Daily CURRENT AFFAIRS

Daily Current Affair - UPSC/KAS Exams - 30nd Jan 2022

NEWS

Karnataka has raised objections on Hogenakkal project saying Tamil Nadu cannot go ahead with any scheme that utilises Cauvery water without its concurrence.

WHERE IS HOGENAKKAL LOCATED?

• Scenic tourist spot known for its waterfalls
• Located on the border between the Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu and the Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka(125 km south of Bengaluru)
• Word Hogenakkal is of Kannada origin and roughly means smoky rocks
• Cauvery water which enters Tamil Nadu at Biligundulu in Krishnagiri district from Karnataka reaches the Stanley reservoir at Mettur through Hogenakkal

HOGENAKKAL PROJECT PHASE 1

• Originally conceived in the 1960s, the Hogenakkal project saw the light of day only in 2013. Under the first phase, 160 MLD of potable water is supplied to the drought-prone districts of Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri.
• Keeping the fluorosis content in the water within the permissible limits of 1.50 mg/litre is also an essential component of the project. 
• Every person is provided with 30 litres of water a day in rural habitations, 40 litres in town panchayats and 75 litres in municipalities. 

WHAT'S PROPOSED IN THE SECOND PHASE?

• Continue the supply of potable water to Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri, and meet the demands of a rising population. 
• Amount of water supplied per person per per day will be increased to 55 litres in rural areas (as mandated under the Centre's Jal Jeevan Mission) and 135 litres in town panchayats and municipalities.
• In addition, the SIPCOT industrial estate in Dharmapuri has sought 20 MLD per day.
• Tamil Nadu estimates it will need Rs 1,800 crore to expand the project in Dharmapuri and Rs 2,800 crore in Krishnagiri.

WHAT DOES KARNATAKA SAY?

• Oppose the Hogenakkal project both legally and politically, based on two grounds:
  • The project falls in the geography of both states and was not placed before the Cauvery tribunal or the Supreme Court.
  • Geographically Hogenakkal is a 64-km region that covers both sides of the border.
• Apparently, the Survey of India has not finalised the border along Hogenakkal.

NEWS

Birth anniversary of K. M. Cariappa recently celebrated

ABOUT

• 28 January 1899 – 15 May 1993
• First Indian Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the Indian Army
• Led Indian forces on the Western Front during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947
• Appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army in 1949
• One of only two Indian Army officers to hold the Five-star rank of Field Marshal; the other being Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw
• Born in Madikeri, Kodagu
• Joined the British Indian Army shortly after the end of World War I, and was commissioned as a temporary first lieutenant into the 2/88 Carnatic Infantry.
• First Indian military officer to attend the Staff College, Quetta, the first Indian to command a battalion, and was also one of the first two Indians selected to undergo training at the Imperial Defence College in Camberley.
• Served in various staff capacities at various unit and command headquarters (HQ) and also at the General HQ, New Delhi.
• Before taking over as the C-in-C of the Indian Army, Cariappa served as the commander of the Indian Army's Eastern and Western Commands.

NEWS

In the year’s first episode of his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Prime Minister paid tribute to the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of his 74th death anniversary, which is observed annually as Martyrs Day. He also honoured the national symbols.

NATIONAL SYMBOLS

National symbols of India are a set of identity elements reflecting the significance of India’s heritage.

India has several National Symbols picked up at different times to signify identity.

PREVENTION OF INSULTS TO NATIONAL HONOUR ACT

• Enacted on December 23, 1971
• Penalizes the desecration of or insult to Indian national symbols, such as the National Flag, the Constitution, the National Anthem, and the Indian map, as well as contempt of the Constitution of India.
• Section 2 deals with insults to Indian National Flag and Constitution of India.
• The Flag Code of India, 2002
  • Deals with laws, practices and conventions that apply to the display of the national flag.
  • Says: On occasions of State/Military/Central Paramilitary Forces funerals, the flag shall be draped over the bier or coffin with the saffron towards the head of the bier or coffin.
  • The Flag shall not be lowered into the grave or burnt in the pyre.

Use of flag in funerals

• The flag can only be used during a funeral if it is accorded the status of a state funeral.
• Apart from police and armed forces, state funerals are held when people who are holding or have held the office of President, Vice-President, PM, Cabinet Minister, or state CM pass away.
• The status of a state funeral can be accorded in case of death of people not belonging to the armed forces, police or the above-mentioned categories by the state government.

TO KNOW : Article 51 ‘A’ contained in Part IV A i.e. Fundamental Duties asks: To abide by the constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem in clause (a).

MARTYRS' DAY

Martyrs’ Day is commemorated on January 30 to mark the death anniversary of Mahatma  Gandhi.

Death of Mahatma Gandhi

• Gandhi was assassinated on 30 January 1948 by Nathuram Godse and his death was followed by epic public outpourings of grief.
• This day marks the saddest day in the history of India’s Independence Struggle.
• The Martyrs’ Day is observed on January 30 every year to remember Mahatma Gandhi’s contribution to India and his sacrifices during the freedom struggle.
• At his daily prayer meeting on the evening of 30 January, Gandhiji was shot dead by a young man, Nathuram Godse. 

NEWS

Pandit Jasraj Cultural Foundation was launched recently marking the occasion of 92nd birth anniversary of late Indian classical vocalist, Pandit Jasraj.

PANDIT JASRAJ

• Indian classical vocalist
• Belonged the Mewati gharana
• Musical career spanned for 75 years, giving him fame, respect and major awards nationally and internationally
• Known for innovations in various genres such as Haveli Sangeeth and popularizing Mewati Gharana.

THE MEWATI GHARANA

• Also known as Jodhpur gharana, Jaipur-Mewati gharana, and Miyan Bande Ali Khan Beenkar gharana
• Musical apprenticeship tribe of Indian classical music
• Known for being Pandit Jasraj’s musical lineage
• Founded by Utd. Wahid Khan (beenkar) and Utd. Ghagge Nazir Khan of Indore.

GHARANA

• The term gharana is derived from the Hindi word ‘ghar’
• Concept became prominent in the nineteenth century after the fall of the Mughals. Performers were then compelled to move to urban centres or princely states.  To retain their respective identities, they fell back on the names of the regions they hailed from. Therefore, even today, the names of many gharanas refer to places.
• Some important Gharanas in Khayal singing are Agra, Gwalior, Patiala, Kirana, Indore, Mewat, Rampur and Jaipur Gharana.
• A gharana also indicates musicological ideology, the thinking, teaching, performance and appreciation of music.

NEWS

PM pays tributes to Lala Lajpat Rai on his Jayanti

ABOUT

• A stalwart of the freedom struggle
• Born on 28th January 1865 at a small village of Dhudike in district Ferozepur, Punjab,
• Contemporary of great stalwarts including Mahatma Gandhi
• Popularly known as ‘Punjab Kesari’ or ‘The Lion of Punjab’
• Supported the Non-cooperation movement at the Nagpur session of the Congress in 1920 and protested against the Rowlatt Act and the Jallianwala Bagh massacre that followed.
• Moved a resolution in the assembly refusing cooperation with the Simon Commission since the Commission had no Indian members In 1928.
• Also an Extremist, and along with Bipin Chandra Pal and Bal Gangadhar Tilak, he formed the Lal-Bal-Pal trio of extremist leaders.
• HE
  • Presided over the first session of the All India Trade Union Congress in 1920, advocated for organized labour as the antidote of capitalism and imperialism.

  • Co-founded the Punjab National Bank in 1894

  • Was the Founder-Editor of the Arya Gazette
  • Founded several institutions and organizations such as Hisar Bar Council, Hisar Arya Samaj, Hisar Congress, National DAV Managing Committee.

• The Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD), Bengaluru has been declared as the designated facility to treat Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illnesses (SARI).
• The Centre appointed V. Anantha Nageswaran as the Chief Economic Advisor
• Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) has notified the Scheme on Enhancement of Competitiveness in the Indian Capital Goods Sector- Phase-II for providing assistance to Common Technology Development and Services Infrastructure.
• India’s largest electric vehicle charging station set up in Gurugram
• The first-ever freight train arrived at the Rani Gaidinliu Railway Station in Tamenglong district of Manipur marking a major breakthrough for railway authorities who has put-in concerned efforts to improve the railway connectivity across Manipur & other northeastern regions.
• 7740 houses ‘electrified with solar’ for the first time in Jharkhand.