PLACES IN NEWS - 18 Oct. 2024

Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary, Assam

1. Proposal Status: Vedanta subsidiary's oil exploration deferred by the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL).
2. Habitat Importance: Home to the endangered Hoolock Gibbon (120-130 individuals).
3. Concerns: Exploration proposed in eco-sensitive zone, proximity to gibbon habitat raises environmental concerns.
4. Next Steps: Site visit committee will assess potential impacts; includes representatives from various wildlife and environmental organizations.
5. Railway Electrification: Clearance granted for electrifying 9 km stretch of Lumding-Dibrugarh line; 1.65 km fragmenting sanctuary. Conditions for restricted train speeds and animal passage constructions enforced.

About Hoollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary:

It is an evergreen forest located in the Jorhat district of Assam, India.

Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan

1. Project: Road widening of National Highway-12 within the buffer zone.
2. Land Requirement: 28.8 hectares of forest land needed.
3. Recommendations:
   1. Construction of animal underpasses for wildlife crossings.
   2. Each kilometer of road through the buffer zone to include at least one underpass (50-meter span, minimum 30-meter).
   3. Input from Rajasthan Forest Department on wildlife crossing points required.
4. Environmental Oversight: Site inspection committee has reviewed and recommended project with conditions for wildlife safety.

About Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve:

1. Date of Notification: May 16, 2022.
2. Announced by: Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav.
3. Designation: Declared as the 52nd tiger reserve in India and the fourth in Rajasthan.

Existing Tiger Reserves in Rajasthan

Current Reserves:

1. Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve
2. Sariska Tiger Reserve
3. Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve

Approval Process

1. NTCA Approval: 'In-principle' approval for the creation of the Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve was granted on July 5, 2021.
2. Legal Framework: Approval under Section 38 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
3. Expert Committee Formation: Constituted by the State Government to identify Critical Tiger Habitat (Core) and Buffer Area.

Habitat and Biodiversity

1. Geographical Context: Connects the habitat of tigers between Ranthambore in the northeast and Mukundara Hills in the south.
2. Ecosystem Diversity: Home to around 500 species of wildlife, including:
   1. Indian wolf
   2. Leopard
   3. Striped woodpecker
   4. Cheetal
   5. Sambhar
   6. Sloth bear
   7. Golden jackal
   8. Chinkara
   1. Nilgai
   10. Fox
   11. Wild cats
   50. Langur
   1000. Snakes
   14. Crocodiles

Historical Context: Sanctuary Declaration: Initially declared a sanctuary on May 20, 1982, under Section 5 of the Rajasthan Wildlife and Bird Protection Act, 1951.

Gaza’s Rafah

1. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on October 17, 2024 that it had killed its most wanted man (Yahya Sinwar) in an operation in Gaza’s Rafah.
2. Legacy: His death followed the killing of other key Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, raising questions about Israel's long-term security strategy.

Location:

1. Rafah is a city in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestine.
2. It is the capital of the Rafah Governorate of the State of Palestine, located 30 kilometers south-west of Gaza City.

In 2017, Rafah had a population of 171,889

1. The 31 Indian fishermen were caught by the Bangladesh Navy within Bangladesh's maritime boundary during a chase near the Payra Port area.
2. They were attempting to fish in Bangladeshi waters despite the ongoing fishing ban in Bangladesh aimed at protecting marine resources.
3. According to the Bangladesh Navy, these fishermen tried fishing during the ongoing 22-day fishing ban in their country aimed at protecting marine resources.

About Port of Payra:

1. The Payra Port is Bangladesh's third sea port located at Kalapara in Patuakhali, Bangladesh.
2. It was established in 2013 and officially inaugurated in 2016.
3. It is located on the Ramnabad Channel near the Bay of Bengal.

The port is undergoing several Development and expansion and the project is expected to be completed in 2020.

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