News In Short 22-06-2026

Rakhigarhi

Syllabus: GS1/ History and Culture

Context

• The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has sent nearly 5,000-year-old skeletons unearthed at Haryana’s Rakhigarhi, for scientific examination and facial reconstruction.

Rakhigarhi

• The present-day Rakhigarhi is located 27 km from the Ghaggar river, in the Ghaggar-Hakra river plain in Haryana.
• The archaeological site, dating back to 2600-1900 BCE.
• It is the largest Harappans site in the Indian Subcontinent.
• The site was first excavated by Amarendra Nath of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
• Findings
  • Granary: A granary belonging to the mature Harappan phase (2600 BCE to 2000 BCE) has been found here. It has 7 rectangular or square chambers.
  • Culture, clothing and worship: Fire altars and apsidal structures were revealed in Rakhigarhi.
  • Cemetery and burial sites: A cemetery of Mature Harappan period is discovered at Rakhigarhi, with eight graves found.

Source: IE

First Amendment

Syllabus: GS2/Polity

Context

• On June 18, 1951, the First Amendment to the Indian Constitution came into force. 

About

• The amendment altered the scope of three fundamental rights: freedom of speech, equality and property rights.
  • It also created a new constitutional mechanism through which certain laws could be protected from challenge on the ground that they violated fundamental rights.
• These changes were enacted before independent India’s first general elections.

Key Provisions

• Reasonable Restrictions on Fundamental Rights: It amended Article 19(2) to allow the State to impose reasonable restrictions on the freedom of speech and expression in the interests of: Public order, friendly relations with foreign states, incitement to an offence, security of the State, etc.
• Protection of Land Reform Laws: Added Article 31A and Article 31B to protect laws related to agrarian reforms from being challenged on the grounds of violating Fundamental Rights.
• Creation of the Ninth Schedule: Established the Ninth Schedule under Article 31B. Laws placed in the Ninth Schedule were initially protected from judicial review on grounds of violation of Fundamental Rights.
  • The scope of protection given to the Ninth Schedule was later examined by the Supreme Court in the landmark I.R. Coelho v. State of Tamil Nadu case.
• Special Provisions for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes: Inserted Article 15(4), enabling the State to make special provisions for the advancement of socially and educationally backward classes, and for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Source: IE

UN Food Agencies Warn Acute Hunger in 13 Hot Spots

Syllabus: GS3/ Food Security

Context

• United Nations’ food agencies have warned that acute hunger is expected to worsen across 13 global hotspots in the coming months due to conflict, climate shocks and funding shortages.

About

• The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP), in a joint report,said that around 266 million people are already facing high levels of acute food insecurity.
• Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen and Palestine remain the countries of greatest concern, while Nigeria and Somalia have been added to the high-risk list as famine threats grow.
• The report noted that funding for food assistance has fallen by nearly 60 per cent since 2022, even as humanitarian needs continue to rise.
• The UN agencies also warned that spillover effects from the Middle East conflict and an Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo are further disrupting livelihoods and aid access.

Source: AIR, WFP

Ammonia Gas

Syllabus: GS3/ S&T

In Context

• An ammonia gas leak at a private seafood processing and export facility in Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu has hospitalized many working people. 

What Is Ammonia (NH₃)?

• Ammonia (NH₃) is a colourless gas with a strong, pungent smell. It is a simple inorganic compound made up of nitrogen and hydrogen. 
• Although it occurs naturally in small quantities during the decomposition of organic matter, it is also produced on a large scale because of its wide industrial and agricultural applications.
• Industrial ammonia is commercially produced through the Haber–Bosch process, in which atmospheric nitrogen reacts with hydrogen under high temperature and pressure in the presence of an iron catalyst.
• It is majorly used in fertilizers industries, chemical industries and in food processing due to its excellent cooling efficiency.

Source: TH

Biochar

Syllabus: GS3/ Agriculture/ Environment

Context

• Biochar is emerging as a sustainable solution to convert agricultural waste into a valuable resource for improving soil health and mitigating climate change.

What is Biochar?

• Biochar is a charcoal-like substance that’s made by burning organic material from agricultural and forestry wastes (also called biomass) in a controlled process called pyrolysis.
• Unlike ordinary organic matter, biochar decomposes very slowly and can remain in the soil for hundreds of years.
• It is highly porous, enabling it to store water, nutrients, and beneficial microorganisms.

Benefits of Biochar

• Agricultural Productivity: Studies indicate that biochar can improve crop yields by 10–30%, particularly in nutrient-deficient soils.
• Carbon Credits: Biochar can generate carbon credits because it removes carbon from the atmosphere and stores it in soil.
  • Under internationally accepted standards, one tonne of certified biochar can generate approximately 2–2.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent credits.
• Water Retention: Biochar acts like a sponge and stores water within its porous structure. Research shows that it can increase the water-holding capacity of soils by 10–25%.

Source: TH

Govt Prepares to Notify Western Ghats Eco Sensitive Areas

Syllabus: GS3/Environment

Context

• The Western Ghats may soon receive stronger legal protection in at least three states through the notification of Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs).
  • Once notified, these areas will face stricter curbs on mining, polluting industries, and large construction projects.

What are Ecologically Sensitive Areas?

• ESAs are designated regions identified for special environmental protection because of their rich biodiversity, fragile ecosystems or critical ecological functions. 
• They are notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
• The Supreme Court in 2022, directed that every protected forest, national park and wildlife sanctuary should have a mandatory eco-sensitive zone of at least one kilometre from its demarcated boundary. 
• Restrictions: Certain activities are prohibited, some are tightly regulated, while others are encouraged to ensure development does not come at the cost of ecological damage.
  • Getting an ESA status also means that any development project in the area will be subject to stricter environmental scrutiny.

Western Ghats

• The Western Ghats, also known as the Sahyadri Hills, are a mountain range that runs parallel to the western coast of India.
• Location: The Western Ghats extend for about 1,600 kilometers from Gujarat in the north to Tamil Nadu in the south.
• It stretches across six states: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. 

• Biodiversity: The Western Ghats are considered one of the 8 “hottest hotspots” of biological diversity in the world.
  • Covering an area just under 6% of India, the Western Ghats contain more than 30% of all plant, fish, herpeto-fauna, bird, and mammal species found in India. 
  • Many species are endemic, such as the Nilgiri tahr (Hemitragus hylocrius) and the lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus). 
  • 50% of India’s amphibians and 67% of fish species are endemic to this region.
• Threats: The region faces threats from deforestation, mining, agricultural expansion, and infrastructure development.
• Conservation: In 2012, the Western Ghats were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Major Peaks in the Western Ghats: Anamudi is the highest peak in the Western Ghats, located in Kerala.
  • Doddabetta is the highest point in Tamil Nadu.

Source: IE