DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 23rd November 2023

Syllabus

• Prelims –ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

Context: Recent reports suggest that the ozone Hole May Not Be Recovering After all.

Background:-

• The hole in the Antarctic ozone layer has been getting deeper in mid-spring over the last two decades, despite a global ban on chemicals that deplete Earth’s shield from deadly solar radiation, new research suggested.

About Ozone:-

• Ozone is a gas composed of three atoms of oxygen.
• It is both a natural and a man-made product.
• It occurs in the Earth’s Stratosphere and the Troposphere.
• Stratospheric ozone is formed naturally through the interaction of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation with molecular oxygen (O2).
• Ozone is produced naturally in the stratosphere.
• But this ozone is gradually being destroyed by man-made chemicals referred to as ozone-depleting substances (ODS), including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), halons, methyl bromide, carbon tetrachloride, and methyl chloroform.

Effects of Ozone Layer Depletion:-

• Humans may have severe health problems as a result, including skin conditions, cancer, sunburns, cataracts, rapid ageing, and weakened immune systems.
• Animals that are directly exposed to UV light develop skin and eye cancer.
• Strong UV radiation may prevent plants from growing, blooming, or performing photosynthesis.
• Planktons are greatly affected by exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays. (Ozone Levels Exceeding Permitted Levels)

Efforts taken to control ground-level ozone pollution:-

• Adoption of BS-VI standards
• The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for Delhi was prepared by the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEFCC) after the order of the Supreme Court in December 2016.
  • The Environmental Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) is responsible for its implementation.
  • It aims to prevent the worsening of the Air Quality of Delhi-NCR including Ozone pollution. (Ozone Hole Recovery)
• National Clean Air Programme (NCAP): The government launched this campaign to reduce air pollution in 102 non-attainment cities including Ozone pollution.

MUST READ: Preservation of Ozone Hole

SOURCE: SCIENCE ALERT

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) In the context of India’s preparation for Climate-smart Agriculture, consider the following statements: (2021)

1. The ‘Climate-Smart Village’ approach in India is part of a project led by Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security (CCAFS), an international research program.
2. The project of CCAFS is carried out under the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) headquartered in France.
3. The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in India is one of the CGIAR’s research centres.

Which of the statements given above is correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1,2 and 3

Q.2) Consider the following statements: (2022)

1. The Climate Group is an international non-profit organization that drives climate action by building large networks and running them.
2. The International Energy Agency in partnership with the Climate Group launched a global initiative “EP100”.
3. EP100 brings together leading companies committed to driving innovation in energy efficiency and increasing competitiveness while delivering on emission reduction goals.
4. Some Indian companies are members of EP100.
5. The International Energy Agency is the Secretariat to the “Under2 Coalition”.

Which of the statements given above is correct?

1. 1,2, 4 and 5
2. 1,3 and 4 only
3. 2,3 and 5 only
4. 1,2, 3, 4 and 5

Syllabus

• Prelims –INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Context: Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the agreement for the ongoing  ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT.

Background:-

• Israel and the Palestinian terror group Hamas agreed to the release of 50 hostages held in Gaza and a temporary pause in fighting.
• In his remarks at the virtual G20 Leaders Summit last evening, Mr Modi expressed hope that all the hostages will be released soon.

About ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT:-

IMAGE SOURCE: express.co.uk

• Both Israelis and Palestinians have been in a struggle for self-determination and sovereignty over the territory, developing respective movements for their causes. (India, Israel and Palestine)
• Both Palestinians and Israelis see the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea as their own, and Christians, Jews, and Muslims all hold parts of the land as sacred.
• The past seven decades have brought war and uprisings. (15th India-Israel Joint Working Group)

Historic Timeline:-

• Ottoman Empire: The Ottoman Empire had controlled that part of the Middle East from the early 16th century until control of most of the region was granted to the British after World War I.
• In 1916: the Sykes-Picot Agreement secretly negotiated between Britain and France planned to carve up the Middle East into spheres of influence, and determined that the land in question was to be internationalized.
• In 1917: Britain’s foreign secretary, Lord Arthur Balfour, expressed his government’s support for “the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.

1947: UN resolution

• 1947: After World War II, nearing the end of the British Mandate for Palestine, the United Nations General Assembly in 1947 passed Resolution 181, urging the partition of the land into two independent states — one Arab and one Jewish.
• Religiously significant Jerusalem is to be under special international administration.
• The plan is not implemented after the Arab side rejects it, arguing that it is unfavourable to their majority population.
• Violence in the regional conflict grows.

1948: Israel declares independence.

• Israel declared independence in May 1948.
• The next day, a coalition of Arab states, allied with Palestinian factions, attacked Israeli forces in what became the first of several Arab-Israeli wars.
• In the end, Israel gains control of an even larger portion of territory — not including the areas of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

1967: the Six-Day War

• In June of 1967, a war known as the “Six-Day War” or the 1967 Arab-Israeli War broke out amid lingering conflicts, including Egypt’s continued blockade of shipping into the Gulf of Aqaba.
• Israel ultimately takes control of the Gaza Strip, Sinai, the West Bank, the Golan Heights, and predominantly Palestinian East Jerusalem.
• The Arab armies suffered massive losses.

1987: First intifada

• A Palestinian uprising, or intifada, brings largely spontaneous clashes, protests, and civil disobedience against Israeli occupation in the West Bank, Gaza, and Israel, leading to harsh Israeli military crackdowns.
• Unrest continues for years, with many killed or injured on both sides.

1993: Oslo Accords

• The first of two pacts, known as the Oslo Accords, was signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
• It set out a peace process based on previous U.N. resolutions.
• It charted out the expansion of a limited Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
• A follow-up accord was signed in 1995.
• However, key issues such as Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the status of Jerusalem, were left unresolved.

2006: Hamas elected in Gaza

• Israel withdrew its troops from Gaza in 2005.
• The Palestinian militant group Hamas wins legislative elections the next year, leading to political strains with the more moderate Fatah party controlling the West Bank.

2017: U.S. recognizes Jerusalem as capital

• The Donald Trump administration recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and announces that it plans to shift the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv, stirring outrage from Palestinians.

2022: Netanyahu sworn in for sixth term

• Benjamin Netanyahu is sworn in again as Israeli prime minister, after winning an election that gives him his sixth term and elevates a once-fringe bloc of far-right politicians into powerful seats.

2023: Recent events:-

• January 2023: Israeli forces raid the Palestinian city of Jenin, killing nine people in a shootout.
• Summer 2023: Retaliatory attacks flare
• Israel launches surprise airstrikes across the Gaza Strip in May.
• October 2023: Israel is attacked by Hamas.
• Prime Minister of Israel, Netanyahu formally declared war on Hamas on Oct. 8 following a surprise assault by Hamas militants that came a day after the 50th anniversary of the start of the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

MUST READ: India-Israel Industrial R&D & Technological Innovation Fund (I4F)

SOURCE: AIR

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Which one of the following is a part of the Congo Basin? (2023)

1. Cameroon
2. Nigeria
3. South Sudan
4. Uganda

Q.2) With reference to the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea, consider the following statements: (2022)

1. A coastal state has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles, measured from a baseline determined in accordance with the convention.
2. Ships of all states, whether coastal or land-locked, enjoy the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea.
3. The Exclusive Economic Zone shall not extend beyond 200 nautical miles from the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Syllabus

• Prelims –GEOGRAPHY

Context: A Magnitude 6.7 Earthquake Jolted the Vanuatu Islands Near Australia recently.

About Vanuatu Islands:-

IMAGE SOURCE: BRITANNICA

• Vanuatu, a country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.
• It consists of a chain of 13 principal and many smaller islands located about 500 miles (800 km) west of Fiji and 1,100 miles (1,770 km) east of Australia.
• Vanuatu (officially, the Republic of Vanuatu) is divided into 6 provinces.
• These provinces are Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea and Torba.
• These provinces are further subdivided into municipalities.
• The indigenous population, called ni-Vanuatu, is overwhelmingly Melanesian, though some of the outlying islands have Polynesian populations.
• Subsistence agriculture has traditionally been the economic base of Vanuatu, together with an elaborate exchange network within and between islands.
• Since independence, Vanuatu’s tourism and offshore financial services have emerged as the largest earners of foreign income.
• The Lapita sites became Vanuatu’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.

About Earthquake:-

• An earthquake is the shaking or trembling of the earth’s surface. (Anatolian Plate)
• It is caused by the seismic waves or earthquake waves that are generated due to a sudden movement (sudden release of energy) in the earth’s crust (shallow-focus earthquakes) or upper mantle (some shallow-focus and all intermediate and deep-focus earthquakes).
• A seismograph, or seismometer, is an instrument used to detect and record earthquakes.
• Hypocentre/Focus: The point where the energy is released.
• Epicentre: The point on the surface directly above the focus.
• Isoseismic line: A line connecting all points on the surface where the intensity is the same.

MUST READ: (Volcano)

SOURCE: TIMES NOW

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Consider the following pairs: (2022)

The region often mentioned in the news:   Country

1. Anatolia Turkey
2. Amhara Ethiopia
3. Cabo Delgado Spain
4. Catalonia Italy

How many pairs given above are correctly matched?

1. Only one pair
2. Only two pairs
3. Only three pairs
4. All four pairs

Q.2) consider the following statements: (2020)

1. Jet streams occur in the Northern Hemisphere only.
2. Only some cyclones develop an eye.
3. The temperature inside the eye of a cyclone is nearly 10°C less than that of the surroundings.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 2 only
4. 1 and 3 only

Syllabus

• Prelims –IMPORTANT INSTITUTION

Context: Recently, the central government has suspended Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) official Anil Gill with immediate effect.

Background:-

• The action was taken by a vigilance committee established by the DGCA to conduct its preliminary investigation into allegations of corruption.

About Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA):-

• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is a statutory body of the Government of India.
  • It was formed under the Aircraft (Amendment) Act, of 2020.
• It comes under the Ministry of Civil Aviation. (New Director General of Bureau Of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) appointed)
• It aims to regulate civil aviation in India.
• It primarily deals with safety issues in civil aviation.
• Its headquarters are located in New Delhi.
  • It has regional offices in various parts of India.
• Mandate: DGCA is responsible for the regulation of air transport services to/from/within India and for enforcement of civil air regulations, air safety, and airworthiness standards. (Reforms In Civil Aviation Industry)
• Functions:-
  • Registration of civil aircraft.
  • Formulation of standards of airworthiness for civil aircraft registered in India and grant of certificates of airworthiness to such aircraft.
  • Licensing of pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers and flight engineers, and conducting examinations and checks for that purpose.
  • Licensing of air traffic controllers.
  • Investigating accidents/incidents.
  • Taking accident prevention measures.
  • Coordination at the national level for flexible use of air space by civil and military air traffic agencies
  • Interaction with ICAO for the provision of more air routes for civil use through Indian air space.
  • Promoting indigenous design and manufacture of aircraft.

MUST READ: International Air Connectivity Scheme (IACS) scheme

SOURCE: AIR

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Consider the following statements: (2022)

1. In India, credit rating agencies are regulated by the Reserve Bank of India.
2. The rating agency popularly known as ICRA is a public limited company.
3. Brickwork Ratings is an Indian credit rating agency.

Which of the statements given above is correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Q.2) With reference to the “Tea Board” in India, consider the following statements: (2022)

1. The Tea Board is a statutory body.
2. It is a regulatory body attached to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
3. The Tea Board’s Head Office is situated in Bengaluru.
4. The Board has overseas offices in Dubai and Moscow.

Which of the statements given above is correct?

1. 1 and 3
2. 2 and 4
3. 3 and 4
4. 1 and 4

Syllabus

• Prelims –ART AND CULTURE

Context: Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Mathura in Uttar Pradesh today to take part in Sant Mirabai Janmotsav.

Background:-

• The programme is being organized to mark the 525th Birth Anniversary of Sant Mirabai. During the event, the Prime Minister will also release a commemorative stamp and a coin in honour of Sant Mira Bai.

About Sant Mirabai:-

• Mirabai was born into a Rajput royal family in Kudki, Rajasthan’s Pali region, and spent her youth in Merta.
• By around 1600 CE, she was referenced in Bhaktamal, indicating that she was a well-known and revered figure in the Bhakti movement.
• Mirabai was a Rajput princess who married a prince from the royal family.
• She became a follower of Ravidas, a saint who was said to be untouchable. (Sant Ravidas)
• She committed her life to Lord Krishna’s devotion.
• She was the first to introduce the Giridhara Gopala cult of Brindavan and also the first to introduce Bhajan in the Bhakti movement
• Her bhajans were composed in the language of Vraj Bhasha.
• Meerabai’s five teachings are:-
  • She did not believe in the caste hierarchy and instead attacked higher caste standards.
  • She fled the kingdom because of her great devotion to Lord Krishna.
  • She was not a follower of kingly traditions.
  • She preached love while avoiding hatred.
  • Despite being from the royal family, she became a follower of Ravidas, who was considered untouchable.

MUST READ: The Sant Tukaram temple

SOURCE: AIR

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) With reference to Indian history, consider the following texts: (2022)

1. Nettipakarana
2. Parishishtaparvan
3. Avadanashataka
4. Trishashtilakshana Mahapurana

Which of the above are Jaina texts

1. 1,2 and 3
2. 2 and 4 only
3. 1,3 and 4
4. 2, 3 and 4

Q.2) With reference to the cultural history of India, consider the following pairs: (2020)

1. Parivrajaka — Renunciant and Wanderer
2. Shramana — Priest with a high status
3. Upasaka — Lay follower of Buddhism

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 1 and 3 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Syllabus

• Prelims – GEOGRAPHY

Context: Recently, a laundry owner was booked for polluting the Pavana River.

Background:-

• A laundry owner from Tathawade was booked for allegedly discharging untreated contaminated water in the Pavana River.

About Pavana River:-

• Location: Pune District, Maharashtra.
• The river is a prominent river that runs through Pune City.
• It separates it from the Pimpri-Chinchwad district.
• It comes from the Western Ghats, around 6 kilometres south of Lonavala.
• It is a tributary of the Bhima River that joins the Mula River in Pune.
• Flowing eastward at first, it turns south and travels through the suburbs of Dehu, Chinchwad, Pimpri, and Dapodi before joining the Mula River.
• The “Pavana Nagar Dam” is being built on this river at Pavana Nagar.
• It is a gravity earthfill. (River Cities Alliance)
• It has a total storage capacity of 30,500.00 km3 and measures 1,329 m (4,360 ft) long and 42.37 m (139.0 ft) high.

MUST READ: Teesta River

SOURCE: HINDUSTAN TIMES

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Consider the following statements: (2020)

1. Jet streams occur in the Northern Hemisphere only.
2. Only some cyclones develop an eye.
3. The temperature inside the eye of a cyclone is nearly 10°C less than that of the surroundings.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 2 only
4. 1 and 3 only

Q.2) Consider the following statements: (2018)

1. The Barren Island volcano is an active volcano located in the Indian territory.
2. Barren Island lies about 140 km east of Great Nicobar.
3. The last time the Barren Island volcano erupted was in 1991 and it has remained inactive since then.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3
3. 3 only
4. 1 and 3

Q1) Consider the following pairs:

How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None 

Q2) Consider the following statements

Statement-I :

Pavana River is a prominent river that runs through Kolkata.

Statement-II :

It separates it from the Pimpri-Chinchwad district.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

1. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
2. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
3. Statement-I is correct but Statement II is incorrect
4. Statement-I is incorrect but Statement II is correct

Q3) With reference to Earthquake, consider the following statements:

1. The point where the energy is released is called the epicentre.
2. A line connecting all points on the surface where the intensity is the same is called an Isoseismic line.
3. A seismograph, or seismometer, is an instrument used to detect and record earthquakes.

How many of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 3 only
2. 1, 2 and 3 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 2 only

Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!!

ANSWERS FOR ’  23rd November 2023 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

Q.1) – a

Q.2) – c

Q.3) – c