Geography related articles in News

News- Due to extreme heat, the Krishna River has dried up earlier than expected, significantly disrupting irrigation in Karnataka’s Bagalkot, Vijayapura, and Yadgir districts.

About Krishna river

• Origin: The Krishna River originates near Mahabaleshwar in the Western Ghats, located in Satara district, Maharashtra.
• It is India’s third-longest river, following the Ganges and Godavari.
• In terms of water inflows and basin area, it ranks as the fourth-largest river in India, after the Ganges, Indus, and Godavari.
• The Krishna River basin spans across the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.
• Left Bank tributaries – Bhima, Dindi, Peddavagu, Musi, Paleru, Munneru.
• Right Bank tributaries – Kudali (Niranjna) Venna, Koyna, Panchganga, Dudhaganga, Ghataprabha, Malaprabha and Tungabhadra (largest tributary).
• Key projects– The key projects on the Krishna River include Tungabhadra, Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar, and Prakasam Barrage, all of which are crucial for irrigation and hydroelectric power generation.

News- China has accused the Philippines of an intrusion into the disputed waters of Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea (SCS).

About Scarborough Shoal

• It is the largest atoll in the South China Sea, situated about 220 km west of the Philippines.
• While it lies within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Philippines, it has been claimed by China as part of its ancestral territory, citing the nine-dash line since the 13th century.
• Marine Significance: The area is known for its rich marine life, including commercially valuable species like shellfish and sea cucumbers, making it a productive fishing ground.

Other Disputed Islands in the South China Sea: Paracel Islands and Spratly Islands are other key areas of dispute in the region.

News- After two years of brutal civil war, Sudan’s Tuti Island has been retaken by the national army, but it remains ravaged and largely abandoned. Tuti Island

About Tuti Island

• Location– It is located at the confluence of the Blue and White Niles in Khartoum, Sudan.
• Bordering urban centres– It is surrounded by the “Three Towns”: Khartoum (Sudan’s capital), Omdurman (the country’s largest city), and Khartoum North (also called Bahri, a major industrial area).
• Significance:
  • The island covers 8 square kilometres and was traditionally known for farming and fishing, earning it the nickname “Khartoum’s garden.”
  • It is culturally important to the Mahas community, who settled there in the 15th century, making it a symbol of local identity and sustainable living.
• Flood management system– Due to its location, Tuti has always been susceptible to floods.  In response to increasing flood events, the community developed its own flood management system- The Taya system.
  • The HEART project (Heritage Empowered Action for Risk in Tuti) was launched to preserve the Taya system’s knowledge.

About Sudan

News: The Ramgarh Dam near Jaipur, which once served as a crucial source of water for the Rajasthan capital, is currently undergoing a survey to identify and remove encroachments and obstructions in its catchment area. Ramgarh Lake.

About Ramgarh Lake

• It is a man-made water body located near Jamwa Ramgarh, approximately 30 kilometers from Jaipur in Rajasthan, India.
• It hosted the rowing events during the 1982 Asian Games, underlining its prominence in Indian sports history.
• The lake last received water in 1999 and has remained dry since the year 2000.
• Due to the rich biodiversity in the area, the Government of India declared it a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1982.
• Historical Significance: Ramgarh was once a royal hunting ground for the Maharajas of Jaipur. The region has since evolved into a heritage site with significant cultural importance.
• Another major attraction near the lake is the shrine of Jamwa Mata, situated downhill from the lake. This temple was established by Rao Dulherao of the Kachhwaha clan of Jaipur.

News: Ministry of Shipping grants first digital NOC for jetty development on National Waterway-68 along River Mandovi in Goa.

About Mandovi River

• The Mandovi River (also known as Mahadayi or Mhadei) is one of the main West Flowing Rivers of Goa State. Alongside the Zuari River, it is one of the two principal rivers in the state, playing a crucial role in its ecology and economy.
• Origin: It rises at Bhimgad in the Western Ghats of Belgavi district in Karnataka state.
• River course: It travels 35 km in Karnataka; 82 km in Goa and 1 km in Maharashtra before joining the Arabian Sea at Panji (North-Goa).
• Tributaries: The important tributaries of Mandovi River are Kalasa Nala, Banduri Nala, Surla Nala, Haltar Nala, Singar Nala, Doli Nala, Kotni Nala, Irti Nala, Bail Nadi, Pansheer Nala, Madhuhalla Nala.
• Some Interesting Facts:
  • Dudhsagar Falls and Vajrapoha Falls: These prominent waterfalls are located on this river.
  • The Atal Setu (Third Mandovi Bridge), inaugurated in 2019, is the largest bridge in Goa.
  • The Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is located on the island of Chorao in the Mandovi river.
  • National Waterway-68 is part of Mandovi River.

News: NGT orders the authorities to prevent illegal mining in Aravali land protected under Nicobar swap. Aravalli Range.

About Aravalli Range

• It is a mountain range in northern-western India, running approximately 670 km in a south-west direction.
• It is one of the oldest fold mountain in the world.
• It starts from near Delhi, passing through southern Haryana, Rajasthan and ending in Gujarat.
• It is divided into two sections: The Sambhar-Sirohi ranges, taller and including Guru Shikhar; and the Sambhar-Khetri ranges, consisting of three ridges that are discontinuous.
• Formation: The Aravalli Range is one of the oldest geological features on Earth having its origin in the Proterozoic era through tectonic plate collisions that led to the formation of the Aravalli-Delhi orogenic belt.
• Highest peak: The highest peak is Guru Shikhar on Mount Abu at 1,722 m (5,650 feet).
• Rivers: It gives rise to several rivers, including the Banas, Luni, Sakhi, Sahibi and Sabarmati.

News: Slovakia intends to upgrade defence ties with India as Indian President is scheduled to visit the European country. Slovakia.

About Slovakia

• Location: It is a landlocked country in central Europe.
• Bordering countries: It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest.
• Topography: The Western Carpathian Mountains (including Tatra Mountains) dominate the topography of Slovakia.
  • The highest peak is Gerlachovský Peak, part of the High Tatras.
• Rivers: Slovakia is mainly drained by the Danube River. The Morava river forms its southwestern border.
• It was part of Czechoslovakia until the “velvet divorce” in January 1993.
• It is a member of NATO and European Union.

News: A new study by an international team of researchers led by Macquarie University in Australia has called the assumptions around plate tectonics theory into question in light of existence of Hadean protocrust. Hadean protocrust.

About Hadean protocrust

• It is the name for the outermost layer of earth’s crust, when it first formed in first geologic aeon (around 4 – 4.6 billion years ago).
• The ‘Hadean’ prefix refers to the planet’s first geologic aeon.
• The eon’s name “Hadean” comes from Hades, the Greek god of the ‘underworld’.

Geological procedures during Hadean aeon

• Within 200 million years of its genesis, the earth’s surface was partially molten and constantly bombarded by rocks from space. The surface was very hot and hellish due to erupting volcanoes.
• With time, parts of the magma ocean started to cool down and the first pieces of the crust began to take shape.
• Formation of plates: The thicker parts of the crust slowly formed the first continents, which moved like plates on the asthenospheric mantle, a layer going 400 km down.
• Plate actions and their signatures: The plates soon began drifting into each other – sliding over or diving under each other, leaving unique chemical signatures in the crust over millennia.
• These chemical signatures have been most important in understanding the history of plate tectonics by studying them.

The new study

• Now a new study has reported that the chemical signatures that scientists have associated with plate tectonics, actually existed in the Hadean protocrust, before the plates even began to subduct. So, it suggests that the continental crust began forming earlier than previously thought.

News: An Assam-based environmentalist has flagged the alleged discharge of hazardous effluents by Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) into the Dhansiri River.

About Dhansiri river

• The Dhansiri is a river in India that flows through the Golaghat District of Assam and the Chümoukedima and Dimapur Districts of Nagaland. 
• It serves as a significant tributary of the Brahmaputra River.
• It originates from the Laisang Peak in Nagaland and travels approximately 352 kilometers (219 miles) from south to north before merging with the Brahmaputra River on its southern bank. 
• As it forms the boundary between Karbi Anglong and Nagaland, the Dhansiri River passes through Dhansiri Reserved Forest and Intanki National Park. 
• The riverbanks are home to a variety of valuable timber-yielding trees, particularly within the Intanki Forest region.
• The river is associated with numerous perennially waterlogged swampy areas, locally known as bils.

News– The tensions have risen in the Arctic region, following the comments made by the US President about annexing Greenland and Canada (including their dispute on the status of the Northwest Passage) added with impacts of climate change and resource competition in the region. Arctic Council.

About Arctic Council

• • It is an intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic States, Arctic Indigenous Peoples and other Arctic inhabitants on common Arctic issues, in particular on issues of sustainable development and environmental protection in the Arctic. 
  • Established in: It was formally established in 1996 (Ottawa Declaration).
  • Member countries: 8 (Denmark (), Canada, Norway, the United States, Russia, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland). Their national jurisdictions and international law govern the lands surrounding the Arctic Ocean and its waters.
  • Six Permanent Participants: It is a unique feature of the Arctic Council. Six organizations representing Arctic Indigenous Peoples have status as Permanent Participants. This category was created to provide a means for active participation of the Arctic Indigenous Peoples within the Council.
  • Observers: It is open to non-Arctic states, along with inter-governmental, inter-parliamentary, global, regional and non-governmental organizations. India holds observer status in the Arctic Council since 2013. 
  • Secretariat: in Tromsø, Norway
  • Decision making: All Arctic Council decisions and statements require consensus of the eight Arctic States.

About Northwest Passage (NWP)

• It is a sea route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Arctic Archipelago of Canada.
• Significance: When traveling from London to Tokyo, the Northwest Passage is 7,000 kilometres shorter than the current shipping route through the Panama Canal (about 23,000 kilometres). The route through the passage is just 16,000 kilometres.

About Northeast Passage (NEP)

• The eastern route along the Arctic coasts of Norway and Siberia is accordingly called the Northeast Passage (NEP).
• Significance: This route could reduce the maritime distance between East Asia and Europe by approximately 8,000 km compared to the traditional route through the Suez Canal.