UPSC Quiz – 2024 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 18th May 2024

·       Of the major rivers of peninsular India, only the Narmada, the Tapti, and the Mahirun from east to west.

Course:

·       The origin of the river is a tiny reservoir named Narmada Kund, which is situated on the Amarkantak Hill in East Madhya Pradesh at an elevation of 1,057 m (3,467.8 ft).

·       Length: The total length of the river from source to sea is 1312 kilometres (815 miles). It is the fifth longest river of India.

·       The Narmada basin extends over an area of 98,796 sq. km., which is nearly 3% of the total geographical area of the country.

·       The basin is bounded on the north by the Vindhyas, on the east by the Maikala range, on the south by the Satpuras, and on the west by the Arabian Sea.

·       The Tropic of Cancercrosses the Narmada basin in the upper plains area, and a major part of the basin lies just below this line.

·       The river has numerous waterfalls, notably the Dhuandhar Falls, southwest of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. Tributaries:

·       The main tributaries of Narmada River namely, Hallon River, Banjar River, Barna River, and Tawa River are the main source of water, irrigation and other resource-based activities in central India.

·       The Tawa River is the longest tributary of the Narmada River.

·       A synchrotron is a type of circular particle accelerator, where particles move in a loop.

·       It works by accelerating charged particles (electrons) through sequences of magnets until they reach almost the speed of light.

·       These fast-moving electrons produce very bright light, called synchrotron light.

·       This very intense light, predominantly in the X-ray region, is millions of times brighter than light produced from conventional sources and 10 billion times brighter than the sun.

·       The light is channelled down beamlines to experimental workstations, where it is used for research.

·       Scientists can use this light to study minute matter such as atoms and molecules.

·       They can examine how a sample scatters, diffracts, absorbs, or reemits the synchrotron light, which reveals various different details of structure or chemical composition.

·       There are approximately 70 synchrotrons around the world in various stages of development. There are technical differences between the use and capabilities of synchrotrons, with some being used for appliances and others for fundamental/theoretical research.

Key Facts about High Energy Photon Source (HEPS):

·       Location: It is located approximately 50 kilometers from Beijing in Huairou, China.

·       The HEPS is designed to accelerate electrons up to energies of 6 gigaelectron volts within its 1.36-kilometer circumference storage ring.

·       This process will produce high-energy X-rays that can penetrate deep into samples, revealing intricate details at the nanometer scale.

·       HEPS will provide researchers with access to 14 beamlines catering to diverse fields such as energy, condensed matter physics, materials innovation, and biomedicine.

·       Compared to third-generation synchrotrons like the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, which boasts a circumference of 432 meters and stands as China’s most advanced working synchrotron, HEPS will offer a time resolution 10,000 times superior.

·       It is situated in the south-eastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan in Iran.

·       The long-term agreement was signed between Indian Ports Global Ltd. (IPGL) and Port and Maritime Organisation (PMO) of Iran, enabling operation of the Shahid-Behesti terminal.

·       The Kandla port in Gujarat stands as the nearest to the Chabahar port.

·       It is Iran’s first deep-water port and is also a part of the International North-South Transport Corridor project.

·       There are two main ports in Chabahar – the Shahid Kalantari port and the Shahid Beheshti port.

·       The Shahid Kalantari port was developed in the 1980s.

·       Iran had offered India the project of developing the Shahid Beheshti port which was well received by India.

·       Its botanical name is Bombax ceiba and it belongs to the Bombax genus of the Malvaceae (mallow) family.

·       Members of the Garasia tribe in the area also believe they are descended from semal trees.

·       The soft floss from the fruit is used as stuffing for pillows and life jackets. The timber is used for making boxes, toys and furniture.

·       It provides opportunities for agroforestry and resources like food, fodder and fuel wood.

·       Members of the Kathodi tribe use its wood to craft musical instruments while those of the Bhil use it to make utensils.

·       The semal is known for its ecological value, providing food and habitat for various animals like birds, bees, insects and mammals.

·       Holika Dahan – Overexploitation and felling for purposes like Holika Dahan bonfires have threatened its population in some regions like southern Rajasthan.

·       Holika Dahan is a Hindu ritual performed on the eve of Holi, the festival of colors, in Udaipur and other parts of Rajasthan.

·       It involves lighting a large bonfire or pyre called the Holika Dahan, which symbolizes the victory of good over evil, as per Hindu mythology.

·       In Deda method, seeds are preserved in leaves and packed almost airtight to look like boulders from a distance.

·       The packaged seeds are, in turn, woven with Siali leaf (Bauhinia vahlii), which is locally known as ‘addakulu’ to make the deda.

·       Three layer protection – In the First layer, wood ash is spread inside the Siali leaves.

·       Later, the ash is covered with lemon leaves to form a casing, and, lastly, the seeds are preserved inside the casing and sealed.

·       The method guarantees protection of seed from pests and worms.

·       In this method, the stored seeds can be used for cultivation for up to five years.

·       It is widely practised by the Muria tribes in Chhattisgarh.

·       This method is one of the practices handed over to Muria tribe by our ancestors in the forests of Chhattisgarh.

·       The Murias settled along the banks of the Godavari and Sabari rivers in the Godavari valley in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.