CURRENT AFFAIRS MARCH/24/2015
1. 'AMARAVATI' TO BE THE NEW CAPITAL OF ANDHRA PRADESH.
The town,
some 32 km from the ancient Buddhist centre of Amravati, is situated at the
banks of river Krishna.
The
historical town attracts attention for a famous Buddhist Stupa and a temple of
Lord Shiva among many other sites worth visiting.
As per
historical data, Amaravati and nearby locations including Dharanikota served as
capital of Satavahanas and later to other rulers.
2. TO REIN IN TOUTS, RAILWAYS RESTRICT SALE OF E-TICKETS DURING
PEAK HOURS.
One user
login can now generate just one booking before its forced out of the session.
This
restriction will be applicable while booking of e-ticket between 8 AM to 12 PM
(4 hours).
The new
rule - however - excludes defence booking under warrant, and the cases of
booking onward journey/ return journey through e-tickets.
3. INDIAN ECOLOGIST 'MADHAV GADGIL'
IS HONOURED WITH PRESTIGIOUS 'TYLER PRIZE' FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ACHIEVEMENT 2015.
He will
share the $200,000 cash prize with American marine ecologist Dr Jane Lubchenco.
Both have
been recognized for their significant contributions in the development of
conservation and sustainability policies with their efforts.
The
'Tyler Prize' is awarded for work in the areas of environmental science,
environmental health, and energy.
The prize
is administered by the University of Southern California and was established by
John and Alice Tyler in 1973.
Prof
Gadgil has served as the Chairman of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel
(WGEEP).
4. MAHARASHTRA TO MAKE SELLING GUTKA A NON-BAILABLE
OFFENCE.
The Sale
& Manufacture of gutka is already banned in Maharashtra, but the
administration is struggling to enforce it in the face of rampant smuggling
from the neighbouring state where its legal.
The new
law will render possessing or selling 'gutkha' (including scented beetle nuts,
tobacco or lime paste) a non-bailable offense with a provision to send offender
into 3-5 years of rigorous imprisonment coupled with cancellation of license.
6. INDIAN NAVY LAUNCHES ITS 4TH LANDING CRAFT UTILITY (LCU) SHIP - IN A SERIES OF 8 - AT THE GARDEN REACH SHIPBUILDERS AND ENGINEERS LTD (GRSE), KOLKATA.
The ship is called 'Yard 2095' and has been constructed under the Mk
IV project.
These
ships will play significant role in transportation of main battle tanks,
armoured vehicles and troops of the Indian Army during amphibious operations.
The ship
can be deployed for maritime roles like maritime security, beaching and
un-beaching operations, humanitarian relief operations and evacuation from
distant islands, search and rescue operations besides peacekeeping missions
7. CLRI DEVELOPS A "GREEN" TECHNOLOGY FOR LEATHER TANNING; WILL SAVE MASSIVE AMOUNT OFWATER.
This
biodegradable dispersing agent enables the chrome tanning of leather with just
half the normal usage of water.
This
ensures the saving of water by 15 million litres per day in the Indian leather
sector alone - and an estimated 200 million litres per day if this
revolutionary technology is applied globally.
Central
Leather Research Institute (CLRI) is a unit of the Council for Scientific and
Industrial Research (CSIR)
