Daily CURRENT AFFAIRS

NEWS

Dharwad tops Karnataka with maximum area-wise crop loss

DETAILS

• District faced the most severe crop loss, in terms of the extent of area, in Karnataka due to heavy rains this year.
• Number of farmers growing rain-fed crops on black cotton soil is more in the district which lacks irrigation facility in the majority of the areas.
• Excess rains during the harvesting time of Kharif crops, and during the initial stage of Rabi crops are the causes for continuous and huge damage of crops in October and November.
• Crop of 1.55 lakh hectare of land in the district have been lost this year. Out of this, crop loss in 1.32 lakh hectare of land took place in October and November alone, as per the official figures.
• Belagavi stands second after Dharwad, with crops damaged in 1.50 lakh hectare of land, while Tumakuru is in third position with crop loss in 1.30 lakh hectare of land.
• Crop loss due to October and November rains was less in Belagavi district, compared to the loss during the initial phase of the monsoon. However, total crop loss in Tumakuru took place in October and November itself.

NEWS

Karnataka recorded a sudden rise in the number of adverse events following immunisation (AEFI)

ABOUT

• What is AEFI - Any untoward medical occurrence which follows immunization and which does not necessarily have a causal relationship with the usage of the vaccine.
• Effective vaccines (i.e. vaccines inducing protective immunity) may produce some undesirable side effects which are mostly mild and clear up quickly.
• The majority of events thought to be related to the administration of a vaccine are actually not due to the vaccine itself - many are simply coincidental events, others (particularly in developing countries) are due to human, or programme, error.
• It is not possible to predict every individual who might have a mild or serious reaction to a vaccine, although there are a few contraindications to some vaccines.
• By following contraindications the risk of serious adverse effects can be minimized.
• If not rapidly and effectively dealt with, can undermine confidence in a vaccine and ultimately have dramatic consequences for immunization coverage and disease incidence.
• Alternatively, vaccine-associated adverse events may affect healthy individuals and should be promptly identified to allow additional research and appropriate action to take place.
• In order to respond promptly, efficiently, and with scientific rigour to vaccine safety issues, WHO has established a Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety.

NEWS

Tata Group may lose control over 942-acre tea estate in Karnataka

DETAILS

• It is in accordance with a local court judgement
• State government prepares to hand the plantation to the forest department.
• Tata Coffee’s petition to get the description of the land reversed to ‘redeemed sagu’ in revenue records from its 2008 entry as ‘forest’ was dismissed recently
• In April 2008, the revenue authorities had changed the nature of the vast tea estate, under Tata Coffee lease, as “forest land” from the earlier “sagu” land (cultivable land).
• Tata Coffee is a subsidiary of Tata Consumer Products and Asia’s second largest exporter of instant coffee, with revenue of about Rs 2,289 crore, last year. It has coffee and tea plantations in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
• The tea estates are spread across West Nemmale, T Shettigeri, Poradu and Hysodluru villages in the  Western Ghat forests in South Kodagu (South Coorg).
• Tata Coffee (Tata Tea, back then) inherited the lease from Consolidated Coffee Ltd, which it acquired in 1990-91.
• The land was leased under the Coorg Land and Revenue regulations, 1899. The rules allowed leasing of paisari forest land for rubber, coffee and tea cultivation.

MAHITI FOR PRELIMS

SAGU LAND - Sagu tenure is referred to as ordinary ryotwari tenure of land held on full assessment as contrasted with privileged tenures which have for various reasons been so freely

REDEEMED LAND – The Land recovered by government

DEEMED FORESTS OF KARNATAKA

An expert committee constituted by the Karnataka government after the Supreme Court order (in T N Godavarman Thirumalpad (1996) Case) identified ‘deemed forests’ as “land having the characteristic of forests irrespective of the ownership’”. This includes:

• Thickly wooded areas of the Revenue Department not handed over to the Forest Department.
• Thickly wooded areas recommended to be handed over to the Forest Department.
• Thickly wooded land distributed to grantees but not cultivated.
• Thickly wooded plantations of the Forest Department.

NEWS

On the lines of Delhi, preparations are underway to implement the ‘happiness curriculum’ in primary schools of Uttar Pradesh under a pilot project

DELHI’S ‘HAPPINESS CURRICULUM’

• Curriculum calls for schools in India to promote development in cognition, language, literacy, numeracy and the arts along with addressing the well-being and happiness of students
• It cites the World Happiness Report, 2018, in which India ranked 133 among 155 nations in the global rankings
• Objectives - developing self-awareness and mindfulness, inculcating skills of critical thinking and inquiry, enabling learners to communicate effectively and helping learners to apply life skills to deal with stressful and conflicting situations around them.
• Designed for students of classes nursery through the eighth standard.
• Group 1 consists of students in nursery and KG, who have bi-weekly classes (45 minutes each for one session, which is supervised by a teacher) involving mindfulness activities and exercise. Children between classes 1-2 attend classes on weekdays, which involves mindfulness activities and exercises along with taking up reflective questions.
• The second group comprises students from classes 3-5 and the third group is comprised of students from classes 6-8 who apart from the aforementioned activities, take part in self-expression and reflect on their behavioural changes.
• Learning outcomes of this curriculum are spread across four categories:
  • Becoming mindful and attentive (developing increased levels of self-awareness, developing active listening, remaining in the present)
  • Developing critical thinking and reflection (developing strong abilities to reflect on one’s own thoughts and behaviours, thinking beyond stereotypes and assumptions)
  • Developing social-emotional skills (demonstrating empathy, coping with anxiety and stress, developing better communication skills)
  • Developing a confident and pleasant personality (developing a balanced outlook on daily life reflecting self-confidence, becoming responsible and reflecting awareness towards cleanliness, health and hygiene).
• Assessment under this curriculum is qualitative, focusing on the “process rather than the outcome” and noting that each student’s journey is unique and different.

NEWS

Loss of Aravalli hills because of unchecked mining activities would result in the sandstorms travelling to NCR and Delhi according to new study

DETAILS

• Gradual destruction of the Aravali ranges is leading to
  • Expansion of Thar desert in western Rajasthan
  • Migration of people
  • Changes in the rainfall pattern
  • Spread of sand dunes
  • Unscientific plantation drives
  • Posing a threat to the desert ecology
• Climate change has contributed to the spread of arid region.
• Central University of Rajasthan has predicted that the sandstorms from the desert will travel as far as the National Capital Region (NCR) in the years
• Sandstorms will become intense with the erosion of Aravali hills, which act as a ‘natural green wall’ between the desert and the plains.
• Study was undertaken as part of an assessment of the environmentally sensitive areas within the framework of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
• Since no mechanism has evolved so far to control the spread of sand dunes, the desertification will make an impact on the Aravali ranges’ northern part as an ecotonal area, acting as transition zone between the ecological systems
• Over-exploitation of resources had led to reduction in vegetation cover in the areas adjacent to the Thar desert, contributing to its expansion beyond four districts in western Rajasthan.

NEWS

An Indian desert cat has been spotted for the first time in Madhya Pradesh’s Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR)

DETAILS

• Also known as the Asian steppe wildcat/Asian wildcat
• African wildcat subspecies
• Occurs from the eastern Caspian Sea north to Kazakhstan, into western India, western China and southern Mongolia
• Unique Characteristics
  • Fur is light sandy
  • Small rounded spots cover its upper body
  • Long, tapering tail, always with a short black tip, and with spots at the base
• Status Least Concern in the IUCN Red List
• Found in deserts and can survive without water

NEWS

Nearly 2,000 pet and stray dogs in Amravati city were affected by canine parvovirus virus

Parvovirus

• Highly contagious viral disease
• Life-threatening in puppies and dogs
• Affects the intestinal tract of canines
• Puppies being more susceptible
• Symptoms - Bloody diarrhoea, vomiting, drastic weight loss, dehydration and lethargy 90 per cent mortality rate.
• Highly contagious virus
• Spreads through
  • Direct contact with an infected dog
  • Indirect contact with a contaminated
  • Dogs can get exposed to the parvovirus every time it sniffs, licks, or consume infected faeces
  • Indirect transmission occurs when a person who has recently been exposed to an infected dog touches the puppy, or when a puppy encounters a contaminated object, like food or water bowl, collars and leashes.
• Safety
  • No cure
  • Inoculating a puppy or a dog gives them a fighting chance against the infection
  • First dose is given at 45 days old and the second 21 days after the first dose

NEWS

DRDO successfully tests nuclear-capable Agni Prime missile from APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha

DETAILS

• New generation advanced variant of the Agni class of missiles.
• Surface-to-surface ballistic missile.
• Made fully of a composite material.
• Canisterised missile - Easy to handlr
• Range - 1,000-2,000 kilometres.
• Payload - 1,000 kg / nuclear warhead.
• Double stage missile
• Lighter and much sleeker than its predecessor Agni-1.
• Weighs 50% less than Agni 3
• New guidance and a new generation of propulsion.
• Can be launched from rail and road
• Stored for a longer period
• Transported all across the country as per operational requirements.

NEWS

One-year celebrations of the Bodoland Territorial Region Council (BTR) was recently held

ABOUT

• The second Bodo accord, 2003 led to the formation of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) under the provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution
• The area under the BTC jurisdiction is now officially called the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) comprising of 3,082 villages in four districts— Kokrajhar, Chirang, Udalguri and Baska.

MAHITI FOR PRELIMS

Sixth schedule of the Constitution:

• The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India (Articles 244(2) and 275(1)) provides for decentralized self-governance and dispute resolution through local customary laws in parts of the North East which are mainly tribal areas.
• It contains provisions as to the Administration of Tribal Areas in the States of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram

NEWS

60th anniversary of the liberation of Goa was celebrated

DETAILS

• The Liberation of Goa was a military action undertaken with code-named Operation Vijay by the Indian Armed Forces.
• involved air, sea and land strikes for over 36 hours during which Goa, territories of Diu, Daman were liberated from 450 years of Portuguese rule in 1961
• On December 18, the Portuguese Governor General Vassalo da Silva gave up control of the Union Territory of Goa, Daman and Diu.
• A  ceremony was conducted on 19 December where the instrument of surrender was signed bringing to an end  451 years of Portuguese Rule in Goa.

REFERENDUM AND STATEHOOD

• To decide the future of the Union Territory of Goa, Daman and Diu within the Indian Union a referendum held in the state of Goa, India, on 16 January 1967
• Offered the people of Goa a choice between continuing as a union territory or merging with the state of Maharashtra
• Only referendum to have been held in independent India
• People of Goa voted against the merger and Goa continued to be a union territory.
• In 1987, Goa became a full-fledged state within the Indian Union.

ALL INDIA VANDE BHARATAM - NRITYA UTSAV

NEWS

Delhi hosted the Grand Finale of All India Vande Bharatam, Nritya Utsav

DETAILS

Vande Bharatam

• Unique initiative of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Culture
• Organized as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to commemorate 75 years of independence of India
• Objective –
  • Select the top dancing talent from across the country
  • Provide them the opportunity to perform during the Republic Day Parade 2022
• Zonal finals took place at Kolkata, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Delhi
• Began at the district level on November 17

NEWS

India’s K. Srikanth’s won Silver BWF World badminton championship

DETAILS

• Srikanth is first Indian to win the Medal
• It was held in Huelva, Spain
• Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew won the series
• Maiden silver also placed Srikanth alongside P V Sindhu and Saina Nehwal, who had finished runner-up in the past.
• Sindhu had won the coveted gold in 2019, two silver and two bronze, while Saina claimed the silver at the 2015 Jakarta and a bronze at 2017 Glasgow. It is also the first time that India won two medals in men’s singles at the World Championships.

• Peregrine Racing’s Kyle Aditya Kumaran did India proud by winning the silver in the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Final, the annual karting competition for Rotax National champions from over 100 countries, at the Bahrain International karting circuit
• Hyderabad Strikers won Tennis Premier League of  India
• KVIC Rolls Out self-employment schemes to Empower Rural Artisans in UP’s Bundelkhand Region