[Mission 2024] Current Affairs Quiz , 6 December 2023

Solution: b)

Statement 1 is incorrect.

Travel for LiFE: 

It is a sectoral program launched by the Ministry of Tourism in India in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on September 27, 2023, World Tourism Day

Aim of the initiative:

The initiative aims to bring about behavioural changes in both tourists and tourism businesses, focusing on environmental protection and socio-cultural sustainability. The program also encourages tourism businesses to adopt sustainable practices and earn certification levels.

Eight Themes of Travel for LiFE –

• Save Energy
• Save Water
• Say No to single-use plastic
• Reduce Waste
• Empower Local Businesses and Communities
• Respect Local Culture and Heritage
• Consume Local Foods
• Conserve Nature

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Solution: c)

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is partnering with India to expand the Travel for LiFE (Lifestyle of the Planet, for the Planet, and by the Planet) initiative across the Asia-Pacific region.

PATA was founded in 1951, and is a not-for-profit membership-based association that promotes the responsible development of travel and tourism in the Asia-Pacific region.

Solution: b)

Statement 3 is incorrect.

• The CTBT is a global treaty, adopted by the United Nations in 1996, aimed at prohibiting all nuclear explosions for military or peaceful purposes. However, it has not yet entered into force due to the incomplete ratification process by several countries.
• The origins of the CTBT can be traced back to the arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union, which conducted numerous nuclear tests from 1945 to 1996, causing concerns about the environmental and health impacts of radioactive fallout.
• Various attempts to limit nuclear testing were made, including the Limited Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty in 1963, which prohibited tests in the atmosphere, outer space, and underwater but allowed underground testing.
• The CTBT, established in 1996, sought to impose a complete ban on explosive nuclear testing, taking advantage of reduced geopolitical tensions after the end of the Cold War. Despite its adoption, some countries have conducted nuclear tests since then, including India, Pakistan, and North Korea.
• The treaty requires ratification by 44 specific countries with nuclear technology, and eight of them, including China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, and the United States, have yet to do so.

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Solution: c)

Scientists are conducting research on watermeal, the world’s smallest flowering plant, to explore its potential as a source of nutrition and oxygen for astronauts.

• Watermeal, known for its tiny size and floating habit on water bodies, offers a unique subject for this research due to its simplicity and rapid growth rate. It lacks roots, stems, or leaves, making it an ideal candidate for studying the effects of altered gravity on plant development.
• Watermeal is not only scientifically intriguing but also has practical benefits. It is a prolific producer of oxygen through photosynthesis and a rich source of protein. In Thailand, it has been part of the local diet for generations.

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Solution: b)

Statement 2 and 3 is correct.

• The Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP), a major irrigation project in India, has secured its final forest clearance after six years.
• The Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP) is a river interlinking project that aims to transfer surplus water from the Ken River in Madhya Pradesh (MP) to Betwa in Uttar Pradesh (UP). The project is the first under the National Perspective Plan for the interlinking of rivers. 
• The KBLP aims to irrigate the drought-prone Bundelkhand region. The dam will be built within Panna Tiger Reserve and will generate 103 MW of hydroelectric power.

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