10 PM Current Affairs Quiz #59 January 11, 2020

ANS: Activists and politicians from Goa have demanded that certain areas in wildlife sanctuaries of the state be notified as ‘tiger reserve’. The Goa government should follow up its proposal sent to the Centre in 2017 to notify certain areas of the coastal state as a tiger reserve, they say. The demand has come following the death of four tigers in Mahadayi Wildlife Sanctuary of Sattari Taluka in North Goa district in the last few days. As part of the state’s proposal, about 500 sq km area of Mahadayi, Netravali and Cotigao wildlife sanctuaries and some part of Mahaveer National Park was selected to be marked as ‘tiger reserve’, considering the presence of the striped animals in those places.

Explanation: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified the new Wetland Conservation Rules which prohibit setting up or expansion of industries and disposal of construction and demolition waste within the wetlands. A wetland is a land area that is saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, and it takes on the characteristics of a distinct ecosystem. The Ministry has said that each state and Union Territory will have to set up an authority that will define strategies for conservation and wise use of wetlands within their jurisdiction. The Authority will prepare a list of all wetlands of the State or UT within three months from the date of publication of these rules. It will develop a comprehensive list of activities to be regulated and permitted within the notified wetlands and their zone of influence. It will also recommend mechanisms for maintenance of ecological character through promotional activities for land within the boundary of notified wetlands. The Ministry has also created a web portal for sharing information regarding the implementation of Wetlands Rules where the central government, state governments are required to upload all relevant information and documents pertaining to wetlands in their jurisdiction.

Explanation: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved a Capital Grant as the Viability Gap Funding to Indradhanush Gas Grid Ltd for setting up the North East Natural Gas Pipeline Grid. This viability gap funding would be capped at 60 per cent of the estimated cost of ₹9,265 crore (including interest during construction) for the project. “The quantum of VGF would be capped at 60 per cent of the estimated project cost and would not be linked with upward capital cost variation,” an official statement said. “A total of ₹5,559 crore has been earmarked as VGF. As per the plan, a 1,656-km gas pipeline grid would connect the eight states of the North-Eastern region, namely, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura,” Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan said.

Explanation: The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) published the Annual Crime in India Report 2018. Overall crime in India increased 1.3% in 2018 compared to 2017. Crime rate per lakh population was 383.5 in 2018. Uttar Pradesh accounted for most number of crimes against women followed by Maharashtra and West Bengal. Madhya Pradesh accounted for the most rapes in the country. Among Union territories, Delhi recorded the highest number of rapes.

Explanation: Recently, several newspapers have reported that the near-extinct Nepalese language ‘Seke’ has just 700 speakers around the world. Seke means golden language. It is one of the over 100 indigenous languages of Nepal. It is mainly spoken in the five villages of Chuksang, Chaile, Gyakar, Tangbe and Tetang in the Upper Mustang district. The dialects from these villages differ substantially and are believed to have varying degrees of mutual intelligibility. However, there are just 700 or so Seke speakers left in the world. Of these, 100 are in New York, USA. The Seke language has been retreating due to Nepali which is Nepal’s official language and is considered to be crucial for getting educational and employment opportunities outside villages.