[Mission 2022] QUIZ – 2021: Insights Current Affairs Quiz, 24 September 2021

Solution: b)

The R-value, which reflects how rapidly the COVID-19 pandemic is spreading, dropped to 0.92 by mid-September after spiralling over one in August-end.

However, the R-values in certain major cities — Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru — remained over one.

The R-value was 1.17 at the end of August. It had declined to 1.11 between September 4 and 7. Since then, it has remained under one.

The reproduction number or R refers to how many persons an infected person infects on an average. In other words, it shows how ‘efficiently’ a virus is spreading.

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Solution: c)

Vitamin D is formed in our skin under the influence of ultra-violet B (UVB) rays that are found in sunlight. The only dietary sources of the vitamin are fatty fish such as salmon and tuna.

However, Indians rarely consume these fish, and typically demonstrate ‘sun-fleeing behaviour’, especially in the urban areas, in order to avoid the heat and skin darkening. Atmospheric pollution too makes it difficult for UV rays to reach the earth’s surface which further aggravates the problem.

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Solution: d)

The 11th India-United Kingdom Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD) was held recently.

The Climate Finance Leadership Initiative (CFLI) India partnership was launched today by both sides which aims to work with financial institutions, corporates, and existing sustainable finance initiatives to accelerate efforts to mobilise capital into India.

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Solution: a)

The major Himalayan Rivers are the Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra. 

Yangtze river rises at Jari Hill in the Tanggula Mountains (Tibetan Plateau).

Mekong River, rising in southeastern Qinghai province, China, it flows through the eastern part of the Tibet Autonomous Region and Yunnan province.

Solution: c)

India had initially set a 2017 deadline for thermal powerplants to install Flue Gas Desulphurization units that cut emissions of sulphur dioxides.

But that was postponed to varying deadlines for different regions, ending in 2022.

The new order dated April 1 from the Environment Ministry says plants near populous regions and the capital New Delhi will have to comply by 2022, while utilities in less polluting area shave up to 2025 to comply or retire units.

Thermal power companies, which produce three-fourths of the country’s electricity, account for some 80% of its industrial emissions of particulate matter, sulphur- and nitrous-oxides, which cause lung diseases, acid rain and smog.

What is flue gas desulphurisation?

• Removal of Sulfur Dioxide is called as Flue-gas Desulphurization (FGD).
• It seeks to remove gaseous pollutants viz. SO2 from exhaust flue gases generated in furnaces, boilers, and other industrial processes due to thermal processing, treatment, and combustion.

SNOX Flue gas desulfurization removes sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulates from flue gases;

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