1. Santosh Kumar Honored with 'Global Green Icon' Award
Former Rajya Sabha MP Joginipally Santosh Kumar has been conferred with the prestigious "Global Green Icon" award at the World Climate Leaders Conclave held at the House of Lords, UK.
- Exam-Centric Facts:
- The Achievement: The award recognizes his leadership in the "Green India Challenge," one of the world's largest citizen-led afforestation movements.
- Impact: Under his initiative, millions of saplings have been planted across India. The conclave noted the nearly 8% increase in green cover in Telangana as a benchmark for grassroots climate action.
- Significance: The honor highlights the role of the Global South in driving scalable, community-based solutions for biodiversity and ecological rewilding.
2. Jaishankar at the 'AZEC Plus' Meeting
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar represented India at the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Plus meeting, convened by Japan on April 15, 2026.
- Exam-Centric Facts:
- The Crisis: The meeting focused on energy and resource supply chain disruptions, particularly those caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
- India's Stance: Minister Jaishankar emphasized that attacks on merchant shipping are "completely unacceptable" and reaffirmed India's commitment to safe and unimpeded maritime transit.
- POWERR Asia: Japan unveiled the "Partnership On Wide Energy and Resources Resilience (POWERR) Asia" framework, a $10 billion initiative to provide financial support for energy security in the region.
3. ESZ Status of Col. Sher Jung National Park Quashed
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has set aside the Central Government’s 2022 notification that declared an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around Colonel Sher Jung National Park (Simbalbara National Park) in Sirmaur district.
- Exam-Centric Facts:
- The Ruling: A Division Bench ruled that authorities "miserably failed" to follow mandatory procedural safeguards, including stakeholder consultations and required surveys under the 2011 guidelines.
- Impact: The decision brings relief to residents of 19 villages who faced severe restrictions on land use and construction due to the ESZ status.
- National Park Profile: Located in the Paonta Valley, it is famous for its diverse flora and fauna, including Goral, Sambhar, and Chital.
4. India’s First Private Gold Mine: Jonnagiri Project
India is set to launch its first large-scale private gold mining project at Jonnagiri in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh.
- Exam-Centric Facts:
- Operator: The project is led by Geomysore Services India Pvt. Ltd., with significant backing from Deccan Gold Mines Ltd.
- Scale & Capacity: The mine covers approximately 598 hectares and is expected to produce 750–1,000 kg of refined gold annually for the next 15 years.
- Technology: The facility employs modern open-pit mining and carbon-in-leach (CIL) processing.
- Economic Significance: While it only covers a fraction of India's 800-tonne annual demand, it marks a major shift toward domestic private investment in the mineral sector under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision.
