17 July 2024 (Wednesday)- current affairs

Navigation with Indian Constellation

DRDO- commissioned Bangalore based firm to indigenously develop receiver chip to acquire and disseminate Indian time for Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) developed by ISRO.

NavIC - formerly called Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) - indigenous satellite-based navigational system - developed by ISRO.

NavIC consists of 7 satellites - IRNSS-1B, IRNSS-1C, IRNSS-1D, IRNSS-1E, IRNSS- 1F, IRNSS-1G, IRNSS-1I) - orbiting Earth to provide accurate positioning and timing information.

3 satellites of constellation are placed in geostationary orbit, and four satellites placed in inclined geosynchronous orbit.

NavIC SPS signals - interoperable with other global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signals, namely GPS (US) , Glonass (Russia) , Galileo (EU) , and BeiDou (China).

CHOLERA

onset of monsoon - cases of cholera detected in two states of India.

An acute diarrhoeal infection caused by eating or drinking food or water that is contaminated with bacterium VIBRIO CHOLERAE - cause severe diarrhea and dehydration - left untreated, cholera can be fatal within hours, even in previously healthy people.

disease common in places with poor sanitation, crowding, war, and famine. Cholera outbreaks - more common in warm climates.

Cholera is predictable and preventable

Patriot Air Defence System

US and its allies - deliver to Ukraine 5 additional air defence systems, including Patriot missile batteries and Patriot components.

Patriot Air Defence System :- The Patriot (MIM-104), which stands for Phased Array Tracking Radar for Intercept on Target, is an all-altitude, all-weather surface-to-air missile defence system to counter tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and advanced aircraft.

US Army's most advanced air defence system - this system first used in combat during 1991 Gulf War, with batteries protecting Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Israel, and later used during US invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Features : a mobile system usually includes powerful radar, a control station, a power generator, launch stations, and other support vehicles. Equipped with track-via-missile (TVM) guidance system. Radar range of over 150km (93 miles). Minimum flight time is less than 9 seconds & max is 3 and half minutes.

Pakke Tiger Reserve

4 month old Asiatic bear cub rescued from Kolortang village in Lohit district by Wildlife rescue team and transferred to Centre for Bear Rehabilitation and Conservation (CBRC) in Pakke T.R.

PTR - located in east Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh

situated north of river Brahmaputra in transition zone btw the Assam plains and hilly forests of Arunachal Pradesh

surrounded by Tenga Researve Forest to north, Doimara Reserave Forest on west, Nameri National Park and Tiger Reserve (Assam) on south and some agricultural land as well as Papum Reserve Forest on east.

bounded by the Bhareli or Kameng RIver in west and north, and by the Pakke River in east. Total Area- 862 sg km. Landscape has high species diversity and endemicity as it forms transition zone btw the Indian and Malayan eco-regions.

INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION

India called for effective measures to resolve issue of seafarer abandonment and ensuring safety of the maritime workforce at the 132nd session of Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London.

IMO - a UN specialized agency - responsible for safety and security of shipping and the **prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships.

Integral role in meeting targets set out in UN SDG 14: CONSERVE AND SUSTAINABLY USE THE OCEANS, SEAS, & MARINE RESOURCES for sustainable development. - IMO sets policies for international shipping & sets regulations on safety, security, and environmental best practices. - IMO not responsible for enforcing its policies; also involved in legal matters, including liability and compensation issues and facilitation of international maritime traffic.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

  1. No Poverty
  1. Zero Hunger
  1. Good Health and Well-Being
  1. Quality Education
  1. Gender Equality
  1. Clean Water and Sanitation
  1. Affordable and Clean Energy

8.Decent Work and Economic Growth

  1. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
  1. Reduced Inequalities
  1. Sustainable Cities and Communities
  1. Responsible Consumption and Production
  1. Climate Action
  1. Life Below Water
  1. Life On Land
  1. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
  1. Partnerships for the Goals

Formation:- established as **Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) in 1948 - became specialized agency of UN in 1959- renamed the IMO in 1982. Structure:- Assembly- highest governing body; Council - Executive Organ of IMO ; Committees - five policy making committees- responsible for development, review, updating and approval of organization's guidelines and regulations. Headquarters :- London.

SARUS CRANE

According to the latest summer census conducted on June 20-21, 2024, the population of Sarus Cranes in UP is rising.

Tallest Flying Bird in world. Scientific Name: Grus antigone . Distribution: live in Southeast Asia, Northern India and Northern Australia.

Habitat - live in wetlands such as canals, marshes, and ponds. They are monogamous birds and pairs mate for life. Conservation Status: IUCN red list - vulnerable** ; CITES: Appendix II ; Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972: Schedule IV.

World Population Prospects Report 2024

Recently, UN Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) released the World Population Prospects 2024 Report.

World Population expected to continue growing over coming 50-60 yrs, reaching peak of around 10.3 billion people in mid-2080s, up from 2 billion in 2024.

SHINGELLA

Recently, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has found an Indian partner to manufacture the breakthrough vaccine for shingella infection.

It is an intestinal infection caused by family of bacteria known as Shingella. Four Species are: Shigella sonnei, Shigella flexneri, Shigella boydii and Shigella dysenteriae.

Symptoms - diarrhea, stomach pain or camps, fever, nausea or vomiting. Transmission: very contagious - contact with and swallow small amounts of bacteria from stool of a person. Children under age 5 most likely to get infected but can occur at any age. Vaccine: no vaccines available.

MAKHANA CULTIVATION

Makhana - in demand as a 'super snack', with its prices soaring in domestic and international markets since 2019.

FOXNUT - commonly called Makhana is an important aquatic crop. It is grown in stagnant perennial water bodies like ponds, land depressions, oxbow lakes, swamps and ditches. It is a plant of tropical and subtropical**.

Makhana plant considered a native of Southeast Asia and China but is distributed to almost every part of the world.

In India - mainly distributed in states of **Bihar, West Bengal, Manipur, Tripura, Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, Odisha, Rajasthan, MP and UP but is commercially produced in a few states only.

BIHAR leading state in its production and processing. Estimated more than 80% of total Makhana production in the country.

Makhana is a product approved under Union government's One District One Product Scheme- under which subsidies are provided to food processors for branding, marketing and developing infrastructure.