Science & Technology Current Affairs April 2016

• Others are Nilgiri, Gulf of Mannar, Sunderban, Nanda Devi, Nokrek, Pachmarhi, Similipal, Achanakmar-Amarkantak and Great Nicobar.

• The ABR now included in UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves (BR) covers the Shendurney and Peppara wildlife sanctuaries and parts of the Neyyar sanctuary in Kerala and the Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve of Tamil Nadu.

• The ABR is situated at the Southernmost end of the Western Ghats and spread over Kerala and Tamil Nadu and covers an area of 3500 sq km at an altitude ranging from 100 m to 1858 m above the Mean Sea Level. The area falls in the Malabar rainforests.

• It is estimated that more than 2250 species of dicotyledonous plants are in the area and 29 are endemic to the region.

• Many plants are considered endangered too. Researchers have noted that about 400 Red Listec Plants have been recorded from ABR. About 125 species of orchids and rare, endemic and threatened plants have been recorded from the reserve.

Union Government Imposed Anti-dumping Duty on Plastic-processing Imports

• As on March 15, 2016, Union government imposed anti-dumping duty of up to 44.7% on import of plastic-processing machines from Chinese Taipei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam for five years.

• The duty will be levied on imports of all kinds of plastic-processing or injection-moulding machines, known as injection presses. The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) has found that import of these goods has led to deterioration of performance of the domestic industry and the injury is significant and material.

• Anti-dumping duty of 27.98% has been imposed on plastic-processing machines imported from Chinese Taipei. Further, a safeguard duty of 44.74% and 30.85% has been imposed for the same products imported from Malaysia and the Philippines.

More than 50 Animal Species Critically Endangered in India

• The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed 18 species of amphibians, 14 varieties of fish, 13 birds and 10 mammals as critically endangered and 310 species as endangered, including 69 fish, 38 mammals and 32 amphibians out of 96000 animal species in India.

• Out of 19156 species of vascular plants, 1236 species belong to different threatened categories like critically endangered, endangered and vulnerable. Rajya Sabha was informed on March 14, 2016 about these things.

• Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said the National CAMPA Advisory Council has approved the funding for recovery programme of various endangered species that includes Dugong with a budget of Rs 23.58 crore, Gangetic River Dolphin with f 23 crore. Great Indian Bustard with Rs 108.25 crore, Manipur Brow