10 PM Current Affairs Quiz : October 27, 2018

Genetic Engineering Approval Committee(GEAC) is apex body under Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. It is responsible for regulating manufacturing, use, import, export and storage of hazardous microorganisms or genetically engineered organisms (GMOs) and cells in the country.

Therefore, the correct answer is option a

Ramsar sites are wetlands of international importance. The international convention, which forms the basis for its identification, is commonly referred to as the “Ramsar Convention” after the city in Iran, where the agreement was signed in 1971. There are 26 Ramsar sites in India. Kanjli wetland is located in Punjab. The Renuka Wetland is located in Himachal Pradesh.

Chilika Lake, Odisha  is one of the largest wintering grounds in Asia, where close to one million birds congregate on the mudflats of the lake during winter.

The Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon, spread over 1,000 sq km and has been a designated Ramsar site (a wetland of international importance) since 1981.

The Montreux Record is a register of wetland sites on the List of Wetlands of International Importance where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur as a result of technological developments, pollution or other human interference.

India sites included in Montreux record are Keoladeo National park,Rajasthan and Loktak lake,Manipur. The Chilika lake was removed from the Montreux record list in 2002.

Genesis of the Tech Summit lies in the first CII Technology Summit organised in 1995 with an aim to facilitate global technology collaborations. In 2004 the CII partnered  with the Department of Science & Technology in organising these Summits.

India will host the 24th edition of Technology Summit with Italy as the partner country.

Companies, institutions and government agencies from India and Partner Country (Italy) will endeavor to forge technology transfers / joint ventures / R&D partnerships with an aim to increase bilateral trade & investments. This is the first time that Italy has been selected as partner country for this prestigious event.

India has recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Myanmar on the appointment of a private operator to run and maintain Sittwe port, Paletwa inland water terminal, in the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport  Project.

The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project is a project that will connect the eastern Indian seaport of Kolkata with Sittwe seaport in Rakhine State,Myanmar.

Kaladan project involves using sea, river and road transport to link Kolkata and other eastern India ports with Mizoram via Rakhine and Chin.

International Conference on Status and Protection of Coral Reefs (STAPCOR – 2018) was held at Bangaram Island, Union Territory of Lakshadweep recently. The theme of the conference was “Reef for Life”.

It was jointly organized by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Union Territory of Lakshadweep Administration, Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Environmental Information System (ENVIS) in consonance with declaration of year 2018 as 3rd decadal International year of Reefs.

International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) has declared year 2018 as International Year of the Reef (IYOR 2018). It is designed to raise awareness about the threats to coral reefs and the associated ecosystem.