03 Dec 2024 Daily Current Affairs for UPSC CDS, CAPF, NDA & SSB

1. Red-breasted Flycatcher

Recently, the Red-Breasted Flycatcher bird which migrates from Eastern Europe to escape the harsh winter was found in the Ameenpur Lake in Hyderabad.

About Red-breasted Flycatcher:

Scientific name: Ficedula parva
It is a small (11-12 cm) passerine bird of the Old World Flycatcher family.
It can be found occasionally feeding on figs (banyan, peepal) in our urban gardens.
Appearance: Males have a reddish-orange throat that extends till the upper breast, whereas the females are overall brown.
They can be distinguished from other orders by the arrangement of their toes — three pointing forward and one backward, a design that helps them to cling onto branches efficiently.
It generally migrates from Eastern Europe to escape the harsh winter there and enjoy the moderate temperatures with abundance of food in South Asia.
Breeding: The bird breeds from spring to summer, in the deciduous mixed forests of Eastern Europe and across Central Asia. In winter months (September to March mostly), it migrates to forests, woodlands, orchards, parks, and roadside trees of the Indian Subcontinent.
It can be found in peninsular India during the winter season from October to March.
Conservation status
IUCN: Least Concern

Source : Red-breasted Flycatcher, a 12 cm bird, migrates from Eastern Europe to Hyderabad’s Ameenpur lake.

2. Varkala cliff

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sought a reply from the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and others over the deteriorating condition of Varkala cliff, a designated national geo-heritage site.

About Varkala cliff:

Location: It is a beautiful natural formation located in Varkala, a coastal town in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala.
The cliff, including both northern and southern ones, covering a total distance of 3 km, exposes the sedimentary rock formation of the Mio-pliocene Age. Varkala is the only place on the West Coast of India where sediments in the Mio-Pliocene age (13 lakh to 2.5 crore years ago) had been exposed.
The Papanasam Beach, located at the base of the cliff, is revered for its natural springs and believed to have therapeutic properties.
It is a crucial aquifer and natural water harvesting system for coastal communities, hosted unique biodiversity in its microhabitat, and supported underwater reefs essential for local fishing communities.
It is the 27th National Geological Monument in the country and the second in the State after the Angadipuram Laterite.

Key facts about the Geological Survey of India

It was set up in 1851 primarily to find coal deposits for the Railways.
Over the years, it has grown into a repository of geo-science information required in various fields in the country.
Its main role includes providing objective, impartial and up-to-date geological expertise and geoscientific information of all kinds, with a focus on policy-making decisions, and commercial and socio-economic needs.
It is headquartered in Kolkata and has six regional offices located at Lucknow, Jaipur, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Shillong and Kolkata. Every state has a state unit.
It is an attached office to the Ministry of Mines.

Source : Declining state of Varkala cliff: NGT issues notice to GSI, others

3. Urban Infrastructure Development Fund

Recently, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs informed in Lok Sabha that the government has set up the Urban Infrastructure Development Fund (UIDF) through use of priority sector lending shortfall for creating urban infrastructure in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

About Urban Infrastructure Development Fund:

It was established through the use of priority sector lending shortfall.
It will be used by public agencies to create urban infrastructure in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.
It aims to supplement the efforts of the State Governments / UTs for urban infrastructure development works implemented through Public/ State Agencies, Municipal Corporations and Urban Local Bodies, by providing a stable and predictable source of financing for providing basic services like Sewerage and Solid Waste Management, Water Supply and Sanitation, construction and improvement of drains/ storm water drains, etc.
It is managed by the National Housing Bank.
The initial corpus for this Fund is ₹10,000 crore.
It is established on the lines of the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF).
States will be encouraged to leverage resources from the grants of the 15th Finance Commission, as well as existing schemes, to adopt appropriate user charges while accessing the UIDF.
It currently covers 459 tier-2 cities and 580 tier-3 cities.
UIDF Loans:
- The interest rate on UIDF loans has been kept at Bank Rate minus 1.5 per cent.
- The loan (Principal) will be repayable in five equal annual instalments within seven years from the date of draw, including a moratorium period of two years.
- Interest will be payable on a quarterly basis.

Source : Establishment of Urban Infrastructure Development Fund.

4. Madhav National Park

In a landmark conservation move, the National Tiger Conservation Authority has granted in-principle approval for the designation of Madhav National Park in Shivapuri district as tiger reserve.

About Madhav National Park:

Location: It is located in the State of Madhya Pradesh. It is situated on the northern fringe of the Central Highlands of India forming a part of the Upper Vindhyan Hills inter-mixed with plateaus and valley sections.
Lakes: Sakhya Sagar and Madhav Sagar are the two lakes in the southern part of the park, providing the aquatic biodiversity and lifeline for the terrestrial species.
Rivers:
- The drainage pattern is towards north and northeast in the northern area of the park forming catchment of Amarnadi.
- The park area forms catchment of the Sind river which flows along the eastern boundary of the park.
The eastern part of the park has sedimentary rocks of Vindhyan system, which are mostly sandstone, shale and limestones.
Vegetation: The forests of the park fall within the category of Northern tropical dry deciduous mixed forests as well as Dry Thorn Forests typical of North – Western Madhya Pradesh.
Flora: Kardhai, Salai, Dhaora and Khair. The understory comprises almost entirely of Ber, Makor and Karonda. The jamun and mahua are found along the nullahs.
Fauna: Nilgai, Chinkara and Chowsinga and Deer including Chital, Sambar and Barking Deer. Animals like the Leopard, Wolf, Jackal, Fox, Wild Dog etc.

Source : NTCA has approved Madhav National Park as the Madhya Pradesh' 9th Tiger Reserve.

5. Exercise CINBAX

The 1st edition of Joint Table Top Exercise, CINBAX commenced at Foreign Training Node, Pune.

About Exercise CINBAX:

It is conducted between the Indian Army and the Cambodian Army.
It is aimed to conduct of a joint Counter Terrorism (CT) operations.
It will focus on discussions pertaining to establishment of Joint Training Task Force for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance besides planning of operations in CT environment.
The exercise will also involve discussion on information operations, cyber warfare, hybrid warfare, logistics and casualty management, HADR operations
It will be conducted in three phases.
- Phase-I will focus on preparations and orientation of participants for CT operations during UN peace keeping missions.
- Phase-II will involve conduct of the Table Top exercises
- Phase-III will involve finalisation of plans and summing up. This will bring out practical aspects of the theme-based training and aims to enable the participants to comprehend the procedures through situation-based discussions and tactical exercises.
The exercise will also showcase weapons and equipment of the Indian origin promoting ‘Atmanirbharta’ and indigenous capabilities in defence production.

Source : India and Cambodia commences inaugural joint exercise CINBAX in Pun.

6. What is a Solar Storm?

Scientists have uncovered evidence of an immense solar storm that struck Earth around 664–663 BCE.

About Solar Storm:

A solar storm is a sudden explosion of particles, energy, magnetic fields, and material blasted into the solar system by the Sun.
What causes a solar storm?
- The sun’s tangled magnetic fields get twisted up as the Sun rotates — with its equator rotating faster than its poles.
- Solar storms typically begin when these twisted magnetic fields on the Sun get contorted and stretched so much that they snap and reconnect (in a process called magnetic reconnection), releasing large amounts of energy.
These powerful eruptions can generate any or all of the following:
- a bright flash of light called a solar flare
- a radiation storm, or flurry of solar particles propelled into space at high speeds
- an enormous cloud of solar material, called a coronal mass ejection
Effects on Earth:
- When directed toward Earth, a solar storm can create a major disturbance in Earth’s magnetic field, called a geomagnetic storm, that can produce effects such as radio blackouts, power outages, and beautiful auroras.
- They do not cause direct harm to anyone on Earth, however, to our planet’s magnetic field and atmosphere that protect us from the worst of these storms.

Source : 'Cataclysmic' solar storm hit Earth around 2687 years ago, ancient tree rings reveal

7. What is RS-28 Sarmat?

Russia is set to deploy the RS-28 Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, known as 'Satan 2', to replace older missiles.

About RS-28 Sarmat:

It is a liquid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missile developed by Russia.
It is named after the Sarmatian people of the fourth and fifth century BC. It has also been referred to in the West as the "Satan II".
Features:
- It is a three-stage, liquid-fueled missile with a range of 18,000 km.
- It has a launch weight of 208.1 metric tons.
- The missile is 35.3 meters long and 3 meters in diameter.
- Designated a “heavy” ICBM, the Sarmat can carry a 10-ton payload and can load a wide variety of warhead options.
- It can reportedly load up to 10 heavy nuclear warheads, 16 smaller ones, a combination of warheads and countermeasures, or hypersonic boost glide vehicles.
- It is designed to elude anti-missile defence systems with a short initial boost phase, giving enemy surveillance systems a narrow window to track it down.

Source : Russia's Satan 2 missiles dubbed as most destructive weapon on earth. Here's all about it

8. Key Facts about Uganda

At least 15 people were killed and over 100 others went missing after heavy rains led to landslides in eastern Uganda in Africa.

About Uganda:

It is a landlocked countryin east-central Africa.
Bordering Countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Tanzania.
Equator passes through Uganda.
Capital: Kampala
Uganda gained independence from Britain in 1962.
It has as many as 65 ethnic groups. The official languages are English and Swahili, which facilitate communication among its diverse population.
Form of Government: Democracy, with the President as the head of government.
Geography:
- It mostly sits on a central plateau covered by rainforest. It has high volcanic mountains to the eastern and western borders.
- The Virunga and Ruwenzori Mountains and the Western Rift Valley form the western boundaries of the country. The country's highest peak, the 5,109 m Margherita Peak, is part of the Ruwenzori Range.
- Inselbergsare a common geographical feature across Uganda. Meaning "rock island", these strange yet stunning rock structures tower above the savannahs and plateaus throughout the nation.
- Lake Victoria(Africa’s largest lake and the world's second-largest freshwater lake) forms the southern boundary of the country with Tanzania and Kenya.
- Uganda has eight major rivers: the Victoria Nile, Achwa, Okok, Pager, Albert Nile, Kafu, Mpongo, and Katonga.
Wildlife:
- Uganda has 11% of the world’s birds.
- 8% of the world’s mammals can be found here.
- It has the highest concentration of primates than any other country in the world.
- It has the worlds half population of endangered mountain gorillas.

Source : Uganda: More Than 15 Dead, 100 Missing After Devastating Landslides

9. What is Anthrax?

A female elephant died due to suspected anthrax at the Bandipur Tiger Reserve recently.

About Anthrax:

Anthrax is a rare but serious illness caused by a spore-forming bacterium, Bacillus anthracis.
It's found naturally in soil around the world and commonly affects livestock and wild animals. The bacteria produce spores that can live in the ground for years.
Transmission:
Livestock and wild animals can become infected when they breathe in, eat, or drink bacterial spores in contaminated soil, plants, or water.
People usually get sick with anthrax if they come in contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products.
People can also get infected directly by the spores through food, water or soil.
Anthrax isn’t transmitted from person to person but the skin lesions can be contagious though contact.
Infection in humans most often involves the skin, gastrointestinal tract, or lungs.
The disease manifests in three forms depending on the route of infection: cutaneous, gastrointestinal, and inhalational.
Symptoms: Depending on the type, symptoms include:
Chest painand trouble breathing.
Feverand profuse sweating.
Headache or muscle aches.
Itchy blisters or bumps.
Skin ulcer (sore) with a black center.
Nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, and bloody diarrhea.
Swollen lymph nodes.
Treatment:
Antibiotic treatment is effective. Doxycycline, amoxycillin, ciprofloxacin, etc are generally used for the treatment.

Vaccination against anthrax is only recommended for at-risk individuals, such as those working in anthrax-endemic areas.

Source : Elephant dies of suspected anthrax in Bandipu

10. Vadhavan Port

The Vadhavan greenfield port, which is under construction near Dahanu in Maharashtra, will double India’s container trade from the current levels upon completion.

About Vadhavan Port:

The Vadhavan Port will be developed as an all-weather Greenfield deep draft major port in Vadhavan, Palghar District, Maharashtra.
The project will be implemented by Vadhavan Port Project Limited (VPPL), a special purpose vehicle (SPV) formed by Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) and Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) with a shareholding of 74% and 26%, respectively.
The total project cost, including the land acquisition component, is 76,220 Crore.
Scheduled to be finished by 2034, it is projected to be among the top 10 ports in the world.
The port will comprise nine container terminals, each 1000 meters long, four multipurpose berths, including the coastal berth, four liquid cargo berths, a Ro-Ro berth, and a Coast Guard berth.
By 2029, four terminals will be completed and five terminals will be added by 2034.
The Project will create a cumulative capacity of 298 million metric tons (MMT) per annum, including around 23.2 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalents) of container handling capacity.
It will also aid EXIM trade flow through IMEEC (India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor) and INSTC (International North South Transportation Corridor).

Source : ‘Vadhavan port will be a game changer for India’

03 Dec 2024 Daily Current Affairs for UPSC CDS, CAPF, NDA & SSB

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