TNPSC Current Affairs March 11, 2020

www.tnpsc.academy – TNPSC Current Affairs March 11, 2020 (11/03/2020)

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Topic: Latest Diary of Events

Sir Creek pact

The third edition of WION’s global summit was held in Dubai recently. Theme: “Navigating and negotiating global imperatives”.

Several topics, including balancing and recalibrating Pakistan’s diplomatic strategy and getting the youth to participate in democracy, were discussed at the summit.

At the event, Former Pakistan Minister Kasuri recalled the plan for Sir Creek pact.

What is Sir Creek?

Sir Creek is a 96-km strip of water disputed between India and Pakistan in the Rann of Kutch marshlands. Originally named Ban Ganga, Sir Creek is named after a British representative.

The Creek opens up in the Arabian Sea and roughly divides the Kutch region of Gujarat from the Sindh Province of Pakistan.

The dispute lies in the interpretation of the maritime boundary line between Kutch and Sindh.

What’s the importance of Sir Creek?

Apart from strategic location, Sir Creek’s core importance is fishing resources. Sir Creek is considered to be among the largest fishing grounds in Asia.

Another vital reason is the possible presence of great oil and gas concentration under the sea, which are currently unexploited thanks to the impending deadlock on the issue.

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Topic: Places in News, Political System in India

Eastern, Western Ghats

A public interest litigation petition has been filed in the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the Centre and State government to constitute a permanent body for taking serious steps to safeguard the flora, fauna and other natural resources in the Eastern and Western Ghat areas in Tamil Nadu.

The petition is on the basis of the recommendations made by the Madhav Gadgil and Kasturi Rangan committees.

What’s the issue? Why there is a need for protection?

Petitioner contended that the natural resources abundantly available in this area are being properly utilised by other regions, except Tamil Nadu. They are being misutilised and mismanaged not only by the administrators but also by the public at large.

Besides, large-scale plantations of coffee, tea and orchards have been raised in the hills of Western Ghats. Aromatic and valuable trees like sandal are removed illegally. Despite the Wildlife Protection Act, hunting takes place in some pockets. The forests are getting degraded because of illicit collection of firewood, illicit grazing and illicit felling of trees.

What did the Gadgil Committee say?

It defined the boundaries of the Western Ghats for the purposes of ecological management. It proposed that this entire area be designated as ecologically sensitive area (ESA). Within this area, smaller regions were to be identified as ecologically sensitive zones (ESZ) I, II or III based on their existing condition and nature of threat.

It proposed to divide the area into about 2,200 grids, of which 75 per cent would fall under ESZ I or II or under already existing protected areas such as wildlife sanctuaries or natural parks.

The committee proposed a Western Ghats Ecology Authority to regulate these activities in the area.

Why was Kasturirangan Committee setup?

None of the six concerned states agreed with the recommendations of the Gadgil Committee, which submitted its report in August 2011.

In August 2012, then Environment Minister constituted a High-Level Working Group on Western Ghats under Kasturirangan to “examine” the Gadgil Committee report in a “holistic and multidisciplinary fashion in the light of responses received” from states, central ministries and others.

The Kasturirangan report seeks to bring just 37% of the Western Ghats under the Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) zones — down from the 64% suggested by the Gadgil report.

Recommendations of Kasturirangan Committee:

A ban on mining, quarrying and sand mining.

No new thermal power projects, but hydro power projects allowed with restrictions.

A ban on new polluting industries.

Building and construction projects up to 20,000 sq m was to be allowed but townships were to be banned.

Forest diversion could be allowed with extra safeguards.

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Topic: Latest Diary of Events

India and Bangladesh border

Bangladesh and India share a 4,156-kilometre-long international border, the fifth-longest land border in the world. This includes 262 km in Assam, 856 km in Tripura, 180 km in Mizoram, 443 km in Meghalaya, and 2,217 km in West Bengal.

Why in News? According to the recent government data, there has been no unusual increase in apprehension of illegal infiltrators along the Bangladesh border in 2019 compared to the trend observed in the past six years.

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Topic: Latest inventions on Science and Technology

NASA’s next Mars rover – Perseverance

NASA’s next Mars rover is named as Perseverance. The six-wheeled robotic explorer will be to collect Martian samples for eventual return to Earth. The name was suggested by seventh-grader Alex Mather as part of a naming contest for U.S. schoolchildren.

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Topic: Awards and Honours

Avvaiyar award 2018-2019

Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami honoured R. Kannagi from Tiruvannamalai, with the Tamil Nadu government’s Avvaiyar award for the current year. The award was given recognising her work for the uplift of rural women for over 18 years.

Ms. Kannagi, a burial ground assistant, is popular among the women’s Self-Help groups (SHGs) in Tiruvannamalai district.