10 PM Current Affairs Quiz: April 19, 2020

The quaternary ammonium compounds are widely used as surface disinfectants. There have been some reports of health care–associated infections associated with contaminated quaternary ammonium compounds used to disinfect patient care supplies or equipment such as cystoscopes or cardiac catheters. The quaternaries are commonly used in ordinary environmental sanitation of noncritical surfaces such as floors, furniture, and walls. Quaternary ammonium compounds are appropriate to use when disinfecting medical equipment that comes into contact with intact skin (e.g., blood pressure cuffs).

Recently, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) inaugurated Pusa Decontamination and Sanitizing Tunnel. In the tunnel, Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QAC) are used at concentration of 0.045%.

Both statements are incorrect.

Statement 1 is incorrect: Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is a multilateral treaty that bans all nuclear explosions for both civilian and military purposes in all environments.

Statement 2 is incorrect: It was negotiated at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva and adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. It was opened for signature in 1996. However, the treaty cannot enter into force until it is ratified by 44 specific nations. These States had nuclear facilities at the time the Treaty was negotiated and adopted.

Statement 1 is correct: The Development Committee (DC) is a ministerial-level forum of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund for intergovernmental consensus-building on development issues.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Known formally as the Joint Ministerial Committee of the Boards of Governors of the Bank and the Fund on the Transfer of Real Resources to Developing Countries, the Committee was established in 1974.

Statement 3 is correct: The Development Committee meets twice a year; in the spring and in the fall at the time of the joint Bank-Fund Annual Meetings. Its meetings are held in tandem with the meetings of the International Monetary and Finance Committee (IMFC) of the Fund.

Statement 1 is correct: The Minister of Civil Aviation released the National Civil Aviation Policy 2016 in New Delhi. This is the first time since independence that an integrated Civil Aviation Policy has been brought out by the Ministry.

Statement 2 is correct: The centre-piece of the policy is to make regional air connectivity a reality. Minister said that the policy aims to take flying to the masses by making it affordable and convenient, establish an integrated eco-system which will lead to significant growth of the civil aviation sector to promote tourism, employment and balanced regional growth, enhance regional connectivity through fiscal support and infrastructure development and enhance ease of doing business through deregulation, simplified procedures and e-governance.

As the harvesting of rabi crops like wheat pick up, Agriculture Minister on Friday launched the ‘Krishi Rath’ mobile app to facilitate farmers hire trucks for hassle-free transportation of agri-produce to mandis during the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown. After downloading the Krishi Rath mobile app, farmers are required to post the quantity of agri-produce they wish to transport. They will get the availability of truck and price quote against the load request from the transport aggregators. After confirmation, farmers will get transporters details on the app and can negotiate with transporters and finalise the deal for transportation of the produce to mandi.

Statement 2 is incorrect. Decision on disqualification of Speaker under Anti Defection law shall be referred to such member of the House as the House may elect on this behalf and his decision shall be final. Tenth Schedule of the constitution added in 1985 provides for Anti Defection law which bars legislators to defect from political parties they were elected to house.

Electoral Bonds like promissory notes and do not carry any interest rate. Only Indian citizens are eligible to buy these bonds. Political Parties which have secured not less than one per cent of the votes polled in the last Lok Sabha elections or the State Legislative Assembly are eligible to receive the Electoral Bonds.

Statement 1 is incorrect. Influenza, commonly known as “the flu”, is an infectious disease caused by an influenza virus. Statement 2 is correct. Flu is highly contagious and spreads through respiratory droplets. Statement 3 is incorrect. Influenza and COVID-19, both are infectious respiratory illnesses. Although the symptoms of COVID-19 and the flu can look similar, the two illnesses are caused by different viruses, i.e. novel Coronavirus and strains of influenza virus respectively.

Statement 2 is incorrect. Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2019 provides for fine and imprisonment for camcording and illegal duplication of cinemas. Statement 1 and 3 are correct; CBFC provides certification to cinemas for public viewing and the decision of CBFC can be challenged at Film Certification Appellate Tribunal; both are statutory bodies established by Cinematograph Act 1952.

Statement 1 is correct. Zoonosis or zoonotic diseases refers to diseases that can be passed from animals to humans. Statement 2 is incorrect. Animals can carry harmful germs, such as bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses. These are then shared with humans and cause illness. Zoonotic diseases range from mild to severe, and some can even be fatal. Statement 3 is correct. Covid-19 is a zoonotic virus, Bat has been identified as reservoir host.

Statement 1 is incorrect. SAARC was founded in 1985 by 7 states; India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Bangladesh. Afghanistan joined the association in 2007. SAARC Disaster Management Centre in Gujarat provides support for holistic management of disaster risk in the SAARC region. Statement 3 is incorrect. Initially termed as SAARC satellite it was later renamed as South Asia satellite due to Pakistan’s withdrawal from the project.

All statements are correct. The Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) Scheme was introduced by amending the Citizenship Act, 1955 in August 2005 in response to demands for dual citizenship by the Indian diaspora. OCI is a citizen of another country having an Indian origin. They were citizens of India on 26th January 1950 or thereafter except who is or had been a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh or such other country. Multi-purpose and life-long visa is provided to the registered Overseas Citizen of India.

Both statements are correct. The Producer Support Estimate (PSE) is an indicator of the annual monetary value of gross transfers from consumers and taxpayers to support agricultural producers, measured at farm gate level, arising from policy measures, regardless of their nature, objectives or impacts on farm production or income.

Statement 1 is not correct. Heat stress is an illness that can be caused by exposure to extreme heat. It occurs when the body is unable to maintain a healthy temperature in response to a hot environment. An estimated 1.2 billion people would be affected with 3 degrees Celsius of warming, as expected by the end of this century under current global policies according to the study in Environmental Research Letters. Heat stress can result in heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, or heat rashes. Heat stroke is a form of hyperthermia in which the body temperature is elevated dramatically. Heat stroke is a medical emergency and can be fatal if not promptly and properly treated.

Statement 2 is incorrect. Superhydrophobic coatings are made from composite materials where one component provides the roughness and the other provides low surface energy. Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad and Ohio State University used polyurethane and silicon dioxide nanoparticles to create the coating which can be easily spin-coated on steel.