22 August 2026

UPSC GS 1

1. Parichha Dam

News: Recently, the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) recognized the historic Parichha Dam as a World Heritage Irrigation Structure (WHIS).

About Parichha Dam:

o   Location: Parichha Dam is situated on the Betwa River in Jhansi district of Uttar Pradesh.

o   Part of Betwa Canal System: The dam forms an important component of the Betwa Canal System, which provides irrigation water to the drought-prone Bundelkhand region.

o   Irrigation Importance: It has been supporting agricultural irrigation in Bundelkhand for nearly 140 years and benefits several areas of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

Historical Background:

o   Initial Proposal: In 1855, Captain Strachey proposed the development of a canal system for Bundelkhand, following which detailed surveys were conducted.

o   Construction: Construction of the Parichha Dam began in 1881.

o   Operationalization: The dam became operational in 1886 and has continued to serve irrigation needs since then.

Significance:

o   Agricultural Support: The dam has played a crucial role in supporting agriculture in water-scarce regions of Bundelkhand.

o   Heritage Recognition: Its inclusion in the World Heritage Irrigation Structure (WHIS) list recognizes its engineering excellence, historical value, and continued contribution to irrigation.

o   Related Recognition: In 2022, the Sukwa-Dukwan Weir in Jhansi was also included in the ICID World Heritage Irrigation Structure list.

International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID)

About ICID:

o   Establishment: The International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) was established in 1950.

o   Nature: It is a leading scientific, technical, international, non-profit, and non-governmental organization.

o   Mission: Its mission is to promote sustainable agricultural water management to achieve a water-secure world free from poverty and hunger through sustainable rural development.

o   Areas of Work: ICID works in the fields of irrigation, drainage, and flood management.

World Heritage Irrigation Structure (WHIS) Programme:

o   Purpose: Under the WHIS programme, ICID recognizes historically significant irrigation and drainage structures for their engineering achievements, historical importance, and continued utility.

o   Criteria for WHIS Recognition:

o   Age Criterion: The structure must be more than 100 years old.

Eligible Categories: The recognized structures may include:

o  Dams primarily used for irrigation purposes.

o  Water storage structures such as irrigation tanks.

o  Barrages and water diversion structures.

o  Canal systems.

o  Traditional water-lifting devices such as old waterwheels and shadouf.

o  Agricultural drainage structures.

o  Any site or structure associated with past or present agricultural water management activities.

 2. India’s First-ever Guide to Grasslands and Other Open Natural Ecosystems

News: Recently, India launched its first-ever Guide to Grasslands and Other Open Natural Ecosystems at the 17th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

About the Guide:

o   National Reference Document: The Guide is a comprehensive national reference document that highlights the diversity, ecological significance, and socio-economic importance of India’s grasslands and other open natural ecosystems.

o   Launch Event: The Guide was launched during UNCCD COP17 held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

o   Developing Institutions: It was developed under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in collaboration with the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

o   Aim: The Guide seeks to strengthen the conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of India’s grasslands and other Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs) through science-based approaches.

About Grasslands:

o   Definition: Grasslands are ecosystems predominantly covered by grasses and herbaceous vegetation.

o   Ecological Importance: They support diverse wildlife and provide crucial ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, water storage, nutrient cycling, and climate regulation.

About Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs):

o   Definition: Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs) are naturally occurring open landscapes that include grasslands, savannas, deserts, scrublands, ravines, rocky plateaus, and coastal ecosystems.

Key Features of the Guide:

o   Comprehensive Information: The Guide compiles extensive information on major Open Natural Ecosystems across India, including their geographical distribution, ecological characteristics, biodiversity, and associated communities and tribes.

o   Ecosystems Covered: It covers a wide range of ecosystems, including Himalayan and Terai grasslands, the Thar Desert, Banni grasslands, Deccan savannas, rocky plateaus, ravines, scrublands, coastal ecosystems, and desert landscapes.

o   Thematic Coverage: The Guide includes dedicated sections on pastoralism, fire ecology, and carbon sequestration.

o   Correcting the Wasteland Narrative: The Guide emphasizes that ecosystems such as grasslands, scrublands, and ravines should not be considered wastelands merely because they lack tree cover.

o   Science-Based Conservation: It highlights the need for stronger scientific understanding, improved land-degradation assessments, and landscape-level planning for effective conservation and restoration.

o   Resource for Stakeholders: The Guide is intended to serve as a valuable resource for policymakers, researchers, conservation practitioners, development agencies, and local communities.

UPSC GS 3

 1. ‘Industry’ and Triple Test

News: Recently, the Supreme Court held that the broad definition of “Industry” and the Triple Test laid down in the landmark Bangalore Water Supply (1978) judgment remains the correct interpretation under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.

About Definition of ‘Industry’ and Triple Test:

o   Supreme Court Ruling: The Supreme Court reaffirmed that the broad interpretation of “Industry” provided in the Bangalore Water Supply case (1978) continues to apply to disputes arising under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.

o   Legal Framework: The term “industry” was earlier governed by the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 and is now defined under the Industrial Relations Code, 2020.

o   Impact of the 1978 Judgment: The broad interpretation adopted in the Bangalore Water Supply judgment expanded the scope of labour protections by bringing a wider range of establishments within the ambit of labour laws.

o   Position under the Industrial Relations Code, 2020: The Court clarified that future disputes arising under the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 will be interpreted based on the provisions of the new Code and not automatically governed by the Bangalore Water Supply judgment.

o   Pending Cases: All cases currently pending before courts, labour authorities and other forums under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 may continue to be adjudicated using the Triple Test.

Triple Test for Identifying an Industry:

o   Organised and Systematic Activity: The undertaking must be carried out in an organised and systematic manner.

o   Employer–Employee Cooperation: There must be cooperation between employers and employees in carrying out the activity.

o   Production or Distribution of Goods and Services: The activity should involve the production and/or distribution of goods or services intended to satisfy human wants and needs.

o   Profit Motive Not Essential: An activity can qualify as an industry even if it is not driven by a profit motive.

o   Exclusion: Purely spiritual or religious activities are generally excluded from the definition of an industry.

2. Ervebo Vaccine

News: The World Health Organization (WHO) will provide 70,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine to the Democratic Republic of Congo during the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak.

About Ervebo Vaccine:

o   Definition: Ervebo is an approved Ebola vaccine that has been proven safe and effective against the Zaire strain of the Ebola virus.

o   Manufacturer: The vaccine is manufactured by Merck.

o   Vaccine Type:  Ervebo is a live attenuated recombinant vaccine that uses the Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) as a vector.

Working Mechanism:

o   Genetic Modification: A small gene from the Ebola virus is inserted into the VSV vector to create the vaccine virus.

o   No Ebola Infection Risk: Since the vaccine does not contain the complete Ebola virus, it cannot cause Ebola disease.

o   Immune Response: The modified virus mimics a natural infection and trains the immune system to recognize and fight the Ebola virus.

Administration:

o   Single-Dose Vaccine: It is administered as a single dose.

o   Eligible Age Group: It can be given to individuals aged 12 months and above.

o   Limitation

o   Strain-Specific Protection: Ervebo provides protection only against the Zaire strain of Ebola virus and does not protect against other orthoebolaviruses or orthomarburgviruses.

3. Psammophaga Holzmannae and Psammophaga Sinhai

News: Scientists from Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune, have discovered two new species of microscopic marine organisms named Psammophaga holzmannae and Psammophaga sinhai along Maharashtra’s Konkan coast.

About Psammophaga Holzmannae and Psammophaga Sinhai

o   Definition:  These are two newly discovered species of microscopic marine organisms that selectively collect and ingest specific mineral grains from the seafloor.

o   Discovery Location:  They were discovered in Rajapuri Creek, located in Raigad district of Maharashtra along the Konkan coast.

o   Taxonomic Group:  Psammophaga belongs to the group of microscopic organisms known as foraminifera, which are widely found in marine environments.

o   Meaning of the Name:  The term Psammophaga is derived from Greek words meaning “sand eater.”

o   Body Structure:  Unlike many foraminifera that possess hard, multi-chambered shells, these species have a single chamber and a soft wall composed mainly of fine clay particles.

Distinctive Features:

o   P. holzmannae: It has an oval to nearly circular shape with an orange or yellowish interior, and the swallowed mineral grains are concentrated near the aperture (opening).

o   P. sinhai: It has an elongated, droplet-like appearance, with mineral grains distributed throughout its body.

Selective Mineral Feeding:

o   Preferred Minerals: Both species selectively ingest heavy minerals rich in titanium and iron, particularly ilmenite and magnetite.

o   Unique Behaviour: These minerals occur only in small quantities in the surrounding sediment, indicating a highly selective feeding mechanism.

Feeding Mechanism:

o   Granuloreticulopodia: The organisms use thin, temporary, hair-like extensions called granuloreticulopodia.

o   Function: These extensions emerge from the aperture and help interact with surrounding sediments to identify and collect specific mineral grains.

o   Scientific Significance: Researchers believe these structures enable mineral selection, although the exact mechanism is not yet fully understood.

4. Glyphosate

News: Recently, environmentalists raised concerns over the alleged use of glyphosate on forest department land for pea cultivation in parts of Himachal Pradesh.

About Glyphosate:

o   News: Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide employed to control and eliminate a broad range of weeds and unwanted plants.

o   Chemical Nature:  Glyphosate consists of a linear carbon-chain structure with relatively weaker chemical bonds, making it comparatively less persistent in the environment.

Type of Herbicide:

o   Broad-Spectrum Herbicide: It can effectively control a wide variety of plants, including grasses, broadleaf weeds, and woody vegetation.

Impact and Mode of Action:

Herbicidal Action:

o   EPSP Synthase Inhibition: Glyphosate works by blocking the enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase, which is essential for the production of certain amino acids required for plant growth.

Protein Synthesis Disruption:

o   Growth Inhibition: By preventing amino acid synthesis, glyphosate disrupts protein formation, eventually causing the death of the plant.

Broad-Spectrum Effectiveness:

o   Target Plants: It is effective against plants growing above the water surface but is generally ineffective against submerged aquatic plants or regrowth arising from seeds.

Environmental Behaviour:

o   Microbial Breakdown: Glyphosate is degraded by microorganisms present in soil and water.

o   Strong Soil Binding: It binds tightly to soil particles, reducing the possibility of leaching into groundwater.

o   Slow Breakdown in Plants: Glyphosate does not degrade rapidly within plant tissues, which can lead to residues being present in certain food products.