Daily Prelims Notes 18 January 2021
- January 18, 2021
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN
Daily Prelims Notes 18 January 2021
By
Santosh Sir
All 6 Prelims qualified
4 CSE Mains qualified
If I can do it, you can too
Table Of Contents
- G7
- Ammonia as pollutant
- Ustad Mustafa Khan
- International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
- Blue and green hydrogen
- Smoking and vegetarianism could be protective against SARS-CoV-2 infection: CSIR survey
- Gucchi Mushroom
- Vista dome Coach
Subject: International bodies
Context: UK has invited Indian PM along with the South Korea and Australia as the guest countries.
Concept:
- G7 summit will be held in Cornwall in UK this year.
- It will be first in-person summit in two years.
- The invitation to three countries is seen as potential expansion into D-10 (G7+3) with representation of 60% of people living in the democracies worldwide. Last year even USA proposed the expansion.
- Expansion is significant for declining importance of G7 as it does not reflect current realities of world order with none of the emerging economies represented.
About G7:
- It is a platform of World’s 7 developed countries USA, UK, France, Canada, Italy, Japan, and Germany.
- Its origin is traced to oil crisis of 1973 and formed as a result of a summit in France in 1975. It expanded to include Russia in 1997 as G-8. After annexation of Crimea by Russia it was suspended and grouping again became G-7.
- It seeks to discuss economic and monetary issues of the international importance and meets annually.
Subject: Environment
Context: An inspection done by expert committee from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) in 2018 reported high levels of Ammonia in Yamuna river between Haryana’s Hathnikund and Delhi’s Wazirabad barrage coming from Haryana drains.
Concept:
- National Green Tribunal-appointed Yamuna Monitoring Committee (YMC) share detail with Haryana govt and also appraised Supreme Court on a plea to direct Haryana to stop discharging pollutant in river.
- It has not only impacted the quality of water in Yamuna, but also created problem of water supply due to high ammonia level.
Expert committee recommendation to check Ammonia pollution in Yamuna:
- Construction of a dividing wall was recommended by committee between two drains in Sonepat area in which drain carries freshwater and the other carries industrial and domestic wastewater, which at the time included untreated waste. It concurrently leads to both water mixing and polluting the river Yamuna.
- In-situ bioremediation
- Phytoremediation has to be undertaken in drains to stop untreated effluents going into the river.
Other measures could be: Treating with freshwater, chlorination and restoring ecological flow of river.
About Ammonia and Ammonia pollution in River:
- Ammonia (NH3) is a colourless gas and used as an industrial chemical in fertilisers, plastic, synthetic fibres and dues etc.
- Natural source of ammonia is breakdown of organic waste. On the other hand, industrial effluent and agriculture run-off is major man-made contribution to rise in ammonia levels.
- Ammonia concentration above 1 ppm is dangerous for fishes.
- Ammonia also reduces dissolved oxygen in water by combining with the oxygen to form oxidised form of Nitrogen.
- Water intake with high ammonia level may damage internal organs of human as well.
- Bureau of Indian Standards has put maximum permissible limit of Ammonia in water at 0.5 ppm.
Subject: Arts and Culture
Context: Winner of Padma Shri in 1991, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2003, Padma Bhushan in 2006 and Padma Vibhushan in 2018, Ustad Mustafa Khan died recently.
Concept:
- He belonged to Rampur Sahaswangharana and was part of the Hindustani Classical music tradition.
- Rampur Sahaswangharana is a gharana of Hindustani Musical tradition centred in Rampur and Sahaswan in North Uttar Pradesh.
- Ustad Inayat Hussain khan was the founder of this gharana, who was inspired by Mehboob Khan (his father who was a Khayal singer).
- Gharana is closer to Gwalior gharana and emphasizes on medium-slow tempos, a full-throated voice and intricate rhythmic play
- It represents diversity and intricacy of the taans (rapid-fire elaborations), as well as tarana singing.
4. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Subject: International agencies
Context: Iran asked UN’s nuclear watchdog to stop publishing unnecessary details about its nuclear program.
Concept:
- Post-USA’s withdrawal from Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action as part of Iran and P5+1 (EU)’s nuclear deal framework Iran has been pushing for protection of deal or it will restart its nuclear program for uranium enrichment.
- This has made world’s effort for nuclear proliferation weak.
- Iran has been complaining of UN watchdog IAEA revealing unnecessary details which it got access to as part of deal and is leading to unnecessary misunderstanding.
About IAEA:
- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), an UN agency is the world’s central intergovernmental forum for scientific and technical co-operation in the nuclear field.
- It works for the safe, secure and peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology, contributing to international peace and security and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
- It was formed in 1957 as a result of Conference on the Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency held at the UN headquarters. Initially it was known as ‘Atoms for peace’.
- It is headquartered in Vienna, Austria.
- It has 171 members (Sain Lucia being most recent member).
- Though it is and independent international agencies, yet, it reports annually to UNGA.
- It along with its Director General won Nobel Peace prize in 2005.
- The IAEA’s policy-making bodies decide on the Agency’s programmes and budgets. They comprise the General Conference of all Member States and the 35-member Board of Governors.
The IAEA’s three main areas of work are:
- Safety and security
- Science and technology
- Safeguards and verification
Funding of IAEA:
- The IAEA carries out its work in two main areas: the regular programme and the Technical Cooperation programme. These two programmes are financed from separate funds.
- They are additionally supported by extra-budgetary contributions from Member States and non-member states donors. The IAEA’s budget is approved annually by the IAEA General Conference.
Subject: Economy
Context: Oil-Rich Abu Dhabi Targets Hydrogen as Future Export Fuel.
Concept:
- Abu Dhabi is planning to use two of its sovereign wealth funds to turn the petroleum-rich emirate into an exporter of blue and green hydrogen.
- Munich-based Siemens Energy is already building a hydrogen demonstration plant at the neighbouring emirate of Dubai.
- This is done to diversify export amidst demand for cleaner fuels.
Potential for hydrogen fuel in Abu Dhabi:
- Huge natural gas base, which it could use to develop what is known as blue hydrogen.
- Ample sunshine, which can be harnessed to make a variant called green hydrogen
Hydrogen as fuel:
- Hydrogen is a clean fuel that, when consumed in a fuel cell, produces only water. Hydrogen can be produced from a variety of domestic resources, such as natural gas, nuclear power, biomass, and renewable power like solar and wind.
- Hydrogen is a versatile energy carrier that can be produced from a wide range of sources and used in many ways across the entire energy sector.
- It can be produced from Solar-driven processes using light as the agent for hydrogen production
- Water can be separated into oxygen and hydrogen through a process called electrolysis
- Biological processes use microbes such as bacteria and microalgae and can produce hydrogen through biological reactions. In microbial biomass conversion, the microbes break down organic matter like biomass or wastewater to produce hydrogen, while in photo biological processes the microbes use sunlight as the energy source.
Grey, Blue and green hydrogen
- When produced industrially from natural gas (which generates significant carbon emissions) it is known as “grey” hydrogen. (It is cheapest)
- When hydrogen is produced from natural gas but carbon emissions are captured and stored, or reused it is called “blue” hydrogen. (price is influenced both by natural gas and carbon capture and storage)
- The cleanest one of all is “green” hydrogen, which is generated by renewable energy sources without producing carbon emissions in the first place.
6. Smoking and vegetarianism could be protective against SARS-CoV-2 infection: CSIR survey
Subject: Health
Context: CSIR survey in different parts of India conducted on its employee has claimed Smoking and vegetarianism could be ‘protective’ against SARS-CoV-2 infection, however, causes have not been established.
Concept:
- The aim of survey is to build a medical cohort to give long-term perspective on the malaises that affect Indians, and determine if such a data bank can be used to help with predicting, say, the onset of diabetes or cardiovascular disease
- The survey was to note prevalence of COvid-19 virus.
- It found nearly 10% of 10,400 were infected.
- Most common symptom was fever and 1/4th also lost smell or taste.
- Class bias in infection as Public transport users, persons engaged as security or housekeeping staff, non-smokers and meat consumers recorded higher seroprevalence (the level of a pathogen in a population, as measured in blood serum.) compared to those who worked from home or has access to private vehicle.
- Seroprevalence was highest for AB blood group, followed by B, O and then A.
- Key neutralising antibodies waned after infection but were present even after 6 months.
- It found smoking and vegetarian habit were more protective against SARS-COV-2 virus.
- An association between smoking and protection against SARS-CoV-2, or lower odds of infection by the virus, has also been reported in studies in China and France
About CSIR:
- It is the largest research and development (R&D) organization in India since 1942.
- It is funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology and it operates as an autonomous body through the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
- Its president is Prime Minister of India (Ex-officio president).
- Union Minister of Science and Technology (Ex-officio) is its vice-president.
- It has a governing Body headed by Director General and advisory board consisting of 15-members.
- CSIR covers a wide spectrum of science and technology: from radio and space physics, oceanography, geophysics, chemicals, drugs, genomics, biotechnology and nanotechnology to mining, aeronautics, instrumentation, environmental engineering and information technology.
- It provides significant technological intervention in many areas with regard to societal efforts which include environment, health, drinking water, food, housing, energy, farm and non-farm sectors. Further, CSIR’s role in S&T human resource development is noteworthy.
- It is pioneer of India’s intellectual property movement.
Subject: Economy / GI tag
Context: GI tag has been sought for India’s costliest mushroom ‘Gucchi mushroom’.
Concept:
- It grows in J&K’s Doda district.
- On the back of saffron from state receiving GI tag, now the demand is for Gucchi to be given GI tag.
- Locally called Gucchi, or Morel, the mushroom, priced at over ₹20,000 a kg, is a forest produce collected by local farmers and tribals in region.
- It is a spongy, edible fungus that is said to have medicinal and anti-inflammatory properties is found in the temperate forests of the Doda district.
- They also have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. They are also considered a rich source of protein, carbohydrates and Vitamin B.
Subject: Tourism and art and culture
Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off eight trains from different parts of the country to Kevadia in Narmada district, where the Statue of Unity is located.
Concept:
- It is a state-of-the-art coach made by Indian Railways, designed to provide passengers with travel comfort as well as an enhanced viewing experience of their surroundings.
- It has been manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
- It is for the first time that the Vistadome coach has been made on the Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) platform, made for passenger coaches for trains in India.
- The coach with large window for scenic experience also has CCTV surveillance, fire alarm system and an LED destination board, GPS-based public-address-cum passenger information system etc.