Daily Current Affairs UPSC/KAS Exams – 16th March 2020

by Mentors4ias · March 16, 2020

Pollution Index: CPCB

Topic: Polity and Governance

In News: The Supreme Court has declined to interfere in an appeal filed by (CREDAI) against the National Green Tribunal’s rejection of its contention that the inclusion of constructions between 2,000 sq.m and 20,000 sq.m in the ‘orange category’ by the Kerala State Pollution Control Board was arbitrary.

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The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has released a new Four-colour Classification Scheme for industries based on the Pollution Index (PI) which is a function of the (i) Emissions (air pollutants) (ii) Effluents (water pollutants) (iii) hazardous wastes generated and (iv) Consumption of resources.
The PI of any industrial sector is a number ranging from 0 to 100. Increasing value of PI denotes the increasing degree of pollution load from the industrial sector.
Based on the on ‘Range of Pollution Index‘, industrial sectors have been categorised into four colours category. Under the new categorisation system,
Red category: PI score of 60 and above. These are severe polluting industries. Total 60 industries including sugar, thermal power plants, paints and others are under in it.
Orange category: PI score of 41 to 59. They moderately polluting industries. Total 83 industries like coal, washeries and automobile servicing are placed under it.
Green category: PI score of 21 to 40. They are significantly low polluting industries. Total 63 industries are under in it.
White category: PI score below and upto 20. They are non-polluting industries. Total 30 industries are under in it. These industries are exempted fromrequirement of environmental clearance.

Source: Hindu

Speed up red blood cells generation in the lab

Topic: Science and Technology

In News: A team of Indian researchers have invented a process through which generation of Red Blood Cells (RBCs) outside the body (in vitro) from Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs) can be speeded up.

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Researchers across the world are exploring possibilities to generate RBCs outside the body (in vitro) from haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs).
HSCs have the capability to give rise to the different types of cells found in the blood. Various groups have been able to produce RBCs in the laboratory from HSCs.
However, the process takes a long time, around twenty-one days. The resources required to grow cells in the laboratory over such a long duration can be very expensive for generation of RBCs on a large scale for clinical purposes.
The researchers from India have found that the process can be speeded up by adding a very low concentration of a small protein molecule called `transforming growth factor β1’ (TGF-β1), along with a hormone called `erythropoietin’ (EPO), to the growth medium. They could cut down the process time by three days.
Several tests to assess the quality of the cells formed, and examination of many of their characteristics, including physical appearance, revealed that the RBCs formed using this procedure were normal.
The findings are worthy of further exploration. Additional investigations based on the insights gained from these studies could help assess the relevance of using this approach for blood transfusions in the future.

Source: HBL

Railway Development Authority

Topic: Governance

In News: The Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal mentioned about RDA in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.

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Government has approved the constitution of Rail Development Authority (RDA) in April, 2017. The role/mandate of RDA inter-alia includes providing expert advice to Government to make informed decision on:-
Pricing of services commensurate with costs;
Measures for enhancement of non-fare Revenue;
Protection of consumer interests, by ensuring quality of service and cost optimization;
Promoting competition, efficiency and economy;
Encouraging market development and participation of stakeholders in the rail sector and for ensuring a fair deal to the stakeholders and customers;
Creating positive environment for investment;
Promoting efficient allocation of resources in the Sector;
Benchmarking of service standards against international norms and specify and enforce standards with respect to the quality, continuity and reliability of services provided them;
Providing framework for non-discriminatory open access to the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) infrastructure and others in future;
Suggesting measures to absorb new technologies for achieving desired efficiency and performance standards; and
Suggesting measures for human resource development to achieve any of its stated objectives.

Source: PIB

Circuit Breakers: Stock Market

Topic: Economy

In News: A circuit breaker was triggered for the first time since 2009 to halt trading as the indexes plunged more than 10 per cent each day.

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The stock markets in India are witnessing historic single-day falls with an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.
CBs were introduced by SEBI in 2001.
Circuit breakers are triggered to prevent markets from crashing, which happens when market participants start to panic induced by fears that their stocks are overvalued and decide to sell their stocks.
This index-based market-wide circuit breaker system applies at three stages of the index movement, at 10, 15 and 20 per cent.
When triggered, these circuit breakers bring about a coordinated trading halt in all equity and equity derivative markets nationwide.

Source: Hindu

Oculudentavis khaungraae

Topic: Environment and Ecology

In News: Scientists have found the skull of a 99-million-year-old flying dinosaur that is tinier than the tiniest bird known to humans.

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The bird-like dinosaur, dubbed Oculudentavis khaungraae, was found stuck in a gob of tree resin that eventually hardened into amber, preserving it for millions of years to come.
This dinosaur was so slight, it likely weighed just 2 grams.
The dinosaur skull holds around 100 sharp teeth, which hints at its ferocious nature despite its small size. Researchers say that Oculudentavis khaungraae even had teeth in the back of its jaw, under its eye.
Since this dinosaur is so tiny, it could possibly only feed on insects and other invertebrates.

Source: Indian Express

Essential Commodities Act

Topic: Governance

In News: The central government has notified that masks (2 ply and 3 ply surgical masks, N95 masks) and hand sanitizers as essential commodities up to June 30, 2020, under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (EC Act).

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The invocation of the EC Act aims to ensure that these products, key for preventing the spread of Covid-19 infection, are available to people at the right price and of the right quality.
Essential Commodities Act, 1955, intends to provide, in the interest of the general public, for the control of the production, supply and distribution of, and trade and commerce, in certain commodities.
The act is regulated and administered by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
Under the EC Act, the States and Union Territories can ensure that manufacturers enhance their production capacity so that masks and hand sanitizers are widely available to consumers.
The invocation of EC Act has empowered the Centre as well as states to regulate the production, quality, distributions of masks and hand sanitizers.
It will also help to smoothen the sale and availability of the above items and carry out operations against speculators.
Consumer Affairs Ministry has also invoked the Prevention of Black Marketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act, 1980 which would carry out action against those involved in overpricing and black marketing of the products.
Recently, the central government has notified that masks (2 ply and 3 ply surgical masks, N95 masks) and hand sanitizers as essential commodities up to June 30, 2020, under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (EC Act).

Source: Hindu

Krishna Raja Sagar Dam

Topic: Infrastructure Development

In News: The water level in the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam in Mandya district (Karnataka) is coming down rapidly owing to the increase in the evaporation rate and the decrease in the inflows as a result of summer.

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The Krishna Raja Sagar Dam was built across river Kaveri for the Mysore and Mandya districts in Karnataka in 1932.
The reservoir is also the main source of drinking water for all of Mysore city and almost the whole of Bangalore.
The water released from this dam is further used as an important source of water in the state of Tamil Nadu.
The dam is named for the then ruler of the Mysore Kingdom, Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV.
The Dam is the creation of one of the greatest engineers that India had produced, Sir M. Vishweshwaraiah. His birthday, 15th September is celebrated as Engineers day.

Source: PIB