Current Affairs Quiz - March 2025

Notes:
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) exported the first consignment of GI-tagged Dalle Chilly from Sikkim to the Solomon Islands. Dalle Chilli, also known as Dalle Khursani, is primarily cultivated in the Himalayan regions, specifically in Sikkim, the Darjeeling hills. It is known for its intense pungency and bright red color. It is highly nutritious, rich in vitamins A, C, and E, and contains potassium. Its Scoville Heat Units (SHU) range from 100,000 to 350,000, making it one of the hottest chillies.

Notes:
On March 22, 2025, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe reached 6 million km from the Sun, setting a new record for the closest spacecraft approach. It was launched on August 12, 2018, from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It aims to study the Sun’s corona, solar wind, and magnetic field. The probe follows a highly elliptical orbit, using Venus’ gravity to move closer to the Sun. It is the fastest human-made object, reaching speeds of 692,000 km/hr. It will ultimately come within 6.16 million km of the Sun, about seven times closer than any previous spacecraft.

Notes:
The Maasai tribe in Tanzania is resisting international carbon credit projects, fearing land loss and threats to their traditional way of life. The Maasai are semi-nomadic pastoralists and a prominent indigenous community in East Africa, primarily in Tanzania and Kenya. They speak Maa, a Nilo-Saharan language, and are known for their distinct dress, beadwork, and warrior traditions. Their society follows a patrilineal structure with age-set systems, transitioning from junior warriors to senior elders. They rely on livestock for meat, milk, and blood, practice transhumance, and live in kraals with mud-dung houses and thorn fences.

Notes:
Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra introduced tourist-friendly reforms, including fast-track safari entry, relaxed late-night rules, and improved full-day safaris. It is located in Chandrapur district, Maharashtra. It was named after God Tadoba (Taru), worshipped by local tribes, and the Andhari River flowing through it. The reserve covers 625.4 sq. km, including Tadoba National Park (116.55 sq. km) and Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary (508.85 sq. km). It has corridor linkages with Nagzira-Navegaon and Pench Tiger Reserves in Maharashtra.

Notes:
Nepal celebrated “Ghode Jatra”, the Horse Racing Day, with a special ceremony at the Army Pavilion in Kathmandu. The Nepal Army Cavalry organizes the festival annually, attended by the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, and other officials. The festival falls on Chaitra Krishna Aunsi, the last month of the Nepali Bikram Sambat calendar. It commemorates the death of the demon Tundi, who terrorized Tundikhel, and was believed to be trampled by horses. King Pratap Malla (787 BCE) started the horse procession in Kathmandu, later spreading to Patan and Bhaktapur. Farmers sow beans and cucumbers to mark the festival and welcome the Nepali New Year.

Notes:
India is the first country to shift from an anthropocentric to an eco-centric approach in international jurisprudence. The anthropocentric approach values nature for human use, while the eco-centric approach sees nature as valuable in itself. Supreme Court judge Justice PS Narasimha highlighted this shift during the National Conference on Environment-2025, organized by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The shift aligns with India’s cultural view that humans are part of the environment, not superior to it. Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar was the chief guest at the event. The conference emphasized restoring the environment through shared ideas and grassroots solutions.

Notes:
A recent faunal survey by the Forest Department recorded 63 new species of odonates, butterflies, and birds in Karimpuzha Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary is in Malappuram district, Kerala, covering 227.97 sq.km on the western slopes of the Nilgiri Hills. It is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Programme. Karimpuzha Wildlife Sanctuary shares boundaries with Mukurthi National Park in Tamil Nadu and Silent Valley National Park in Kerala. The name ‘Karimpuzha’ comes from the Karimpuzha River, a tributary of River Chaliyar. The terrain varies from 40 m to 2550 m, supporting rich biodiversity.

Notes:
The Green Credit Programme (GCP) was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) despite concerns from the Law Ministry over its legal validity. Green Credit (GC) is an incentive unit for engaging in environmentally positive activities and can be traded like carbon credits. The Green Credit Programme (GCP) operates under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. It aims to increase forest cover, promote sustainable practices, and reward pro-environmental actions. Individuals, communities, and industries can earn Green Credits by participating in afforestation, water conservation, and sustainable agriculture. These credits can be sold to industries needing to meet environmental obligations like compensatory afforestation.

Notes:
The Future Circular Collider (FCC) is a proposed $30 billion project by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). It involves a 91 km circular tunnel beneath the Swiss-French border to accelerate and collide particles at record energies. Phase 1 (~2040) aims to generate Higgs bosons in large numbers, while Phase 2 (~2070) will collide protons at extreme energies. Supporters, including CERN leadership, call it the most powerful tool for studying nature. Critics argue it may drain funds, limiting investment in other scientific advancements. The project has sparked major divisions in the scientific community.

Notes:
The 37th Kathak Mahotsav 2025, organized by Kathak Kendra, New Delhi, a unit of Sangeet Natak Akademi, concluded successfully. The six-day festival featured the world’s first-ever Kathak Literary Festival, along with seminars, exhibitions, and dance performances. All major Kathak gharanas—Lucknow, Jaipur, Banaras, and Raigarh—were showcased through performances by renowned artists. The event was a landmark celebration of Kathak, bringing together scholars, dancers, and art enthusiasts.