HP Current Affairs - UPSC Preparation Made Easy

23rd, December, 2021

The Forest Department has released a six-minute documentary to present glimpses of the most scenic places of Parvati forest division in Kullu, which had been groomed by the Forest Department to promote eco-tourism, on the occasion of International Mountain Day.

Celebrated since 2003, International Mountain Day creates awareness about the importance of mountains to life to highlight the opportunities and constraints in mountain development and to build alliances that will bring positive change to mountain peoples and environments around the world, according to the United Nations.

Parvati Valley is located in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. From the confluence of the Parvati River with the River Beas, the Parvati Valley runs eastwards, through a steep-sided valley from the town of Bhuntar, in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh in Northern India.

(Source: HP Government)

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur inaugurated 500 LPM Pressure Swing Absorption Plant (PSA) at Government, Civil Hospital Sundernagar in Mandi district today completed at a cost of over Rs 1.50 crore.

Oxygen is an essential medication at all levels of the healthcare system; only medical-grade oxygen should be administered to patients. Pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen generating plants is a source of medical-grade oxygen.

Pressure oscillatory adsorption (PSA) is a technique used to separate certain gas species from a gas mixture (usually air). Under pressure as a function of the molecular characteristics of the species and its affinity for an absorbent material.
It operates at a temperature close to room temperature and differs significantly from the cryogenic distillation routinely used to separate gases. Selective adsorbent materials (e.g., zeolites, (or molecular sieves), activated carbon, etc.) are used as trapping material, preferentially adsorbing the target gas species at high pressure.
The process then swings at low pressure to desorb the adsorbed gas.

(Source: HP Government)

Sardar Patel Cluster University Mandi Dr. C.L. Chandan called on Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur at Mandi today and thanked him for making this University State University.
In India, state universities are administered and financed by the government of each state in India.
After the adoption of the Constitution of India in 1950, education became a government responsibility. After a constitutional amendment in 1976, it became a joint responsibility of states and central government.

(Source: HP Government)

Exploring the possibility of generating and using green hydrogen as fuel and promoting power storage projects like pump storage and battery energy storage system are the key features in the draft of the New Power Policy of the state. The policy, which is likely to be revealed soon, will replace the hydro power policy that was notified in 2006.
“Green hydrogen is still in its early stages in India’s energy sector. It is good that the state government wishes to explore the possibilities of using hydrogen as fuel in the energy sector and energy storage projects. This initiative will be welcomed by all electricity industry stakeholders.

Hydrogen appears to be a major source of energy since it has no carbon footprint. Given the abundant availability of water, the State is in an advantageous position when it comes to the production of green hydrogen.

To extract hydrogen from water, the researchers insert two electrodes through the water and pass the current, which may separate hydrogen from water. The process called electrolysis of water.

Under the project, the State aims to divert its excess energy during the summer and monsoon to produce green hydrogen.
To encourage hydrogen companies, the government can take measures such as providing excess energy for hydrogen production by electrolysis near hydroelectric plants or industrial areas. Intra-state transmission charges for power required for green hydrogen generation plants may be exempted and hydrogen generation plants may be exempted from electricity duty etc.
There is also considerable effort to promote and improve solar energy. The government has set itself the objective of producing 1995 MW of energy through solar projects by 2030.
The other key objectives put forth in the draft include harnessing and commissioning 10,000 MW of hydro energy by 2030 and have an operation capacity of 20,948 MW, expediting development of hydro-electric projects, promoting and establishing a power trading entity in the state, to protect the rights of local inhabitants for irrigation and drinking water, etc.