Facts in News

                             Facts in News

World Liver Day

• It is observed every year on 19 April.
• Aim: To spread awareness about liver-related disease.

• The liver is the second largest and the most complex organ in the body, with the exception of the brain.
• It is responsible for many important functions like processing nutrients, filtering the blood, producing bile, regulating hormones, maintaining blood sugar levels, blood clotting and fighting infections.
• According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), liver diseases are the tenth most common cause of death in India.
• Liver diseases can be caused by hepatitis A, B, C, alcohol and drugs.
• The consumption of contaminated food, water and drug abuse are the reasons behind viral hepatitis disease.
  • “Hepato” means liver and “itis” means inflammation. Hence, Hepatitis means the inflammation of the liver.
• Cirrhosis is a complication of liver disease that involves loss of liver cells and irreversible scarring of the liver.

Gallantry Awards

• Gallantry Awards have been instituted by the Government of India to honour the acts of bravery and sacrifice of the officers/personnel of the Armed Forces, other lawfully constituted forces and civilians.
• These gallantry awards are announced twice a year – first on the occasion of Republic Day and then on the occasion of Independence Day.
• Gallantry Awards are classified into two Categories

• Gallantry in the Face of Enemy
  • Param Vir Chakra (PVC)
  • Mahavir Chakra (MVC)
  • Vir Chakra
• Gallantry Other than in the Face of Enemy
  • Ashok Chakra
  • Kirti Chakra
  • Shaurya Chakra

Lingaraj Temple

• It was built during the 11th century AD.
• The temple has been described as “One of the finest examples of purely Hindu temples in India.
• Lingaraj is referred to as ‘Swayambhu” – (self-originated Shivling).
• The temple marks the culmination of the temple architecture in Bhubaneswar, Odisha which was the cradle of the Kalinga School of Temple Architecture.
• The sprawling temple complex has one hundred and fifty subsidiary shrines.
• The temples are considered a masterpiece of Indian Architecture for their detailed plan, proportions, seamless joints, elegant craftsmanship and impressive dimensions.
• The temple can broadly be divided into four main halls.
  • The Garbhagriha (Sanctum Sanctorum).
  •  The Yajana Mandapa (the hall for prayers)
  • The Natya Mandapa (dance and music hall)
  • The Bhoga Mandapa (where devotees can have the Prasad (offering) of the Lord).

• The exquisite carvings depicting chores of daily life, the activity centres, apart from being a place of worship makes the temple a place for social and cultural gathering, somewhat like a modern community centre.

Disc-Footed Bat

• Scientific name: Eudiscopus denticulus.
• Habitat: Southern China, Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar.
• It is India’s first bamboo-dwelling bat with sticky disks.
• It has been recorded in Meghalaya’s Lailad area near the Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary, about 1,000 km west of its nearest known habitat in Myanmar.
  • It has raised Meghalaya’s bat count to 66, the most for any State in India.
• The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) came across this very specialised small bat with disk-like pads in the thumb and bright orange colouration while sampling in a bamboo patch in 2020.
• Its flattened skull and adhesive pads enable them to roost inside cramped spaces, clinging to smooth surfaces such as bamboo internodes.
• It is also genetically very different from all other known bats bearing disk-like pads.
• Its very high frequency echolocation calls are suitable for orientation in a cluttered environment such as inside bamboo groves.

                                (Image Courtesy: TH)

Oxygen Express

• These will be run by the Railways in the following days to transport Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) and oxygen cylinders across the country.
• The requirement for Medical Oxygen is a critical component in the treatment of Covid-19 affected patients and it has increased manifold amidst the resurgence of cases.
• These will send oxygen wherever there is a demand
• Green Corridors are being created for fast movement of Oxygen Express trains which will transport LMO through roll-on-roll-off (Ro-Ro) service with road tankers placed on flat wagons.

World Heritage Day 2021

• Every year, it is celebrated on 18th April and is also known as International Day for Monuments and Sites.
• History: In 1982, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) suggested to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) that 18th April should be celebrated as this day, which was approved during the 22nd General Conference in 1983.
• Theme for 2021: Complex Pasts: Diverse Futures
  • The conservation of cultural heritage requires careful examination of the past, and its practice demands provision for the future
• Significance: It is dedicated to the conservation and promotion of cultural heritage through various activities undertaken by the ICOMOS.