Daily Current Affairs – 19th April 2021
Topics/Highlights
- Occultation
- Goa’s Civil Code
- International Day for Monuments and Sites
- National climate vulnerability assessment
- First bamboo-dwelling bat with sticky discs
- Pressure Swing Adsorption
Focus
1. Occutation
In News
There is a rare celestial event that has been watched by Skygazers during the time when the moon came between Earth and Mars.
Key Points
- The event when one object is hidden by another object while passing between the object and the observer is called an occultation.
- If the closer body does not entirely cover the farther one then the event is called a transit.
- Both the events are generally referred to as occlusion; and if a shadow is cast onto the observer, it is called an eclipse.
- The term occultation is used to describe frequent occasions when the Moon passes in front of a star while completing the course of its orbital motion around the Earth.
Source – All India Radio
2. Goa’s Civil Code
In News
Uniform Civil Code in Goa, recently appreciated by the Chief Justice of India S A Bobde.
It is the only state to have one.
Key Points
- According to Article 44 of the constitution, there should be a Uniform Civil Code.
- The article states that “The State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India”
- DPSPs are the guidelines only, so, it is not mandatory to use the,
Source – Indian Express
3. International Day for Monuments and Sites
Topics – Important International institutions, agencies and fora, their structure, mandate.
In News
The United Nations had declared April 18 as the International Day for Monuments and Sites.
It is celebrated as World Heritage Day in many countries.
Key Points
- “Complex Pasts: Diverse Futures” is the theme for this year.
- The International Council on Monuments and Sites is promoting this day globally.
- The World Heritage site is recognised by the UN and the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation.
- The sites are important for humanity, and they hold cultural and physical significance.
- The UNESCO World Heritage Committee consists of 21 UNESCO member states, elected by the General Assembly, administering the World Heritage Programme which is maintaining the World Heritage List sites.
- India has 38 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, out of the 1121 sites identified around the world.
Source – Indian Express
4. National climate vulnerability assessment
In News
The report named ‘Climate Vulnerability Assessment for Adaptation Planning in India Using a Common Framework’ released.
Key Point
- The report identifies the most vulnerable states and districts in India with respect to current climate risk and vulnerability.
- The report also identifies Jharkhand, Mizoram, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, and West Bengal as high vulnerability to climate change.
- The states from the eastern part of the country require priority for the adaptation and interventions.
- Vulnerability assessments are required for the mapping of parts that are vulnerable to extreme changes and will help in initiating the climate actions.
- It will also help the policymakers for appropriate legislation.
- It can further help India on the Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement and will support India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change.
Source – PIB
5. First bamboo-dwelling bat with sticky discs
In News
India’s first bamboo-dwelling bat with sticky discs yielded by Meghalaya.
Key Point
- Disc-footed bat (Eudiscopus denticulus) is found in Meghalaya’s Lailad area near the Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary.
- It is around 1000 km west of its habitat in Myanmar.
- The Bat count in Meghalaya reached 66.
6. Pressure Swing Adsorption
In News
- 162 Pressure Swing Adsorption, PSA oxygen plants have been sanctioned by the Government of India.
- It is for the installation of public health facilities in all states and will increase the oxygen capacity by over 154 Metric Tonnes.
Key Point
- It is a technology that is used to separate a specific gas species from a mixture of gases under pressure according to the species’ molecular characteristics and affinity for an adsorbent material.
- It differs from the cryogenic distillation techniques of gas separation and works at near-ambient temperatures.
- Specific adsorbent materials like zeolites, activated carbon and molecular sieves are used as a trap for the adsorption of the target gas species at high pressure and then the process will revert back to low pressure to desorb the adsorbed material.
Source – Indian Express
