Bihar Affairs
Health hazard for people as AQI still in ‘very poor’ category in Patna
A thick layer of smog prevailed in Patna in the morning hours as the pollution level in the state capital slipped to the lower end of “very poor” category on Friday. The overall air quality index (AQI) in the city stood at 378, as per the daily bulletin released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The air quality early warning system for Patna under the ministry of earth sciences of the central government predicted that the air quality will remain “very poor” on Monday owing to calm wind, fall in temperature, and moisture, which are unfavourable for dispersion of pollutants in the air. There will be no large change in the weather as well for the next 48 hours.
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’. According to CPCB, severe AQI level can affect healthy people and seriously impact those with existing diseases while very poor day can cause respiratory illnesses on prolonged exposure.
National and International Affairs
Over half of these blocks are in 6 statesUttar Pradesh (68 blocks), Bihar (61), Madhya Pradesh (42), Jharkhand (34), Odisha (29) and West Bengal (29).
However, states can add more blocks to the programme later.
Kerala Chief Minister(CM)Pinarayi Vijayanhas inaugurated thePalm leaf Manuscript Museumwith modern audio-visual technology at the renovated Central Archives, Fort area in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The Museum, promoted asWorlds First Palm-Leaf Manuscript Museumwas set up by the Archives Department in association with the Kerala Museum of History and Heritage at a cost of Rs 3 crore.
The museum is a repository of curious nuggets of administrative, socio-cultural and economic facets of the Travancore kingdom which lasted for 650 years till the end of the 19th century. It had been the Central Vernacular Records Office since 1887 before becoming a museum.