Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 16th November 2024

Global Carbon Project : Report

India’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from burning fossil fuels are expected to increase by 4.6% in 2024, the highest among major economies, according to a new report by Global Carbon Project.

• Carbon Dioxide is a colourless gashaving a faint sharp odour and a sour taste.
• It is an important heat-trapping gas, also known as a greenhouse gas.
• It comes from the extraction and burning of fossil fuels (such as coal, oil, and natural gas), from wildfires, and natural processes like volcanic eruptions.
• It is one of the most important greenhouse gas (GHG) in the atmosphere and is the primary driver of anthropogenic climate change.
• Studies have shown that CO2 has contributed more than any driver to climate change.
• It is much more abundant in the atmosphere compared to CH4 and HFCs.
• CO2 remains in the atmosphere longer than the other major GHGs emitted due to human activities.
• After a pulse of CO2 is emitted into the atmosphere, 40% will remain in the atmosphere for 100 years and 20% will reside for 1000 years, while the final 10% will take 10,000 years to turn over,” a report by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), a US-based non-profit organisation.

National Press Day 2024:

National Press Day, observed on November 16, marks the day the Press Council of India (PCI) began its operations in 1966.

• Press Council of India was first set up in 1966 by the parliament on the recommendations of the First Press Commission under the chairmanship of Justice J.R Mudholkar.
• The present council functions under the Press Council Act 1978.
• It is a statutory, quasi-judicial bodythat acts as a watchdog of the press in India
• It consists of a Chairman and 28 other members.
• The Chairman is nominated by a committee consisting of Chairman of Rajya Sabha, the Speaker of Lok Sabha, and one representative of the council member.
• The Chairman, by convention, has been a retired judge of the Supreme Court.
• The term of the Chairman and the members of the Council is 3 years.
• Primary Function is to check the media practice and to keep an eye on the freedom of the press.

1st Bodoland Mahotsav : New Delhi

The Prime Minister inaugurated the 1st Bodoland Mahotsav in New Delhi.

• Bodoland Mahotsav is a mega event on language, literature, and culture to sustain peace and build a Vibrant Bodo Society.
• The theme for the Mahotsav is ‘Peace and Harmony for Prosperous Bharat’ with a focus on the rich culture, language and education of the Bodo community along with other communities from the Bodoland Territorial Region.
• It aims to capitalise on the richness of cultural and linguistic heritage, ecological biodiversity and touristic potential of Bodoland.
• It is also about celebrating the remarkable journey of recovery and resilience ever since the signing of the Bodo Peace Accord in 2020.

Red-Headed Vulture:

Red-Headed Vulture was sighted for the first time at Manhampothikunnu near Mavungal in Kasaragod, Kerala.

• Red-Headed Vulture is one of the 9 species of Vulture which are found in India.
• It is also called the Asian King vulture or Pondicherry Vulture
• It is a dark, medium-sized vulture with a bare reddish head and loose flaps on the side of the neck.
• It weighs around 5 kg and averaging over 80 cm in length, the vulture is primarily solitary, often seen alone or with a mate.
• Its black plumage is marked by a distinctive white patch on the abdomen, which becomes more prominent during flight.
• The Red-Headed Vulture is typically found in Central India, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and parts of Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
• Breeding: Breeding typically takes place between November and January.
• Conservation status
  • IUCN Red List:Critically Endangered
  • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule 1
• It was extensively found in India but its numbers drastically reduced after diclofenac poisoning.

Senna tora Plant:

The Tamil Nadu Forest Department is experimenting with the removal of a potential new species of invasive plant Senna tora that has begun emerging in parts of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR).

• Senna tora Plant is a native species of Central America.
• It is an annual, perennial or subshrub and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.
• It is emerging in drier areas and germinates after the southwest monsoon and gradually withers by the end of the year.
• It is used as animal food, a poison and a medicine, has environmental uses and for food.
• Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR)is located in the Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu state at the tri-junction of three states, viz, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
• The name Mudumalai means the ancient hill range because it is as old as 65 million years when the Western Ghats were formed.
• It has a common boundary with Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary(Kerala) on the West, and Bandipur Tiger Reserve (Karnataka) on the North.

Leucism:

Tamil Nadu Forest Department staff and members of a non-governmental organisation recently rescued a rare peacock with white feathers, caused by a genetic condition called leucism.

• It is an abnormal condition of reduced pigmentation affecting various animals (such as birds, mammals, and reptiles) that is marked by overall pale color or patches of reduced coloring.
• It is caused by a genetic mutation which inhibits melanin and other pigments from being deposited in feathers, hair, or skin.
• In birds, leucism affects only the bird’s feathers, this means they do not have the normal, classic plumage colors.
• They may have white patches where the bird should not have any, or their overall plumage may look pale or bleached out

Lake Kariba:

A punishing drought has drained the huge Kariba Lake close to record lows, raising the prospect that the Kariba Dam, which powers the economies of Zambia and Zimbabwe, may have to shut down for the first time in its 65-year history.

• Lake Kariba is a lake in central Africa, along the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.
• It is positioned 810 miles upstream from the Indian Ocean.
• It is the world’s largest man-made lake. It covers an area of 2,000 square miles (5,200 square km).
• It was formed by damming the Zambezi Riverin the Kariba Gorge, where the river narrows between hills of hard rock 250 miles (400 km) below Victoria Falls.
• The Kariba Dam consists of adouble-arch wall. It is 128 meters in height, 617 meters in length, 13 meters wide at its top, and 24 meters wide at the base.
• It provides considerable electric power to both Zambia and Zimbabwe and supports a thriving commercial fishing industry.
• The lake encompasses a total of 102 islands, including well-known ones like Chete Island and Spurwing Island.
• Chete Island boasts the world’s largest expanse of protected, undeveloped wetlands and hosts the largest single population of African elephants.

Panna Tiger Reserve : Mass Vaccination Of Stray Dogs

Mass vaccination of stray dogs in and around Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Madhya Pradesh has begun amid the threat of the spread of Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) infection in the wild animals of the PTR.

• Canine Distemper is a contagious and serious disease caused by the canine distemper virus (CDV).
• The virus attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems of dogs.
• All dogs are at risk of canine distemper. Those at particular risk include puppies younger than four months and dogs that have not been vaccinated against CDV.
• CDV can infect ferrets as well as a wide range of other mammals,especially carnivores.

Panna Tiger Reserve:

• It is a critical tiger habitat located in the Vindhya mountain rangein the northern part of Madhya Pradesh.
• Standing over an area of 542 sq.km., it is the only Tiger Reserve in the entire Bundelkhand region.
• It was declared a Project Tiger Reserve by the Government of India in 1994.
• Ken River flows from south to north through the reserve.
• The reserve is also dotted with two-thousand-year-old rock paintings.
• The dominant vegetation type is dry deciduous forest interspersed with grassland areas.

General Provident Fund : In News

A division bench of the Madras High Court recently upheld the Central Administrative Tribunal’s orders granting pension rights under the General Provident Fund (GPF) scheme to retired Kendriya Vidyalaya teachers.

• General Provident Fund (GPF) is a savings scheme introduced in 1960 that is available only for government employees in India.
• The primary objective of GPF is to provide a dependable source of income after retirement to government employees.
• With a GPF account, all the government employees can contribute a certain percentage of their salary to the GPF.
• Unlike the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), the contributions toward the GPF are made only by the employee.
• The total amount that is accumulated throughout the employment term is paid to the employee at the time of retirement.
• As per the GPF rules, the following are eligible to subscribe to a GPF account:
  • All temporary government servants who have given their service for continuously one year.
  • All re-employed pensioners(except those eligible for admission to the contributory provident fund).
  • All permanent government servants.
• It is a mandatory scheme for government employees, requiring them to contribute a certain percentage of their salary towards the fund.
• The contributions are deducted from the employee’s monthly salary, and the amount earns interestat a predetermined rate.
• The amount for GPF subscription is fixed by the subscriber The minimum contribution is 6% of the salary, while the maximum can go up to 100%.
• Employees can withdraw their savings from the fund upon retirement or resignation from service.

Indian Tennis Star Prajnesh Gunneswaran Announces Retirement:

Prajnesh Gunneswaran, the Indian tennis star who won a bronze medal in singles at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, announced his retirement from professional tennis. The 35-year-old Chennai-born player reflected on his career, expressing gratitude for the journey and the lessons learned along the way. Known for his resilience and achievements, Gunneswaran made significant contributions to Indian tennis.

Sarai Kale Khan Chowk Renamed to Bhagwan Birsa Munda Chowk:

The renaming of Sarai Kale Khan Chowk to Bhagwan Birsa Munda Chowk has sparked controversy between the Delhi government and the Union government. Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated a statue of the tribal icon, Bhagwan Birsa Munda, on the occasion of his 150th birth anniversary and announced the renaming. However, the Delhi government questioned the legitimacy of this move, citing the lack of an active State Naming Authority and the absence of due process for renaming locations.

Uttarakhand CM Inaugurates Jauljibi Mela 2024 in Pithoragarh:

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the Jauljibi Mela 2024 in Pithoragarh, calling it an “invaluable heritage” of the state. The mela, historically significant for promoting harmony between India, Tibet, Nepal, and neighboring regions, plays a vital role in strengthening both economic and cultural ties. During the event, Dhami also launched 18 development projects worth ₹64.47 crores, with significant investments in rural and agricultural sectors.