Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 3rd September 2024

Pilibhit Tiger Reserve:

Poachers recently killed two chitals in the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) and fled after stealing a rifle from a forest guard.

• Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) is located in Pilibhit District, Lakhimpur Kheri District and Bahraich District of Uttar Pradesh.
• It lies along the India-Nepal border in the foothills of the Himalayas and the plains of the ‘terai’ in Uttar Pradesh.
• The river Gomti originates from the PTR, which is also the catchment of several others like Sharda, Chuka, and Mala Khannot.
• The Sharda Sagar Dam is on the boundary of the reserve.
• It has a dry and hot climate, which brings a combination of dry teak forest and Vindhya Mountain soils.
• It is home to a myriad of wild animals including the endangered tiger, swamp deer, Bengal florican, hog deer, leopard, etc.
• The spotted deer, or chital/cheetal is a deer species native to the Indian subcontinent.
• It is the most common deer species in Indian forests.

Musi River : In News

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) recently issued an urgent advisory for citizens to remain indoors as heavy rains continue to lash the city, causing the Musi River to rise significantly.

• Musi River is a river that flows through the southern Indian state of Telangana.
• It is a tributary of the Krishna River in the Deccan Plateau.
• It was known as the Muchukunda River in earlier days.
• Hyderabad stands on the bank of this river, which divides the city between the old and the new.
• It begins in the Anantagiri Hills near Vicarabad, Rangareddi district, 90 kilometers to the west of Hyderabad.
• It consists of two rivulets, Esi and Musa, which then converge into the Musi River.
• It joins the Krishna River near Wazirabad in Nalgonda district after covering a distance of about 240 km.
• Dams: Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar are the two dams that are constructed over the river.

United Nations Security Council : In News

India should get its ‘rightful place’ as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), according to ex-Singaporean diplomat Kishore Mahbubani, a former president of the top UN body.

• United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the five principal organizations of the United Nations (UN).
• It has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.
• Under the Charter of the UN, all Member States are obligated to comply with UNSC decisions.
• The Security Council takes the lead in determining the existence of a threat to peace or an act of aggression.
• It calls upon the parties to a dispute to settle it by peaceful means and recommends methods of adjustment or terms of settlement.
• In some cases, the Security Council can resort to imposing sanctions or even authorising the use of force to maintain or restore international peace and security.
• Powers:
• Establishment of peacekeeping operations
• Establishment of international sanctions
• Authorization of military action through Security Council resolutions
• Members: It has 15 Members, and each Member has one vote.
• 5 permanent members known as P5, including the United Kingdom, China, France, Russia and the United States

Uri-I Hydroelectric Project:

The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has deferred the proposal for the grant of Environmental Clearance (EC) to the Stage-II of the Uri-I Hydroelectric Project.

• Uri-I Hydroelectric Project is an operating hydroelectric power plant located in the Jhelum River of Uri town in the Baramulla district of Jammu & Kashmir.
• It is located very near the Line of Control (LOC), the de facto border between India and Pakistan.
• The power project was commissioned in 1997 with a total installed capacity of 480 MW.
• It is owned by the Central Government, and the operating company of the plant is National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (NHPC).
• The unit size of the power plant is 480 MW, having 4 units of 120 MW each.
• Jhelum River is a river that flows in India and Pakistan.

Zombie fungus:

Wildlife researcher Chris Ketola shared a video which shows a tarantula infected by a zombie fungus.

• Zombie fungus or Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, drains its host entirely of nutrients.
• It also fills the host body with spores, allowing the fungus to reproduce.
• It seizes control of the mind and motor functions of its host before eating away at its body.
• Cordyceps is a genus of fungi that primarily attacks invertebrates and mainly infects insects such as ants or spiders.
• The fungus is largely pantropical and primarily infects carpenter ants.
• Tarantulas are a type of large, hairy spider belonging to the family Theraphosidae.
• There are over 900 species of tarantulas found all over the world, except for Antarctica.
• They move slowly on their eight hairy legs, but they are accomplished nocturnal predators.

Samudra Pratap: Launched

The first indigenously developed Pollution Control Vessel of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), ‘Samudra Pratap’ was launched in Goa.

• Samudra Pratap vessel will help to check the oil spillage on the country’s sea coast.
• The ship was launched and named as ‘Samudra Pratap’.
• It is built by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) for the Indian Coast Guard.
• It is the first time that these types of vessels are being designed and built indigenously in India.
• It boasts a length of 114.5 meters, a breadth of 16.5 meters and a displacement of 4,170 tons. The vessel will be manned by 14 officers and 115 sailors and is equipped with state-of-the-art technology for pollution control.
• Notably, it features side-sweeping arms to contain oil spills while in motion, an advanced radar system for oil spill detection and facilities to recover and store various types of oil.

Ramon Magsaysay Award 2024:

Japanese anime director Hayao Miyazaki was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award, popularly known as Asia’s Nobel Prize.

• Ramon Magsaysay Award is Asia’s premier prize and highest honor, celebrates greatness of spirit and transformative leadership in Asia.
• The Awardees, annually selected by the RMAF board of trustees, are presented with a certificate and a medallion with an embossed image of Ramon Magsaysay facing right in profile.
• From 1958 to 2008, the Award was given in six categories annually:
  • Government Service: To recognize outstanding service in the public interest in any branch of government, including the executive, judicial, legislative, or military;
  • Public Service:To recognize outstanding service for the public good by a private citizen;
  • Community Leadership: To recognize the leadership of a community toward helping the disadvantaged have fuller opportunities and a better life;
  • Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communication Arts: To recognize effective writing, publishing, or photography or the use of radio, television, cinema, or the performing arts as a power for the public good;
  • Peace and International Understanding: To recognize contributions to the advancement of friendship, tolerance, peace and solidarity as the foundations for sustainable development within and across countries.
  • Emergent Leadership: To recognize an individual, forty years of age or younger, for outstanding work on issues of social change in his or her community, but whose leadership may not yet be broadly recognized outside of this community.
• It is presented in formal ceremonies in Manila, Philippines on August 31st, the birth anniversary of the much-esteemed Philippine President whose ideals inspired the Award’s creation in 1957.

Repairability Index For Mobile And Electronic Sectors:

The Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution hosted a National Workshop on the Right to Repair Framework for the Mobile and Electronic Sectors.

• It discussed the launch of a “Repairability Index” for mobile phones and electronic products to help consumers make informed decisions before purchasing them.
• The initiative aims to address the growing e-waste problem and encourage manufacturers to produce more easily repairable items.
• The workshop aimed to create a consensus among industry stakeholders on establishing a repairability index, promoting product longevity, and democratising repair information to enhance consumer experiences in reusing mobile and electronic products.
• It helps prevent the need for consumers to buy new products due to a lack of repair options or high repair costs.
• The discussions focussed on combating the practice of “planned obsolescence,” where manufacturers restrict access to essential repair information, repair manuals/videos, and spare parts.
• It highlighted that the lack of repair information and spare parts availability forces consumers to abandon their devices and buy new ones, or to seek risky counterfeit parts from grey markets (unofficial market).
• The sessions emphasised integrating international best practices from France, the European Union, the United Kingdom and designing products for longevity to enhance repairability.
• Discussions covered the importance of sustainable product design, ecological concerns, and the need to shift from a “use and dispose” economy to a “circular economy” and promote “mindful utilisation” over “mindless consumption.”

Launch Of Tanager-1:

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched the Tanager-1 satellite to detect major emitters of carbon dioxide and methane.

• Tanager-1 will use imaging spectrometer technology to measure wavelengths of light that are reflected by Earth’s surface.
  Methane and Carbon dioxide absorb different wavelengths of light, leaving spectral “fingerprints” that the imaging spectrometer can identify.
• It will be able to measure point-source emissions, down to the level of individual facilities and equipment, on a global scale.
• Earlier, NASA had launched MethaneSAT which tracks and measures methane emissions.
• Methane: Methane is a strong greenhouse gas and the second largest contributor to global warming after carbon dioxide. It is responsible for 30% of global heating.
• According to the United Nations Environment Programme, over a period of 20 years, it is 80 times more potent at warming than carbon dioxide.
• It also contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone, a colourless and highly irritating gas that forms just above the Earth’s surface.

Yogesh Kathuniya Wins Silver In Men’s Discus Throw F56:

India’s Yogesh Kathuniya won the silver medal in the men’s discus throw F56 event at the Paris 2024 Paralympics on September 2. The 27-year-old Indian para-athlete secured the medal with his season-best throw of 42.22m in the final.

V. Satish Kumar Takes Additional Charge as IOCL Chairman:

V. Satish Kumar, the director (marketing) of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL), has assumed additional charge as the chairman, following the completion of Shrikant Madhav Vaidya’s tenure. Kumar, who has been with IOCL for 35 years, has held key positions across various regions and led significant initiatives in the company’s marketing division

7th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2024:

The 7th Rashtriya Poshan Maah was launched today at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, marking a significant step towards enhancing nutrition awareness and well-being across the nation.

Prime Minister Modi Releases Commemorative Stamp for 75 Years of Supreme Court:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a commemorative postage stamp celebrating 75 years of the Supreme Court of India during the inaugural session of the District Judges Conference at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

Economic Times World Leaders Forum:

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the Economic Times World Leaders Forum in New Delhi, where he highlighted India’s economic growth, governance, and global ambitions. India’s Economic Growth PM Modi emphasized that India’s economy has grown by 90% over the last decade, significantly outpacing the global economy’s 35% growth.

Preethi Pal Becomes First Indian Woman To Win Two Paralympic Medals In Athletics:

At Paris Paralympics 2024, Indian Para Athlete Preethi Pal secured yet another medal for India, clinching a Bronze medal in the Women’s 200 meters – T35 Final. She won the medal with a personal best timing of 30.01 seconds.

Nishad Kumar’s Silver Jump Adds To India’s Medal Haul At Paris Paralympics:

India’s Nishad Kumar secured a silver medal in the men’s T47 high jump final at the Paris Paralympics on September 2. Kumar, who previously claimed silver in Tokyo, recorded his season-best jump of 2.04 meters to finish in second place.

Bihar’s Rajgir To Host 2024 Women’s Asian Champions Trophy:

Hockey India announced that the upcoming Hockey Women’s Asian Champions Trophy 2024 will be held in Rajgir from November 11 to 20. The tournament will take place at the newly constructed Rajgir Hockey Stadium

GST Collections Increase by 10% to ₹1.75 Lakh Crore in August:

In August 2024, India’s GST collections reached ₹1.75 lakh crore, marking a 10% year-on-year growth compared to ₹1.59 lakh crore in August 2023. This increase reflects robust domestic consumption and higher imports.

President Emmanuel Macron Awarded Olympic Order in Gold for Paris 2024 Success:

In a ceremony that underscored his exceptional contributions to the Olympic movement, President Emmanuel Macron of France was awarded the Olympic Order in gold. This prestigious distinction was bestowed upon him by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in recognition of his unwavering support for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) Celebrates 7th Foundation Day:

India Post Payments Bank (IPPB), a key player in driving financial inclusion across India, proudly marked its 7th Foundation Day on September 2, 2024. Since its nationwide launch in 2018 by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the IPPB has been instrumental in transforming India’s financial landscape.