daily current affairs dated on 26-feb-2020feb 26, 2020 · 1. mekedatu dam project. 2. eac defers...
TRANSCRIPT
Daily Current Affairs Dated On 26-Feb-2020
I MEKEDATU DAM PROJECT:
Being set up by the Karnataka government, the project is near
Mekedatu, in Ramanagaram district, across the river Cauvery
from Tamil Nadu.
Its primary objective is to supply drinking water to Bengaluru and
recharge the groundwater table in the region.
Tamil Nadu’s Objection:
Tamil Nadu has moved the Supreme Court. Its main argument is
that the project violates the final award of the Cauvery River
Water Tribunal, and that the “construction of the two reservoirs
would result in impounding of the flows in the intermediate
catchment below the Krishnaraja Sagar and Kabini reservoirs,
and Billigundulu in the common border of Karnataka and Tamil
Nadu”.
Today’s Important Topic’s For UPSC Preparation
1. MEKEDATU DAM PROJECT.
2. EAC DEFERS NOD FOR PARLIAMENT
REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
3. INDIA AND US TO UPGRADE TIES.
4. HAPPINESS CLASS JOINED BY MELANIA TRUMP.
5. SEBI APPROVAL FOR MAURITIUS FPI’STO CONTINUE
IN INDIA.
6. GRANS SLAM.
7. BLUE DOT NETWORK.
8. NASA MATHEMATICIAN KATHERINE JOHNSON
PASSED AWAY
9. WORLD AIR QUALITY REPORT
Daily Current Affairs Dated On 26-Feb-2020
Karnataka says, the project will not come in the way of releasing
the stipulated quantum of water to Tamil Nadu, nor will it be used
for irrigation purposes.
Why in News?
Karnataka’s bid to seek approval for the Mekedatu dam project,
at the fifth Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA)
meeting in New Delhi.
Because of the objection by tamilnadu the CWMA dropped the
discussion on Karnataka’s application.
ABOUT CWC:
Presently functioning as an attached office of the Ministry of
Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation,
Government of India.
Entrusted with the general responsibilities of initiating,
coordinating and furthering in consultation of the State
Governments concerned.
Entrusted with the schemes for control, conservation and
utilization of water resources throughout the country, for purpose
of Flood Control, Irrigation, Navigation, Drinking Water Supply
and Water Power Development.
ABOUT CAUVERY RIVER FOR PRELIMS:
River rises on Brahmagiri Hill of the Western Ghats in south-
western Karnataka state.
It flows in a south-easterly direction for 475 miles through the
states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Before emptying into the
Bay of Bengal south of Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, the river
breaks into a large number of distributaries.
Upon entering Tamil Nadu, the Kaveri continues through a
series of twisted wild gorges until it reaches Hogenakal Falls.
There the Mettur Dam was constructed for irrigation and hydel
power.
Daily Current Affairs Dated On 26-Feb-2020
The Cauvery’s main tributaries are the Kabani (Kabini),
Amaravati, Noyil, and Bhavani rivers.
II EAC DEFERS NOD FOR PARLIAMENT
REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT:
About EAC:
Expert appraisal committees (EAC) exist at the Union as well as
state levels (state expert appraisal committee or SEAC) to advise
the government on environmental clearance of development
projects.
According to the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA)
Notification, 2006, evaluation of proposals involves four steps:
screening
scoping
Daily Current Affairs Dated On 26-Feb-2020
public hearing
appraisal
Ministry of Environment , Forests and Climate Change(moEFcc)
appoints chairpersons and members of expert appraisal
committee(EAC).
Why in News?
The petitioner in the Delhi High Court has pleaded that no
environment clearance be given for the Parliament
Redevelopment Project.
petitioner also prayed that no permission be granted to cut trees
for the expansion and renovation of the Parliament building,
which is part of the Central Vista Redevelopment project.
The EAC has delayed the decision on clearance to Parliament
Redevelopment Project.
Daily Current Affairs Dated On 26-Feb-2020
III INDIA AND US TO UPGRADE TIES:
India and the U.S. on Tuesday resolved to upgrade their bilateral
relationship to a Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership
that will include issues such as defence, security cooperation and
revitalization of the Indo-Pacific quadrilateral dialogue.
They called for concerted action against all terrorist groups
including Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Taiba,
Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, the Haqqani Network, TTP, D Company, and
all their affiliates.
Both sides also took note of the efforts of the ASEAN region to
create a code of conduct in the South China Sea region.
Mr. Trump also said the U.S. and India were working to revitalise
the quadrilateral initiative consisting of Japan, the U.S., India and
Australia.
Trump also said that US is working with Pakistan to defeat
terrorism.
He said the Indo-Pacific region should be free and open for
navigation and the 5G technology should be used for spread of
freedom and not for suppression of people.
Daily Current Affairs Dated On 26-Feb-2020
IV HAPPINESS CLASS JOINED BY MELANIA TRUMP :
About Happiness Curriculum:
Happiness Curriculum was launched in 2018 as a scheme to
reinvent school education sector in Delhi Government Schools.
Happiness Curriculum was launched which aims at promoting
development of cognition, language, literacy, numeracy and the
arts.
This in turn aids the mental growth well-being and happiness of
students.
The objectives of the happiness curriculum include developing
self-awareness and mindfulness, inculcating skills of critical
thinking and inquiry, enabling learners to communicate effectively
and helping learners to apply life skills to deal with stressful and
conflicting situations around them. The curriculum is designed for students of classes nursery
through the eighth standard.
Why in News?
The First Lady of the U.S., Melania Trump, on Tuesday
participated in a “happiness class” at a Delhi government school
and said she found it “very inspiring”.
Daily Current Affairs Dated On 26-Feb-2020
v SEBI APPROVAL FOR MARITIUS FPI’S TO CONTINUE IN INDIA:
SEBI is a statutory regulatory body established on the 12th of
April, 1992.
It monitors and regulates the Indian capital and securities market
while ensuring to protect the interests of the investors formulating
regulations and guidelines to be adhered to.
The head office of SEBI is in Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai.
Foreign portfolio investment (FPI) consists of securities and other
financial assets held by investors in another country.
FPI holdings can include stocks, ADRs, bonds, mutual funds, and
exchange traded funds.
Along with foreign direct investment (FDI), FPI is one of the
common ways for investors to participate in an overseas
economy, especially retail investors.
Unlike FDI, FPI consists of passive ownership; investors have no
control over ventures or direct ownership of property or a stake in
a company.
Why in News?
Foreign portfolio investors (FPI) from Mauritius will continue to be
eligible for FPI registration with increased monitoring as per
Financial Action Task Force (FATF) norms, said by market
regulator sebi.
FATF is an inter-governmental policy-making body setting anti-
money laundering standards.
The market regulator said there has been uneasiness among
market participants regarding whether the inclusion of Mauritius
in the ‘grey list’ would have an effect on the registration of FPIs
from Mauritius.
Grey List : Jurisdictions under increased monitoring commonly
referred to as Grey List.
Daily Current Affairs Dated On 26-Feb-2020
VI Grand Slam(TENNIS):
Australian Open
French Open(Roland-Garros)
Wimbledon
US Open
are counted among the most prestigious tournaments in the
world of tennis.
The oldest of these is the Grand Slam 'Wimbledon’, followed by
the US Open in 1881, the French Open in 1891 and the
Australian Open in 1905.
Australian Open and US Open, both are played on hard courts.
French Open played at Clay Court.
Wimbledon played at Grass Court.
If a singles player or doubles team in the same year in the
four Grand Slam tournament wins is that it is said that he " Grand
Slam" is achieved.
Why in News?
Mary Pierce Expressing happiness about being part of the
promotion for clay court tennis, and Roland Garros, “the Mecca
of clay court tennis.
She interacted with the Indian Junior Players and shared about
her experience of Grand Slam.
Daily Current Affairs Dated On 26-Feb-2020
VII BLUE DOT NETWORK:
Led by the US’s International Development Finance
Corporation (DFC), the Blue Dot network was jointly launched
by the US, Japan (Japanese Bank for International
Cooperation) and Australia (Department of Foreign Affairs and
Trade) in November 2019 on the sidelines of the
35th ASEAN Summit in Thailand.
It is meant to be a multi-stakeholder initiative that aims to
bring governments, the private sector and civil society together
to promote “high quality, trusted standards for global
infrastructure development”.
The network is like a “Michelin Guide” for infrastructure
projects.
The projects that are approved will get a “Blue Dot”, thereby
setting universal standards of excellence, which will attract
private capital to projects in developing and emerging
economies.
Why in News?
With US President Donald Trump on his maiden visit to
India, the two countries have discussed the Blue Dot
Network, a proposal that will certify infrastructure and
development projects.
Daily Current Affairs Dated On 26-Feb-2020
VIII NASA MATHEMATICIAN KATHERINE JOHNSON PASSED
AWAY :
Katherine Johnson, the NASA mathematician whose work
was fundamental in enabling Apollo 11 to land on the moon
in 1969, died aged 101 on February 24.
Johnson joined the National Advisory Committee for
Aeronautics’ (NACA, which would become NASA in 1958) in
1953.
IX World AIR QUALITY REPORT:
India accounts for two-thirds of the world’s most polluted cities —
21 of the most polluted 30 cities; 14 of the highest 20; and 6 of
the highest 10 — in the 2019 World Air Quality Report released
by the pollution tracker IQAir and Greenpeace on Tuesday.
The ranking is based on a comparison of PM2.5 levels.
Among countries, when population is taken into account, average
PM2.5 pollution is highest in Bangladesh, followed by Pakistan,
while India is at number 5.
What is PM2.5?
Refers to particulate matter(Ambient Air Bond Particles
which measures upto 2.5 microns in size).
Daily Current Affairs Dated On 26-Feb-2020
Due to its small size PM2.5 is able to penetrate deep into
human respiratory system and from there entire body
causing health effects.
Common sources of PM include combustion
[A. From Vehicle Engines
B. Industry
C. Wood
D. Cold Burning]
Daily Current Affairs Dated On 26-Feb-2020
WORD OF THE DAY
Pandemic:
A pandemic is the worldwide spread of a new disease.
An influenza pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus
emerges and spreads around the world, and most people do not
have immunity.
Current Affairs Quiz
1. US Open is played on
a) Grass
b) Clay
c) Hard Court
d) Wood
2. The title achieved by winning of all four Major tournaments in a
single calendar year is called
a) Winner
b) All Slams
c) Golden Slam
d) Grand Slam
3. Who is the current chairman of the SEBI?
a) U.K. Sinha
b) Ajay Tyagi
c) T.S.Vijayan
d) A. K.Mathur
4. Amnesty International is a) an agency of the United Nations to help refugees of civil wars b) a global Human Rights Movement c) a non-governmental organization to help people voluntary
Daily Current Affairs Dated On 26-Feb-2020
very poor people d) an inter-governmental agency to cater to medical emergencies in war-ravaged regions. 5. Consider the following States 1. Arunachal Pradesh 2. Himachal Pradesh 3. Mizoram In which of the above States do 'Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests' occur?
a) 1 only b) 2 and 3 only c) 1 and 3 only d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answers:
1. C
2. D
3. B
4. B
5. C