[MISSION 2022] INSIGHTS CURRENT AFFAIRS ( 2 September 2021) REVISION THROUGH MCQS

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• If food articles are allowed to be imported, it may contain inflation as the demand for imports will be higher only if their price is lesser than domestic produce. Import duties will only curtail their import, and hence will not help food inflation.
• The procurement by FCI reduces the supply to the market, thus increasing inflation. However if the stocks with FCI are released strategically in the market based upon contingency of supply at a particular time, it also helps in containing food inflation.
• The stock limits make way for the enhanced supply in the market, which is critical for level food prices

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/09/02/to-contain-food-prices-sri-lanka-declares-economic-emergency/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• Deepor Beel is a Ramsar site and a part of it is also wildlife sanctuary (Rani Reserve forest) in Guwahati, Assam.
• Deepor Beel is a permanent freshwater lake, in an earlier channel of the Brahmaputra River, to the south of the main river.
• The site is an important destination for many migratory species of birds

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/09/02/assam-wetland-at-risk-till-dumping-stops-activists/

Ans: (d)

Explanation: Ramsar site criteria:

• A wetland can be considered internationally important if any of the following nine criteria apply:
• Criterion 1: “it contains a representative, rare, or unique example of a natural or near-natural wetland type found within the appropriate biogeographic region.”
• Criterion 2: “it supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities.”
• Criterion 3: “it supports populations of plant and/or animal species important for maintaining the biological diversity of a particular biogeographic region.”
• Criterion 4: “it supports plant and/or animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles, or provides refuge during adverse conditions.”
• Criterion 5: “it regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds.”
• Criterion 6: “it regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of waterbird.”
• Criterion 7: “it supports a significant proportion of indigenous fish subspecies, species or families, life-history stages, species interactions and/or populations that are representative of wetland benefits and/or values and thereby contributes to global biological diversity.”
• Criterion 8: “it is an important source of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or migration path on which fish stocks, either within the wetland or elsewhere, depend.”
• Criterion 9: “it regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of wetland-dependent non-avian animal species.”

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/09/02/assam-wetland-at-risk-till-dumping-stops-activists/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• S1: The Brahmaputra, one of the largest rivers of the world, has its origin in the Chemayungdung glacier of the Kailash range near the Mansarovar lake.
  • The source of the Sutlej is west of the catchment area of Lake Rakshastal in Tibet, as springs in an ephemeral stream.
• S2: It descends rapidly from Tibet, forming a grand canyon, flowing 1,000 km first Eastward, then takes a horse shoe bend westward near Namche Barwa in Sadiya in the State of Arunachal Pradesh in the Pemakop region.
• S3: Lohit River is a river in Arunachal Pradesh in India. It is a tributary to the Brahmaputra River. It originates in eastern Tibet, in the Zayal Chu range and surges through Arunachal Pradsh for 200 kim, before reaching in the plains of Assam.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/09/02/assam-wetland-at-risk-till-dumping-stops-activists/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• S1: Although found in much of the riverine and marine zones of South and Southeast Asia, the only concentrated lagoon populations are found in Chilika Lake in Odisha, India and Songkhla Lake in southern Thailand.
• S2: They are ‘Endangered’ as per the IUCN Red List.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/09/02/irrawaddy-dolphin/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• These are Endemic plants where Cultivation of specified plants without licence is prohibited.
• From the Wildlife protection Act: (1) No person shall cultivate a specified plant except under and in accordance with a licence granted by the Chief Wild Life Warden or any other officer authorised by the State Government in this behalf: Provided that nothing in this section shall prevent a person, who immediately before the commencement of the Wild Life (Protection) (Amendment) Act, 1991 (44 of 1991), was cultivating a specified plant from carrying on such cultivation for a period of six months from such commencement or where he has made an application within that period for the grant of a licence to him, until the licence is granted to him or he is informed in writing that a licence cannot be granted to him.
• See Chapter IIIA 17C http://legislative.gov.in/sites/default/files/A1972-53_0.pdf

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/09/02/irrawaddy-dolphin/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Chilika Lake is the largest brackish water lake.
• It is Asia’s largest and world’s second largest lagoon.
• It is the largest wintering ground for migratory birds on the Indian sub-continent and is home to a number of threatened species of plants and animals.
• In 1981, Chilika Lake was designated the first Indian wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/09/02/irrawaddy-dolphin/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• S1: The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, also known as the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) or the Bonn Convention, is an international agreement that aims to conserve migratory species throughout their ranges.
• S2: The Agreement was signed under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme and is concerned with conservation of wildlife and habitats on a global scale.
• S3: The CMS is the only global, and United Nations-based, intergovernmental organization established exclusively for the conservation and management of terrestrial, aquatic and avian migratory species.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/09/02/raptor-species/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• Ladakh adopted two endangered species, snow leopard and black-necked crane, as State animal and State bird
• S1 and S2: Black-necked cranes are only found in Ladakh’s Changthang region. The bird is classified as Near-Threatened, as per the IUCN classification; whereas Snow leopard has been classified as ‘vulnerable’
• In India, Snow leopard’s geographical range encompasses a large part of the western Himalayas including the UT of Jammu and Kashmir, UT of Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh in the eastern Himalayas.

Refer: Facts for Prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/09/02/mission-2022-insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-2-september-2021/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• IUCN is a voluntary organization, not an agency of United Nations. Even if you knew this much, you could eliminate all other options to select B. Some facts about IUCN:
  • Founded in 1948 as the world’s first global environmental organisation
  • Today the largest professional global conservation network
  • A leading authority on the environment and sustainable development
  • More than 1,200 member organizations including 200+ government and 900+ non-government organizations
  • A neutral forum for governments, NGOs, scientists, business and local communities to find practical solutions to conservation and development challenges
  • Thousands of field projects and activities around the world
• CITES was drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). States (countries) adhere voluntarily to the agreement.
  • States that have agreed to be bound by the Convention (‘joined’ CITES) are known as Parties.
  • Although CITES is legally binding on the Parties – in other words they have to implement the Convention – it does not take the place of national laws. Rather it provides a framework to be respected by each Party, which has to adopt its own domestic legislation to ensure that CITES is implemented at the national level.

Refer: UPSC CSE 2015