UPSC Current Affairs Quiz : 8 February 2025

Solution: b)

SARAT Version 2 is an advanced Search and Rescue Aid Tool developed for enhancing search-and-rescue operations in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). It improves response times and accuracy for Indian search-and-rescue agencies. While it may be applicable in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), its primary focus is the larger Indian Ocean Region.

About SARAT (Search and Rescue Aid Tool) Version 2:

• What it is: SARAT is a specialized tool developed to assist search-and-rescue (SAR) operations, particularly in the Indian Ocean region.
• Ministry: Developed under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and implemented by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS).
• Aim: To improve the efficiency, accuracy, and success rates of SAR operations by providing precise search areas, exportable data, and enhanced visualization tools.

Key Features:

• Accurate Search Areas:Anchored to the Last Known Position (LKP) for precise search region computation.
• Exportable Data:Digital search area formats for seamless integration with rescue planning maps.
• Enhanced Visualization:Features like particle trajectory visualization, color-coded search regions, and LKP markers for clearer interpretation.
• Training Initiatives:INCOIS conducts workshops and training for SAR agencies like the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Airports Authority of India (AAI).
• Future Enhancements:Plans to improve accuracy by integrating high-frequency radar measurements and advanced ocean modeling techniques.

Solution: c)

Statement 1 is correct: The Donkey Route avoids direct flights to the US by transiting through other countries.

Statement 2 is incorrect: While some individuals may use this route for illegal entry into Canada or Europe, its primary destination is the US.

Statement 3 is correct: The use of fake documents, including visas and immigration stamps, is a key feature of this network.

Statement 4 is correct: Security agencies have raised concerns about national and international security risks posed by such illegal immigration networks.

About the ‘Donkey Route’:

• What it is: The ‘Donkey Route’ refers to an illegal immigration method where individuals take circuitous routes through multiple countries to avoid detection while attempting to reach the US.

Features:

• Indirect Travel: Avoids direct flights to the US, instead using pit-stops in random countries to evade suspicion.
• Fake Documents: Relies on counterfeit visas, forged immigration stamps, and fabricated travel histories.
• Syndicate Networks: Operated by organized networks of agents and facilitators across India and abroad.

Impacts:

• Exploitation of Migrants: Desperate individuals are often misled, financially exploited, and left stranded in foreign countries.
• Security Risks: Poses challenges to national and international security by enabling illegal entry.
• Economic Burden: Strains resources of both origin and transit countries due to increased enforcement and deportation costs.

Solution: d)

Statement 1 is incorrect: The longest tributary of the Ganga is the Yamuna, not the Gomti.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The Gomti originates in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, not in Nepal.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The Gomti is a perennial river, not ephemeral (which means it flows year-round but increases in flow during monsoons).

About Gomti River:

• Origin: The Gomti River originates from Gomat Taal (Fulhaar Jheel) in Pilibhit district, Uttar Pradesh.
• States Flowing Through: It flows entirely within Uttar Pradesh, passing through Lucknow, Barabanki, Sultanpur, Faizabad, and Jaunpur before merging with the Ganga River.
• Tributaries: Major tributaries include the Sai River, Kathina River, Chowka River, and Saryu River.
• Significant Cities Along Its Course: Lucknow (state capital), Jaunpur, Sultanpur, and Barabanki are key urban centers along the river.
• Tributary of: The Gomti is a right-bank tributary of the Ganges (Ganga) River.
• Hydrological Characteristics: It is a perennial river with a sluggish flow, except during the monsoon season, when heavy rainfall leads to increased runoff.
• Environmental Concerns: The river suffers from pollution due to urban waste and industrial discharge, particularly in Lucknow and Jaunpur.

Solution: a)

The latest Pinaka MBRL variants have improved range and precision-guided rockets, including Pinaka Mk-II (75 km range) and Pinaka Mk-III (planned 120-300 km range).

It does not integrate with BrahMos, which is a cruise missile system.

Pinaka is a conventional artillery system and is not designed for nuclear warheads.

Stealth technology is not relevant to ground-based rocket launchers.

About Pinaka Rocket Missile System:

• Type: Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) designed by DRDO’s Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE).
• First Use: Played a crucial role in neutralizing enemy positions during the Kargil War.
• Features:
  • Launcher system includes a multi-tube launcher vehicle, command post vehicle, and replenishment vehicles.
  • Can fire 12 rockets in 48 seconds, covering an area of 700 × 500 square meters.
  • Mounted on a Tatra truck for mobility with hydraulically actuated outriggers for stability during firing.

Solution: c)

• Geo-Economic Fragmentation (GEF) refers to the disruption of global trade and investment due to geopolitical conflicts, economic protectionism, and shifting supply chains (Statement 1 – Correct).
• The Economic Survey 2024-25 acknowledges these risks and suggests strengthening domestic economic growth levers to counteract external instability (Statement 3 – Correct).

However, it does not advocate reducing reliance on foreign investments entirely; instead, it emphasizes a balanced approach that includes both foreign and domestic growth strategies (Statement 2 – Incorrect).

Solution: a)

Tamil Nadu has the highest number of Ramsar sites in India, surpassing Uttar Pradesh (Statement 1 – Correct).

Not all Ramsar sites in India are within national parks or wildlife sanctuaries; many are independent wetland ecosystems, such as Loktak Lake and Sunderbans Wetlands (Statement 2 – Incorrect).

Solution: b)

International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) collaborates with CITES (for regulating wildlife trade), IUCN (for conservation status assessments), and TRAFFIC (for tracking illegal wildlife trade). IMF is not related to wildlife conservation.

Solution: a)

Gambusia affinis is invasive because it preys on native fish, amphibians, and invertebrates, often outcompeting local species. It does not consume excessive plankton, nor does it maintain balanced ecosystems.

Solution: d)

Plastics with high molecular weight and crystallinity are harder to degrade, as bacteria struggle to access polymer chains.

Microbial enzymes evolved to break down natural polymers, not synthetic plastics, limiting degradation efficiency.

Stabilizers, flame retardants, and other additives in plastics make microbial breakdown difficult.

Anaerobic environments slow down microbial metabolism, reducing degradation rates.

Solution: b)

While both species consume mosquito larvae, Gambusia affinis is highly aggressive and invasive, often outcompeting native fish. Guppies are less aggressive and therefore sometimes preferred for mosquito control in ecologically sensitive regions.