Daily Prelims Notes 25 February 2024

February 25, 2024
Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
Category: DPN

No Comments

Daily Prelims Notes

25 February 2024

Table Of Contents

1. SECI unveils India’s largest solar-battery project, pioneering renewable energy innovation in Chhattisgarh

Subject: Schemes

Context:

The Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI), under the aegis of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, has successfully commissioned India’s largest Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), which stores energy using solar energy.

More on news:

The 40 megawatts (MW) / 120MWh BESS with a solar photovoltaic (PV) plant which has an installed capacity of 152.325 megawatt hour (MWh)and dispatchable capacity of 100MW AC (155.02 MW peak DC) is located in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh.
The project has been constructed with funding from the World Bank and Clean Technology Fund under Innovation in Solar Power & Hybrid Technologies Project as well as leveraged financing from domestic lending agencies.
The energy would be purchased by the state of Chhattisgarh, thus contributing to meeting the peak energy demand of the state using green electrons and also towards its renewable purchase obligations.

About the project:

The project using solar panels and battery storage represents a monumental leap forward in generation and use of renewable energy.
The project utilizes battery storage for storing solar energy when the sun is shining and using it later during hours of peak demand in the evening, for meeting the electricity demand in the state.
The project has deployed bifacial modules, which reflect the light from the ground, thus generating more electricity than monofacial modules, hence setting a new standard for large-scale renewable energy projects.
A unique aspect of this project is its strategic use of previously unused land.
A tripartite land-use permission agreement among the Energy Department of the Government of Chhattisgarh, Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited (CSPDCL), and SECI, have been repurposed.
The project has thus adopted a sustainable approach to energy project development, while minimizing environmental impact.

Benefits of the project:

This project is estimated to save tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
This project is expected to have a far-reaching positive impact on the renewable energy landscape and in promoting responsible utilization of land resources in India and globally.

2. PM launches the world ‘s largest agri storage platform

Subject: Schemes

Context:

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of several major initiatives for the cooperative sector at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

More on news:

The Prime Minister inaugurated the pilot project of ‘World’s Largest Grain Storage Scheme in Cooperative Sector’ in 11 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACSs) in 11 states.
PM Modi laid the foundation stone of additional 500 PACSs across the country for creation of godowns and other agri-related infrastructure and also inaugurated a project for computerization of 18,000 PACSs.

World largest Grain Storage Plan:

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the pilot project of ‘World’s Largest Grain Storage Scheme in Cooperative Sector’ in 11 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACSs) in 11 states.
Under the scheme, thousands of warehouses and godowns will be constructed across the country.
The scheme aims to create storage capacity for storing 100 per cent of India’s grain production.
It aims to seamlessly integrate PACS godowns with the food grain supply chain, with a collaborative effort of NABARD and spearheaded by the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC).
The initiative is being implemented through the convergence of various existing schemes like the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), Agriculture Marketing Infrastructure (AMI), etc. to enable PACS participating in the project to avail subsidies and interest subvention benefits for undertaking infrastructure development.
PM also laid the foundation for creating godowns and other agri infrastructure in 500 more PACS.
The PM also inaugurated a project for computerisation of 18,000 PACS across the country.
In India, storage capacity with regards to food grain production is only 47%, whereas in the USA it is 161%, Brazil 149%, Canada 130% and China 107%.
700 lakh tonne storage capacity will be created in the next five years, with an investment of ₹1.25 lakh crore.

About PACS

Primary Agricultural Credit Societies are the grass root level arms of the short-term co-operative credit structure.
PACS deals directly with the rural (agricultural) borrowers, give those loans and collect repayments of loans given and also undertake distribution and marketing functions.

Organizational Structure of PACS

General Body of PACS: Exercise the control over board as well as management.
Management Committee: Elected by the general body to perform the work as prescribed by the society’s rules, acts, and by-laws.
Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Secretary: Work for the benefit of the members by performing their roles and duties as assigned to them.
Office Staff: Responsible for performing day to day work.

Significance of Primary Agriculture Credit Society

For the uninitiated, a PACS is the first building block of the century-old cooperative banking system of India.
PACS can play a colossal role, in bringing farmer communities closer to credit, inputs, market and value addition.
No commercial bank branch can ever come close to providing the kind of services a Primary Agriculture Credit Society (PACS) can.
PACS can also play a major role by integrating its warehouse with the physical and financial supply chain of agro-commodities in the upcoming Garmin Agriculture Markets (GrAMs) or large warehouses in the private sector.
Promotion of training and awareness through National Council for Cooperative Training (NCCT).
By increasing its reach, NCCT has conducted 3,287 training programs and provided training to 2,01,507 participants in FY 2022-23.

Computerization of Agriculture and Rural Development Banks (ARDBs):

To strengthen the long-term cooperative credit structure, the project of computerization of 1,851 units of Agriculture and Rural Development Banks (ARDBs) spread across 13 States/ Union Territories has been approved by the Government.
NABARD is the implementing agency for the project and will develop a national level software for ARDBs.

Multi-State Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Act, 2023:

Amendment has been brought in the MSCS Act, 2002 to strengthen governance, enhance transparency, increase accountability, reform electoral processes and incorporate provisions of the 97th Constitutional Amendment in the Multi State Cooperative Societies.

3. Centre discloses key consumption expenditure survey findings after 11-year gap

Subject: Economy

Section: National Economy

The Household Consumption Expenditure Survey:

The Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) is conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO) every five years.

Recent release :

For the first time in about 11 years, the government released the broad findings of the All India Household Consumption Expenditure Survey carried out between August 2022 and July 2023.

Why it took 11years and not 5 years:

Findings of the last survey, conducted in 2017-18 soon after the demonetisation of high-value currency notes and the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), were never released after the government cited “data quality” issues.

Role of the data :

In reviewing critical economic indicators-
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) .Poverty levels
The Consumer Price Inflation (CPI).

Findings:

The average monthly per capita consumption expenditure (MPCE) in Indian households rose by 33.5% since 2011-12 in urban households to ₹3,510, with rural India’s MPCE seeing a 40.42% increase over the same period to hit ₹2,008.
The proportion of spending on food has dropped to 46.4% for rural households from 52.9% in 2011-12, while their urban peers spent just 39.2% of their overall monthly outgoes on food compared with 42.6% incurred 11 years earlier.
This reduction could translate into a lower weightage for food prices in the country’s retail inflation calculations.

What MPCE includes and excludes:

The MPCE numbers do not take into account the imputed values of items received free of cost by individuals through various social welfare programmes such as the PM Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) or State-run schemes, which were calculated separately.
While including a few non-food items received through such schemes, including computers, mobile phones, bicycles, and clothes.

Findings:

The average MPCE, at 2011-12 prices, was a tad higher when these items were included while excluding free education and healthcare sops — at ₹2,054 for rural households, and ₹3,544 for urban homes.

Food spending pattern across years :

Summary sheet:

The Statistics and Programme Implementation Ministry released a factsheet on the summary of the Survey findings and said a detailed report on the survey will be brought out subsequently.
The estimates of the MPCE are based on data collected from 2,61,746 households, of which 1,55,014 were in rural areas, spread over all States and Union Territories.
“The bottom 5% of India’s rural population, ranked by MPCE, has an average MPCE of ₹1,373 while it is ₹2,001 for the same category of population in the urban areas.
The top 5% of India’s rural and urban population, ranked by MPCE, has an average MPCE of ₹10,501 and ₹20,824, respectively.
Among the States, the MPCE is the highest in Sikkim for both rural (₹7,731) and urban areas (₹12,105).

4. Kerala takes a pioneering step to curb antimicrobial resistance

Subject: Science and tech

Section: Health

H1 rule:

In 2011, the Indian government introduced the H1 rule to prohibit the over-the-counter (OTC) sales of antibiotics without a prescription, responding to the growing concern over antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Challenges faced:

However, due to the healthcare system’s heterogeneity across the country, the implementation of this rule faced significant challenges.

Modifications:

In 2013, following the Chennai Declaration document and initiative by medical societies in India, the Indian government modified the rule to limit the OTC restriction to second and third-line antibiotics, allowing the sale of first-line antibiotics without a prescription.

Aim of modification: This modification was aimed to ensure that life-saving antibiotics remained accessible to the public, especially in remote areas of the country where doctors might not be readily available.

Initiative by Kerala:

Despite a decade passing since the rule’s announcement, no State government had adopted it until Kerala recently initiated Operation AMRITH (Antimicrobial Resistance Intervention for Total Health).
AMRITH programme enforces the original H1 rule, mandating a doctor’s prescription for acquiring any class of antibiotics.

Factors in Kerala’s adoption:

Kerala’s high doctor-patient ratio, even in villages, facilitates the enforcement of this rule.
The high literacy rate in the State is poised to contribute significantly to the efficient implementation of the rule.
An informed populace is more likely to understand the importance of regulations like these and adhere to them, facilitating smoother execution and compliance.

Paradox :

While it is highly commendable that Kerala is implementing the H1 rule to rein in AMR, it is unlikely to have a significant impact on drug-resistant infections in the immediate future.
The effects of this initiative may take several years to manifest.
However, it will foster a culture of respecting antibiotics and encourage further actions to combat AMR.

Unnecessary usage of antibiotics:

Over 50-70% of antibiotic prescriptions by doctors are deemed unnecessary and irrational.

Reasons :

a. The unavailability of laboratory facilities to make a correct diagnosis of bacterial infections.

Even if they are available, these tests are more expensive than a course of antibiotics.

Enhancing laboratory facilities for accurate infection diagnosis, especially with affordable rapid diagnostic tests to determine the necessity of antibiotics, is therefore vital.

b. Patients wrongly believe that antibiotics is a quick remedy for a fever episode of any cause.

Solution: Educating patients about the limitations of antibiotics and discouraging them from pressuring doctors for unnecessary prescriptions is vital.

What is needed :

Kerala demands hospitals to disclose the incidence of hospital-acquired infections.
Antimicrobial resistance is a socioeconomic problem, and combating it requires measures:

a. improve public health infrastructure

b. sanitation facilities

c. governance in order to decrease the transmission of infections and the dependence on antibiotics.

The influence of these factors on antimicrobial resistance rates is typically greater than that of the total volume of antibiotics used.

What other measures required:

To reduce the spread, healthcare facilities must follow the correct standards for infection prevention. .There must be a system where all hospitals report rates of hospital-acquired infections to the State government. Ideally, the data should be made public.

In practice: Currently, all NABH hospitals collect this data every month and take measures to reduce hospital-acquired infections.

What is needed :

However, it is crucial that all hospitals follow suit and share the data with the State.

Possible outcomes:

There will be immediate long-term benefits in lowering AMR-related fatalities if measures to reduce hospital-acquired infections are successfully implemented.

Other essential measures:

a. rationalizing antibiotic use in hospitals.

b. banning the growth-promotional use of antibiotics in poultry farms, fish farms, and agriculture based on existing rules.

Some innovative solutions:

Kerala will do well if it supports and promotes the development of new antibiotics, diagnostics, and vaccines by entrepreneurs. .Karnataka and Maharashtra-based startups have achieved remarkable progress in this domain.

Potential of startups:

Startups based on novel service delivery models may help us make better use of human resources in relation to antibiotic stewardship and infection prevention.

Multi-pronged approach :

While enforcing the OTC regulation is a welcome step, but curbing antimicrobial resistance requires a multipronged approach, including:

a. reforms to physicians’ prescribing practices

b. mandating that hospitals report healthcare-associated infection rates.

c. Strictly enforcing the OTC regulation without addressing the other issues, which are major drivers of antimicrobial resistance, may not help the cause.

Conclusion:

Enforcing the H1 rule is a relatively easy goal. The real challenge will be tackling the major drivers of AMR.

5. Is the Ukraine war changing world order?

Subject: IR

Section: Places in news

Affected areas map:

Introduction:

Russia’s war in Ukraine has turned out to be the largest land war in Europe since the end of the Second World War.
The war has pushed Russia to turn towards Asia and the Global South in general, while the West continues to support Ukraine in its bid to push back and weaken Russia.
A vast majority of countries, including India, remain neutral as the violence continues.

Did Vladimir Putin err?

Defence experts and western intelligence thought:

President Vladimir Putin made a grave strategic miscalculation when he ordered the invasion of Europe’s second largest country (after Russia), also a close ally of NATO, with less than 2,00,000 troops.
Putin probably expected a quick victory, like he did in Georgia in 2008 and Crimea in 2014.

What actually occurred :

But as the Russian war machine got stuck in Ukraine, the West moved in with military assistance, training and international mercenaries. After his troops were forced to pull back from Kharkiv in 2022, Mr. Putin immediately ordered a partial mobilisation.

Shifting Russian Focus :

The focus of Russia’s military campaign shifted from all out offence to strengthening the lines of defence with limited offensive battles.
When Ukraine was preparing for a major counteroffensive, Russia kept thousands of Ukrainian troops engaged at Bakhmut in Donetsk, while at the same time building defence fortifications along the 1,000-km long frontline.

Last May, the Russians took Bakhmut.

Where does the war stand now?

Ukranian side :

Eight months after Ukraine’s counteroffensive began, it’s now evident that the campaign failed, as admitted by Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the commander of Ukrainian forces, who was fired by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this month.
Gen. Zaluzhnyi had called for a mass mobilisation ,suggesting that Ukraine was facing acute shortage of fighters on the frontline.
They lost many of their Westsupplied weapons in the counteroffensive and are waiting for fresh supplies, but aid from the U.S. is stuck in Congress amid Republican opposition.

Russian side :

The Russians are on the offensive. In December, Russia claimed its first victory since the fall of Bakhmut when it captured Maryinka, in Donetsk.
This month, Ukraine was forced to abandon Avdiivka, a strategically important town in Donetsk, after months-long fighting and suffering huge losses.
The Russians are now advancing westward in Donetsk and piling up pressure on Ukrainian forces in Krynky, Kherson, in the south.

What is the West’s strategy?

The West had taken a two-fold approach towards Ukraine.

A. To provide economic and military assistance to Kyiv to keep the fight against Russia going on.: With Ukraine’s failed counter-offensive and a changing political climate in Washington with the prospect of a second Trump presidency looming, this policy faces uncertainty, if not absolute peril.

B. To weaken Russia’s economy and war machine through sanctions. : Sanctions, has hurt Russia badly. According to West ,sanctions have deprived Russia of over $430 billion in revenue it would otherwise have gained since the war began.

How have the sanctions affected Russia?

Russia has found several ways to work around sanctions and keep its economy going.

a. When Europe cut energy sales, Russia offered discounted crude oil to big growing economies such as China, India and Brazil.

It amassed a ghost fleet of ships to keep sending oil to its new markets without relying on western shipping companies and insurers.

b. It set up shell companies and private corporations operating in its neighbourhood (Armenia or Turkey) to import dual use technologies which were re-exported to Russia to be used in defence production.

c. China, the world’s second largest economy, ramped up its financial and trade ties with Russia, including the export of dual use technologies.

d. Russia moved away from the dollar to other currencies, mainly the Chinese yuan, for trade and boosted defence and public spending at home (its defence budget was raised by nearly 70% this year).

e. Russia strengthened ties with Iran and North Korea, reeling under American sanctions and imported weapons from them, ranging from drones to cruise missiles and ammunition.

Russian estimates:

Russia earned $15.6 billion from its oil exports alone in January, up from $11.8 billion last summer, according to the International Energy Agency. The Russian Defence Ministry claims that it manufactured 1,530 tanks and 2,518 armoured vehicles in 2023.

Present status:

Two years after the war started, despite sanctions, both Russia’s energy industry and its military industrial complex remain vibrant.

How is the war transforming Russia?

Externally:

Since the war began, two countries in its neighbourhood, Sweden and Finland, have joined NATO: expanding the alliance’s border with Russia.
Putin spent years to build strong economic ties with Europe, which are now in tatters.
Russia’s hold on its immediate neighbourhood is loosening evident in tensions with Armenia and Armenia’s decision to freeze participation in the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO):

It is an intergovernmental military alliance in Eurasia consisting of five post-Soviet states: Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan, formed in 2002.
The Collective Security Treaty has its origins in the Soviet Armed Forces, which was replaced in 1992 by the United Armed Forces of the Commonwealth of Independent States, and was replaced by the successor armed forces of the respective independent states.
Russia is also becoming dependent on China; the Kremlin is careful not to upset the sensitivity of New Delhi.
Internally:
The Russian state is tightening its control over society and is clamping down on any criticism of the war.
Incidents:
The Prigozhin rebellion of last year exposed chinks in the armour of the state Putin has built.
The death of Alexei Navalny, the most vocal critic of President Putin in Russia, in a remote Arctic prison endorses criticism of the way Russia handles dissent.
If post-Soviet Russia appeared to be a “managed democracy”, post-war Russia is sliding into a tightly held authoritarian state.

What does it mean for the world?

The Western strategy of empowering Ukraine through aid and weakening Russia through sanctions doesn’t seem to have worked.
The war has also exposed the limits of Western power in a changing world — for sanctions to be effective, the trans-Atlantic alliance needs the support of other major economies such as China and India.
While Russia has constantly found ways to work around sanctions, it has also suffered huge casualties and will have to fight the long term effects of the sanctions. If there is one power unscathed by this chaos, it is China.
When Beijing sees conflict from both the West and Russia stuck in Ukraine, forcing China to pivot to Asia, redrawing the global balance of power.

6. A prehistoric case of Edwards syndrome found for the first time

Subject: Environment

Section: Species in news

Context:

Researchers have uncovered evidence of chromosomal disorders in prehistoric skeletal remains, dating back up to 5,500 years, marking a significant discovery in the field of ancient genetics.

Details:

This includes six cases of Down syndrome and one case of Edwards syndrome, as detailed in a study published in Nature Communications.
This research potentially marks the first identification of Edwards syndrome from historic or prehistoric remains.
Chromosomal trisomy, the condition leading to these disorders, involves having three copies of a chromosome instead of the usual two.
Down syndrome results from trisomy of chromosome 21, and Edwards syndrome from chromosome 18.
The study involved screening almost 10,000 genomes from ancient human remains across Europe.
The findings indicate that individuals with these chromosomal disorders often died at or shortly after birth, with some cases dating back to the Bronze Age (around 2,700 BCE) and the Neolithic period (around 3,500 BCE).
The research also highlights that certain societies may have had a higher frequency of burials for individuals with trisomy conditions, particularly in early Iron Age Spain (800-400 BCE), suggesting a level of care and recognition for these individuals within their communities.
Notably, some were given exceptional burials or elaborate grave goods, indicating their inclusion and value in their societies despite their genetic disorders.
This study not only sheds light on the prevalence of genetic disorders in ancient populations but also provides insights into how these societies perceived and treated individuals with such conditions.

About Dawn syndrome:

Dawn syndrome is a genetic disorder, caused by the presence of an extra chromosome 21 also known as trisomy of chromosome 21.
It is one of the leading causes of genetic disorders around the world.
Types of Down syndrome: There are three types of Down syndrome.
- Trisomy 21: About 95% of people with Down syndrome have Trisomy 21. With this type of Down syndrome, each cell in the body has 3 separate copies of chromosome 21 instead of the usual 2 copies.
- Translocation Down syndrome: This type accounts for a small percentage of people with Down syndrome (about 3%). This occurs when an extra part or a whole extra chromosome 21 is present, but it is attached or “trans-located” to a different chromosome rather than being a separate chromosome 21.
- Mosaic Down syndrome: Mosaic means mixture or combination. For children with mosaic Down syndrome, some of their cells have 3 copies of chromosome 21, but other cells have the typical two copies of chromosome 21.
The primary symptoms of Down’s Syndrome are as follows:
- Mental retardation
- Cognitive impairment may be mild to moderate
- Tilted eyes or Fold of the skin above the eye etc.
Treatment: Down syndrome is a lifelong condition and it cannot be cured. Early therapy programs can help improve skills.

Source: TH

7. Gharial conservation should extend to unprotected rivers

Subject: Environment

Section: Species in new

Context:

The gharial population, a critically endangered species and the only surviving member of the genus Gavialis, has seen a significant decline from 5,000 individuals in the 1940s to just a few hundred today.

Details:

Focusing on the Gandak River, a transboundary tributary of the Ganga flowing through Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, the study highlights that gharials tend to avoid areas with human activity, preferring undisturbed riverine habitats with deeper pools.
The presence of human settlements near riverbanks, fishing activities, fishing nets, feral dogs, cattle, river braiding, and changes in river flow due to damming are identified as major threats.
These factors not only disturb the gharials but also potentially impact their physiology by reducing their basking time.
While the Gandak River hosts a small but robust population, most gharials are found in the Ganga and its tributaries, including the Chambal, Girwa, and Son rivers.

Surviving in unprotected habitats:

The Gandak River, unlike the protected Chambal sanctuary, presents unique challenges for the gharials inhabiting its waters due to its unprotected status.
It’s believed to host the second-largest gharial population in India and the only breeding population in a non-protected area, with a 2020 survey recording 259 individuals.
However, there’s scepticism regarding these numbers due to the practice of releasing gharials into the river, which doesn’t necessarily mean they remain or thrive there.
Despite these challenges, the Gandak River, mostly unprotected and human-dominated, except for the Valmiki tiger reserve and Sohagi Barwa wildlife sanctuary, is crucial for the conservation of gharials.

Threats to the gharial population:

Gharials, large piscivorous reptiles, are keystone species in freshwater river systems, historically widespread but now limited to India and Nepal.
They face threats from extensive fishing, which impacts their food supply, and from fishing nets, which can lead to entanglement and drowning.
Sand and boulder mining disrupt their nesting patterns, and feral dogs pose a threat to their eggs.
The study also points to the impact of changing river flow dynamics on gharial survival.
Damming and barraging alter water flow, affecting the river’s natural system crucial for gharials. River braiding, caused by flood inclination and sudden irrigation discharges, complicates population estimates and threatens younger gharials.

About Gharial:

It is a fresh-water crocodile which lives in deep fast-flowing rivers.
Features: Compared to alligators and crocodiles, a Gharial has a very long and narrow snout (instead of a broad snout).
Distribution:
- Globally Gharial is found only in India and Nepal.
- In India their major population occur in three tributaries of the Ganga River: the Chambal and the Girwa Rivers in India and the Rapti-Naryani River in Nepal.
- The Gharial reserves of India are located in three States – Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Conversation status:
- IUCN: Critically endangered.
- Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
- CITES: Appendix I
Conservation Initiatives:
- Breeding Centres of Kukrail Gharial Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
- National Chambal Sanctuary (Madhya Pradesh).

Source: Mongabay

8. A sacrifice immortalised

Subject: Environment

Section: Species in news

Context:

The Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara, hosted by the village of Medaram in Telangana’s Mulugu district, is celebrated biennially as the nation’s largest tribal fair, commemorating the valour of tribal warriors who defended their people’s rights.

About the Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara:

Originating from a 12th-century legend, it tells the story of Sammakka, found as a baby by the tribal chieftain Medaraju and later married to Pagidigidda Raju.
The narrative unfolds with their resistance against the Kakatiya king’s tax demands during a drought, leading to a battle where Sammakka, despite losing her family, fought valiantly and is believed to have transformed into a goddess.
This fair, drawing around two crore attendees, is held on the full moon day of Magha (February), maintaining tribal customs and led by tribal priests.
Initially a Koya tribal gathering, it gained State festival status in 1998, symbolizing a vital preservation of tribal traditions and heritage beyond its religious significance.

Key facts about the festival:

Women carry bundles of jaggery, considered as precious as gold, to be offered to the deities at Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara.
Devotees take a holy dip in the Jampanna Vagu River, a tributary of River Godavari.
Medaram is a remote place in the Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary, Telangana.
It is a festival with no Vedic or Brahmanic influence.

Source: TH