INSIGHTS CURRENT AFFAIRS ( 30 April 2021) REVISION THROUGH MCQS

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• S3: The Lieutenant Governor of Delhi is appointed by the President of India, as agent of President and head of state like governor, on the advice of the Central government.
• S1 & S2: The Legislative Assembly of Delhi was first constituted on 17 March 1952 under the Government of Part C States Act, 1951, but it was abolished on 1 October 1956. Its legislative assembly was re-established in the year of 1993, after the Constitution (Sixty-ninth Amendment) Act, 1991 came into force, followed by the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 the Sixty-ninth Amendment to the Constitution of India, declared the Union Territory of Delhi to be formally known as National Capital Territory of Delhi.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/04/30/delhi-govt-s-responsibilities-remain-centre/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Myanmar’s military has launched air strikes on a village and outpost near the Thai border, after ethnic minority Karen insurgents attacked a Myanmar army post in some of the worst clashes since a Feb. 1 coup.
• The Karen National Union (KNU), Myanmar’s oldest rebel group, has also said its fighters had taken the army camp on the west bank of the Salween river.
• Who are the KNU?
  • The KNU is the dominant political organisation representing ethnic minority Karen communities in Karen, or Kayin, State, bordering Thailand.
  • Its aim is self-determination for the Karen people in a region of about 1.6 million people, roughly the size of Belgium, where they are the ethnic majority in the state.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/04/30/karen-rebels/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• At Joe Biden’s climate summit on Friday, the US, Canada, Norway, Saudi Arabia and Qatar – together responsible for 40% of global oil and gas production – set up a forum “that will develop pragmatic net-zero emission strategies”.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/04/30/net-zero-producers-forum/

Ans: (b)

Explanation: Tianhe module:

• It is the first module of China’s planned space station.
• The core module, currently the largest spacecraft developed by China, was launched into low earth orbit by a Long March-5B rocket, marking the first step of China’s efforts to build its own station in two years.
• The Tianhe module will act as the management and control hub of the space station

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/04/30/insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-30april-2021/

Ans: (c)

Explanation: World’s Oldest Water:

• World’s Oldest Water Found in Canada Sheds Light on the Beginning of Life.
• In 2019, geologist and earth sciences professor Dr. Barbara Sherwood Lollar of the University of Toronto received the top science prize of the Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering worth $1 million for discovering the world’s oldest water.
• It was found at a depth of 2.4 kilometers in Kidd Creek Mine.
• The water is highly saline, which is ten times saltier than seawater.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/04/30/insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-30april-2021/

Ans: (b)

Explanation: MACS 1407:

• It is a high-yielding and pest-resistant variety of soybean developed by Indian Scientists.
• It is suitable for cultivation in the states of Assam, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and North-Eastern states.
• S1: The new variety has been developed by scientists from MACS – Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune.
• The variety was developed using the conventional cross breeding technique.
• Its thick stem, higher pod insertion (7 cm) from ground, and resistance to pod shattering make it suitable even for mechanical harvesting.
• S2: Using the conventional cross breeding technique, scientists developed MACS 1407 which gives 39 quintals per hectare making it a high yielding variety.
• S3: It is suitable for rain-fed conditions of north-east India.

Refer: facts for prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/04/30/insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-30april-2021/

Ans: (d)

Explanation: UK becomes first country to announce regulation of use of self-driving vehicles:

• The UK has become the first country to announce regulation of the use of self-driving vehicles at slow speeds on motorways.
• The government will start with Automated Lane Keeping Systems (ALKS) – which use sensors and software to keep cars within a lane, allowing them to accelerate and brake without driver input.
• The use of ALKS would be restricted to motorways, at speeds under 60 km per hour.

Refer: facts for prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/04/30/insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-30april-2021/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• S3: The IPSF is part of the European Commission’s ongoing work to support a global transition to a low-carbon, more resource-efficient and sustainable economy. Read more>> https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/04/13/quiz-2020-insights-current-affairs-quiz-13-april-2020/
• S2: About Global Carbon Project:
  • Formed in 2001 to help the international science community to establish a common, mutually agreed knowledge base that supports policy debate and action to slow the rate of increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
  • It is a Global Research Project of Future Earth and a research partner of the World Climate Research Programme.
  • Read more>> https://www.insightsonindia.com/2019/12/05/global-carbon-project-2/
• S1: The Tropical Forest Alliance 2020 was founded in 2012 at Rio+20

Refer: http://climateinitiativesplatform.org/index.php/Tropical_Forest_Alliance_(TFA)

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• The Stockholm Convention is a global treaty that aims to protect human health and the environment from the effects of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The Convention entered into force on May 17, 2004.
• The Rotterdam Convention is a multilateral treaty to promote shared responsibilities in relation to importation of hazardous chemicals.
• The overall goal of the Basel Convention is to protect human health and the environment against the adverse effects that may result from the generation, transboundary movements and management of hazardous and other wastes.
• The objective of the 1985 Vienna Convention is to preserve human health, and to protect the environment from any harmful effects of the depletion of the ozone layer.
• The Minamata Convention on Mercury is an international treaty designed to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2019/05/20/brs-conventions/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• S2: Click here for more info>>> https://cpcb.nic.in/PollutionControlLaw.pdf
  • “……Over the  years,  several  amendments  have  also  been  made  in  the  various  existing statutes  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  unfolding  environmental    The  Indian Forests    Act,  The  Forests  (Conservation)  Act,  The  Factories  Act,  The  Wild  Life Protection  Act,  The  Mines  and  Mineral  (Regulation  and  Development)  Act,  The Industrial  Development  and  Regulation  Act  and  the  Atomic  Energy  Act  among others,  have  undergone  such  amendments.  These  Acts,  being  the  responsibility  of agencies  other  than  Pollution  Control  Boards  for  implementation  are  not  of  day-to-day  concern  for  the  Boards  and,  therefore,  have  not  been  covered  in  the  present volume  designed  for  ready  reference  by  the  functionaries  of  the  Boards  and  others concerned  with  them.  The  size  of  the  volume  has  also  been  consideration  for  the choice….”
• S1: CPCB is a statutory organisation which was constituted in September, 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
  • It was entrusted with the powers and functions under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
  • It serves as a field formation and also provides technical services to the Ministry of Environment and Forests under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/09/24/about-the-central-pollution-control-board/