1.New Orchid Species

A newly discovered orchid species, Gastrodia indica, was found in Fambonglho Wildlife Sanctuary in Sikkim, India, by botanist Madhusudan Khanal. This orchid is notable because it does not open its flowers, a rare trait among orchids, making it the first known cleistogamous orchid in India.

Discovery Details

Gastrodia indica was found at an altitude of 1,950 to 2,100 meters. This discovery increases the number of Gastrodia species in India to ten. Khanal also prepared herbarium specimens to preserve samples of this new find.

Discovery Details

Cleistogamy Explained

Cleistogamous plants like Gastrodia indica, produce flowers that stay closed. This is different from chasmogamous flowers, which open up for pollination. Staying closed helps Gastrodia indica to self-pollinate, which is useful in its specific environment.

Ecological Relations

Gastrodia indica is a holomycotrophic plant, meaning it depends entirely on fungi for its nutrients because it lacks chlorophyll. It grows in moist, decaying leaf litter and is found near tree species like Magnolia doltsopa and Acer campbelli. There are fewer than 100 Gastrodia indica plants observed. Its small population and specialized habitat make it vulnerable to threats. Any disturbance in its environment could risk its survival.

Significance of Fambonglho Wildlife Sanctuary

Fambonglho Wildlife Sanctuary is important for protecting a wide range of wildlife and plants, including rare species. It provides a safe haven for endangered animals and is a key habitat for orchids and other sensitive plants. The sanctuary also offers beautiful views of the Khangchendzonga mountain range.

About Orchids

Orchids are one of the largest plant families, with over 25,000 species. They grow on every continent except Antarctica. Some orchids have evolved to mimic female insects to attract male pollinators. Vanilla, the only edible orchid, comes from the Vanilla planifolia genus. Orchids can live for many years, and their seeds are very small, often needing specific fungi to grow. Some orchids, like the Ghost Orchid, lack chlorophyll and depend entirely on their host for nutrients.

About Fambonglho Wildlife Sanctuary

Located in Sikkim, India, Fambonglho Wildlife Sanctuary covers 51.76 square kilometers. Established in 2001, it is home to diverse plant and animal species, including endangered ones like the Red Panda and Himalayan Black Bear. The sanctuary is part of the Khangchendzonga biosphere reserve, with rich biodiversity that includes over 118 bird species and many orchids. It also plays a crucial role in supporting the local water supply and features a range of ecosystems due to its elevation, which ranges from 1,800 to 3,000 meters.

2.Autonomy Issue in Assam (Article 244A)

In the tribal-majority Diphu Lok Sabha constituency of Assam, the implementation of Article 244(A) of the Indian Constitution has emerged as a key election promise by candidates across all political parties. This constitutional provision allows for the creation of an autonomous state within Assam, granting greater autonomy to tribal areas.

Diphu Constituency Profile

Diphu, reserved for Scheduled Tribes (STs), is the most sparsely populated among Assam’s 14 Lok Sabha seats, with just 8.9 lakh voters. It covers six Assembly segments across three tribal-majority hill districts:

Karbi Anglong
West Karbi Anglong
Dima Hasao

These districts are governed under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and fall under two autonomous councils – the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) and the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council. The constituency is home to diverse communities, including Karbi, Dimasa, Hmar, Kuki, Rengma Naga, Zeme Naga, Bodo, Garo, Assamese, and Gorkha, among others.

About Article 244(A)

Inserted by the 22nd Amendment Act, 1969.
Empowers Parliament to form an autonomous state within Assam for certain tribal areas.
Allows for a separate legislature, council of ministers, and greater autonomy over law and order.
The demand for autonomy in Assam’s hill areas like Karbi Anglong dates back to the 1950s.
Several militant groups signed peace accords with the government for implementing Article 244(A).
A central issue in the Diphu Lok Sabha constituency of Assam.

Key features include:

Provision for a separate Legislature or Council of Ministers, or both
Goes beyond the limited powers granted to autonomous councils under the Sixth Schedule
Allows for greater control over law and order and financial matters
History of the Autonomy Demand
The demand for autonomy in Assam’s hill areas dates back to the 1950s, with a movement seeking a separate hill state. While this led to the creation of Meghalaya in 1972, leaders in Karbi Anglong chose to stay with Assam, relying on the promise of Article 244(A).
The Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC), formed to advocate for regional autonomy, played a crucial role in negotiating a Memorandum of Settlement in 1995 with the state and central governments. This agreement aimed to enhance the powers of the two autonomous councils in the region.

However, as autonomy remained elusive, the demand for Article 244(A) also took the form of an armed insurgency. The governments in Delhi and Guwahati have signed several peace accords with militant groups, including the Karbi and Dimasa factions.
In 2021, a peace settlement was reached with five militant groups in Karbi Anglong, promising greater autonomy and a special development package. A similar agreement was signed with the Dimasa National Liberation Army in 2023.

Despite the peace settlements, the implementation of Article 244(A) remains a central issue in the Diphu constituency. All candidates have promised to work towards realizing this constitutional provision, which has been a demand of the tribal communities in the region.

3.Super Blue Moon

Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi) coincided with a “super blue moon”.

About

Super Blue Moon: It is a rare event where the full moon is both a “blue moon” and a “super moon.”
Super blue moons are rare, occurring roughly every 10 to 20 years.
- Super Moon: Occurs when the moon is closest to Earth in its elliptical orbit (perigee) and is also a full moon. It appears about 14% larger and 30% brighter than a full moon at apogee (farthest point)
  - The term “supermoon” was coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979.
- Blue Moon:Though the expression “once in a blue moon” implies a rare or unusual occurrence, a blue moon is not that rare an astronomical phenomenon. There are a couple of definitions of a blue moon.
- It is a second full moon in a single calendar month.
  - Or The third full moon in a season with four full moons.
- The first recorded use of “Blue Moon” in English dates from 1528.
- Visibility: The moon won’t actually appear blue; the term “blue” refers to rarity, not color.
  - The moon might appear more yellow or orange when closer to the horizon due to atmospheric scattering

4.Namdhari Sect

Hundreds of followers of two rival groups of the Namdhari religious sect clashed violently in Rania in Haryana’s Sirsa district.

About the Namdharis

The sect has its deras across Punjab and Haryana, and has a presence in a few other countries, too.

The sect was founded by Satguru Ram Singh of Baisakhi in 1857.

He challenged the status quo, advocated social reform, and resisted the Raj in various ways.

The British inflicted terrible punishments on the Namdharis and deported Ram Singh to Rangoon, from where he never returned.

The Namdharis believe Ram Singh is still alive, and will return one day.

Until then, they mourn his absence by wearing white.

Believe system: Namdhari Sikhs consider the Guru Granth Sahib as the Supreme Gurbani, but they also believe in a living human Guru.

The Namdharis consider the cow to be sacred, they are teetotallers, and avoid even tea and coffee.

The sect’s sprawling headquarters is located in Ludhiana’s Bhaini Sahib near village Raiyaan, where Ram Singh was born.

5.Waggle Dance & Circle Dance

Recently scientists have flagged evidence of “problematic behavior” in scientific papers concerned with the honeybee waggle dance and co-authored by Mandyam Srinivasan.

About

Bees use two kinds of dances to communicate information: the waggle dance and the circle dance.
The purpose of either dance is for some honey bees to communicate to others the location of a flower patch with more nectar or pollen.
- One bee dances while the others watch it to figure out the directions.

Waggle dance

During a waggle dance, the bees move in a figure of eight formation. The dance indicates both the distance and the direction to the patch.
In this the straight line in the roughly figure of eight formation is called the waggle run.