Indian darters (Oriental darters)
Context
Illegal garbage dumping in Bengaluru’s lakes has triggered a critical ecological crisis, resulting in a sudden surge of fatal injuries and starvation among Indian darters (Oriental darters).
- Local birdwatchers and wildlife rescue groups, such as the Avian and Reptile Rehabilitation Centre (ARRC), have reported a sharp rise in waterbirds found in extreme distress.
About Indian darters
- The Oriental darter, commonly known as the Indian darter or snakebird, is a tropical water bird found across South and Southeast Asia.
Key Characteristics
- Appearance: Features a long, slender, snake-like neck and a sharp, dagger-like bill used to spear fish underwater.
- Behavior: Often swims with its body completely submerged and only its serpentine neck visible above the surface, earning it the name “snakebird”.
- Wing Drying: Possesses partially non-waterproof feathers and is frequently seen perching with its wings spread open to dry after hunting.
- Conservation Status: Listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
Supplementary budget proposal
Context
The Karnataka Legislature has passed a ₹7,042.69 crore first supplementary budget for FY25, tabled by Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. The budget consists of ₹4,324.35 crore in revenue expenditure and ₹2,718.35 crore in capital expenditure.
Key Allocations:
- Rural Employment: ₹2,918 crore for the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission.
- Infrastructure: ₹1,000 crore for Bengaluru road development and ₹708 crore for the AMRUT urban scheme.
- Youth & Development: ₹781 crore for Bharat Jodo Youth Clubs and ₹289 crore for the Jaladhare rural water scheme.
- Transport & Health: ₹193.61 crore for road transport corporation equity, ₹152.72 crore for health infrastructure, and ₹96 crore for KKRTC buses.
- Housing & Other: ₹93 crore for rural housing (PMAY) and other miscellaneous projects.
EV charging hubs
Context
Karnataka is set to convert 1,250 government-owned and managed properties into public EV charging hubs under the central government’s newly rolled out PM E-DRIVE scheme.
- The state’s Energy Department has directed 33 government departments to quickly identify vacant spaces and parking lots within their premises to hand them over to the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (Bescom), which is the state nodal agency executing the project.
- In the first phase of this rollout, 515 of the 687 surveyed locations have already secured approval from the Union Ministry of Heavy Industries.
Features
- The proposed 1,250 public charging installations are bifurcated into two separate classifications to target high-utility zones:
- Category A (Institutional Property): Covers Union and State government department properties, including administrative offices, government hospitals, and state-run school or college campuses.
- Category B (Public Transport Hubs): Focuses on highly frequented transport facilities managed by the state, including railway stations, airports, metro stations, and local bus stands.
Implementation Details & Benefits
- Financial Incentive for Departments: Under operational rules designated by the Union Power Ministry, land-owning government departments will secure a revenue share of ₹1 for every kilowatt-hour (kWh) of power consumed for charging.
- 10-Year Operations Agreement: Bescom will enter into a strict 10-year lease agreement with the respective departments, completely taking over the responsibility for installing, running, and maintaining the stations.
- Space & Charger Specifications: The project will deploy four distinct models consisting of both fast and regular chargers. Urban hubs will require 133 sq. m. to 175 sq. m. of space, whereas layout sizes along regional highways will scale between 221 sq. m. and 476 sq. m.
- Unified Digital Mapping: To maximize public ease of accessibility, Bescom is anchoring all new charging terminals onto the existing EV Mitra Platform, enabling drivers to seamlessly track, book, and monitor open stations in real-time.