Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 6th December 2021

Cyclone Jawad:

A deep depression in the Bay of Bengal has intensified into cyclonic storm Jawad and is likely to make landfall near Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.

• The name was given by Saudi Arabia has given the cyclone its name ‘Jawad’.
• The meaning ‘Jawad’ is liberal or merciful.
• The carries significance as this cyclonic storm will not be as severe as the previous ones.
• Cyclones are formed over the oceanic water in the tropical region.
• In this region, the sunlight is highest which results in warming of land and water surface.
• Due to warming of the surface, the warm moist air over the ocean rises upwards following which cool air rushes in to fill the void, they too get warm and rise — the cycle continues.

What Is The S-gene Drop Out?

The Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been confirmed in India and in at least 30 other countries by the World Health Organization (WHO).

• While the variant can only be reliably confirmed with genome sequencing, the WHO has also recommended that certain commonly used COVID-19 detection tests, with ‘S-gene dropout’ capabilities, can be used to quickly screen for an Omicron infection.
• Tests usually look for three target genes related to parts of the virus: S (spike), N2 (nucleocapsid or inner area) and E (envelope or outer shell).
• The S-gene refers to the gene that codes for the spike protein, or the most distinctive part of the coronavirus.
• The SARS-CoV-2, like many other coronaviruses, has key protein-regions that define its structure: The envelope protein (E), thenucleocapsid protein(N), the membrane protein (M) and the spike protein (S).
• To accurately identify the virus, diagnostic tests are made that can identify characteristic genes that make these proteins.

Default Bail:

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has approached the Supreme Court against a Bombay High Court order granting bail to advocate and activist Sudha Bharadwaj. In its bail order, the court has asked the NIA Court to decide the conditions for her release on December 8.

• While she was given ‘default bail’, eight others were denied the benefit in the same case.
• The case highlights the nuances involved in a court determining the circumstances in which statutory bail is granted or denied, even though it is generally considered “an indefeasible right”.
• Default bail, also known as statutory bail, is a right to bail that accrues when the police fail to complete investigation within a specified period in respect of a person in judicial custody.
• This is enshrined in Section 167(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure where it is not possible for the police to complete an investigation in 24 hours, the police produce the suspect in court and seek orders for either police or judicial custody.
• This section concerns the total period up to which a person may be remanded in custody prior to filing of charge sheet.
• For most offences, the police have 60 days to complete the investigation and file a final report before the court.
• However, where the offence attracts death sentence or life imprisonment, or a jail term of not less than 10 years, the period available is 90 days.
• In other words, a magistrate cannot authorise a person’s judicial remand beyond the 60-or 90-day limit.
• At the end of this period, if the investigation is not complete, the court shall release the person “if he is prepared to and does furnish bail”.

Project RE-HAB (Reducing Elephant-Human Attacks using Bees):

Buoyed by the success of its innovative Project RE-HAB (Reducing Elephant-Human Attacks using Bees) in Karnataka, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has now replicated the project in Assam.

• Chairman KVIC, Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena launched Project RE-HAB at Village Mornoi in Goalpara district of Assam which severely grapples with elephant-human conflicts.
• The project has been implemented in Assam with the support of the local forest department.
• Surrounded by dense forests, a large part of Assam is infested by elephants with 332 human deaths reported between 2014 and 2019 due to elephant attacks.
• Under Project RE-HAB, “Bee-fences” are created by setting up bee boxes in the passage ways of elephants to block their entrance to human territories.
• The boxes are connected with a string so that when elephants attempt to pass through, a tug or pull causes the bees to swarm the elephant herds and dissuade them from progressing further.
• It is a cost-effective way of reducing human-wild conflicts without causing any harm to the animals. It is scientifically recorded that elephants are annoyed by the honey bees.
• Elephants also fear that the bee swarms can bite their sensitive inner side of the trunk and eyes. The collective buzz of the bees is annoying to elephants that force them to return.

Project RE-HAB

• Notably, Project RE-HAB is a sub-mission of KVIC’s National Honey Mission.
• While the Honey Mission is a programme to increase the bee population, honey production and beekeepers’ income by setting up apiaries, Project RE-HAB uses bee boxes as a fence to prevent the elephant attacks.
• Project RE-HAB was launched at 11 locations in Kodagu district of Karnataka on 15th March 2021. In just 6 months, this project has reduced elephant attacks by over 70%.

Agro-Climatic Zones: Punjab:

Amid talk of MSP guarantee and Punjab’s urgent need to break away from the wheat-paddy cycle, experts feel that the state must follow cropping pattern as per its agro-climatic and soil conditions to protect the environment while increasing farmers’ income.

• According to Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), Ludhiana, there are six agro-climatic zones in Punjab which include Sub-Mountain Undulating Region, Undulating Plain Region (UPR), Central Plain Region (CPR), Western Plain Region (WPR), Western Region (WR) and Flood Plain Region (FPR).
• These regions have rainfall variations from 165 mm to 2000 mm annually and climate from humid to cold-arid to arid and extreme arid.
• The variations in soil range from hill soils, tarai, brown hill, alluvial to desert.

The Zones:

• In Zone 1 and 2, district like Pathnakot, Ropar, Mohali, Gurdaspur, and Hoshiarpur are included and in Zone 3 districts like Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Patiala and Sangrur are included.
• In Zone 4, Ferozepur, Moga, Barnala, and Faridkot are the parts while in Zone 5, Mukatsar, Fazilka, Bathinda and Mansa are included and in Zone 6, the parts of various districts along with Beas, Sutlej, Ravi, Ghaggar rivers are included which are the flood-prone.
• In these zones all agro-climatic conditions, rainfall pattern, distribution, soil texture are taken into account to have a suitable cropping pattern, said experts, adding that temperatures and humidity levels are also little bit different from each other in all these zones.

The Konyaks:

At the centre of the violence which followed the killing of six civilians in Oting village of Mon district in Nagaland, and which led to the killing of eight more civilians, are the Konyaks – among the largest tribes in the state.

• With a population of roughly 3 lakh, the area inhabited by the Konyaks extends into Arunachal Pradesh, with a sizeable population in Myanmar as well.
• Known to be one of the fiercest warrior tribes in Nagaland, the Konyaks were the last to give up the practice of head-hunting – severing heads of enemies after attacking rival tribes – as late as the 1980s.
• Mon is the only district in Nagaland where separatist group NSCN (IM) has not been able to set up base camps, largely due to resistance from the Konyaks.
• Due to their numbers and the tribe’s anti-NSCN (IM) position, the Konyaks forms the backbone of the NNPG – 7 Naga insurgent groups indigenous to Nagaland – unlike the IM, which is dominated by the Manipur-origin Tangkhul tribe.
• The Konyaks therefore, are imperative for a smooth resolution of the peace talks, as well as the post-talk peace process in the state.

Killer Squadron:

Ram Nath Kovind, the President of India, will award the President’s Standard to the 22nd Missile Vessel Squadron, also known as the Killer Squadron at a ceremonial parade to be held at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai on 08 December 2021.

• The 22nd Missile Vessel Squadron was formally established at Mumbai in Oct 1991 with ten Veer Class and three Prabal Class missile boats.
• However, the genesis of ‘Killers’ dates back to the year 1969, with the induction of OSA I Class missile boats from erstwhile USSR to bolster the strength of the Indian Navy.
• These missile boats were transported to India on heavy lift merchant ships and commissioned in early 1971 at Kolkata. They were baptised by fire in the same year during the Indo – Pak war of 1971 where they played a decisive role in the outcome of the war.
• The President’s Standard is the highest honour bestowed by the Supreme Commander to a military unit in recognition of the service rendered to the nation.
• The Indian Navy was awarded the President’s Colours on 27 May 1951 by the then President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad.
• The President’s Standard is the same honour as the President’s Colours, awarded to a relatively smaller military formation or unit.

Sandhayak:

‘Sandhayak’, the first of the four Survey Vessels (Large) project being built for the Indian Navy, was launched in Kolkata on December 05, 2021.

• These Vessels have been designed and developed by Defence Public Sector Undertaking, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Limited, which is among the leading warship building companies in India.
• These survey ships are capable of full scale coastal & deep-water hydrographic survey of Ports & Harbour approaches and determination of navigational channels & routes.
• These ships are also capable of undertaking survey of maritime limits and collection of Oceanographic & Geographical data for Defence applications, thus boosting the maritime capabilities of the country.
• These ships are propelled by two Marine Diesel Engines combined with Fixed Pitch Propellers and fitted with Bow & Stern Thrusters for manoeuvring at low speeds during surveys.

Davis Cup 2021:

The Davis Cup 2021 was won by Russian Tennis Federation.

• The Davis Cup finals was held between Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev of Russia.
• And Daniit Medvedev won the match bringing victory to the Russian Tennis Federation.
• Andrey Rublev was named the Most Valuable Player.
• The Davis Cup is also called the World Cup of Tennis.
• It is an international team event in men’s tennis.
• The women’s equivalent of Davis Cup is Billie Jean King Cup.
• It is conducted by the International Tennis Federation.
• It was first held in 1900 as a challenge between US and Britain.
• By 2016, there were 135 countries participating in the competition.
• The most successful countries of Davis cup are USA, Australia, New Zealand.
• USA has so far won the Davis Title 32 times, Australia has won for 28 times.

Exercise Ekuverin:

The Exercise Ekuverin is a joint military exercise held between India and Maldives. It is held between the armies of India and Maldives.

• Ekuverin means “Friends” in Dhivehi language.
• It is an Indo – Aryan language. It is spoken in India, Lakshadweep and Maldives.
• The Exercise is being conducted between India and Maldives since 2008.
• In 2019, the exercise was held in Pune, Maharashtra and in 2018, it was held in Maldives.

Exercise Ekuverin 2021

• The 2021 Exercise Ekuverin was held in Maldives.
• The exercise focused on enhancing inter – operability between the armed forces of India and Maldives.
• It also included counter – insurgency and counter – terrorism operations.
• The joint exercise in 2021, also conducted sports and cultural activities to enhance the bilateral and defence relations.