30 Jul | UPSC Current Affairs: Dal Lake, Bohai Gulf, PUC Certificate, NIPUN Bharat Mission, and More

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UPSC GS 1

Dal Lake

  • News: The bodies of a woman and two children recovered from the Dal Lake in Srinagar city have been identified. 
  • About Dal Lake
      • Dal Lake is a renowned lake situated in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.
      • It is surrounded by the Pir Panjal mountains and is often referred to as the “Jewel in the Crown of Kashmir” or “Srinagar’s Jewel.”
      • The lake is the second-largest in Jammu and Kashmir, covering an area of 18 square kilometers (6.9 square miles).
      • Dal Lake is part of a natural wetland that spans 21.1 square kilometers (8.1 square miles), including its floating gardens.
  • Floating Gardens
      • The floating gardens, known as “Raad” in Kashmiri, bloom with lotus flowers during July and August.
  • Lake Basins
      • The wetland is divided by causeways into four main basins: Gagribal, Lokut Dal, Bod Dal, and Nagin. 
      • Nagin is also considered an independent lake.
  • Shoreline and Attractions
      • The shoreline of Dal Lake extends about 15.5 kilometers (9.6 miles) and is lined with a boulevard featuring Mughal era gardens, parks, houseboats, and hotels.
      • The lake is famous for its floating market where vendors use Shikaras (wooden boats) to approach tourists.
  • Water Depth and Seasonal Changes
      • The depth of Dal Lake ranges from 6 meters at its deepest to 2.5 meters at its shallowest.
      • During winter, temperatures can drop to −11 °C (12 °F), causing the lake to freeze.
  • Islands
      • Dal Lake contains three islands. Two of these islands are adorned with beautiful Chinar trees.
      • The island on Lokut Dal, known as Roph Lank (Silver Island), is distinguished by majestic Chinar trees at each of its four corners, earning it the name Char-Chinari (Four Chinars).
      • The second Chinar Island, Sone Lank (Gold Island), is located on Bod Dal (Big Dal) and offers views of the holy shrine of Hazratbal.

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Bohai Gulf

  • News:  Five nominated sites of the migratory bird sanctuaries along the coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China successfully passed the review process to be included on the World Heritage List by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
  • About Bohai Gulf
  • Location: 
      • The Bohai Gulf is the innermost gulf of the Yellow Sea, located on the coast of Northeastern and North China. 
      • It is sometimes referred to as the Bohai Sea or Bo Hai for short, and was historically known as the Gulf of Chili or the Gulf of Pechili.
  • Area: It covers approximately 78,000 square kilometers.
  • Proximity: 
      • Its closeness to Beijing, the capital of China, makes it one of the busiest seaways in the world.
  • Geography: 
      • The gulf is enclosed by the Liaodong Peninsula to the northeast and the Shandong Peninsula to the south.
  • Important Cities: 
      • Key cities along the Bohai Gulf include Dalian and Tianjin.
  • Notable Bays: 
      • The shores of the Bohai Gulf form three significant bays: Liaodong Bay, Bohai Bay, and Laizhou Bay.
  • Rivers: 
      • The Yellow River, China’s second-longest river, discharges into the Bohai Gulf.
  • Resources: 
      • The region has both onshore and offshore petroleum deposits, and hosts several oil refineries and other industries.
  • Key Facts about the Yellow Sea
      • Type: The Yellow Sea is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean.
      • Location: It is situated between mainland China to the west and north, the Korean Peninsula to the east, and the Shandong Peninsula and Liaodong Peninsula to the south. It connects to the Bohai Sea to the northwest.
      • Size: Known as Huang Hai in China and the West Sea in North and South Korea, the Yellow Sea is 870 kilometers long and 556 kilometers wide.
      • Depth: It is one of the largest shallow areas of the continental shelf in the world, with an average depth of 44 meters and a maximum depth of 152 meters.
      • Inflow: Major rivers including the Yellow River and the Yangtze River discharge into the Yellow Sea.
      • Islands: The sea contains numerous islands, with the largest including Jeju Island (South Korea), the Shandong Peninsula islands (China), and Ganghwa Island (South Korea).
      • Climate: The Yellow Sea experiences very cold, dry winters and wet, warm summers.
      • Currents: The warm current of the Yellow Sea is part of the Tsushima Current, which flows northward into the middle of the sea at less than 0.5 mile (0.8 km) per hour. Along the continental coasts, southward-flowing currents prevail and intensify during the winter monsoon period, resulting in cold, turbid, and low salinity waters.

UPSC GS 2

Pollution Under Control (PUC) Certificate

  • News:  The Supreme Court has abolished its own directive issued in 2017 that made a valid pollution under control (PUC) certificate mandatory for renewal of third-party insurance policy.
  • About Pollution Under Control (PUC) Certificate
      • The PUC Certificate, commonly known as the pollution certificate, is a mandatory document for every vehicle owner in India.
      • It confirms that the vehicle meets the environmental standards set by the government and is legally allowed to be driven or ridden on Indian roads.
  • Purpose and Validity
      • The PUC Certificate validates that the vehicle’s emission levels are within the permissible limits set by the government.
      • According to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, all vehicles on Indian roads must possess a valid PUC certificate.
      • New vehicles are exempt from requiring a PUC certificate during their first year. After this period, vehicles must undergo mandatory PUC tests at regular intervals to maintain validity.
      • A PUC certificate is generally valid for one year from the date of issuance.
  • Penalties for Non-Compliance
      • Failure to produce a valid PUC certificate can result in a fine of up to Rs 10,000 or imprisonment for up to six months, or both, under the Motor Vehicle Act.
      • The vehicle owner may also face disqualification from holding their driving licence for three months.
      • If a vehicle is found to emit fumes beyond the prescribed limits, even with a valid PUC certificate, the certificate will be canceled. The vehicle owner must obtain a new PUC certificate within seven days.
  • Applicability
      • The PUC certificate requirement applies to all types of vehicles, including CNG-powered, petrol, and diesel vehicles.
  • How to Obtain a PUC Certificate
      • A PUC certificate can be obtained from a government-authorized emission test centre equipped with computerized facilities.
      • The issuance process involves a thorough examination of the vehicle’s exhaust gas, and the test results are documented in the PUC certificate.

NIPUN Bharat Mission

  • News:  The Centre has launched the NIPUN (National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy) Bharat Mission.
  • About NIPUN Bharat Mission
      • Launch: The National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat) mission was launched by the Ministry of Education.
  • Target Group
      • Age Range: The mission focuses on children aged 3 to 9 years, covering the pre-school to Grade 3 levels.
  • Implementation Mechanism
      • Structure: A five-tier implementation mechanism will be established at the National, State, District, Block, and School levels across all States and Union Territories (UTs).
      • Scheme: It will be executed under the centrally sponsored scheme of Samagra Shiksha.
  • Goals and Objectives
      • Universal FLN Skills: The mission aims to ensure that all Government, Government-Aided, and Private Schools achieve universal foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) skills by the academic year 2026-27.
  • Focus Areas:
      • Access and Retention: Enhancing access to and retention of children in the foundational years of schooling.
      • Teacher Capacity Building: Improving the skills and capabilities of teachers.
      • Learning Materials: Developing high-quality, diversified student and teacher resources/learning materials.
      • Progress Tracking: Monitoring each child’s progress in achieving learning outcomes.

National Policy for Rare Diseases 2021

  • News:  According to patient advocacy groups, only four out of twelve Centres of Excellence (CoEs) for rare diseases have utilized the funds provided by the Government under the National Policy for Rare Disease (NPRD) in the last three years. 
  • National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD):
      • The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, launched the National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD) in March 2021. 
      • The policy aims to manage rare disease patients through prevention, early detection, and treatment.
      • The NPRD provides free treatment facilities at designated Centres of Excellence (CoEs) for patients suffering from rare diseases.
  • Salient Features of NPRD 2021:
  • Categorization of Rare Diseases
      • Group 1: Disorders amenable to one-time curative treatment.
      • Group 2: Diseases requiring long-term or lifelong treatment with relatively lower costs and documented benefits, necessitating annual or more frequent surveillance.
      • Group 3: Diseases with available definitive treatments but facing challenges in patient selection, very high costs, and lifelong therapy.
  • Financial Support and Grants:
      • Centres of Excellence (CoEs): Identified for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of rare diseases. They receive a one-time grant of up to Rs 5 crore each for infrastructure development if needed.
      • Patient Financial Assistance: Up to Rs 50 lakhs is provided to patients suffering from any category of rare diseases for treatment at designated CoEs, outside the Rashtriya Arogaya Nidhi (RAN) scheme.
      • Rashtriya Arogaya Nidhi (RAN): Offers one-time financial assistance up to Rs 20 lakhs for poor patients below the state/UT threshold poverty line suffering from Group 1 rare diseases, for treatment at government hospitals or institutes with super specialty facilities.
  • Treatment and Support Services
      • Patients seeking financial assistance can approach the nearest CoE for assessment and to avail of benefits. Treatment begins immediately upon registration with the CoE.
  • Nidan Kendras: Established for genetic testing and counseling services.
  • Research and Development: 
      • The policy promotes research and development for the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. 
      • It encourages local development and manufacture of drugs, creating a conducive environment for affordable indigenous drug manufacturing.

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UPSC GS 3

Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer

  • News:  The European Space Agency (ESA) is preparing to launch the highly anticipated JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer) mission. This mission aims to explore Jupiter and three of its largest moons.
  • About the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE)
  • Mission: JUICE is an ESA mission designed to explore Jupiter and its three icy moons: Europa, Callisto, and Ganymede.
  • Objectives: 
      • The mission aims to investigate the potential for life in space and the origins of Jupiter. 
      • It will also study Jupiter’s complex magnetic, radiation, and plasma environment, along with its interactions with its moons.
  • Orbiting Ganymede: 
      • Approximately four years after arriving in the Jupiter system, JUICE will enter orbit around Ganymede, Jupiter’s largest moon. 
      • This will mark the first time a probe has orbited a planetary moon other than Earth’s.
  • Features:
      • Propulsion: JUICE is equipped with mono-methyl hydrazine (MMH) fuel and mixed oxides of nitrogen (MON) oxidizer. The propellant will be used for critical course adjustments throughout its journey.
      • Instruments: The spacecraft will carry 10 scientific instruments to characterize Jupiter’s ocean-bearing icy moons.
      • Launch Vehicle: JUICE will be launched aboard the Ariane-5 rocket, known for its reliability and used frequently by ESA.

Periyar Tiger Reserve

  • News: In a pioneering move, Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Thekkady has installed a wind turbine to generate power for real-time monitoring cameras and Wi-Fi connectivity within its forests.
  • About Periyar Tiger Reserve
      • Location: Periyar Tiger Reserve is situated in the Western Ghats of Kerala, India.
      • Naming: The reserve is named after the River Periyar, which originates within the reserve.
  • Rivers
      • Main Rivers: The reserve is drained by two main rivers, Pamba and Periyar.
  • Tribal Communities
      • Inhabitants: The reserve is home to several tribal communities, including the Mannans and the Palians.
  • Vegetation
      • Types: The vegetation in Periyar Tiger Reserve includes tropical evergreen, semi-evergreen, and moist deciduous forests.
      • Flora: Notable flora species include teak, mangoes, rosewood, jamun, jacarandas, terminalias, tamarind, royal poinciana, and bamboos.
  • Fauna
      • Mammals: The reserve is inhabited by various animals, including elephants, wild pigs, sambar, gaur, mouse deer, doles (barking deer), Indian wild dogs, and tigers.
      • Primates: It supports four major species of primates:
      • Lion-Tailed Macaque: A rare species.
      • Nilgiri Langur
      • Gee’s Golden Langur
      • Common Langur
      • Bonnet Macaque
      • Other Species: The elusive Nilgiri Tahr is also considered to be a part of this habitat.

Livermorium

  • News:  Scientists at Berkeley Lab have successfully made known element 116 (livermorium) using a titanium beam for the first time, a breakthrough that enables the lab to try to make new element 120.
  • Creation of Livermorium
      • Production: Livermorium was first produced in 2000 by scientists at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, Russia, and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. They achieved this by fusing curium-248 with calcium-48.
      • Alternative Method: Another method involved using a particle accelerator to smash together titanium-50 atoms with a thin layer of plutonium. Over a period of 22 days, researchers successfully created two atoms of livermorium.
  • Characteristics and Significance
      • Stability: Livermorium is highly unstable and does not occur naturally in the Earth’s crust.
      • Research Value: The successful creation of livermorium is significant as it demonstrates a method for producing superheavy elements. This could potentially lead to the synthesis of even heavier elements, such as element 120. It also offers insights into the behavior of atoms at the limits of the periodic table.

INS Tabar

  • News:   Russian President Vladimir Putin greeted Indian Navy personnel onboard Indian Naval Ship (INS) Tabar, which is participating in Russia’s Navy Day celebrations.
  • About INS Tabar
      • Type: INS Tabar is a stealth frigate built for the Indian Navy in Russia.
      • Class: It is the third ship of the Talwar-class frigates in the Indian Navy.
      • Commissioning: The frigate was commissioned on 19 April 2004 in Kaliningrad, Russia.
  • Operational Role
      • Capabilities: INS Tabar is capable of handling air, surface, and sub-surface missions. It can operate independently on maritime missions or as part of a larger naval task force.
      • Fleet: The ship is part of the Indian Navy’s Western Fleet, which is based in Mumbai under the Western Naval Command.
  • Features
      • Displacement: Fully loaded, INS Tabar has a displacement of 4,035 tons.
      • Speed: The ship can reach speeds of up to 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph).
      • Range: Its maximum range is 4,850 nautical miles (8,980 km; 5,580 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph). At a speed of 30 knots, the range decreases to 1,600 nautical miles (3,000 km; 1,800 mi).
  • Armament and Equipment
      • Weapons: INS Tabar is armed with a versatile range of weapons and sensors.
      • BrahMos Missiles: It is the first vessel in the Talwar-class to be equipped with supersonic BrahMos anti-ship cruise missiles.
      • Barak-1 Missiles: The frigate is also equipped with Barak-1 missiles for air defense.

 

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