UPSC Daily Current Affairs | One Liners 03-09-2026

One Liners 03-09-2026

History, Art and Culture

LiDAR Survey – Lakkundi’s Hidden Monuments

Department of Archaeology Museums and Heritage (DAMH) signs MoU with National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru, for LiDAR survey in Lakkundi, Gadag district.

• Objective – Locate concealed monuments, wells and temples from 10th–12th century CE obscured by vegetation.
• Technology – LiDAR, GIS Mapping, Remote Sensing, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), drones, photogrammetry.
• Process – NIAS to study old photos, scan area, pinpoint sites for excavation; Joint Coordination Committee to oversee.
• Significance – Supports sustainable conservation, UNESCO World Heritage Site proposal.
• Lakkundi, which was known as Lokki-Gundi in inscriptions as per records, occupies an important position in Indian architectural history.
• The monuments that have been conserved, belong to the Kalyana-Chalukya period that ruled tracts of Deccan and south India between the 10th and 12th centuries CE.
• Art historians aver that the temples exhibit a hybrid or Vesara style that is a blending of Nagara, Dravida, and Bhumija styles.

Environment

Zero Legacy Waste – Depalpur

Indore and Depalpur achieve Zero Legacy Waste under Swachh Bharat Mission‑Urban 2.0.

• System – 4‑bin segregation, 100% door‑to‑door collection, peer learning via Swachh Shehar Jodi.
• Operation – 1,250 MT legacy waste remediated; 500 ragpickers, heavy machinery mobilized.
• Outcome – 4.5 tonnes recyclables recovered; 50–60 tonnes RDF (Refuse-Derived Fuel) sent to NEPRA plant and cement factories.
• Community – Dumpsite revived with plantation (200 saplings), wall art, plastic‑free zones; celebrated with “Poha Party.”
• Impact – First city under initiative to erase dumpsite; site set for cricket, citizen programs and social gatherings.

Liocheles gracilipalpus

New Scorpion Species Found in Shivalik Hills, Reasi district, Jammu and Kashmir at 1,655 m elevation.

• Family – Belongs to Hormuridae.
• Name Origin – “Gracilis” = slender, “palpus” = pedipalp.
• Features – Long slender pedipalps; size 34.8–43.2 mm; body greyish to dark brown, lighter legs and tail.
• Sexual Dimorphism – Clear differences in pedipalp structure between males and females.
• Habitat – Beneath flat rocks, man‑made walls, wood‑storage sheds; abundant across 600–1,655 m elevation.

Tetragonula nagalandensis

New stingless honey bee species found in Medziphema, Nagaland; named nagalandensis as tribute to the state.

• Count – Brings India’s stingless bee species total to 19.
• Morphology – Male underside shows C‑shaped notch and sharply curved penis valve; body length 5 mm.
• Habitat – Subterranean; builds compact brood clusters under soil, protected by wax and organic layers.
• Colour/Size – Small, 5 mm, distinct reproductive anatomy for identification.
• Ecological Role – Vital pollinators for local crops and wild vegetation; crucial for biodiversity and agriculture.

Sharp‑tailed Sandpiper

• Identification – Bold white supercilium, rufous‑streaked cap, rusty‑brown scalloped feathers, diffused breast markings.
• Origin – Breeds in northern Siberia; migrates mainly to Australia and New Zealand, rarely to India.
• Significance – Exceptionally uncommon visitor; highlights biodiversity of Delhi‑NCR wetlands.
• Conservation – Listed Vulnerable in IUCN Red List; population declined 45% in 15 years due to habitat loss.
• Ecology – Forages in coastal and inland wetlands; feeds on seeds, worms, molluscs, crustaceans and insects.

5^th Edition – Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar

Union Minister chairs high‑level meeting of science ministries at CSIR‑Science Centre, New Delhi.

• Campaign – Preparations for Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar coastal cleanliness drive.
• Focus – Greater coordination among scientific institutions; integrate technology, public participation and inter‑departmental collaboration.
• Outreach – Digital campaigns, documentaries, infographics, success stories to showcase India’s scientific achievements.
• Significance – One of India’s largest coastal cleanliness drives; reflects science‑society partnership for environment and innovation.

New Zealand Kākāpō Population

World’s heaviest parrot Kākāpō surges from 51 birds (1995) to 325 after record 90 chicks in 2026.

• Programme – Intensive conservation under Kākāpō Recovery Programme with predator‑free islands, genetic management and monitoring.
• Challenge – Flightless, vulnerable to cats, rats, stoats; breeds only in rimu mast years every 2–4 yrs.
• Breakthrough – Rapid DNA sex test, nest monitoring, chick care ensured survival; reduced human intervention tested in 2026.
• Habitat – Offshore islands and fenced sanctuaries; future aim to restore range including Stewart Island.
• Significance – From brink of extinction to recovery; still Critically Endangered, dependent on secure habitat and continued conservation.

Index

V‑Dem’s Democracy Index 2026

V-Dem Institute reports that India’s democracy has steadily declined since 2009, reaching lowest index score since the 1975 Emergency.

• Concerns – UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination raised concerns over reports of human rights violations in India, including the exclusion of Muslim voters from electoral rolls.
• Trend – India noted as “autocratising” with systematic weakening of democratic institutions.
• Highlights – 50-year low in judicial accountability, Election Management Body autonomy, and public administration impartiality.

Miscellaneous

National Departmental Summit on Water 2026

Ministry of Jal Shakti hosts First Departmental Summit on at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan.

• Vision – Part of PM’s Cooperative Federalism and Water Secure India, Viksit Bharat 2047.
• Focus Areas – Timely water infrastructure projects, Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari–Catch the Rain, source sustainability of drinking water.
• OandM of rural supply under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0.
• Process – Centre and States deliberate on priorities, share best practices, address challenges, agree on time‑bound actions.
• Outcomes – Accelerated project completion, enhanced public participation, sustainable sources, reliable rural services.
• Significance – Marks new model of Centre‑State collaboration, reinforcing Team India spirit for national development.

International Workshop on Tiger Landscapes

2‑day International Workshop on Tiger Landscapes inaugurated by Union Environment Minister.

• Organisers – Jointly by International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
• Focus – Conservation, bioeconomy and ecotourism as pillars for livelihood, income generation and ecological security.
• Highlights – MoU signed between IBCA and ADB for collaboration in landscape conservation, sustainable financing and capacity building.
• Participants – Experts and officials from MoEFCC, IBCA, NTCA, ADB, tiger‑range countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Malaysia, Nepal, Vietnam).
• Significance – Recognizes tiger landscapes as natural capital.
• Promotes integrated landscape management, community‑based ecotourism and traditional knowledge for sustainable development.