UPSC Current Affairs 10 August 2026

• The Congress Working Committee adopted the Quit India proposal at Wardha on 14 July 1942.
• The All India Congress Committee approved the resolution in Bombay on 8 August 1942.
• Mahatma Gandhi gave the historic call of “Do or Die” at the Gowalia Tank Maidan, now called August Kranti Maidan.
• The immediate demand was the withdrawal of British rule from India.
• Congress leaders, including Gandhi, Nehru, Patel and Maulana Azad, were arrested on 9 August 1942, triggering mass protests across India.

• Failure of the Cripps Mission to offer a satisfactory constitutional settlement.
• British use of Indian resources and soldiers in World War II without Indian consent.
• Growing popular discontent due to wartime inflation, shortages and economic hardship.
• Frustration with the absence of a clear commitment to Indian independence.
• Japanese advances in Southeast Asia created a serious security situation and intensified demands for an Indian-led government.

• Students, workers, peasants and women participated in strikes, demonstrations and sabotage of colonial infrastructure.
• Underground networks were organised by leaders such as Jayaprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Aruna Asaf Ali and Usha Mehta.
• Usha Mehta operated the underground Congress Radio.
• Parallel governments emerged in places such as Ballia, Tamluk and Satara.
• Aruna Asaf Ali became associated with hoisting the national flag at Gowalia Tank Maidan after the arrest of major Congress leaders.
• The slogan “Quit India” is generally associated with socialist leader and trade unionist Yusuf Meherally.

• Demonstrated the mass character of Indian nationalism.
• Made the continuation of British rule politically and administratively difficult.
• Strengthened the demand for complete independence.
• Prepared the ground for the eventual transfer of power in 1947.
• Highlighted the role of ordinary citizens and underground resistance in the freedom struggle.

• Origin: It is an Iranian medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) belonging to the Qadr/Ghadr-110 family, developed from the Shahab-3 missile lineage.
• Range: The Qadr-F is generally estimated to have a range of approximately 1,950–2,000 km, placing it in the MRBM category.
• Propulsion: The Qadr family uses a two-stage propulsion system, with the missile derived from the Shahab-3 design.
• Warhead: Open-source estimates place the warhead capacity of the Qadr family broadly in the 650–1,000 kg range, with the Qadr-F among the heavier variants.
• Guidance: It uses an inertial guidance system, while improvements over the older Shahab-3 are intended to enhance accuracy and operational responsiveness.
• Variants: The Qadr family includes Qadr-S, Qadr-H and Qadr-F, with the Qadr-F generally regarded as the longest-range variant.

• The bacterium was isolated as strain MC2ᵀ from HCH-contaminated soil.
• Its identification involved a polyphasic taxonomic approach, combining morphological, biochemical, chemotaxonomic and genomic analysis.
• The discovery establishes it as a new species within the genus Microbacterium*.
• Its name refers to its origin in polluted soil: pollutisoli broadly means “of polluted soil.”
• The bacterium can survive in an environment containing persistent pesticide residues, indicating the presence of specialised stress-resistance mechanisms.
• Genome analysis suggests the presence of genetic machinery that may be relevant to the production of secondary metabolites, including compounds with possible pharmaceutical or industrial value.

• HCH is persistent and can remain in soil for long periods.
• It may contaminate soil and groundwater.
• It can bioaccumulate and pose risks to human health and ecosystems.
• Lindane is listed under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, which seeks to restrict or eliminate highly persistent toxic chemicals.

• Bioremediation potential: Microbes adapted to polluted environments may help scientists develop biological methods for cleaning contaminated soil.
• Bioprospecting: Toxic sites can act as reservoirs of organisms producing novel enzymes, antibiotics and protective metabolites.
• Environmental monitoring: Such organisms can serve as indicators of microbial adaptation to long-term chemical pollution.
• Indian research capacity: The discovery highlights the contribution of Indian universities and CSIR laboratories to microbial taxonomy and environmental biotechnology.
• Sustainable technology: Microbial solutions may offer less energy-intensive alternatives to some conventional chemical or physical remediation methods.

• The discovery does not automatically mean that the bacterium can clean up HCH-contaminated sites.
• Its ability to survive in polluted soil and its possible production of useful compounds require further laboratory testing, toxicity assessment, field trials and regulatory evaluation.

• Connect scientific research with society through experiential learning.
• Promote environmental education and biodiversity conservation.
• Preserve India’s botanical and cultural heritage.
• Demonstrate the practical applications of plant science.
• Enable students, farmers, researchers, educators and the general public to access scientific knowledge and technologies.

• PAaVan Path: An interpretive heritage trail— “Plants and Associated Vegetations for Appreciating Nature”—showcasing plant collections from different ecological regions.
• Indian Heritage Garden: Includes heritage trees associated with important places and events, such as the Bawan Imli Tamarind of Fatehpur, Patalpuri Banyan of Prayagraj, the Mother Dussehri Mango of Lucknow and a mango tree planted by Mahatma Gandhi at Bhitiharwa, Champaran.
• Bamboosteum: A collection of 43 indigenous and exotic bamboo species, highlighting bamboo’s role in carbon sequestration, soil conservation, green infrastructure and rural livelihoods.
• Digital learning: QR-enabled audio and information systems provide botanical, historical and cultural details about plants.
• Science-to-society technologies: Plant-based technologies, including herbal products, were transferred to Kerala’s Kudumbashree mission to support women-led enterprises.

• Biodiversity awareness: Makes plant diversity accessible through direct and interactive learning.
• Conservation: Encourages public participation in preserving native and heritage species.
• Sustainable livelihoods: Demonstrates the use of bamboo and medicinal plants in rural enterprise and green industries.
• Science communication: Provides a model for scientific institutions to move beyond laboratories and engage directly with citizens.
• Cultural ecology: Links India’s botanical heritage with freedom struggle sites, traditional knowledge and local histories.

• Located in southern Kenya, near the Kenya–Tanzania border.
• Situated at the northern foot of Mount Kilimanjaro.
• The protected park covers approximately 392 sq km, but forms part of a much larger transboundary ecosystem of nearly 8,000–8,100 sq km.
• The landscape includes dry plains, acacia woodlands, wetlands, marshes and the usually dry Lake Amboseli.
• Managed by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).

• Amboseli is one of Africa’s important strongholds for African elephants (Loxodonta africana).
• The park and surrounding areas recorded approximately 1,903 elephants in the 2025 census.
• The larger ecosystem supports elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes and several hundred bird species.
• Its ecological health depends on wildlife movement across community-owned lands and corridors outside the formal park boundary.

• CPGRAMS is the Government of India’s 24×7 online public grievance redressal platform, developed and managed by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
• It provides citizens with a single platform to lodge, track and receive responses to grievances concerning public service delivery.
• The system is connected with Central Ministries/Departments, State Governments and Union Territories, enabling grievances to be routed to the concerned authority.

• AI-based grievance routing is being used to direct complaints more efficiently to the appropriate Grievance Redressal Officer.
• Bhashini integration has enhanced linguistic accessibility, enabling citizens to submit grievances using text and voice in multiple Indian languages.
• CPGRAMS has adopted a 10-step reform framework, incorporating advanced analytics for monitoring grievance disposal and identifying systemic issues.
• The government is moving towards a next-generation, AI-enabled CPGRAMS, aimed at making grievance registration, routing, monitoring and feedback more citizen-centric.

• Citizen-centric governance: Converts public grievances into an institutional mechanism for improving service delivery.
• Accountability: Enables monitoring of how government departments respond to citizens’ complaints.
• Data-driven governance: Aggregated grievance data can help identify recurring administrative deficiencies and systemic problems.
• Inclusive e-Governance: Multilingual and voice-enabled features can reduce digital and linguistic barriers.

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