Daily CURRENT AFFAIRS

Daily Current Affair - UPSC/KAS Exams - 23rd Oct 2021

What is in news : Pepper growers of Mangaluru are worried as the crops are being affected by 'Soragu Raga' (bacterial wilt) following incessant rainfall in the region.

About :

The wilting disease

• Manifested by wilting the leaves and stems of affected plants
• Causes the sudden stop of sap circulation in the vessels of diseased plants because of several possible species of pathogenic bacteria
• Can lead to the rapid death of plants.

Causes : Enterobacteriaceae, Erwinia tracheophyta, and Burkholderiaceae, Ralstonia solanacearum.

Plants Susceptible To Bacterial Wilt

• Melon and cucumber are particularly sensitive, squash and watermelon a little less.
• Solanaceae crops (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers) and olive, banana, tobacco are potential victims of Ralstonia solanacearum.

Symptoms and Damage of Bacterial Wilt

• The first symptoms appear on isolated leaves or stems, then the whole plant wilts and dies. When the stems of these plants are cut, they can exude a creamy white sap.
• Because of the attack Erwinia Tracheophyta, the wilting can limit to a few stolons of melon and immediately invade the plant, and eventually plant dies. On large leaves first appears peripheral chlorosis, then they become necrotic.
• On tomatoes, Ralstonia solanacearum also causes wilting of leaves and stems, but also the appearance of a bunch of adventitious roots near the soil. This same bacterium causes flowering of the seed potatoes, but also a dark brown vascular ring from which can escape the infected sap of cream color. As for potatoes, when the infection is very advanced, they exude the same whitish liquid from their eyes and their attachment heel.

KARNATAKA SMALL SCALE INDUSTRIES’ ASSOCIATION

What is in news : An unprecedented spike in container costs by seven times, from around ₹1.5 lakh to ₹11 lakh, is threatening to put a spanner in the works just as global trade is gathering steam. The government has to act immediately before this spike in tariff begins to hurt the economy, according to Karnataka Small Scale Industries’ Association (KASSIA).

About KASSIA

Industrial and investment promotion agency of the Government of Karnataka.

MISSION

• Promote and develop Small Industries in the State
• Construction and utilisation of infrastructure, especially in backward areas
• Procurement and marketing of Raw Materials
• Technical support and assistance are means to reach the goals.

What is in news : The Central Government has notified the Indian Telegraph Right of Way (Amendment) Rules, 2021 on 21st October 2021 to incorporate the provisions related to nominal one-time compensation and uniform procedure for establishment of Overground Telegraph Line in the Indian Telegraph Right of Way Rules, 2016.

What is new :

• The amount of one-time compensation for establishment of overground telegraph line will be maximum one thousand rupees per kilometre.
• Documentation for RoW application for overground telegraph line has been made simple.
• No fee other than Administrative fee and Restoration charges for establishing, maintaining, working, repairing, transferring or shifting the underground and over ground telegraph infrastructure.

Why the amendment:

• Will ease Right of Way related permission procedures for establishment and augmentation of Digital Communications Infrastructure across the country.
• With a robust pan India digital infrastructure, the digital divide between rural-urban and rich-poor will be bridged
• E-governance and financial inclusion will be strengthened; doing business will be easy
• Information and communication needs of citizens and enterprises will be fulfilled Ultimately the dream of India’s transition to a digitally empowered economy and society will be translated into reality.

What is in news : An analysis has found that e-cigarette use — even on a daily basis — did not help smokers successfully stay off cigarettes.

About :

An electronic cigarette (or e-cig)

• Is a battery-powered vaporizer that mimics tobacco smoking
• Works by heating up a nicotine liquid, called “juice.”
• Nicotine juice (or e-juice) comes in various flavors and nicotine levels.
• e-liquid is composed of five ingredients: vegetable glycerin (a material used in all types of food and personal care products, like toothpaste) and propylene glycol (a solvent most commonly used in fog machines.) propylene glycol is the ingredient that produces thicker clouds of vapor.
• Proponents of e-cigs argue that the practice is healthier than traditional cigarettes because users are only inhaling water vapor and nicotine.

What is in news : ITBP is awarding Best Dog & Best Horse awards . These awards are being presented since 2016

About ITBP :

• One of five Central Armed Police Forces of India.
• Raised on 24 October 1962, under CRPF Act, in wake of 1962 Sino-Indian War.
• Provided full autonomy after Parliament enacted the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force Act, 1992.
• Works under command of Union Home Ministry.
• Motto is Shaurya – Dridhata – Karm Nishtha (English: Valour – Steadfastness and Commitment).
• Strong Central Armed Police Force of 90000 personnel.
• Primarily guards the 3,488 km long Indo-China border along Tibet Autonomous Region from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh.

What is in news : The Union Minister for Culture, Tourism   unveiled the UNESCO World Heritage Listing plaque at Ramappa - KakatiyaRudreshwara Temple in Palampet.

About Ramappa temple

• Also known as the Rudreshswara (Lord Siva) temple
• Located in the state of Telangana.
• An inscription in the temple dates it to the year 1213 CE and says it was built by a Kakatiya General Recharla Rudra Deva, during the period of the Kakatiya ruler Ganapati Deva
• This temple was constructed by Kakatiya king Ganapati Deva’s general Recharla Rudra.
• Ramalingeswara Swamy is the presiding deity of this temple.
• Marco Polo, during his visit to the Kakatiya Empire, allegedly called the temple “the brightest star in the galaxy of temples”.
• The technique involved filling the pit — dug up for laying the foundation — with a mixture of sand-lime, jaggery (for binding) and karakkaya (black myrobalan fruit) before the buildings were constructed on these ‘sandboxes’.
• The sandbox in the foundation acts as a cushion in case of earthquakes.
• Most of the vibrations caused by earthquakes lose their strength while passing through the sand by the time they reach the actual foundation of the building.

About World Heritage site: The World Heritage Committee selects the sites to be listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger. It monitors the state of conservation of the World Heritage properties, defines the use of the World Heritage Fund and allocates financial assistance upon requests from States Parties. It is composed of 21 states parties that are elected by the General Assembly of States Parties for a four-year term.

India is NOT a member of this Committee   

What is in news : As the annual International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa, returns in a hybrid format on November 20, it tries to generates interest with some international personalities and talked-about titles of the year. It is 52 edition of film festival

Details :

• Hollywood stalwart Martin Scorsese and celebrated Hungarian filmmaker Istevan Szabo will be honoured with the Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement award.
• IFFI has invited some major streaming video platforms to be a part of the festival. Netflix, Amazon Prime, Zee5, Voot and Sony Liv will participate at the festival through a series of physical and virtual events including masterclasses, content launches and previews and screenings of curated film packages.

About IFFI

• The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) was founded in 1952. It is one of the most significant festivals in Asia.
• It takes place annually and currently it will going to be held in the state of Goa.
• The objective of the festival is to provide a common platform for the cinemas of the world to show the excellence of the film art, that contributes to the understanding and appreciation of the culture of the films of various nations related to their social and cultural ethos. It also fosters friendship and cooperation among people of the world.
• The International Film Festival of India is conducted jointly by the Directorate of Film Festivals (under Ministry of Information and Broadcasting) and therefore the state Government of Goa.

SNIPPPETS

Indian Institute of Plantation Management (IIPM) Bengaluru, in association with Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester, UK, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia and Faculty of Management Sciences, Suratthani Rajabhat University, Thailand, had organised a one-day International Conference on Challenges, Opportunities and Innovations in Agriculture, Plantations and Allied domanis posed by the Pandemic

Defence minister inaugurated a three-day Indian Air Force (IAF) conclave to commemorate 50 years of India’s victory in the 1971 India-Pakistan War, which is being celebrated as Swarnim Vijay Varsh in Bengaluru. It was held under theme ‘Birth of a Nation: Congruence of Politico-Military Thoughts and Goals’.