Daily CURRENT AFFAIRS

Daily Current Affair - UPSC/KAS Exams - 20th May 2021

Recent news : Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal approved the setting up of a Legislative Council in the state.  West Bengal’s Legislative Council was abolished 50 years ago by a coalition government of Left parties.

How is a council created :

Under Article 169 of the constitution, "Parliament may by law create or abolish the second chamber in a state if the Legislative Assembly of that state passes a resolution to that effect by a special majority"

Functions of a Legislative council :

• The functions of the states’ Legislative Council are only advisory in nature. If any Bill is passed by the Legislative Assembly and sent to the Council, and the Council refuses to give its approval, then the Assembly has the right to reconsider it.
• The assembly may pass it with or without the amendments proposed by the Council, and again send it to the Council.
• When a bill approved by the Assembly is sent to the Council for the first time, it may retain it for three months, but in the case when it is sent for the second time and is kept in the Council for one month only, the bill is deemed as having been passed.

Additional information :

• Six States having a Legislative Council: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka.
• Recently, the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Council has been abolished
• Under Article 171 of the Constitution, the Legislative Council of a state shall not have more than one-third of the total strength of the State Assembly, and not less than 40 members.

What is the news : The World Wildlife Fund recently claimed that more than 70% of snow Leopard habitats are unexplored. The organisation recently released its report “A spatially explicit review of the state of knowledge in the snow leopard range”.

Key Findings of the report:

• Most of the snow leopard researches have been conducted by Nepal, India and China followed by Mongolia and Pakistan.
• There could be only four thousand snow leopards left in the world.
• They are facing continuous threats due to increased habitat loss and degradation, conflict with communities and poaching.

Snow Leopard conservation

• IUCN: Vulnerable
• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
• CITES: Appendix I

Snow Leopards in India: In India, snow leopards are found in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir. These regions contribute to 5% of global snow leopard range. Government is running Project Snow Leopard since 2009

What is the news : Indian Army engineers innovate a solution for efficient conversion of liquid oxygen to low pressure oxygen gas for covid patients

Details :

• Over seven days, the team of Army Engineers in-direct consultation and material support from CSIR & DRDO put together a working solution using vaporisers, PRVs and liquid oxygen cylinders.
• In order to ensure continuous conversion of liquid oxygen into oxygen gas at the requisite pressure and temperature at the COVID bed, the team used a self pressuring liquid oxygen cylinder of small capacity (250 litres) and processed it through a specially designed vaporiser and directly usable outlet pressure (4 Bar) with requisite leak proof pipeline and pressure valves.
• A prototype with two liquid cylinders capable of feeding oxygen gas for 40 beds for a period of two to three days has been made functional at Base Hospital, Delhi Cantt.
• The team has also tested a mobile version to cater for typical shifting requirements in hospitals.
• The system is economically viable and is safe to operate since it obviates high gas pressure in the pipeline or cylinders and does not require any power supply to operate. The system is capable of replication in a quick time frame.
• This innovation is another example of Indian Army's commitment to promote innovations in bringing simple and practical solutions to complex problems.

SPOT

What : Scalable and Portable Testing

Why :  COVID-19 Saliva Testing

By : Carle Illinois College of Medicine, USA

Other details :

• The SPOT gives COVID-19 test results in thirty minutes.
• Device can be operated by anyone with minimal training.
• The test is very much similar to that of the RT-PCR. But it uses Reverse Transcriptase Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification (RT-LAMP)
• RT-LAMP is a one step nucleic acid amplification method. It is used to multiply specific sequences of RNA. This technology is considered as an alternate to RT-PCR as it is much cheaper and easier. RT-LAMP test first makes DNA from the RNA samples. This conversion is made by reverse transcriptase enzyme. This DNA is called cDNA. Now this cDNA will be amplified for virus detection.

Recent news: A decision was taken by government of India, to increase the subsidy for DAP fertiliser from Rs. 500 per bag to Rs. 1200 per bag, which is an increase of 140%.

Fertilizers: Fertilizer is defined as any organic or inorganic substance, natural or artificial supplying one or more of the chemical elements/nutrients required for plant growth. They provide six macronutrients and eight micronutrients to the plants for well-balanced growth.

Primary (Macro) Nutrients provided : Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K), Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), Sulphur (S)

DAP FERTILIZER: Di-Ammonium Phosphate fertilizers are sources of nitrogen and phosphorous that have wide usage in agricultural purposes. The major component in this fertilizer is diammonium phosphate that has the chemical formula (NH4)2HPO4.  It is water-soluble ammonium phosphate.

Other Details :

• Fertilizer as an industry is under the control of the Union Government (being in the First Schedule of the IDR (Industries (Development and Regulation)) Act, 1951 vide Entry 52 of List I and also Entry 33 of List III.
• Urea dominates the sector. It is the most produced (86%), the most consumed (74%), and the most imported (52%).
• India produces about 80 percent of its Urea fertilizer needs. And the fertilizer industry has the capacity to indigenously meet 50 percent of the country’s phosphatic fertilizers.
• But India still depends heavily on imports for the raw ingredients for its phosphatic and potassium fertilizers.
• 50 % fertilizer production comes from Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Kerala

GHOLVAD SAPOTA

Where is GHOLVAD: Palghar District, Maharashtra

Why is the fruit unique : Sweet and Unique taste derived from Calcium Rich Soil

When was GI Tag accorded : January 017

What is the news: In a major boost to exports of Geographical Indication (GI) certified products, a consignment of Dahanu Gholvad Sapota from Palghar district of Maharashtra was today shipped to the United Kingdom.

Other Details :

• It is also called as “Chikoo”
• GI certification of Gholvad Sapota is held by Maharashtra Rajya Chikoo Utpadak Sangh and the fruit is known for its sweet and unique taste. It is believed that the unique taste is derived from calcium rich soil of Gholvad village.
• Currently in the Palgahr district, around 5000 hectares of land is under sapota or plantation. Out of 5000 farmers who grow Sapota, 147 farmers are authorized GI users.
• APEDA has been thrust on promotion of exports of GI products. GI products with its uniqueness, intrinsic value and practically no competition from outsiders, offers good potential for export.
• Sapota is grown in many states- Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh. Karnataka is known to be the highest grower of the fruit, followed by Maharashtra. It can be used in fruit salads, blended into milk or yogurt, as a smoothie or processed to make a jam out of it.

ABOUT APEDA:

Full form: Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority

Under : Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Establishment : Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act,1985

Functions

• Promotion of export-oriented production and development of the Scheduled products. In addition, APEDA has been entrusted with the responsibility to monitor the import of sugar.
• Development of industries relating to the scheduled products for export by way of providing financial assistance or otherwise for undertaking surveys and feasibility studies, participating through subsidy schemes;
• Registration of persons as exporters of the scheduled products and fixing of standards and specifications for the scheduled products for the purpose of export
• Carrying out inspection of meat and meat products in places where such products are kept such as slaughterhouses, processing plants, storage premises, etc. for the purpose of ensuring the quality of the products
• Improving packaging and marketing of the Scheduled products outside India;
• Training in various aspects of the industries connected with the scheduled products

Recent news : Fungal Infection study Forum of India's chairman Professor Arunaloke Chakrabarti provided information regarding the surge of Mucormycosis.

Details :

What are the symptoms of Covid Associated Mucormycosis (CAM)?

• Patients with COVID-19 (active/recovering/post-discharge) with Rhino-Orbito-Cerebral Mucormycosis (ROCM) complain of nasal blockade or congestion, nasal discharge (bloody or brown/ black), and localised pain. Patients may also complain of facial pain, numbness or swelling, headache, orbital pain, toothache, loosening of maxillary teeth, jaw involvement, blurred or double vision with pain.
• Other symptoms include paresthesia, fever, skin lesion, thrombosis and necrosis (eschar). Pulmonary mucormycosis may present itself in the form of fever, cough, chest pain, pleural effusion, haemoptysis, and worsening of respiratory symptoms.

How can you prevent this infection?

• As poorly controlled diabetes is the major issue, good glycemic control during management of COVID 19 patients is required.
• Systemic steroids should only be used in patients with hypoxemia. Oral steroids are contra-indicated in patients with normal oxygen saturation on room air. If systemic steroid is used, blood sugar should be monitored. The dose and duration of steroid therapy should be limited to dexamethasone (0.1mg/kg/day) for 5-10 days.
• Universal masking reduces exposure to Mucorales; avoidance of construction sites is recommended.
• During discharge of the patients, advice about the early symptoms or signs of mucormycosis (facial pain, nasal blockage and excessive discharge, chest pain, respiratory insufficiency).

Misconseptions:

• Mucorales are not black fungi. Black fungi are a different category of fungi having melanin in the cell wall.
• Mucormycosis is not contagious. It does not spread from one person to another.
• Mucormycosis is not spread by oxygenation, humidifier, and water.
• The fungi remain in the indoor and outdoor environment.
• The spores enter the respiratory tract via air.
• No antifungal prophylaxis is recommended as the incidence is not more than 10% in any Covid cohorts.
• No slow escalation of amphotericin B during therapy.
• Full dose per day should be given on day 1.

• COV-AID@BLR, a 150-bed oxygenated Covid-19 treatment centre has been operationalised at the Kempegowda International Airport, Karnataka
• The 51st IHGF Delhi Fair 2021 is India’s largest Virtual Fair in the Home, Fashion, Lifestyle, Textiles and Furniture sector and an exclusive B2B online platform is developed to assist the buyers from all across the globe to source from India. The Fair organised by the EPCHwill see participation of 1500 plus manufacturers and exporters showcasing 2000 plus product expressions
• On May 19, 2021, the United Launch Alliance launched the Atlas V Rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. The Atlas V rocket carried SBRIS Geo-5 Missile Warning Satellite. It is designed for missile warning, missile battlespace and defence characterization.
• The Government of India recently brought changes to the Customs (Imports of Goods at Concessional Rate of Duty) rules, IGCR 2017 to boost trade facilitation. This was done through the Customs (Import of Goods at Concessional Rate of Duty) Amendment Rules, 2021.