Environment and Ecology New frog species ▪ Scientists from SACON have identified a new frog species in Meghalaya, named ‘Raorchestes asakgrensis’. This discovery took place over two years, from October 2020 to January 2022. The research team surveyed various locations in the Garo and Khasi Hills, which were published in the journal Herpetozoa on November 18. Discovery Process ▪ They captured and photographed the frogs for further analysis. ▪ The team documented their observations meticulously to describe the new species accurately. Naming the Species ▪ The new species is named after the Eman Asakgre Community Reserve, which honours the local community that supported the researchers during their study. ▪ It reflects a commitment to recognising Indigenous contributions to scientific research. Air pollution in India has escalated beyond an environmental concern to a severe health and economic crisis. Health Impact ▪ Air pollution is the leading environmental risk to health and the cause of premature deaths, with nearly 2 million deaths in India in 2021. ▪ Vulnerable groups like pregnant women, children, the elderly, and those with existing health conditions face higher risks. National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) ▪ The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) at the start of 2019. ▪ To improve the air quality of 131 cities across 24 states/UTs in India. ▪ It is the first-ever effort by the Indian government to provide a national-level framework with time-bound reduction. ▪ India is the third most polluted country in the world. ▪ Out of the 50 most polluted cities, 42 were in India according to the IQAir report 2023. ▪ With the right to a healthy environment as part of Article 21, the programme seeks to reduce the concentration of atmospheric Particulate Matter (PM) by 20-30% by…
