Daily Current Affairs (MCQ's) | 15-07-2022

Q1. The diversion of forest for non-forest purposes is governed by

1. The Indian Forest Act, 1927
2. The Biological Diversity Act, 2002
3. The Forest Conservation Act (FCA), 1980
4. The Environment Protection Act, 1986

Answer (c)

Explanation:

• Forest Conservation Rules prescribe the procedure to be followed for forest land to be diverted for non-forestry uses such as road construction and highway development.
• The latest version of the rules, which consolidates changes to the Act over the years from various amendments and court rulings, was made public in June 2022.
• Prior to the updated rules, state bodies would forward documents to the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) that would include information on the status of whether the forest rights of locals in the area were settled.

The Forest Conservation Rules:

• These deal with the implementation of the Forest Conservation Act (FCA), 1980. They prescribe the procedure to be followed for forest land to be diverted for non-forestry uses such as road construction, highway development, railway lines, and mining.

• The broad aims of the Forest Conservation Act are to protect forests and wildlife, put brakes on State governments’ attempts to hive off forest land for commercial projects and strive to increase the area under forests.
• For forest land beyond five hectares, approval for diverting land must be given by the Central government. This is via a specially constituted committee, called the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC).
• This committee examines whether the user agency or those who have requested forest land, have made a convincing case for the upheaval of that specific parcel of land and whether they have a plan in place to ensure that the ensuing damage — from the felling of trees in that area, denuding the local landscape — will be minimal and the said piece of land doesn’t cause damage to wildlife habitat.

• Once the FAC is convinced and approves (or rejects a proposal), it is forwarded to the concerned State government where the land is located, who then has to ensure that provisions of the Forest Right Act, 2006, a separate Act that protects the rights of forest dwellers and tribals over their land, are complied with.
• The FAC approval also means that the future users of the land must provide compensatory land for afforestation as well as pay the net present value (ranging between ₹10-15 lakh per hectare. )

Q2. The Monkeypox is caused by

1. Virus
2. Bactria
3. Protozoan
4. Fungi

Answer (a)

Explanation:

Kerala reports India’s first monkeypox case

• The first known lab-confirmed case of monkeypox in India has been reported in a 35-year-old man in Kerala, who reached the State capital three days ago from the UAE.
• Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. Monkeypox virus is part of the same family of viruses as smallpox. Monkeypox symptoms are similar to smallpox symptoms, but milder; and monkeypox is rarely Monkeypox is not related to chickenpox.

  

Q3. Consider the following statements

1. The I2U2 grouping has India, Israel, the UAE and the U.S.
2. The I2U2 will focus on specific projects in the fields of water, energy, transportation, health, space and food security

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer (c)

Explanation:

India to give land for I2U2-backed food parks

• India will provide “appropriate land” for “food parks” across the country that will be built in collaboration with Israel, the United States and the United Arab Emirates.
• The plan for the “integrated food parks” was announced in a joint statement after the leaders of the I2U2 grouping — India, Israel, the UAE and the S. — held a summit.

• The leaders said they would bring in private capital for specific projects in the fields of water, energy, transportation, health, space and food security.
• S. and Israeli private sectors will be invited to lend their expertise and offer innovative solutions that contribute to the overall sustainability of the project.
• These investments will help maximise crop yields which, in turn, will help tackle food insecurity in South Asia and the Middle East, adding that India will “facilitate farmers’ integration into the food parks.
• The food parks aimed at cutting down “food waste and spoilage” are a few of the collaborations that the four countries declared. The UAE will invest $2 billion in India to create the food parks, the joint statement announced.

Q4. Which of the following countries share a border with Israel?

1. Jordan
2. Oman
3. Egypt

Select the correct answer from the codes given below

1. 1 only
2. 1 and 3 only
3. 2 only
4. 1 and 2 only

Answer (b)

Explanation:

Q5. The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is pollution control programme for

1. Delhi
2. Mumbai
3. Bangaluru
4. Pune

Answer (a)

Explanation:

Air pollution: Invest in long-term solutions

• If there is one challenge that haunts Delhi and its surrounding regions round the year (give or take a few breathable days), it’s air pollution. Post-Diwali, air quality takes an ugly turn because bad meteorological conditions, farm fires, and bursting of crackers (despite a Supreme Court ban) add to an existing set of causes such as vehicular and industrial pollution, construction dust, power plants, and burning of waste.

• Until now, a Graded Response Action Plan (Grap), a list of strict restrictions on activities that lead to pollution, was triggered in stages, as and when thresholds were crossed.
• However, its impact was limited because it was a reactive process, and so, there was a demand for a proactive set of rules that would kick in early. The Commission for Air Quality Management released a new Grap, which promises to do just that.

Revised GRAP

• In the revised plan, the pollution-control measures will be activated three days before the air quality is predicted to This is possible because there is now a better early warning system, aided by the Decision Support System (DSS). The DSS considers multiple readings and observations, and forecasts can be made for up to 10 days.
• The refreshed Grap, with its airshed approach, targeted actions and recommended timeline for sectors, is a welcome But as with every policy, its implementation will be critical.
• But the city and its neighbouring regions need a long-term solution, and to achieve that, it is critical to invest in eco- friendly public transport, green buffers, solutions to reduce stubble burning, and greening the critical power sector.
• The national and city governments must not lose sight of these impediments that are putting the health of the citizens and the economy at severe risk.