13 MARCH 2026 - "Daily Current Affairs" Updates

GS Paper-1: History / Culture

⭐ Sinhagad Fort

⭐ Why in the News

At least twenty-five visitors were injured after a swarm of bees attacked tourists at Sinhagad Fort near Pune, drawing attention to the historic site.

⭐ Location

• Sinhagad Fort is located near Pune in the state of Maharashtra.

⭐ Earlier Name

• The fort was previously known as Kondhana.

⭐ Geographic Setting

• The fort stands on an isolated cliff in the Bhuleswar range of the Sahyadri Mountains.

• It is situated at an elevation of approximately 1,312 metres above sea level.

⭐ Historical Origin

• Historical records suggest that the fort was constructed nearly two thousand years ago.

• The earlier name Kondhana is believed to have been derived from the sage Kaundinya.

⭐ Early Historical Role

• Inscriptions and carvings discovered at the site indicate that the fort served both as a spiritual retreat and a strategic stronghold for ancient rulers.

⭐ Dynastic Control

• In 1340 CE, Muhammad bin Tughlaq captured the fort from the Koli tribal chief Nag Naik.

• In 1496 CE, Malik Ahmad, founder of the Nizam Shahi dynasty, took control of the fort.

• Nearly two centuries later, the Maratha leader Shahaji Bhonsale succeeded in capturing it.

• In 1647 CE, the fort came under the control of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

• In 1665 CE, Shivaji ceded the fort to the Mughals under the Treaty of Purandar.

• In 1670 CE, the Marathas recaptured the fort under the leadership of Tanaji Malusare, one of Shivaji’s most trusted generals.

• The Battle of Sinhagad (1670) marked a significant victory for the Marathas over the Mughal forces.

⭐ Later Historical Developments

• During the battle, Tanaji Malusare lost his life while reclaiming the fort.

• To honour his bravery, Shivaji Maharaj renamed the fort “Sinhagad,” meaning “Lion’s Fort.”

• Aurangzeb later besieged the fort between 1701 and 1703, but Mughal forces could not maintain long-term control.

• The British captured the fort from the Marathas in 1818.

• Later, the fort served as a retreat for European residents living in Pune.

GS Paper-2: Governance / Environment Monitoring

⭐ Anavaran Portal

⭐ Why in the News

The Forest Survey of India (FSI) has recently discontinued the Anavaran Deforestation Alert System, which was previously used to monitor forest cover loss across the country.

⭐ Nature of the Portal

The Anavaran Portal functioned as a deforestation alert system designed to detect and report changes in forest cover across India.

⭐ Operational Timeline

• The system had been operational since January 2024.

⭐ Monitoring Mechanism

• The portal utilised satellite data combined with machine learning tools for monitoring forest cover changes.

• It enabled the Forest Survey of India to send location-specific alerts about deforestation to state authorities every fifteen days.

• These alerts helped state governments conduct targeted field inspections in areas where forest loss was detected.

⭐ Technology Used

Google Earth Engine Platform

• The system was developed on the Google Earth Engine platform, which allows large-scale processing and analysis of satellite data.

Satellite Data Input

• The portal primarily used Sentinel-2 satellite imagery to monitor forest cover changes.

Monitoring during Cloudy Conditions

• To ensure monitoring during cloudy or monsoon conditions, the system integrated Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data.

• Radar-based imagery helps detect changes in forest cover even when optical satellite images are obstructed by clouds.

GS Paper-3: Environment / Infrastructure

⭐ National Highways Green Cover Index

⭐ Why in the News

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has released the first National Highways Green Cover Index to evaluate the extent of vegetation cover along national highway corridors.

⭐ Nature of the Initiative

The National Highways Green Cover Index (NHGCI) is an initiative developed by the National Highways Authority of India to scientifically assess greenery along highways.

⭐ Institutional Collaboration

• The index has been developed in collaboration with the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

⭐ Objective

• The initiative aims to provide a scientific and quantitative assessment of vegetation cover within the Right of Way (ROW) along national highways.

• It relies on advanced space-based technologies and satellite data to monitor vegetation.

⭐ Methodology Used

Satellite-Based Assessment

• The evaluation uses high-resolution satellite sensors to detect chlorophyll content, which helps identify vegetation.

Measurement of Vegetation

• The index measures the percentage of land covered by vegetation along highway corridors, including plantations on both sides of roads and vegetation along central medians.

Analytical Technique

• The analysis is conducted for each one-kilometre stretch of national highways.

• It uses the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) derived from satellite imagery.

Coverage of the Study

• The assessment covers about 30,000 kilometres of national highways.

• These stretches span 24 states across India.

• The analysis was carried out between July and December 2024.

⭐ Monitoring Mechanism

• The index provides a reliable framework for large-scale monitoring of green cover along highway networks.

⭐ Efficiency and Cost Effectiveness

• The system offers a cost-effective and time-efficient method for monitoring vegetation along transportation corridors at the national level.

⭐ Policy Utility

• The index will help compare and rank different highway stretches based on green cover, supporting better planning and environmental management of road infrastructure.