Daily Quiz | 2 April 2024

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: 
  • According to the India TB Report 2024, the majority of the TB cases are still reported by the government health centres. 
• Statement 2 is incorrect: 
  • The estimated incidence of TB in 2023 increased slightly to 27.8 lakh from the previous year’s estimate of 27.4 lakh. 
  • The mortality due to the infection remained the same at 3.2 lakh as per the data. 
  •  The report shows that India reached its 2023 target of initiating treatment in 95% of patients diagnosed with the infection.
  • Statement 3 is correct:  This gap has been reducing over the years, especially with the government’s Ni-kshay portal tracking all TB patients.

Explanation:

• India’s Position on Nuclear Energy:

• • • India, with 23 operational nuclear reactors, recognizes nuclear energy's role in its decarbonization plan.

• The currently operational reactors have a combined installed electricity generating capacity of 7,480 MW (about 7.5 GW). 

• • • At least ten more reactors are under construction, and the capacity is supposed to triple to 22,480 MW by 2031-32. 
    • The share of nuclear energy in total electricity generation capacity is just about 3.1% among the lowest in countries that do use nuclear energy.
    • India does acknowledge the role of nuclear energy in its decarbonisation plan and is planning for a rapid expansion in the coming years, even though the share of nuclear energy in electricity generation is likely to remain extremely modest in  future.

• Global Nuclear Energy Installation: 

• • • Only 31 countries in the world use nuclear energy for generating electricity  while only seven more are working towards joining this club.
    • The number of operational nuclear reactors has also reduced in the last 20 years, from 437 in 2003 to 411 now as per the  International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA) data .
      • IAEA is an intergovernmental organisation that works for the safe and peaceful use of nuclear science and technology. 
    • The average life of these reactors is more than 31 years, which highlights the fact that few new reactors have come onboard in the last decade.

• The total installed electricity generation capacity has shown only a marginal increase during this period, from about 360 GW in 2003 to 371 GW now. 

• • • Nuclear energy accounts for less than 10% of global commercial electricity generation, and its share has been declining for almost three decades now.

• Importance of Nuclear Energy: 

• • • Nuclear energy is a clean source with minimal carbon footprint, making it a potential substitute for fossil fuels in electricity generation.
    • Throughout its life cycle, including reactor construction, uranium mining, waste disposal, and other processes, nuclear energy emits only 5 to 6 grams of greenhouse gases per kilowatt-hour, according to IAEA.
    • This emission rate is over 100 times lower than coal-fired electricity and approximately half that of solar and wind generation.
    • Nuclear power plants are known to have substantially lower carbon footprint than solar or wind projects over their entire life cycle.
    • Nuclear energy offers continuous availability, unlike wind or solar, making it suitable for baseload electricity generation.
    • It is prominently featured in decarbonization pathways suggested by IPCC and others due to its ability to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

• Reasons for Low Installation:

• • • Safety concerns, particularly heightened after the Fukushima accident, are significant obstacles to nuclear energy adoption.
    • Nuclear power is currently the costliest electricity option due to high investments, lengthy construction times, and stringent regulations.
    • Unlike solar and wind, nuclear technology has not seen breakthroughs that drive down costs and enable rapid adoption.
    • Small modular reactor technology, often discussed as a solution, is still in early stages of development.

• Initiatives for Promoting Nuclear Energy:

• • • In the last five years, nuclear energy has gained prominence at international conferences, with IAEA participating and organizing events.
    • IAEA initiated the 'Atoms4Climate' initiative to promote nuclear energy's role in addressing climate change.
    • IAEA has also organized the first-of-its-kind Nuclear Energy Summit in Brussels recently. 
    • At COP28 in Dubai, 20 countries committed to tripling global nuclear energy capacity by 2050, demonstrating growing recognition of nuclear energy's potential in decarbonization efforts.

• At the Dubai meeting in 2023, representatives from 22 countries committed to tripling global nuclear energy capacity by 2050.

• • This goal aligns with pathways projected by IPCC for achieving global net-zero emissions by 2050.
  • Nuclear energy was formally acknowledged as a zero or low-emission technology for rapid decarbonization, a first in COP outcomes.

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct:  Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system. It's also the oldest planet, forming from the dust and gases left over from the Sun's formation 4.5 billion years ago.

• Statement 2 is incorrect:   Jupiter has the shortest day in the solar system. One day on Jupiter takes only about 10 hours (the time it takes for Jupiter to rotate or spin around once), and Jupiter makes a complete orbit around the Sun (a year in Jovian time) in about 12 Earth years (4,333 Earth days).

• Statement 3 is correct:  Callisto, outermost of the four large moons (Galilean satellites) discovered around Jupiter by the Italian astronomer Galileo in 1610.
  • Callisto is Jupiter's second largest moon after Ganymede and it's the third largest moon in our solar system.
  • Callisto is primarily composed of water ice, rocky materials, sulphur dioxide, and some organic compounds. These substances make the moon a potential candidate for supporting life in the solar system beyond the earth.
  • Unlike some of Jupiter's moons such as Europa, Callisto experiences minimal seismic activity and exhibits few geological features, indicating long-term geological stability. This stability is crucial for safeguarding potential subsurface oceans and habitats beneath its icy crust.

Explanation:

• • Origin:  The movement emerged in Vaikom, part of the princely state of Travancore, near the Mahadev temple in Kottayam district, during 1924-1925.

• The Vaikom Satyagraha in Travancore (Kerala), is called as the first anti-caste movement. 

• Background: The issue of temple entry was first raised by Ezhava leader T K Madhavan in a 1917 editorial in his paper Deshabhimani.
  • T. K. Madhavan, Sardar Panikkar, and KP Kesava Menon presented a petition during the AICC meeting in Kakinada in 1923, advocating for temple entry rights for all members of society.
• Statement 1 is correct: The Vaikom Satyagraha was launched in opposition to caste discrimination and untouchability that  was rife across India.

• Statement 2 is correct: 

• • The movement commenced on March 30, 1924.
  • Prominent Satyagrahis included Kunjappy, Venniyll Govinda Panicker, and Bahuleyan.
  • 'Periyar' E.V. Ramasamy was called upon to lead the campaign.
  • Sikhs from Punjab (Akalis) supported by opening langars (community kitchens) for volunteers.
  • Chattampi Swamikal and Sree Narayana Guru also backed the movement.
  • Mahatma Gandhi intervened in March 1925 to negotiate a resolution.
• Significance:
  • It led to the Temple Entry Proclamation (1936), abolishing temple entry restrictions in Travancore.
  • This Satyagraha affirmed Gandhian principles of Satyagraha, proving its effectiveness.
  • It also contributed to establishing equal rights and reducing discrimination against Scheduled Castes in Indian society.

Explanation:

• • PM Modi criticized the decision made by the Congress in 1974 to give Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka, calling it careless.
  • Location: 
    • Katchatheevu is a tiny uninhabited island spanning 285 acres in the Palk Strait between India and Sri Lanka.
    • It is situated northeast of Rameswaram and lies around 62 km southwest of Jaffna, Sri Lanka's northernmost point.

• Location and Structure:

• • • The island's only structure is St. Anthony's Church, which was constructed in the early 20th century.
    • Each year, an annual festival takes place on Katchatheevu, drawing pilgrims from both India and Sri Lanka.

• Unsuitability for Permanent Habitation:

• • • Despite occasional influxes of visitors, Katchatheevu is unsuitable for permanent habitation.
    • One significant reason for this is the absence of a freshwater source on the island, making it difficult for sustained living.

• History of Katchatheevu Negotiations: 

• • • British Administration: During the early medieval period, Katchatheevu was controlled by Sri Lanka's Jaffna kingdom.
    • By the 17th century, it came under the authority of the Ramnad kingdom based in Ramanathapuram, India.
    • Under British rule, Katchatheevu was administered as part of the Madras Presidency.

• Territorial Claims and Negotiations:

• • • Beginning as early as 1921, both India and Sri Lanka asserted their claims over Katchatheevu to establish maritime fishing boundaries.

• 1974 Agreement:

• • In June 1974, then-Prime Ministers of India and Sri Lanka, Indira Gandhi and Sirima R D Bandaranaike signed the ‘Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime agreement’.
  • As a part of this settlement, Indira Gandhi ‘ceded’ Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka.
  • According to the agreement, the boundary was set one mile off the west coast of the uninhabited Katchatheevu.