Equine Disease-Free Compartment

Context: India has achieved a major milestone in international veterinary standards with the establishment of its first internationally recognised Equine Disease-Free Compartment (EDFC) at the Remount Veterinary Corps (RVC) Centre & College, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.

More on News:  The EDFC has been officially declared free from Equine Infectious Anemia, Equine Influenza, Equine Piroplasmosis, Glanders, and Surra. 

• Additionally, India has historically remained free from African Horse Sickness since 2014.

About Equine Disease

• Equine disease refers to a medical condition that affects horses (equines), including donkeys and mules.
• These diseases can be caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites, or environmental factors and may affect different systems in the horse’s body such as the respiratory, digestive, or nervous system.

Common Examples of Equine Disease

• Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA): A viral disease spread by bloodsucking insects; causes fever, anemia, and weight loss. Equine Influenza: A highly contagious viral respiratory disease leading to fever, coughing, and nasal discharge.
• Equine Piroplasmosis: A tick-borne parasitic disease causing fever, anemia, jaundice, and weakness.
• Glanders: A serious bacterial infection that can spread to humans; causes nasal discharge, ulcers, and swollen lymph nodes in equines.

What is an Equine Disease-Free Compartment (EDFC)?

• An EDFC is a facility that maintains a population of horses under strict biosecurity and veterinary protocols, certified to be free from specific equine diseases.
• It allows for international movement of horses without imposing standard country-wide restrictions.
• It complies with the World Organisation for Animal Health’s  Terrestrial Animal Health Code.

Places in News: Helgoland

Context: More than 300 top quantum physicists gathered on Helgoland in June for a conference that was billed as a highlight of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology.

About Helgoland

• Located in the North Sea, about 50–65 km off the coast of Germany.
• Lies in the German Bay (Deutsche Bucht), near the estuaries of the Jade, Weser, and Elbe rivers.
• Famous for its red sandstone cliffs, clean air, and scientific history
• Climate: Oceanic climate with mild winters.

Historic significance

• Controlled by Dukes of Schleswig-Holstein (1402), then Denmark (1714)
• British possession (1807–1890); ceded to Germany in 1890 in exchange for Zanzibar and African territories
• Developed into a major naval base, called “Gibraltar of the North Sea”
• Military installations demolished post-World War I (Treaty of Versailles)
• Remilitarized by Nazi Germany and heavily bombed in World War II.
• Evacuated after the war; used as a RAF bombing range until returned to West Germany in 1952.

Scientific and Technological Importance

• Site for navigation, wind-energy production, and scientific research.
• Important for the study of birds.
• Helgoland is considered the birthplace of quantum mechanics.
• In June 1925, Werner Heisenberg, developed matrix mechanics, the first complete version of quantum theory.

Aluminium and Copper Vision Documents

Context: Recently, India unveiled its Aluminium and Copper Vision documents, aligned with PM Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047. 

• Aluminium Vision: Aims for a 6-fold increase in aluminium production by 2047.
• Copper Vision: Anticipates 6-fold demand increase by 2047 and outlines strategies for expanding smelting and refining capacity by 2030.

Aluminium Vision Document

• Production Expansion:
  • Target: Increase aluminium production from 4.5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to 37 MTPA by 2047.
  • Requires an investment of over ₹20 lakh crore to meet demand.
• Key Strategic Pillars:
  • Raw Material Security: Expansion of bauxite production to 150 MTPA by 2047.
  • Circular Economy: Double the national aluminium recycling rate.
  • Low-Carbon Technologies: Promote adoption of low-carbon technologies to align with clean energy systems and electric mobility.
  • Self-Sufficiency: Focus on self-reliance in aluminium production and raw material security.
• Global Competitiveness: The vision aims to position India as a global aluminium hub, claiming 10% of the global market by 2047.
  • The document emphasizes the importance of aluminium in supporting clean energy, infrastructure development, and energy independence.

Copper Vision Document

• Anticipated Demand Growth:
  • Copper Demand: Expected to grow six-fold by 2047.
  • The document aims to meet growing domestic demand while ensuring raw material security.
• Capacity Expansion: Plan to add 5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of smelting and refining capacity by 2030.
• Strategies:
  • Secondary Refining: Focus on scaling up secondary refining processes and enhancing domestic recycling capacities.
  • Raw Material Security: Reduce dependency on imports by securing overseas mineral assets through global partnerships.

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