In News:

The Rajasthan Forest Department has recently redrawn the boundaries of the Nahargarh Wildlife Sanctuary (NWS), located near Jaipur, sparking controversy among conservationists and legal experts. The move, alleged to benefit luxury hotels and commercial establishments within the sanctuary and its Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ), has raised questions about legality, ecological safeguards, and governance.

About Nahargarh Wildlife Sanctuary

• Location: ~20 km from Jaipur, under the Aravalli range.
• Size: Originally ~720 hectares; currently notified as 6,025.74 hectares across 16 villages.
• History: Named after Nahargarh Fort, built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in the 18th century.
• Nahargarh Biological Park: Part of the sanctuary, noted for its lion safari.
• Flora: Dry deciduous forests, scrublands, grasslands.
• Fauna: Leopards, deer, sloth bears, wild boars, lions, tigers, reptiles like pythons and monitor lizards, and diverse birdlife including owls, eagles, and peacocks.

The Controversy

• Procedural Lapses
  • Under Section 26A of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, any change in sanctuary boundaries requires approval from the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL).
  • Experts cite the 2013 Supreme Court judgment (Centre for Environmental Law, WWF-India vs Union of India), which mandated NBWL clearance for altering protected area limits.
  • However, Rajasthan submitted revised maps to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in July 2025 without NBWL’s recommendation.
• Alleged Motivations
  • Activists claim the revised map excludes “Described Areas” (revenue lands held by public and private bodies) while retaining only Reserved Forest patches.
  • This adjustment allegedly protects existing luxury hotels and other constructions in the ESZ, some of which earlier faced demolition orders for violations.
• Government’s Justification
  • Officials argue the 1980 notification used “grossly approximate” boundary descriptions.
  • Over four decades, urbanisation and topographical changes blurred the original limits.
  • A GIS-based remapping exercise using high-resolution satellite imagery and land records was undertaken, and state approval was granted in July 2025.

In News:

Following the successful NISAR (NASA–ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) mission, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)is preparing for its next major collaboration with the United States: the launch of the BlueBird communications satellite. The mission highlights India’s growing role as a reliable global launch partner and the expanding scope of Indo–U.S. space cooperation.

The BlueBird Satellite

• Developer: U.S.-based AST SpaceMobile
• Type: Advanced communications satellite designed for direct satellite-to-smartphone connectivity
• Weight: ~6,000 kg
• Antenna: Innovative 64-square-metre antenna array for high-capacity communication
• Orbit: Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
• Technology:
  • Enables direct calling and broadband access from space without the need for ground-based mobile towers
  • Supports beams up to 40 MHz capacity
  • Offers peak speeds of up to 120 Mbps
• Service Plan: After deployment, BlueBird satellites will provide non-continuous broadband cellular service initially in the U.S. and select global markets.

Launch Details

• Launch Vehicle: LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-3), ISRO’s heaviest rocket, formerly known as GSLV Mk-III
• Launch Site: Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota
• Timeline: Expected launch in the next 3–4 months (as per ISRO chairman V. Narayanan)

Strategic Significance

• For India–U.S. Cooperation:
  • Follows the joint NISAR Earth observation mission, reinforcing strategic space ties.
  • Strengthens India’s position as a preferred partner for global commercial satellite launches.
• For India’s Space Economy:
  • Enhances ISRO’s reputation in heavy-lift commercial launches, particularly with LVM3.
  • Showcases India’s cost-effective access to space, attracting further foreign collaborations.
• For Global Communication Technology:
  • Marks a breakthrough in direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity, reducing dependency on ground infrastructure.
  • Could help expand mobile and broadband coverage to remote and underserved regions worldwide.

In News:

In August 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the Oreshnik hypersonic missile—a new-generation intermediate-range ballistic missile—has entered production and military service. Plans are underway to deploy the system in Belarus by the end of 2025, signalling a major escalation in Russia’s standoff with NATO amid the Ukraine conflict.

Key Features

• Type: Intermediate-range, solid-fuel, mobile, hypersonic ballistic missile
• First Operational Use: November 2024, in a strike on Ukraine’s Pivdenmashdefence facility at Dnipro
• Speed: Capable of reaching Mach 10 (10 times the speed of sound)
• Range: Approx. 5,000 km (3,100 miles), bringing the entirety of Europe within its strike zone
• Warhead Capability:
  • Carries conventional or nuclear warheads
  • Equipped with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicles (MIRVs), allowing simultaneous strikes on multiple targets
• Strategic Advantage: Hypersonic speed, mid-flight manoeuvrability, and MIRV capability make it virtually immune to interception by current Western missile defence systems

Strategic Context

• Belarus as a Forward Base:
  • Belarus shares a 673-mile border with Ukraine, making it strategically vital.
  • It already hosts Russian troops and tactical nuclear weapons.
  • Deployment of Oreshnik here allows Moscow to project power deeper into Europe.
• Nuclear Security Pact (2023):
  • Russia and Belarus signed an agreement placing Belarus under Russia’s nuclear umbrella.
  • Russia retains the right to use nuclear weapons stationed in Belarus if “aggression” is perceived.
  • Belarus has reportedly hosted “several dozen” Russian nuclear weapons since late 2024.
• Geopolitical Implications:
  • Russia warned NATO against supplying Ukraine with long-range weapons capable of striking inside Russia.
  • Putin cautioned that Russia could retaliate with systems like Oreshnik “even beyond Ukraine.”
  • By suggesting that conventional Oreshnik strikes could be as devastating as nuclear attacks, Moscow is raising deterrence levels against the West.

Implications for Global Security

• Erosion of Arms Control: With the collapse of Cold War-era treaties like the INF Treaty (1987), weapons such as Oreshnik operate in a largely unregulated environment.
• Escalation of NATO–Russia Rivalry: The missile’s deployment in Belarus expands Russia’s strike capability across Europe, heightening NATO security concerns.
• Nuclear Threshold Ambiguity: Oreshnik’s dual capability (conventional and nuclear) blurs the line between conventional warfare and nuclear escalation.
• Arms Race in Hypersonics: The U.S., China, and other powers are also developing hypersonic weapons, intensifying competition in next-generation strategic arms.

In News:

The bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014 created prolonged disputes between Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Telangana over sharing the waters of the Krishna and Godavari rivers. Issues have resurfaced with Andhra Pradesh’s proposal of the Polavaram–Banakacherla Link Project (PBLP), opposed by Telangana on legal and ecological grounds.

In July 2025, the Union Government decided to set up two dedicated river management boards—the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) at Amaravati and the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) at Hyderabad. Both will include Central officials, technical experts, and representatives from the two states.

Polavaram–Banakacherla Link Project (PBLP)

• Objective: Divert 200 TMC of surplus Godavari floodwaters to drought-prone Rayalaseema by linking the Polavaram reservoir to the Banakacherla regulator in Kurnool district.
• Water Transfer Mechanism:
  • Draw water from Polavaram Dam
  • Convey through Prakasam Barrage → lift to Bollapalli reservoir
  • Tunnel through the Nallamala hills → release into Banakacherla reservoir
• Significance: Strengthens irrigation, drinking water supply, and agricultural sustainability; aligns with national schemes such as Jal Jeevan Mission, Blue Revolution, and Make in India.

Telangana’s Concerns

• Violation of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 – which requires prior approval of the Apex Council, KRMB, and CWC for new inter-state river projects.
• Disputed “Surplus” Claim – Telangana contests Andhra’s claim of 200 TMC surplus Godavari waters, arguing no adjudicatory body has approved such diversion.
• Environmental and Legal Clearances – Though the Polavaram Project got clearance in 2005, the Expert Appraisal Committee has called for fresh scrutiny, especially due to submergence concerns in Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
• Unauthorised Inter-Basin Diversion – Godavari-to-Krishna transfer without mutual consent could undermine Telangana’s own projects.
• Breach of Cooperative Federalism – Telangana sees unilateral action by Andhra as bypassing consensus-driven water governance.

Consensus Achieved in July 2025 Talks

• Telemetry Systems: Both states agreed to install real-time monitoring devices at reservoirs and projects to ensure transparency in water usage.
• Srisailam Project Repairs: Andhra agreed to undertake crucial maintenance at this shared project.
• Board Reorganisation: KRMB’s office to shift to Amaravati/Vijayawada for better oversight.
• Joint Committee: High-level committee of central, state, and technical experts to study outstanding issues and recommend equitable solutions.

Legal and Institutional Mechanisms for Inter-State Water Disputes

• Constitutional Provisions:
  • Article 262: Parliament may legislate for adjudication of inter-state water disputes; can also bar courts’ jurisdiction.
  • State List (Entry 17): States control water-related issues.
  • Union List (Entry 56): Centre can regulate inter-state rivers in the national interest.
• Statutory Framework:
  • River Boards Act, 1956: Allows River Boards for coordinated development; not implemented in practice.
  • Inter-State Water Disputes Act, 1956: Provides for tribunals. Amendments in 2002 mandated quicker constitution of tribunals (1 year) and decisions within 3 years.
• Judicial Role: Despite Article 262(2), the Supreme Court has intervened in interpretation and implementation of tribunal awards (e.g., Mahadayi Water Dispute, 2018).

In News:

A team of Indian scientists may have found a way to improve the drainage capacity of lymphatic vessels in the liver and intestine that fails in case of cirrhosis, by using nanocarriers filled with a powerful protein called VEGF-C.

Understanding Liver Cirrhosis

Cirrhosis is the advanced stage of chronic liver disease where healthy tissue is replaced by scar tissue due to prolonged inflammation. This structural distortion affects both blood and lymphatic vessels in the liver and intestine, impairing circulation and fluid balance.

Causes:

• Excessive alcohol consumption
• NASH (Non-Alcoholic Steato-Hepatitis)
• Chronic viral infections such as Hepatitis B and C

Symptoms (often in advanced stages): extreme fatigue, loss of appetite, easy bruising or bleeding, swelling in legs/ankles (edema), and abdominal fluid accumulation (ascites).

The Problem of Lymphatic Dysfunction

In cirrhosis, lymphatic vessels (mesenteric lymphatic vessels or mLVs) become dilated and dysfunctional. Normally, these vessels drain interstitial fluid, proteins, and immune cells back into venous blood.

• In cirrhosis, lymph production increases nearly 30-fold due to portal hypertension and liver congestion.
• Dysfunctional lymph flow leads to ascites (abdominal fluid buildup), one of the most serious complications of decompensated cirrhosis.
• Currently, there is no effective therapy to correct this lymphatic dysfunction.

The VEGF-C Based Breakthrough

A joint team from the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), New Delhi and the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Guwahati has developed a novel therapy using Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-C (VEGF-C).

• Role of VEGF-C: A key pro-lymphangiogenic factor that binds to VEGFR-3 receptors, stimulating the growth of new lymphatic vessels and enhancing drainage.
• Challenge: VEGF-C has a short half-life, is hydrophilic, and can cause systemic side effects.

The Innovation: Nanocarriers

• Scientists at NIPER designed reverse micelle-based nanocarriers to encapsulate VEGF-C, ensuring targeted delivery to gut lymphatic vessels.
• These nanocarriers specifically bind to VEGFR-3 homodimers, maximizing efficacy and minimizing side effects.
• The formulation was delivered orally in animal models, ensuring uptake by intestinal lymphatic vessels.

Findings (Animal Studies)

• Significant increase in mesenteric lymph drainage
• Reduction in ascites and portal hypertension
• Enhanced cytotoxic T-cell immunity in lymph nodes
• Reduction in local and systemic bacterial load

Significance and Future Prospects

• This is the first study to demonstrate that therapeutic lymphangiogenesis using VEGF-C can reconstruct fragmented lymphatic networks and restore function in advanced cirrhosis.
• Funded by the DST Nano Mission and published in JHEP Reports, it marks a major step in translational medicine.
• Next steps: Preclinical studies in larger animals, followed by human clinical trials to establish safety, dosage, and efficacy.