Daily Current Affairs MCQ- December 1, 2023 - UPSC MCQ

Sugarcane byproduct pressmud can help generate 460,000 tonnes of compressed biogas (CBG ) valued at Rs 2,484 crore.

• It is often known as filter cake or press cake,
• It is the agricultural waste obtained when cane juice is repeatedly filtered before being sent for extraction of sugar.
• The filters are cleaned periodically, and the waste is deposited into the yard of the mill.
• Nearly 3 to 4 per cent of press mud is obtained when per tonne of cane is crushed.
• At present, mills recycle this agriculture waste as manure by composting the same and supply it to the farmers in the area.
• Benefits
• It can be utilisied as a feedstock for biogas production through anaerobic digestion and subsequent purification to create compressed biogas (CBG). 
• It is very useful for agricultural crops and horticulture because of its richness in various micronutrients.
• It has been acknowledged as a valuable resource for green energy production.
• Issue with press mud: Storing pressmud proves challenging as it undergoes gradual decomposition, resulting in the breakdown of organic compounds. 

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, on the opening day of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) climate conference in Dubai, a loss and damage fund to help vulnerable countries cope with the impact of climate change has been officially launched.

• It was first announced during COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
• It is a global financial package to ensure the rescue and rehabilitation of countries facing the cascading effects of climate change.
• The term refers to the compensation that rich nations, whose industrial growth has resulted in global warming and driven the planet into a climate crisis, must pay to poor nations, whose carbon footprint is low but are facing the brunt of rising sea levels, floods, crippling droughts, and intense cyclones, among others.
• The changing climate has impacted lives, livelihoods, biodiversity, cultural traditions, and identities.
• Loss and damage is often categorised as either economic or non-economic.
• Economic loss and damage are negative impacts that one can assign a monetary value to. These are things such as the costs of rebuilding infrastructure that has been damaged due to a flood, or the loss of revenue from agricultural crops that were destroyed due to drought.
• Non-economic loss and damage are negative impacts where it is difficult or infeasible to assign a monetary value.
• These are things such as trauma from experiencing a tropical cyclone, loss of community due to displacement of people, or loss of biodiversity,”
• The World Bank will oversee the loss and damage fund in the beginning, with the source of funds being rich nations, such as the US, the UK and the EU, as well as some developing countries.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Indian Railways has introduced a cutting-edge technology named 'Gajraj' to prevent elephant accidents on railway tracks.

• It uses an AI-based algorithm and a network of sensitive optical fibre cables to detect elephants getting close to railway tracks.
• It aims to address the issue of elephant fatalities resulting from train accidents.
• Working
• Gajraj Suraksha senses pressure waves generated by the movement of elephants along the tracks.
• As elephants move, the optical fibres detect vibrations caused by their footsteps.
• These vibrations trigger signals within the optical fibre network, enabling the system to identify the presence of elephants up to 200 meters ahead of their arrival on the track.
• The OFC-based Intrusion Detection System works by sending alarms to station masters whenever movement is detected along the tracks.
• The network is designed in such a way that it can track the movement of the elephant with great accuracy and report it to nearby station masters.
• This allows them to promptly inform locomotive drivers in the affected areas.
• This quick communication ensures that trains can be slowed down or stopped, preventing potential collisions with elephants.
• Indian railway is planning to introduce this system in West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Assam, Kerala, certain parts of Chhattisgarh, and Tamil Nadu.

Hence both statements are correct.

World AIDS Day is observed every year on December 1.

What is HIV/AIDS?

• Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
• HIV attacks the body’s immune system, making a person more vulnerable to other infections and diseases.
• If HIV is not treated, it can lead to AIDS.
• Transmission:
• It is a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
• It can also be spread by contact with infected blood, and from illicit injection drug use, or sharing needles.
• It can also be spread from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. 
• Treatment:
• There is currently no effective cure. Once people get HIV, they have it for life.
• But with proper medical care, HIV can be controlled. People with HIV who get effective HIV treatment (called antiretroviral therapy, or ART) can live long, healthy lives and protect their partners.

Hence both statements are correct.

The Delhi High Court recently indicated it may stay an event proposed by the forest department inside the Asola Bhatti wildlife sanctuary. 

About Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary:

• Location:
• The sanctuary covers an area of 32.71 sq km on the Southern Delhi Ridge of the Aravalli hill range on the Delhi-Haryana border.
• It lies in Southern Delhi and the northern parts of Faridabad and Gurugram districts of Haryana state.
• It is also part of the Sariska-Delhi Wildlife Corridor, which runs from the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan to Delhi Ridge.
• Vegetation:
• As per Champion & Seth (1968), the vegetation falls under the Northern Tropical Thorn Forests type.
• The native plants exhibit xerophytic adaptations such as thorny appendages, wax-coated, succulent, and tomentose leaves. 
• Climate: It is mainly influenced by its remote inland position and prevalence of air of continental character, which is characterized by extreme summer heat alternating with great winter cold.
• Flora: Consists of Prosopis juliflora as the dominant exotic species and Diospyros montana as the dominant native species in the sanctuary.
• Fauna: Golden Jackals, Striped-Hyenas, Indian crested-Porcupines, Civets, Jungle Cats, Snakes, Monitor Lizards, Mongoose etc.

Key Facts about Aravalli Hills:

• It is one of the oldest fold mountains in the world and runs in a southwest direction, starting near Delhi, passing through southern Haryana and Rajasthan, and ending in Gujarat.
• The highest peak is Guru Shikharat, 1722 metres (5,650 ft).
• Three major rivers originate from the Aravali hills, namely Banas, Sahibi and Luni River (which flows into the Rann of Kutch). 

Hence option c is the correct answer.

Scientists have now confirmed the existence of a new species named Santjordia pagesi.

About Santjordia pagesi:

• Santjordia pagesi, also called St. George’s cross medusa jellyfish, is a newly discovered species of jellyfish.
• It is considered “rare” and has been found only in the Sumisu Caldera near the Ogasawara Islands, about 600 miles southeast of Tokyo, Japan.
• “Santjordia” refers to Saint George in Catalan, representing its cross-shaped stomach.
• Features:
• It is considered large at 4 inches wide and 3 inches tall.
• It boasts a circular body with around 240 tentacles.
• Its body looks almost like a see-through cushion. It has a thick white ring running along its lower edge. 
• Smaller vein-like structures stretch from its prominent central stomach to the outer ring. 
• Its most distinctive feature is a bright red, cross-shaped stomach.
• The jellyfish’s distinct features suggest it may possess a novel cnidarian venom.

What is a Jellyfish?

• A jellyfish is a type of marine animal belonging to the phylum Cnidaria, which includes creatures such as sea anemones, sea whips, and corals.
• Like all members of the phylum, the body parts of a jellyfish radiate from a central axis. 
• These are found in oceans around the world and come in various shapes and sizes.
• Jellyfish have a soft, transparent, and umbrella-shaped bell that can pulsate for movement. Hanging from the bell are tentacles.
• Jellyfish have tiny stinging cells in their tentacles to stun or paralyze their prey before they eat them.
• Inside their bell-shaped body is an opening that is its mouth. They eat and discard waste from this opening.

Hence option d is the correct answer.

Indian Navy Ship (INS) Kadmatt deployed to the North Pacific recently conducted Underway Replenishment (UNREP) with Japan's JS Towada.

About INS Kadmatt:

• It is an indigenous stealth anti-submarine warfare corvette.
• It is the second of four anti-submarine warfare corvettes built for the Indian Navy by the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers of Kolkata under Project 28.
• It was commissioned into the Indian Navy in January 2016.
• The ship was inducted into the Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy.
• It has been named after the Kadmat Island of India's Lakshadweep Islands.
• The primary role of the INS Kadmatt is in anti-submarine warfare – to protect ships in convoys and ports from enemy submarine attacks.
• Features:
• Length: 109 m (358 ft)
• Beam: 12.8 m (42 ft)
• Speed: 25 knots (46 km/h)
• Range: 3,450 mi (5,550 km) at 18 knots (33 km/h)
• Complement: 180 sailors and 13 officers
• The ship is fitted with state-of-the-art weapons, sensors, and machinery and is also designed to embark the Seaking anti-submarine helicopter.
• The ship also has on-board early warning, navigation, and fire control radars besides underwater sensors and integrated communication and electronic warfare systems.
• It produces low levels of radiated underwater noise, which reduces its chances of detection.
• It is equipped with anti-aircraft guns, torpedoes, and rocket launchers. 

Hence option b is the correct answer.

The next edition of Exercise MILAN is scheduled to be held in February 2024.

• It is a biennial multilateral naval exercise which began in 1995.
• It has since significantly expanded in scope and scale to become the largest exercise held by India.
• It was started with the participation of only four countries, viz Indonesia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand, in the 1995 edition, the exercise has since transitioned leaps and bounds in terms of number of participants and complexity of exercises.
• Originally conceived in consonance with India's 'Look East Policy, MILAN expanded in ensuing years with the Government of India's 'Act East Policy' and Security And Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) initiative to include participation from other Friendly Foreign Countries (FFCs).
• The mid-planning conference of Milan-24 was held in October this year. The last edition of Milan, which is held off Visakhapatnam, saw participation from over 40 countries.

Hence option d is the correct answer.

Recently, a Black Stork species rarely seen, has been spotted in the Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh.

• The black stork (Ciconia nigra ) is a large bird in the stork family Ciconiidae
• Habitat: It breeds in swampy coniferous and mixed forests.
• It can also be found in grasslands, agricultural fields, and on the margins of lakes and rivers during winter.
• It is a long-distance migrant, with European populations wintering in tropical Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asian populations in the Indian subcontinent.
• Distribution: It is mainly found in Europe, Asia and African countries.
• Conservation status
• IUCN: Least concern

Key facts about Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary

• It is located in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
• It lies alongside the northern tip of the River Ganga, flowing through the districts of Muzaffarnagar and Bijnor.
• Flora: It has a variety of landforms and is a mixture of different habitats such as wetlands, marshes, dry sand beds and gently sloping ravines.
• Fauna: Swamp Deer, Leopard, Wild Cats, Wild Otter, Pythons etc.
• It is a part of the "Asia Flyway" project, and many migratory Birds, both local and foreign, flock in numbers near the numerous water bodies present in the region.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, a pair of elusive wild dogs often referred to as Dholes, have made a rare appearance in Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Odisha’s Bargarh district.

• It is located between the Hirakud Dam (Mahanadi River) and the Reservoir in the state of Odisha.
• It was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1985.
• It finds a special mention because of noted freedom fighter Veer Surendra Sai. 
• During his rebellion against the British Veer Surendra Saimade his base at ‘Barapathara” located within the sanctuary.
• Fauna: The beautiful sanctuary is known for its easy sightings of animals particularly Indian Bison, Wild Boars and Sambhar etc.
• Flora: It has a dry deciduous forest that attracts a host of birds during the winters.

Hence option (d) is the correct answer.