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- Nearly 1.30 lakh trees and plants are expected to be cut down for the development of the proposed 150-km-long Malwa Canal, a flagship initiative in Punjab.
- About the Malwa Canal Project:
- This is a proposed irrigation and water management project in Punjab, India.
- It will be the first of its kind to be built in the state since independence.
- The project, estimated to cost Rs 2,300 crore, will begin at the Harike headworks on the Sutlej River in Ferozepur district.
- The canal will extend to Waring Khera village in Muktsar district, near the Haryana border, running parallel to the Sirhind Feeder and Rajasthan Feeder canals, to the east of the latter.
- The canal will stretch 149 km in length, 50 feet in width, and 12.6 feet in depth.
- It will carry 2,000 cusecs of water (where 1 cusec equals 1 cubic foot per second).
- The canal is designed to meet the irrigation demands of approximately 2 lakh acres of farmland in southern Punjab, running alongside the left bank of the Rajasthan Feeder Canal.
- After 48 years, the Kalyan civil court recently dismissed a lawsuit filed by a Muslim trust claiming ownership of an idgah (prayer space) within the historic Durgadi Fort in Kalyan, ruling in favor of the state government.
- About Durgadi Fort:
- Durgadi Fort is located in Kalyan, near Mumbai, Maharashtra.
- Situated on the banks of the Ulhas River, it offers expansive views of the surrounding area and the city of Kalyan.
- Kalyan has long been a significant junction and an important site in ancient times.
- The fort served as a crucial international harbor during the Satvahana period.
- Durgadi Fort was constructed by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, marking the beginning of the Maratha Navy.
- On 24th October 1654, Shivaji Maharaj captured Kalyan and Bhiwandi from the Adilshahi rulers.
- He built the fort near the creek to support Kalyan and used it as a dockyard for shipbuilding.
- The fort is named after Goddess Durga, with a temple dedicated to her located within its premises.
- It holds great historical importance as a military stronghold during various periods of Indian history.
- The Konda Reddi tribe continues to live in harmony with nature, offering a poignant reminder of the delicate balance between tradition and modernity.
- About the Konda Reddi Tribe:
- The Konda Reddi are a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group residing along the banks of the Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh.
- Language:
- The tribe speaks Telugu, but with a distinctive accent that sets them apart.
- Religion:
- The Konda Reddi primarily practice folk Hinduism, which is marked by local traditions and the worship of deities specific to their communities.
- Family and Marriage:
- The Konda Reddi follow a patriarchal and patrilocal family structure.
- While monogamy is the norm, polygamous families also exist.
- Various forms of marriage, including negotiations, love, elopement, service, capture, and exchange, are socially accepted within the tribe.
- Political Organization:
- The tribe has a social control institution known as the ‘Kula Panchayat.’
- Each village is led by a traditional headman called ‘Pedda Kapu.’
- The headman's position is hereditary, and he also serves as the Pujari (priest) for the village deities.
- Livelihood:
- The Konda Reddi primarily engage in shifting cultivation, relying heavily on the flora and fauna of the forest for their livelihood.
- They grow jowar, which serves as their staple food.
- Their way of life is deeply intertwined with cattle, which provide sustenance for the tribe.
- Traditional houses of the Konda Reddi have preserved their unique architectural style over time, characterized by circular mud walls and thatched roofs, similar to the Bhunga architecture found in Gujarat’s Kachchh region.
- They are also active in cultivating commercial crops such as cashew, niger, chili, and cotton, following the Podu cultivation method.