1. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) 

• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed all State and UT Food Safety Commissioners to immediately remove non-compliant ORS products from the market.

About FSSAI:

• FSSAI is an autonomous statutory body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

• It was established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which consolidates all laws related to food safety and regulation.

• It sets science-based standards for food products and regulates their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import to ensure safe and wholesome food.

Functions:

• Standards Setting: Develops safety standards for food items.

• Food Safety Management: Issues guidelines for ensuring safe food handling practices.

• Licensing & Registration: Grants licences to food businesses and ensures compliance.

Surveillance: Conducts routine inspections and audits to check adherence to standards.

Consumer Awareness: Promotes education on food safety, hygiene, and nutrition.

Other Key Facts:

• Anyone selling or importing food in India must obtain an FSSAI licence.

• FSSAI monitors imported food, sending samples to accredited labs for testing.

• It also accredits food-testing laboratories across the country.

• Currently, India has 14 referral labs, 72 State/UT labs, and 112 NABL-accredited private labs.

2. Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary 

• A nine-day wildlife census has begun in the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary.

About the Sanctuary:

• Located in Chandigarh near the iconic Sukhna Lake at the Shivalik foothills.

• Sukhna Lake was created in 1958 by Le Corbusier by diverting the Sukhna Choe stream.

• The sanctuary emerged from afforestation measures taken for soil conservation.

• Spread across 2,600 hectares, it was officially declared a sanctuary in 1998.

• The region has sandy Shivalik soil with clay patches and is prone to erosion during rains.

• Contains around 150 water bodies forming the lake’s catchment area.

Ecosystem:

• Vegetation: A mix of forests, grasslands, and wetlands.

• Flora: Khair, Phulai, Kikar, Shisham, Moonj, Amaltas, Jhingan, Amla, Vasaka, and more.

• Fauna: Squirrels, Indian hare, porcupine, jungle cat, jackal, wild boar, and large clusters of sambar deer.

• Birds: Peacock, hill myna, black drongo, parrots, doves, plus several migratory species.

3. Microplastics 

• A recent study shows that continuous rainfall is pushing microplastics into urban lakes.

About Microplastics:

• Tiny plastic particles less than 5 mm in size.

• Found in products like cosmetics, clothing, plastic bags, and bottles, and often enter the environment as waste.

• Made of carbon-hydrogen polymer chains, often containing chemicals like phthalates or PBDEs, which leach out into the environment.

• Persistent, mobile, and difficult to remove.

Types:

• Primary Microplastics: Manufactured small particles (e.g., microbeads, synthetic fibers).

• Secondary Microplastics: Formed from the breakdown of larger plastics due to sunlight, waves, and environmental wear.

Impacts:

• Do not biodegrade and accumulate in ecosystems.

• Ingested by marine life, causing harm and passing toxins through the food chain.

• Carry pollutants and toxic chemicals, adding ecological risks.

4. Strait of Malacca 

• A new cyclonic circulation has formed over the central region of the Strait of Malacca, reaching 5.8 km in altitude.

About the Strait:

• Connects the Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean) with the South China Sea (Pacific Ocean).

• Lies between Sumatra (Indonesia) on the west and Peninsular Malaysia and southern Thailand on the east.

• Named after the historic Malacca Sultanate (1400–1511).

• Measures about 890 km in length, has a depth of 25 m, and covers around 65,000 sq. km.

• Experiences a hot and humid climate with seasonal monsoons.

• One of the world’s busiest maritime passages linking the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

• Patrolled jointly by Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

Strategic Significance:

• About 60% of India’s seaborne trade and nearly all LNG imports pass through it.

• A major chokepoint for China, adding geopolitical importance.

5. Mahi River 

The Mahi River, which originates in Madhya Pradesh, is unique because it flows westward and crosses the Tropic of Cancer twice due to a U-shaped turn in Rajasthan.

About the River:

• An important west-flowing interstate river across Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.

• Also referred to as “Mahisagar.”

Course:

• Originates in the Vindhya Range (MP) at about 500 m elevation.

• Flows south through MP, then enters Rajasthan’s Vagad region.

• Makes a U-turn in Rajasthan before entering Gujarat.

• Empties into the Arabian Sea via a wide estuary near the Gulf of Khambhat.

• Total length: 583 km.

• Basin area: 34,842 sq. km.

Geographical Notes:

• Surrounded by the Aravallis (north), Malwa Plateau (east), Vindhyas (south), and Gulf of Khambhat (west).

• Riverbed lies deep below surrounding land, limiting irrigation use.

• Silt from the river has gradually narrowed the Gulf of Khambhat, damaging historic ports.

• Features rapids, canyons, gorges, and waterfalls.

• Tributaries: Som (right bank), Anas and Panam (left bank).

Dams: Mahi Bajaj Sagar, Kadana, and Panam dams.

6. Sangai Festival 

The Sangai Festival has begun in Manipur, though protests by internally displaced persons (IDPs) and NGOs have affected attendance.

About the Festival:

• Manipur’s premier cultural festival, launched in 2010.

• Named after the Sangai, the state animal.

• Celebrates Manipur’s cultural heritage through music, dance, crafts, and traditional arts.

• Features the famous classical dance ‘Ras Leela.’

• Theme 2025: Where blossoms breathe harmony

About the Sangai (animal):

• A critically endangered subspecies of Eld’s deer, endemic to Manipur.
• Found only in Keibul Lamjao National Park—the world’s only floating park on Loktak Lake.

• Known for its distinctive, long-tined antlers.

Status:

• IUCN: Critically Endangered

• WPA 1972: Schedule I

7. Sulphur Dioxide 

Data from the Central Electricity Authority shows that 15 of 35 power units within 300 km of Delhi still lack Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) systems, essential for controlling sulphur dioxide (SO₂).

About SO₂:

• A colourless gas with a sharp, irritating smell (like a struck match).

• Easily dissolves in water and liquefies under pressure.

Sources:

• Mainly produced by burning coal and oil at power plants and smelters.

• Also released during the burning of sulphur or sulphide ores.

• Natural sources include volcanic eruptions.

Uses:

• Chemical manufacturing, paper pulping, metal processing, and food processing.

Environmental & Health Impacts:

Causes respiratory issues, acid rain, and environmental degradation.

Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD):

• A pollution-control method to remove SO₂ from flue gases.

• Uses limestone, lime, or ammonia to neutralize SO₂ emissions.

8. Leptospirosis 

Jamaica has reported an outbreak of leptospirosis following severe damage from Hurricane Melissa.

About the Disease:

• A serious bacterial infection caused by Leptospira interrogans.

• Bacteria enter the human body through small cuts or wounds, often through contaminated water.

• Common in warm, humid climates across both urban and rural areas.

Transmission:

• Spread mainly through the urine of infected animals such as rodents, cattle, pigs, and dogs.

• Contaminated soil or water becomes a source of infection.

• Animals can shed bacteria for months or years.

Symptoms:

• First phase: fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea.

• Second phase (if it occurs): involves kidney/liver failure or meningitis.

Treatment:

• Effectively treated with antibiotics.

9. Taningia silasii 

Scientists from CMFRI, Kochi have identified a new deep-sea squid species from the Arabian Sea, named Taningia silasii (Indian octopus squid).

Key Details:

• Discovered at a depth of ~390 m off the Kollam coast.

• Belongs to the family Octopoteuthidae.

• Only the second species in the Taningia genus—the first being Taningia danae from the Atlantic.

Characteristics:

• Length: ~45 cm (other members can grow up to 2.3 m and 61 kg).

• Lacks long feeding tentacles, unlike most squid.

• Has fewer gill lamellae and unique oval funnel-mantle locking cartilage.

• Distinctive beak structure with a broad lower wing.

• Shows 11% genetic divergence from T. danae.

10. Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) 

According to the India Justice Report, over 55% of cases before 362 Juvenile Justice Boards remained pending as of October 31, 2023.

About the JJB:

• Established under Section 4 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015.

• States must constitute at least one JJB in every district for handling cases involving children in conflict with the law.

Composition:

• One Metropolitan Magistrate or Judicial Magistrate (with at least three years’ experience).

• Two social workers, including at least one woman.

Powers:

• Under Section 15, JJBs may transfer heinous offence cases (committed by children aged 16–18) to the Children’s Court after a preliminary assessment.

Functions:

• Ensure protection of child rights throughout apprehension, inquiry, aftercare, and rehabilitation.

• Provide access to legal aid.

• Conduct monthly inspections of child residential facilities and recommend improvements.