Living root bridges
Why in news?
- Researchers from Germany investigated living root bridges of in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya. They have proposed to integrate them in modern architecture around the world, and potentially help make cities more environment-friendly.
News summary
- The jing kieng jri or living root bridges — aerial bridges built by weaving and manipulating the living roots of the Indian rubber tree — have been serving as connectors for generations in Meghalaya.
- Spanning between 15 and 250 feet and built over centuries, the bridges, primarily a means to cross streams and rivers, have also become world-famous tourist attractions.
- A root bridge uses traditional tribal knowledge to train roots of the Indian rubber tree, found in abundance in the area, to grow laterally across a stream bed, resulting in a living bridge of roots.
- The process begins with placing of young pliable aerial roots growing from Ficus elastica (India rubber) trees in hollowed out Areca catechu or native bamboo trunks. These provide essential nutrition and protection from the weather, and also perform as aerial root guidance systems.
- Over time, as the aerial roots increase in strength and thickness, the Areca catechu or native bamboo trunks are no longer required.
Aalmi Tablighi Ijtima
Why in news?
- In Madhya Pradesh, the four-day Aalmi Tablighi Ijtima, world’s biggest Islamic Congregation began in Bhopal. More than one million people from 54 countries are expected to attend the congregation which will continue till 25th November.
News summary
- Alami Tablighi Ijtima is a forum for delivering some important religious-spiritual messages to Muslims around the world. Scholars speak on a variety of subjects including the Islamic way of life and the Six Principles.
- One of the most prominent features of Alami Tablighi Ijtima is that it has no political affiliation.
- Ijtima started in the era of Nawabs in Bhopal. The first Alami Tablighi Ijtima took place in Bhopal in 1944 and only 14 people attended it then. Now the number has increased to millions.
- Thousands of people from various countries across the world including Russia, France, Indonesia, Malaysia, Iraq and Saudi Arabia have reached Bhopal to participate in this event.
Potential Diarrhea vaccine developed in Sweden
Why in news?
- The researchers of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden have developed a potential Diarrhea vaccine.
- Science journal, The Lancet, reports that it has been proved safe and effective in an early-stage clinical trial in Bangladesh.
Key highlights:
- The report said that 80 to 100 per cent of the children aged two to five years and 50 to 80 per cent of infants aged six to eleven months, selected for the study responded to all key immunity generating components of the vaccine.
- The researchers said, there is no vaccine yet for use for children and vaccine development for Diarrhea is a World Health Organization priority.
Advisory panel for DHFL
Why in news?
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) constituted a three-member panel to advise the Administrator of Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Limited (DHFL) ahead of formally moving for resolution of the troubled mortgage lender under the insolvency law.
News summary
- Recently, RBI superseded DHFL’s board and placed the company under an administrator in the wake of governance issues and severe liquidity crisis which had led to a string of defaults.
- Now, RBI, in exercise of powers conferred under section 45 IE 5(a) of the RBI Act 1934, constituted a three-member Advisory Committee to assist the Administrator of DHFL in discharge of his duties.
The members of the Advisory Committee are as follows:
- Rajiv Lall, Non-Executive Chairman, IDFC First Bank Ltd
- N S Kannan, Managing Director and CEO, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Co. Ltd
- NS Venkatesh, Chief Executive, Association of Mutual Funds in India
- The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Rules, 2019 have a provision for the financial sector regulator concerned to appoint a committee to advise the administrator in the operations of the financial service provider during the corporate insolvency resolution process.
Global Bio-India Summit 2019
Why in news?
- India’s first largest biotechnology conference – the Global Bio-India (GBI) Summit, 2019 concluded in New Delhi.
News summary:
- The three-day event was organized by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India along with Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC).
- The Department plans to turn the GBI into an annual event with support from all stakeholders.
- The Summit provided an opportunity to showcase the potential of India’s biotech sector to the international community, identify, create opportunities and deliberate on the key challenges in the areas of Bio-pharma, Bio-Agri, Bio-Industrial, Bio-Energy and Bio-Services and allied sectors.