DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS 14 December 2021
Status of Wildlife Conservation in India
- According to the recent data by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) and State Forest and Police Authorities, in the past three years (2018-2020), about 2054 cases were registered for killing or illegal trafficking of wild animals in India.
- In order to control this, the WCCB has conducted several species-specific enforcement operations with coordination of State Enforcement Agencies.
- WCCB is a statutory multi-disciplinary body established by the Government of India under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, to combat organized wildlife crime in the country. It has it headquarter in New Delhi.
James Webb Space Telescope
- The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is scheduled to be rocketed into orbit later this year (2021).
- It is the most powerful infrared telescope of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
- It is also considered a successor of the Hubble Telescope and will extend and complement its discoveries.
- Launched into low Earth orbit in 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope has made more than 1.4 million observations, including tracking interstellar objects, capturing a comet colliding with Jupiter, and discovering moons around Pluto.
- Hubble has captured galaxies merging, probed supermassive black holes, and has helped us understand the history of our universe.
- The telescope is the result of an international collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency.
- James Edwin Webb was an American government official who served as Undersecretary of State from 1949–1952. He was also the second appointed administrator of NASA from February 14, 1961, to October 7, 1968.
- Webb oversaw NASA from the beginning of the Kennedy administration through the end of the Johnson administration, thus overseeing all the critical first manned launches in the Mercury through Gemini programs, until just before the first crewed Apollo flight. He also dealt with the Apollo 1 fire.
Kashi Vishwanath Corridor Project
- Prime Minister has inaugurated Phase 1 of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor Project in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi.
- 23 buildings – tourist facilitation centre, Vedic Kendra, Mumukshu Bhavan, Bhogshala, city museum, viewing gallery, food court among others — have been inaugurated as part of the project.
- It is the massive makeover and the first after the 1780 AD when the Maratha queen Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore renovated the Kashi Vishwanath temple and the area surrounding it.
- The foundation was laid in March 2019. The project was conceptualised to create an easily accessible pathway for the pilgrims, who had to meander through congested streets to take a dip in the Ganga and offering the water of the holy river at the temple.
- More than 40 ancient temples were rediscovered during the work on the project. They were restored while ensuring there is no change in the original structure.
21 Greenfield Airports Approved to be Established
- Government of India has formulated a Greenfield Airport Policy, 2008which provides Guidelines for establishment of new Greenfield Airports in the country. As per Policy, an Airport Developer, including the State Governments, willing to establish an airport is required to send a proposal to the Ministry of Civil Aviation(MoCA).There is a 2-stage process for approval of the proposal i.e.
- ‘Site-Clearance’ stage and ‘In-Principle’ approval stage. In accordance with this policy, MoCA receives proposals from the State Governments or Airport developers from time to time for establishment of airports. MoCA has so far accorded ‘in-principle’ approval for setting up of 21 Greenfield Airports across the country namely Mopain Goa, Navi Mumbai, Shirdi and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra, Kalaburagi, Bijapur, Hassan and Shimoga in Karnataka, Datia(Gwalior) in Madhya Pradesh, Kushinagar and Noida (Jewar) in Uttar Pradesh, Dholera and Hirasar in Gujarat, Karaikal in Puducherry, Dagadarthi, Bhogapuramand Oravakal in Andhra Pradesh, Durgapur in West Bengal, Pakyong in Sikkim, Kannur in Kerala and Hollongi (Itanagar) in Arunachal Pradesh out of which eight airports namely Durgapur, Shirdi, Sindhudurg, Pakyong, Kannur, Kalaburagi, Oravakal and Kushinagar have been operationalized.
- Under UDAN scheme, so far, 154 RCS airports including 14 water aerodromes & 36 helipads have been identified for development/upgradation.
Universal Health Coverage Day Celebrated
- Universal Health Coverage Day is celebrated annually on December 12 and is promoted by the World Health Organization.
- December 12 is the anniversary of the first unanimous United Nations resolution calling for all nations to provide for their citizens affordable, quality health care.
- UHC is promoted as an instrument to help advance the more broadly conceived human right to health, which is based upon several international agreements, or widely affirmed international documents.
- Universal health coverage has been included in the new Sustainable Development Goals for 2015-2030, adopted by the United Nations. In many nations, inclusive healthcare is very rudimentary and does not include heroic interventions or long-term care. WaterAid reports that national infrastructure in many nations cannot support first world healthcare delivery mechanisms because it may not even provide potable water, let alone electricity.
‘LokpalOnline’ Launched
- Chairperson, Lokpal of India, Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose today inaugurated’ a digital Platform for Management of Complaints called ‘LokpalOnline’ here that can be accessed by all citizens of the country and complaints can be filed from anywhere, anytime at http://lokpalonline.gov.in.
- Speaking on the occasion, Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose said corruption is a key element in underperformance of the economy and it undermines democracy and rule of law. He said, LokpalOnline is an end-to-end digital solution for the management of complaints against public servants filed under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013. Justice Ghose said that the LokpalOnline is a web-based facility, which will quicken the disposal of complaints in an accountable, transparent, and efficient manner with benefits to all stakeholders. He said, it facilitates handling of complaints during the complete lifecycle of the Complaint, right from its filing to the final disposal and this will bring more transparency and efficiency in the complaint handling mechanism.
- Important features of this digital platform are following:
- Convenience to complainants for filing complaint online from anywhere anytime
- Information to the complainant about action on complaint at every stage through e-mails and SMS
- Facility to complainant to ascertain status of complaint at anytime
- Identity of the complaint is kept confidential
- The CVC, CBI and other inquiry agencies can upload their reports directly on ‘LokpalOnline’ platform.
- Reminders to inquiry agencies through e-mails and SMS
- Generation of analytical reports as per requirement
- It may be recalled that Lokpal of India, has been established under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 to inquire and investigate into allegations of corruption against public functionaries falling within the scope and ambit of this Act. At present complaints sent by post, e-mail or delivered by hand are entertained by the Lokpal of India.
- RSF ranks China 177th out of 180 in the 2021 World Press Freedom Index, just two places above North Korea.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
- Forests and Protection of Wild Animals and Birds was transferred from State to Concurrent List through ____
- 4th Amendment Act, 1955
- 17th Amendment Act, 1964
- 29th Amendment Act, 1972
- 42nd Amendment Act, 1976
ANSWER: D
- “It shall be the fundamental duty of every citizen to protect and improve the natural environment including forests and Wildlife”.
- Article 51 A (e)
- Article 51 A (f)
- Article 51 A (g)
- Article 51 A (h)
ANSWER: C
- ______ DPSP mandates that the State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country.
- Article 48 A
- Article 49 A
- Article 47 A
- Article 21
ANSWER: A
- Wildlife (Protection) Act was Passed in _____.
- 1962
- 1972
- 1982
- 1992
ANSWER: B
- Environment Protection Act was passed in ____.
- 1966
- 1976
- 1986
- 1996
ANSWER: C
- James Webb Space Telescope will be launched on an
- GSLV Mark III
- PSLV C-47
- Ariane 5 ECA rocket
- Falcon X
ANSWER: C
- What is the term of appointment of a Swedish ombudsman?
- 5 years
- 2 years
- 4 years
- 3 years
ANSWER: C
- Which of the following are the characteristics of the Swedish institution of Ombudsman?
- Independence of action from the executive
- Suo moto power to start investigations
- Impartial and objective investigation of complaints
- All the above
ANSWER: D
- Which of the following countries have the institution of Ombudsman?
- Finland
- Norway
- Denmark
- All the above
ANSWER: D
- What is an Ombudsman in India called?
- Lokpal
- Lokayukta
- Both
- None
ANSWER: C
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