The Battle of Kangla Tongbi, considered one of the fiercest battles of World War II, was fought by Ordnance personnel of 221 Advance Ordnance Depot (AOD) on the night of 6/7 April 1944. Japanese forces had planned a three pronged offensive to capture Imphal and the surrounding areas. In their attempt to extend their line of communication to Imphal, the 33rd Japanese Division cut in behind the 17th Indian Division at Tiddim (Mynmar) and establishing themselves firmly on the main Kohima – Manipur highway, started advancing towards Kangla Tongbi. Here at Kangla Tongbi, a small but determined detachment of 221 AOD put up stiff resistance against the advancing Japanese forces.
The position of 221 AOD was not at all sound from a tactical point of view. It was exposed to the enemy from all sides and had to rely on its own combatant manpower for its defence. Major Boyd, the Deputy Chief of Ordnance Officer (DCOO) was made in charge of the operations for defence of the Depot. A Suicide squad comprising of Major Boyd, Havildar/ Clerk Store Basant Singh, Conductor Panken and other personnel from the Depot was created.
On 06 Apr 1944, orders were received to evacuate 4,000 tons of ammunition, armaments and other warlike stores. On the night of 6/7 Apr 1944, the Japanese mounted a heavy attack on the Depot, rushing downhill into a deep nallah which was used as a covered approach to the Depot. A very well camouflaged bunker had been sited by the Depot on this approach. The Bren Gun Section in this bunker having spotted an enemy section within range, opened fire. This shook the enemy and forced the Japanese to withdraw leaving many dead. The Bren Gun was manned by none other than Hav/ Clerk Store Basant Singh.
For this act of gallantry, Major Boyd was awarded the Military Cross (MC), Conductor Panken, the Military Medal (MM) and Hav/ Clerk Store Basant Singh, the Indian Distinguished Service Medal (IDSM).
The Kangla Tongbi War Memorial is a mute testimony to this battle and the unflinching devotion to duty of the Ordnance personnel of 221 AOD, 19 of whom made the supreme sacrifice. It conveys to the world at large that Ordnance personnel, apart from being professional logisticians, are second to none in combat, being equally proficient soldiers, should the occasion demand. As it commemorate the Platinum Jubilee of this hard fought battle, the spirit of Kangla Tongbi lives eternally in the hearts of all Army Ordnance Corps personnel of the Indian Army and continues to be source of inspiration for all ranks
Key findings: About 85% of Ujjwala beneficiaries in four States still use earthen stoves- rural Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. The resultant indoor air pollution can lead to infant deaths and harm child development, as well as contribute to heart and lung disease among adults, especially the women, cooking on these chulhas.
Almost 70% of households do not spend anything on solid fuels, meaning that the relative cost of an LPG cylinder refill, even if subsidised, is far higher. Women are more likely to make dung cakes, and while men are more likely to cut wood, women are often the ones collecting and carrying it. The study argues that these women, who do the unpaid labour needed for “free” solid fuels, are not typically economic decision-makers in the household, hindering a shift to LPG usage.
About Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana: Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana aims to provide LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) connections to poor households.
Who is eligible? Under the scheme, an adult woman member of a below poverty line family identified through the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) is given a deposit-free LPG connection with financial assistance of Rs 1,600 per connection by the Centre. Identification of households: Eligible households will be identified in consultation with state governments and Union territories. The scheme is being implemented by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
Key objectives of the scheme are: Empowering women and protecting their health. Reducing the serious health hazards associated with cooking based on fossil fuel. Reducing the number of deaths in India due to unclean cooking fuel. Preventing young children from significant number of acute respiratory illnesses caused due to indoor air pollution by burning the fossil fuel.
What makes LPG adoption necessary? A large section of Indians, especially women and girls, are exposed to severe household air pollution (HAP) from the use of solid fuels such as biomass, dung cakes and coal for cooking. A report from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare places HAP as the second leading risk factor contributing to India’s disease burden.
According to the World Health Organization, solid fuel use is responsible for about 13% of all mortality and morbidity in India (measured as Disability-Adjusted Life Years), and causes about 40% of all pulmonary disorders, nearly 30% of cataract incidences, and over 20% each of ischemic heart disease, lung cancer and lower respiratory infection.
Way ahead: The PMUY is a bold and much-needed initiative, but it should be recognised that this is just a first step. The real test of the PMUY and its successor programmes will be in how they translate the provision of connections to sustained use of LPG or other clean fuels such as electricity or biogas.
Truly smokeless kitchens can be realized only if the government follows up with measures that go beyond connections to actual usage of LPG. This may require concerted efforts cutting across Ministries beyond petroleum and natural gas and including those of health, rural development and women and child welfare.
Kurinji or Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthianus) is a shrub that is found in the shola forests of the Western Ghats in South India.
Nilgiri Hills, which literally means the blue mountains, got their name from the purplish blue flowers of Neelakurinji that blossoms only once in 12 years. Some Kurinji flowers bloom once every seven years, and then die. Their seeds subsequently sprout and continue the cycle of life and death.
The Paliyan tribal people living in Tamil Nadu used it as a reference to calculate their age.
What is it? The J&K govt. has issued an order banning the movement of civilian traffic on a 270-km stretch (Udhampur-Baramulla) of the Jammu-Srinagar-Uri national highway for two days every week.
On Sundays and Wednesdays, the highway would be exclusively used for movement of military convoys. The decision has been taken considering the security concerns that led to temporarily blocking part of the highway. However this has an implication on civilian population.
Why is the highway important? The Jammu-Srinagar-Uri national highway (NH-1A) runs 370 km. The national highway is not just the only road link that connects Kashmir to the outside world but also the key highway that connects Srinagar with the southern and northern districts of the Valley. The highway passes through five of the 10 districts of the Valley, and highways to at least two more districts branch out from it. The highway, directly and indirectly, impacts a population of over 69 lakh.
Why such decision? The government has cited the recent suicide bombing of a security forces convoy in Pulwama — which killed 40 CRPF personnel — as the reason for restricting traffic.
Implications of the road-block: It means a virtual lockdown of the Valley for two days every week. According to official figures, over 10,000 vehicles move on the highway from both sides every hour, including around 5,000 light motor vehicles. These include vehicles carrying students, patients, government officials and businessmen. Closing the highway during daytime would mean that most government and private offices, banks, schools and colleges would remain shut on Wednesdays and the movement of people to hospitals would be severely restricted on Wednesdays and Sundays.
What can be done? Whenever security forces’ vehicles are using the highway, civilian traffic can be halted for various lengths of time.
Background: The discolouration of Periyar and fish kill has been a serious issue for last couple of years. Decrease in dissolved oxygen level has caused several fish-kills in the past few years.
Environmental activists have been protesting against the pollution of the river and demanding steps for its protection. For the record, the pollution of the river system had earlier led to violent protests in the region.
What is the reason for discolouration? The discolouration was due to the poor quality of water as a result of eutrophication. When excessive nutrients reach the waterbody, it will lead to algal bloom. A few days later, algae will die and decay, resulting in a foul smell and discolouration of water.
Water in some reaches of the river system has been stagnant. Reduced water flow in the system has added to the deteriorating water quality. Huge quantities of organic load in the form of sewage from nearby townships are regularly reaching the river system. Discharge of untreated effluents into the river from industrial units is also causing discolouration of water.
What needs to be done? Areas near industrial units are to be regularly monitored. The river flow should not be restricted by closing the bund so that the natural pollutants will flow away from the water. Excessive discharge of pollutants from an unauthorized industrial unit functioning upstream must be controlled.
What are small finance banks? The small finance bank will primarily undertake basic banking activities of acceptance of deposits and lending to unserved and underserved sections including small business units, small and marginal farmers, micro and small industries and unorganised sector entities.
What they can do? Take small deposits and disburse loans. Distribute mutual funds, insurance products and other simple third-party financial products. Lend 75% of their total adjusted net bank credit to priority sector. Maximum loan size would be 10% of capital funds to single borrower, 15% to a group. Minimum 50% of loans should be up to 25 lakhs.
What they cannot do? Lend to big corporates and groups. Cannot open branches with prior RBI approval for first five years. Other financial activities of the promoter must not mingle with the bank. It cannot set up subsidiaries to undertake non-banking financial services activities. Cannot be a business correspondent of any bank.
The guidelines they need to follow: Promoter must contribute minimum 40% equity capital and should be brought down to 30% in 10 years. Minimum paid-up capital would be Rs 100 cr. Capital adequacy ratio should be 15% of risk weighted assets, Tier-I should be 7.5%.
Foreign shareholding capped at 74% of paid capital, FPIs cannot hold more than 24%. Priority sector lending requirement of 75% of total adjusted net bank credit. 50% of loans must be up to Rs 25 lakh.
Context: The Indian Army has received its first batch of Dhanush artillery guns.
The gun, which has a calibre of 155x45mm, is the first ever indigenous artillery gun of this calibre, is classified as ‘medium artillery’. Dhanush has been designed and developed by the Ordnance Factory Board at the Gun Carriage Factory at Jabalpur based on the Bofors drawings.