State PCS - Uttar Pradesh (UP PCS)

• 30 Jun 2025

Salkhan Fossil Park Added to UNESCO Tentative List

Why in News? 

Uttar Pradesh’s Salkhan Fossil Park, also known as Sonbhadra Fossils Park, has been included in UNESCO’s Tentative List of World Heritage Sites. 

Key Points 

• About Salkhan Fossil Park: 
  • Located in Salkhan village in the Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh, the park spans 25 hectares within the scenic Kaimur Range, adjacent to Kaimoor Wildlife Sanctuary. 
  • Though geological interest in the site dates back to the 1930s, it was officially declared a fossil park in 2002. 
  • Salkhan Fossil Park preserves stromatolites, rare layered sedimentary structures formed by ancient cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). 
    • Cyanobacteria, emerging around 3.5 billion years ago, were likely the first organisms to perform oxygenic photosynthesis, triggering the Great Oxidation Event (~2.4 billion years ago), which enriched Earth's atmosphere with oxygen, enabling complex life. 
  • These photosynthesizing microorganisms belong to the Mesoproterozoic Era (1.6–1.0 billion years ago), making the fossils up to 1.4 billion years old. 
  • Such formations are globally rare, placing Salkhan among the oldest fossil sites in the world, older than Shark Bay (Australia) and Yellowstone (USA). 
• Challenging Scientific Assumptions:  
  • Discoveries at Salkhan have transformed scientific understanding of early life. 
  • Previously, scientists believed life began around 570 million years ago, but the ancient stromatolites here predate that timeline. 
    • A key development in this scientific observation was the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), between the UP eco-tourism development board and the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow. 
  • The fossils provide vital clues into the Earth’s earliest biosphere and the evolution of oceanic ecosystems. 

World Heritage Sites (WHS) 

• WHS are locations recognized for their outstanding universal value to humanity and are inscribed on the World Heritage List for protection and preservation for future generations.  
  • These sites may be cultural, natural, or mixed in nature. WHS are safeguarded under the World Heritage Convention, 1972, an international agreement adopted by UNESCO member countries.   
  • The Convention outlines the responsibilities of State Parties in identifying, protecting, and preserving such sites.   
  • The list of WHS are maintained by the international 'World Heritage Programme', administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.  
  • India ratified the Convention in 1977. 
• As of June 2025, India has 43 World Heritage Sites (34 Cultural, 7 Natural, and 2 Mixed) and 63 sites on the Tentative List. 

Defence Materials and Stores Research & Development Establishment (DMSRDE)

Why in News? 

Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth visited the Defence Materials and Stores Research & Development Establishment (DMSRDE) in Kanpur, a key DRDO laboratory, and appreciated its contributions to indigenous defence technologies, especially in the context of Operation Sindoor.

Key Points 

• Recognition for Indigenous Defence Innovations: 
  • DMSRDE received appreciation for its significant contributions to the development of advanced defence systems and indigenous products. 
  • Key achievements include: 
    • Bullet Proof Jacket (Level-6)-- Lightest bulletproof jacket in the country 
    • Naphthyl Fuel for the BrahMos missile 
    • High-Pressure Polymeric Membranes for Indian Coast Guard ships 
    • Silicon Carbide Fibres 
    • Activated Carbon Fabric-based Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Suits 
    • A range of stealth materials enhancing battlefield survivability 
• Leading in Technology Transfer and Industry Collaboration: 
  • DMSRDE carried out the highest number of technology transfers among all DRDO labs over the past two years. 
  • The lab has intensified its focus on collaboration with industry and academia, aligning with the national vision of achieving a developed India (Viksit Bharat) by 2047. 
• Broader Contributions: 
  • Showcased innovations in nano-materials, technical textiles, camouflage systems, coatings, rubbers, and lubricants. 
  • It reinforces DRDO's commitment to developing cutting-edge dual-use technologies. 
• About DRDO:  
  • DRDO was established in 1958 by merging the Technical Development Establishment (TDEs) of the Indian Army, the Directorate of Technical Development and Production (DTDP), and the Defence Science Organisation (DSO).  
    • DRDO is the R&D wing of the Ministry of Defence, Government of India.  
    • It initially had 10 laboratories; it currently operates 41 laboratories and 5 DRDO Young Scientist Laboratories (DYSLs).  
  • Philosophy: The guiding principle of DRDO is "Balasya Mulam Vigyanam" (Strength lies in science), driving the nation in both peace and war.  
  • Mission: Achieve self-reliance in critical defence technologies and systems while equipping the Indian armed forces with state-of-the-art weapon systems and equipment, as per the requirements of the three Services.

BrahMos Missile 

• An Indo-Russian joint venture, the BrahMos missile has a range of 290 km and is the world's fastest cruise missile with a top speed of Mach 2.8 (about three times the speed of sound).  
  • It is named after the Brahmaputra River of India and the Moskva River of Russia.  
• It is a two-stage (solid propellant engine in the first stage and liquid ramjet in the second) missile.  
• It is a multiplatform missile which can be launched with great accuracy from land, air and sea having multi-capability capabilities and can operate during day and night despite bad weather.  
• It operates on the "fire and forget" principle i.e., it does not require guidance after launch.

Operation Sindoor 

• About: Operation Sindoor was a coordinated precision strike operation launched by the Indian Armed Forces on 7th May 2025, in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack.  
  • It was executed through the coordinated efforts of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, conducted from Indian territory.  
  • Unlike past operations with aggressive names meant to project strength, this operation’s name was chosen as a personal tribute to the victims, particularly the widows of the Pahalgam attack.  
• Targets: Under 'Operation Sindoor,' the Indian Armed Forces targeted terror facilities linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen in Pakistan and PoJK.  
  • These strikes aimed to dismantle terrorist infrastructure used for planning attacks against India.