{"id":54735,"date":"2020-02-09T21:00:05","date_gmt":"2020-02-09T15:30:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogadmin.forumias.com\/?p=54735"},"modified":"2020-02-27T12:37:27","modified_gmt":"2020-02-27T07:07:27","slug":"9-pm-current-affairs-brief-february-9th-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/9-pm-current-affairs-brief-february-9th-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"9 PM Current Affairs Brief \u2013 February 9th, 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/cities\/kolkata\/arsenic-resistant-rice-cultivated-in-west-bengal\/article30771631.ece\"><strong>Arsenic-resistant\nrice cultivated in West Bengal<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong>Researchers in West Bengal have developed and commercialised a rice variety\nnamed \u201cMuktoshri\u201d that is resistant to arsenic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About\nthe rice variety:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It is also called IET 21845.<\/li><li>It has been developed jointly by\nthe Rice Research Station, West Bengal Agriculture Department and the National\nBotanical Research Institute, Lucknow.<\/li><li>The variety absorbs a very less\namount of arsenic from soil and water than the other varieties of rice.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Additional\ninformation:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About\nArsenic:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Arsenic is a natural component of the earth\u2019s crust and is widely distributed throughout the environment in the air, water and land. However, it is highly toxic in its inorganic form.<\/li><li>People are exposed to elevated levels of inorganic arsenic through drinking contaminated water, using contaminated water in food preparation and irrigation of food crops among others.<\/li><li>The long term exposure to inorganic arsenic mainly can lead to chronic arsenic poisoning. Skin lesions and skin cancer are the most characteristic effects.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-what-is-genome-mapping-6257855\/\"><strong>Explained: What\nis genome mapping?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong> The Government of India has cleared an ambitious gene-mapping project called the Genome India Project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About\nGenome Mapping:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Genome refers to an organism\u2019s\ncomplete set of DNA which includes all its genes and mapping these genes simply\nmeans finding out the location of these genes in a chromosome.<\/li><li>Genetic mapping offers evidence\nthat a disease transmitted from parent to child is linked to one or more genes\nand provides clues about which chromosome contains the gene and precisely where\nthe gene lies on that chromosome<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Significance\nof Genome Mapping:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It can be used to find out genes\nthat are responsible for relatively rare, single-gene inherited disorders such\nas cystic fibrosis and Duchenne muscular dystrophy.<\/li><li>It may also point out scientists\nto the genes that play a role in more common disorders and diseases such as\nasthma, cancer and heart disease among others.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About\nGenome India Project:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Genome India Project will involve\n20 leading institutions including the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in\nBengaluru and a few IITs.<\/li><li>The IISc\u2019s Centre for Brain\nResearch, an autonomous institute will serve as the nodal point of the project.<\/li><li>The first stage of the project\nwill look at samples of around 10,000 persons from all over the country to form\na grid that will enable the development of a reference genome.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"304\" height=\"341\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogadmin.forumias.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Picture1-38.png?resize=304%2C341&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-54738\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-why-emergency-response-units-are-needed-to-ensure-safety-of-sanitation-workers-6258322\/\"><strong>Emergency\nResponse Sanitation Units(ERSUs)<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong>The Maharashtra government has directed all civic bodies in the state\nto set up Emergency Response Sanitation Units(ERSUs) to ensure safeguards for\nsanitation workers who clean manholes and sewers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About\nERSUs:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The municipal commissioner of the civic body concerned will be the Responsible Sanitation Authority(RSA). The unit would be headed by a senior civic officer and other civic officers should be on the ERSU advisory board.<\/li><li>The Unit will impart training to sanitation workers. Only workers trained and certified by an ERSU will be able to clean sewers but the priority will be on using machines to get such work done.<\/li><li>In case a worker dies while cleaning a sewer, the civic body will have to hold an inquiry and register a police complaint. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Additional\ninformation:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>National Commission for Scheduled Castes Directions:<\/strong> To ensure effective implementation of the law, the commission issued various directives:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The workers have to be fully\nequipped with safety apparatus and oxygen masks in case they have to clean\nsewers manually. <\/li><li>A first information report has to\nbe lodged against officials or contractors responsible for sending a worker to\nclean sewers manually, without proper gear.<\/li><li>The municipal corporations to get\nan insurance policy of Rs 10 lakh per worker as per the Supreme Court\u2019s\ndirections.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pib.gov.in\/newsite\/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=199153\"><strong>SARAS\nInitiative<\/strong><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/pib.gov.in\/newsite\/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=199153\"> <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong> Coal India Subsidiary NCL (Northern Coalfields Limited) has set up \u2018SARAS\u2019 to promote innovation and R&amp;D.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About\nSARAS:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>SARAS stands for Science and\nApplied Research Alliance and Support.<\/li><li><strong>Aim: <\/strong>To promote innovation, R&amp;D and skill\ndevelopment along with improving the company&#8217;s operational efficiency and\nutilize resources at optimum level.<\/li><li>It will also help and enable the\ncompany in integration of Innovation and Research for enhancing coal\nproduction, productivity and safety in mines.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/newsonair.com\/News?title=National-conference-on-e-governance-2020-concludes-in-Mumbai&amp;id=381069\"><strong>National\ne-Governance Awards 2020<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong> During the National Conference on e-Governance 2020, the National e-Governance Awards 2020 were presented at the valedictory session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About\nthe awards:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The awards are presented by the\nDepartment of Administrative reforms &amp; Public Grievances(DARPG) every year\nduring the National conference on e-Governance.<\/li><li><strong>Aim:<\/strong>Torecognize\nand promote Excellence in implementation of e-Governance initiatives.<\/li><li>The Award recognizes some of the\nbest Government to Government (G to G), Government to Citizen (G to C),\nGovernment to Business (G to B) initiatives taken by government departments.<\/li><li>It also recognizes initiatives in\nStart-ups, Academic Research Institutions as well as initiatives in adopting\nemerging technologies.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/idlib-syrian-war-6255780\/\"><strong>Explained: Idlib Province<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong>Idlib is the last stronghold of the rebels and jihadist groups in Syria\nthat has been witnessed eight years of bloody fighting with the Syrian\ngovernment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About\nIdlib:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Idlib province is one of the\nfourteen provinces of Syria.It is situated in north-western Syria bordering\nTurkey.<\/li><li>Idlib city, the province\u2019s capital\nlies near the road linking city Aleppo to the capital Damascus,Syria.<\/li><li>The province has been hit by\nseveral suspected chemical attacks during the ongoing Syrian civil war.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"664\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogadmin.forumias.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Picture2-24.png?resize=750%2C664&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-54739\"\/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Arsenic-resistant rice cultivated in West Bengal News:Researchers in West Bengal have developed and commercialised a rice variety named \u201cMuktoshri\u201d that is resistant to arsenic. Facts: About the rice variety: It is also called IET 21845. It has been developed jointly by the Rice Research Station, West Bengal Agriculture Department and the National Botanical Research Institute,&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/9-pm-current-affairs-brief-february-9th-2020\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">9 PM Current Affairs Brief \u2013 February 9th, 2020<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":48116,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54735","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-9-pm-brief","category-public","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/9-PM-Brief.png?fit=1000%2C500&ssl=1","views":{"total":0,"cached_at":"","cached_date":1704953352},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54735","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/61"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54735"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54735\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54735"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54735"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54735"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}