International Vulture Awareness Day 2026

Context: International Vulture Awareness Day 2026 was observed on 5 September, with India organising a national workshop at Panchkula, Haryana, on “From Crisis to Recovery – Conserving India’s Vultures”, highlighting Vulture Safe Zones and the recovery of vulture populations in the wild. 

About International Vulture Awareness Day

• Date: Observed annually on the first Saturday of September; the 2026 observance was held on 5 September. 

• Origin: Began in 2006 through collaboration between the Birds of Prey Programme of the Endangered Wildlife Trust (South Africa) and the Hawk Conservancy Trust (England). 

• Objective: Raise awareness about the ecological importance of vultures and promote coordinated conservation action. 

• Global Concern: Around 70% of vulture species are threatened, making them one of the most threatened groups of birds. 

About Vultures and their Decline in India

• Ecological Role: Vultures are efficient scavengers that rapidly dispose of animal carcasses, facilitating nutrient recycling and helping maintain ecological balance. 

• Species Diversity: Out of 23 species of vultures in the world, India hosts nine species, including White-rumped, Long-billed, Slender-billed, Red-headed, Egyptian, Himalayan Griffon, Eurasian Griffon, Cinereous and Bearded Vultures. 

• Vulture Crisis: Populations, particularly of Gyps species, declined sharply from the 1990s, primarily due to exposure to veterinary diclofenac through carcasses of treated livestock. 

• Other Threats: Other vulture-toxic veterinary drugs, food-chain disruption, poisoning and unsafe carcass-management practices continue to threaten recovery. 

India’s Vulture Conservation Efforts

• Policy & Drug Regulation: India’s National Action Plan for Vulture Conservation (2006) and Action Plan for Vulture Conservation 2020–2025 focus on safe habitats, monitoring, breeding and reducing drug-related mortality. Veterinary diclofenac was banned in 2006, while safer alternatives such as meloxicam have been promoted. 

• Vulture Safe Zones: Conservation efforts emphasise safe veterinary practices and safe food availability across landscapes supporting vultures. 

• Conservation Breeding: The Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre (JCBC), Pinjore, jointly established by the Haryana Forest Department and BNHS, focuses on White-rumped, Long-billed and Slender-billed Vultures. During 2025–26, it housed 356 vultures, bred 35 chicks and released/contributed 87 vultures for reintroduction. 

• Community & Technical Capacity: India is pursuing a Whole-of-Government and Whole-of-Society approach involving veterinarians, livestock owners, local administrations and communities, alongside technical capacity building for recovery in the wild.

CosmoCube to Probe the Universe’s Cosmic Dark Ages 

Context: An international team led by the University of Cambridge has proposed CosmoCube, a suitcase-sized lunar-orbiting spacecraft to study the Universe’s poorly understood early stages by detecting faint 21-cm radio signals from neutral hydrogen.

About the CosmoCube Mission

• Objective: Probe the Cosmic Dark Ages and Cosmic Dawn, particularly the period before the formation of the first stars.

• Design: A lightweight, CubeSat-like spacecraft proposed to orbit the Moon at about 100 km altitude, with an expected mission life of two years.

• Observation: It would use a lightweight radio antenna and operate at extremely low frequencies of about 10–50 MHz.

• During each two-hour lunar orbit, it could spend about 40 minutes behind the Moon, potentially accumulating around 1,000 hours of observations over two years.

• The mission is still proposed, with the team hoping for a launch within the next few years.

Understanding the 21-cm Signal

• Neutral hydrogen emits radiation at a characteristic wavelength of 21 cm through a quantum-mechanical spin-flip transition.

• Cosmic expansion stretches this radiation to longer wavelengths and lower frequencies, allowing different stages of early cosmic evolution to be studied.

• The Cosmic Dark Ages began around 380,000 years after the Big Bang, after recombination, and lasted until the emergence of the first stars roughly 100–300 million years later.

• Studying the redshifted signal could reveal the temperature and distribution of hydrogen, the growth of cosmic structures, the formation of the first stars and galaxies, and the role of dark matter.

Significance of Observation from the Moon

• Overcoming Earth-based limitations: The ionosphere and human-made radio-frequency interference make these extremely low-frequency observations difficult; ground-based observations are effectively prevented below about 45 MHz.

• Natural radio shield: The Moon’s far side can block radio signals originating from Earth, creating a much quieter environment for detecting the faint cosmic signal.

• Exploring an observational gap: The targeted early-Universe period has not yet been directly observed, offering a new window into cosmic evolution.

• Broader scientific potential: Measurements could improve understanding of dark matter, structure formation and the transition from the early Universe to the emergence of stars and galaxies.

• Race against lunar interference: Future lunar missions may introduce radio interference, potentially compromising the very radio-quiet environment CosmoCube seeks to exploit.

Appointments to the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis

Context: The Government has appointed a new Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and three Members to the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK), strengthening the institutional mechanism for safeguarding the rights and welfare of Safai Karamcharis.

More on the News

• Bhagwat Prasad Makwana has been appointed Chairperson and Kaishab Bihari Vice-Chairperson.

• Manoj Kumar Balmiki, Sushma Gaudiyal and Ravi Ramu Kalose have been appointed Members.

• Their appointments are effective up to 31 March 2028, corresponding to the remaining tenure of the 10th NCSK.

About the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis

• Constitution: NCSK was constituted on 12 August 1994 under the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis Act, 1993, initially for three years. The Act ceased to have effect on 29 February 2004.

• Present Status: Since 2004, NCSK has functioned as a temporary, non-statutory body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, with its tenure extended periodically through Government resolutions. Its present tenure extends up to 31 March 2028.

• Composition: It comprises one Chairperson, one Vice-Chairperson and five Members, including one woman Member, supported by a Secretary of Joint Secretary rank.

Mandate and Functions of NCSK

• Manual Scavenging Law: Monitors implementation of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, enquires into complaints and advises Central and State Governments on its implementation.

• Welfare & Rehabilitation: Recommends programmes, evaluates rehabilitation schemes and investigates grievances concerning Safai Karamcharis.

• Working Conditions: Monitors health, safety and wages of Safai Karamcharis employed by governments, municipalities, panchayats and other employers.

• Suo Motu & Information: Can take suo motu notice of non-implementation of welfare measures/laws and call for information from governments and local authorities.

• Sewer Deaths: Monitors sewer/septic-tank deaths and implementation of the Supreme Court's directions, including ₹30 lakh compensation for sewer deaths under the 2023 Dr. Balram Singh v. Union of India judgment.