Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 18 February 2023

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC 2023

Q) Recently seen in news, the term ‘Feathering’ is best related to which one of the following:

1. Mass hatching of the endangered Himalayan Griffon eagles
2. Event of breaking down of a comet after entering atmosphere
3. Changing the pitch of Aeroplane propeller blades to reduce drag
4. Occurrence of different fossils at one place

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 17 February 2023

Explanation:

• Option (3) is correct: Feathering is used when engines experience failure in mid-air, the pilot flying variable-pitch propellers can change the pitch/ angle of the propeller blades so that they slice the airflow in a more or less parallel motion. This reduces the ‘drag’ and increases the gliding distance, preventing airspeed from falling below unsafe limits. This is known as ‘feathering’ of propellers. In case feathering is not used, the wind hitting the aircraft’s powerless propellers causes windmilling, this increases gliding resistance. A preliminary investigation of the Nepal Yeti Airlines crash has found that propellers of the plane were found in an unusual “feathered” position. Feathering is part of the checklist if the crew of an aircraft, facing emergency, is planning a forced landing. Feathering significantly reduces drag, giving the aircraft valuable extra landing distance, when engines have lost power. Feathering can only be used by aircraft with variable-pitch propellers.

Q) Consider the following statements about the election symbols:

1. The Election Commission of India is the sole authority to decide on the disputes related to the allotment of election symbols.
2. In the event of a political party split, there is no provision under the Election Symbols Order, 1968, to decide the claims of the divided groups on the party’s emblems.
3. If two parties choose the same symbol, the Election Commission of India settles the case by examining how each party performed in the general elections.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 1 and 2 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 empowers the Election Commission to recognise political parties and allot symbols. Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 aims to “to provide for specification, reservation, choice and allotment of symbols at elections in Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies, for the recognition of political parties in relation thereto and for matters connected therewith”. The Election Commission of India (ECI) is the only authority to decide issues on a dispute related to the election symbols or a merger.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: Under Paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, ECI can decide disputes among rival groups or sections of a recognised political party staking claim to its name and symbol.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: The EC has a ‘bank’ of 200 such symbols which it allocates to recognised and unrecognised parties that can field candidates in at least 10% of the constituencies. If two parties have the same choice for a symbol, the EC follows a ‘first come, first served’ policy’. The Election commission in 1997 felt that merely having MPs and MLAs is not enough, as the elected representatives had fought and won polls on tickets of their parent (undivided) parties. Thus, it introduced a new rule under which the splinter group of the party-other than the group that got the party symbol-had to register itself as a separate party, and could lay claim to national or state party status only on the basis of its performance in state or central elections after registration.

Q) With reference to the ‘Mammatus’ Clouds, consider the following statements:

1. They appear as a series of bulges coming out of the cloud’s base.
2. They typically form alongside big cumulonimbus clouds.
3. They bring thunderstorms and lightning to the nearby areas.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3 

Explanation:

• All statements are correct: Mammatus clouds are some of the most unusual and distinctive cloud formations, with a series of bulges or pouches emerging from the base of a cloud. They are usually formed in association with large cumulonimbus clouds. Typically, turbulence within the cumulonimbus cloud will cause mammatus to form, especially on the underside of the projecting anvil as it rapidly descends to lower levels. This reverses the usual cloud-forming process of upward growth, making for an uneven cloud base. They have also been known to form on other cloud types, such as stratocumulus, altostratus and altocumulus and even along the underside of volcanic ash clouds. These clouds bring thunderstorms due to their huge mass of unstable air, along with hail, heavy rain and lightning in the vicinity. The meteorological office of the UK, recently explained that Mammatus clouds are among the most extraordinary and easily recognizable cloud formations.

Q) Consider the following statements about Saman Bird Sanctuary:

1. It is a manmade lake located on the Ganges floodplain.
2. It is an important wintering site for Greylag Goose migrating birds.
3. It was recently designated as Ramsar Wetland of international importance.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Explanation:

• Statement 1 and 3 are incorrect: The Saman Bird Sanctuary in the Mainpuri district of Uttar Pradesh is a seasonal oxbow lake on the Ganges floodplain. It was designated as Ramsar Wetland in 2019. The Ramsar Convention is the intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.  The Convention was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975.
• Statement 2 is correct: The Saman Bird Sanctuary is one among 467 IBA Sites in the country (Important Bird & Biodiversity Area) designated by the Birdlife International having rich birdlife diversity. It is heavily reliant on the arrival of the south-westerly monsoon in July and August, which provides the vast majority of annual rainfall. The Sanctuary regularly provides refuge to over 50,000 waterbirds. It is an important wintering site for many migrating birds including the greylag goose (Anseranser), with over 1% of the South Asian population present during winter. Vulnerable species including the sarus crane and greater spotted eagle are also found in this wetland. Recently, there has been a decline in the number of migratory bird species from NorthAsia and Central Asia at the Saman Bird Sanctuary.

Q) With reference to the ‘Nano-DAP’, consider the following statements:

1. It is developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
2. It was recently banned by the Union Agriculture Ministry due to its potential side effects on soil health.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation:

• Statement 1 and 2 are incorrect: Agriculture ministry has recently approved the commercial release of Nano-DAP. Urea and Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) are largely consumed fertilizers in the country. IFFCO has received the patent for their nano variants from the Indian government for a period of 20 years. Nano-DAP will be manufactured by India Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative (IFFCO) and Coromandel International. 500-ml bottles of nano-DAP will have the same effectiveness of a bag (1350 kg) of conventional soil nutrient. It will help India save foreign exchange and also reduce government subsidy significantly. It will help in reducing soil, air and water pollution. Nano Fertilizers hold great promise for application in plant nourishment because of the size-dependent qualities, high surface-volume ratio and unique optical properties. Nano fertilizer releases plant nutrients in a controlled manner contributing to higher nutrient use efficiency.

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