DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 13th July 2024

Syllabus

• Prelims – GEOGRAPHY

Context: A Bengaluru-based firm has claimed to have successfully tested a 100-kg Max Take Off Weight (MTOW) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) at Ladakh’s Umling La pass

Background:-

• If proved workable, it can give a huge boost to support logistics carriage, disaster and rescue events and medical relief in the higher regions of J&K, Uttarakhand, and the North Eastern states.

About UMLING LA  : 

• Umling La or Umlung La is the highest paved road and mountain pass in the world, located in Ladakh, India.
• The Umling La pass is traversed by a road between Chisumle and Demchok, also called the Umling La Road, which ascends to a height of 5799 metres (19024 feet) in the vicinity of the pass.

Chisumle-Demchok road/Umling La Road

• A 52-kilometre paved road was constructed between the villages of Chisumle and Demchok by the Border Roads Organization of India.
• The elevation at Umling La surpassed the record previously held by the 18,953-foot Uturuncu volcano road, Bolivia, making it the world’s highest motorable road and pass.
• It is higher than Everest Base Camp, and over half the cruising altitude of commercial jet airlines.
• This seemingly impossible feat has been achieved by the BRO (Border Road Organization) as part of “Project Himank”.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – Polity

Context: The Supreme Court recently upheld the maintainability of a suit filed by the State of West Bengal accusing the Centre of “constitutional overreach” and violation of federalism by unilaterally employing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) without the State’s prior consent.

Background:

• West Bengal had withdrawn its general consent to CBI investigations way back on November 16, 2018.

About Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)

• The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), functioning under Dept. of Personnel, Ministry of Personnel, Pension & Public Grievances, Government of India, is the premier investigating police agency in India.
• It is also the nodal police agency in India, which coordinates investigation on behalf of Interpol Member countries.

History of CBI

• The Central Bureau of Investigation traces its origin to the Special Police Establishment (SPE) which was set up in 1941 by the Government of India.
• The functions of the SPE then were to investigate cases of bribery and corruption in transactions with the War & Supply Dept. Of India during World War II.
• Even after the end of the War, the need for a Central Government agency to investigate cases of bribery and corruption by Central Government employees was felt. The Delhi Special Police Establishment Act was therefore brought into force in 1946.

Delhi Special Police Establishment Act

• CBI derives power to investigate from theDelhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946. Section 2 of the Act vests DSPE with jurisdiction to investigate offences in the Union Territories only.
• However, the jurisdiction can be extended by the Central Government to other areas including Railway areas and States under Section 5(1) of the Act, provided the State Government accords consent under Section 6 of the Act.
• As per Section 3 of the Act, Special Police Establishment is authorised to investigate only those cases, which are notified by the Central Government from time to time.
• The DSPE acquired its popular current name, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), through a Home Ministry resolution in
• As the CBI, over the years, established a reputation for impartiality and competence, demands were made on it to take up investigation of more cases of conventional crime such as murder, kidnapping, terrorist crime, etc.
• Apart from this, even the Supreme court and the various High Courts of the country also started entrusting such cases for investigation to the CBI on petitions filed by aggrieved parties.

Source: Hindu

Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – POLITY

Context: The taking of the Bastille on July 14, 1789 signalled the beginning of the French Revolution.French Revolution has inspired the Indian Constituent Assembly.

Background:

• A year ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi graced the Bastille Day celebrations in France on July 14, 2023. The Prime Minister was on a state visit and shared the dais with then French President Emmanuel Macron.

What is Bastille Day

• Bastille Day is celebrated in France as the beginning of the French Revolution in which the Regime of the absolutist Bourbon monarchy was overthrown in favour of Republicanism.
• On July 14, 1789, the people of Paris broke the walls of Bastille Prison and freed the inmates. This was seen as the ultimate end of the power of monarchy.
• Later, a National Assembly was set up which declared the Rights of Man and Citizen in August. It was here that we hear and see for the first-time the ideals of the French Republic-“Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité” (Liberty, Equality, Fraternity).

India and the French revolution

• India, like several other countries that underwent decolonization, embraced the slogan dearly and was inspired by the French Revolution since the time of British occupation.
• Tipu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore in the late eighteenth century, is famous for planting the Tree of Liberty in his capital Seringapatam and calling himself  ‘Citizen Tipoo’.
• Later on, the Indian Constituent Assembly adopted the first few lines of the Preamble to India’s Constitution from the French Revolution.
• The Preamble grants the Liberty- of thoughts, expression, belief, faith and worship, Equality of – status and opportunity (to its citizens), and, to promote among them all, Fraternity assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation.

The idea of Republic

• By overthrowing its monarchy, the French broke the myth of the invincibility of monarchies across the world.
• Republic means reserving the highest office of the state for an elected representative, symbolising governance by the people themselves.
• The Constituent Assembly on the Preamble began its debates in October 1949. Many members wanted the inclusion of ‘God’ or ‘Gandhi’ in the Preamble.
• Eventually, it was all negated in favour of the version submitted by the Drafting Committee of the Assembly. The idea of Equality was already codified by this time. Articles 14,15,16 and numerous others had reasonably demonstrated it.
• For instance, India abolished titles (Article 18), introduced universal adult franchise (Article 326) and argued for equality with principles of equity as the Fundamental Rights of citizens (Articles 14, 15).

Secularism and Fraternity

• The Indian Constitution makers took another lesson from France in terms of the idea of Secularism and Fraternity.
• Secularism in Indian context is not the absence of religion altogether but presence of all sects and religion in equal terms. Hence, the state provides grants to all religious denominations.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus

• Prelims – ENVIRONMENT

Context: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Odisha government to supply safe potable drinking water in the different regions where the joint inspection committee had detected contamination of ground water due to chromium pollution.

Background:

• Hexavalent chromium is recognized to have a negative impact on the human body, both in the short and long term.

About chromium contamination

• Chromium is an odorless and tasteless metallic element.
• Chromium is found naturally in rocks, plants, soil and volcanic dust, and animals.
• The most common forms of chromium that occur in natural waters in the environment are:
  • Trivalent chromium (chromium-3)
  • Hexavalent chromium (chromium-6)
• Chromium-3 is an essential human dietary element. It is found in many vegetables, fruits, meats, grains, and yeast.
• Chromium-6 occurs naturally in the environment from the erosion of natural chromium deposits. It can also be produced by industrial processes. There are demonstrated instances of chromium being released to the environment by leakage, poor storage, or inadequate industrial waste disposal practices.
• The sources of chromium in water include industrial wastes from leather and tanning, petroleum and ore refining, electroplating and pulp industries. These industries contribute liquid and solid forms of chromium to subsurface water. The tanneries play a significant part in occurrence of chromium in groundwater.
• Hexavalent chromium is dangerous and can easily dissolve in water, whereas Trivalent chromium is stable and harmless in nature .
• The hexavalent chromium causes health effects due to its mobility, high solubility and oxidizing behaviour.
• Health issues like pulmonary congestion, vomiting, diarrhea and liver damage are commonly caused by hexavalent chromium.

Source: New Indian Express

Syllabus

• Prelims – CURRENT EVENT

Context: Last month,India had sent humanitarian aid to Papua New Guinea following a devastating landslide in Enga province. This action according to experts, underscores the growing engagement between India and the Pacific Island nations under the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC).

Background:

• India has consistently supported Papua New Guinea during challenging times and natural disasters, such as the earthquake in 2018 and volcanic eruptions in 2019 and 2023.

About Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation

• The Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) was established in 2014.

Members:

• India and 14 Pacific Island nations (Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu)

Objectives:

• Strengthen diplomatic, economic, cultural, and technical ties between India and Pacific Island nations.
• Promote sustainable development and address common challenges such as climate change, health, and education.

Key Summits:

• First Summit: Suva, Fiji (2014)
• Second Summit: Jaipur, India (2015)
• Third Summit: Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (2023).

Significance for India:

• Geopolitical: Enhances India’s strategic presence in the Pacific region.
• Economic: Opens new markets and opportunities for trade and investment.
• Cultural: Strengthens people-to-people ties and promotes cultural exchange.

Recent Initiatives:

• Healthcare: Establishment of a super-specialty cardiology hospital in Fiji and introduction of dialysis units and sea ambulances in all 14 Pacific Islands Countries.
• Clean Energy: Support for renewable energy projects.
• Water Scarcity: Provision of desalination units to address water scarcity issues.

Source: Hindu

Syllabus

• Prelims – ENVIRONMENT

Context: The Mackenzie River is currently experiencing record-low water levels.

Background:

• The low water levels are primarily due to extreme hot conditions and very little precipitation, which have led to significant evaporation. This has impacted local communities that rely on the river for transportation and fishing.

About MACKENZIE RIVER

• The Mackenzie River is located in Canada, flowing through the Northwest Territories.
• It is the longest river system in Canada, with a length of approximately 1,650 km (1,025 miles).
• The river originates from Great Slave Lake and empties into the Beaufort Sea in the Arctic Ocean.
• The river has been historically significant for transportation and natural resources.

Source: Global News

Q1.) Uming La, recently seen in news is located in

1. Ladakh
2. Arunachal Pradesh
3. Sikkim
4. Himachal Pradesh

Q2.) Which of the following rivers that empties into the Arctic Ocean recently experienced an acute water shortage?

1. Yangtze River
2. Murray River
3. Mackenzie River
4. Congo River

Q3.) Consider the following Countries:

1. India
2. Canada
3. Mexico
4. Papua New Guinea
5. Marshall Islands
6. Nauru

How many of the above-mentioned countries are the members of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC)?

1. Only two
2. Only three
3. Only four
4. Only five

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

ANSWERS FOR ’  13th July 2024 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

Q.1) –  a

Q.2) – b

Q.3) – c