetland Complex
• Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary.
• Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary.
• Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary.
• Longwood Shola Reserve Forest.

□ Tripura (1):

• Rudrasagar Lake.

□ Uttarakhand (1):

• Asan Barrage.

□ Uttar Pradesh (10):

• Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary.
• Parvati Aranga Bird Sanctuary.
• Saman Bird Sanctuary.
• Samaspur Bird Sanctuary.
• Sandi Bird Sanctuary.
• Sarsai Nawar Jheel.
• Sur Sarovar Bird Sanctuary.
• Upper-Ganga River (Brijghat to Narora Stretch).
• Haiderpur Wetland.
• Bakhira Wildlife sanctuary.

□ West Bengal (2):

• East Kolkata Wetlands.
• Sunderbans Wetland.

■ Greening and Restoration of Wasteland with Agroforestry (GROW):

• Greening and Restoration of Wasteland with Agroforestry (GROW) report and portal was launched today.

• This multi-institutional effort led by NITI Aayog utilized remote sensing and GIS to assess agroforestry suitability across all districts in India.

• Using thematic datasets, an Agroforestry Suitability Index (ASI) was developed for national level prioritization.

• The report provides state-wise and district-wise analysis, supporting government departments and industries for greening and restoration projects.

• Currently, agroforestry covers 8.65% of India's total geographical area, totalling about 28.42 million hectares.

• Approximately 16.96% of the Total Geographical Area (TGA) is wasteland, requiring transformation for productive use.

• India, the pioneer of the National Agroforestry Policy in 2014, aims to enhance productivity, profitability, and sustainability through this agroecological land use system.

• Agroforestry integrates trees, crops, and livestock, addressing food, nutrition, energy, employment, and environmental challenges.

• This aligns with global commitments like the Paris Agreement, Bonn Challenge, UN Sustainable Development Goals, United Nations Convention on Combating Desertification (UNCCD), Doubling Farmers Income, Green India Mission and more.

SOURCE - PIB (https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2005411)

🦍 World Wildlife Day, March 3:

• World Wildlife Day is observed annually to raise awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation.

• Theme for this year is "Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation".

🦌 Hangul (Kashmir Stag):

• Kashmir Stag is the state animal of Jammu & Kashmir. It is also known as Hangul (Cervus Elaphus Hanglu).

• Hangul or Kashmir Stag is the only surviving subspecies of Elk (Cervus Canadensis) which is native to Kashmir.

• In Kashmir, it’s often spotted in Dachigam National Park.

• The Jammu and Kashmir government started "Project Hangul" with the help of the World Wildlife Fund to save Hangul (Cervus elaphus hanglu) in 1970.

• It is classified as "Critically Endangered" by the IUCN Red List.

• The Hanguls are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Dachigam National Park - Jammu and Kashmir.

🪖 Treaty of Yandabo, 1826:

• The Treaty of Yandabo was the peace treaty that ended the First Anglo-Burmese War (1824 - 1826).

• The treaty was signed on 24 February 1826 between the English East India Company and Burmese.

🌋 Mount Ruang volcano - Indonesia.