Daily Current Affairs MCQ- June 6, 2022 - UPSC MCQ

Involving the community has helped devise strategies to break psychological barriers in the battle against Tuberculosis (TB) in Assam and three other States, an initiative by a Karnataka-based trust has revealed.

Symptoms of TB:

• Persistent cough that lasts more than 3 weeks and usually brings up phlegm, which may be bloody,
• Weight loss,
• Night sweats,
• High temperature,
• Tiredness and fatigue,
• Loss of appetite,
• Swellings in the neck.

Hence, option (d) is the correct answer.

Baggage tags equipped with radio-frequency identification (RFID) will soon be available at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, marking a first of its kind for the country.

• Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is a technology that uses radio waves to automatically identify various tagged objects. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a wireless tracking method that uses tags and readers to track objects.
• Transponder, receiver, and transmitter are the three components of an RFID system.
• The RFID reader continually sends radio waves of a specific frequency in RFID system. If the object to which the RFID tag is attached is within the range of the radio waves, it provides feedback to the RFID reader, which then identifies the object based on the feedback.

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology Vs barcodes

• RFID uses radio waves to communicate data from RFID chips to readers that do not require line of sight in order to obtain the data, whereas barcodes use light to read the black-and-white pattern printed on the sticky tag. An RFID tag can communicate with a powered reader even when the tag is not powered.
• When printed on paper or sticky labels, barcodes are more susceptible to wear and breakage, which can affect their readability. RFID tags, on the other hand, are sometimes placed in plastic labels or into the object itself, making them more durable than barcodes.
• In contrast to barcode scanners, RFID scanners can process dozens of tags in a single second. Also, barcodes are simple and easy to copy or counterfeit, whereas RFID is more complicated and difficult to replicate or counterfeit.
• Unlike barcodes, which must in line of sight, RFID tags need not be.
• Also, RFID tags are expensive compared to barcodes.

Hence both statements are correct.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and India’s public service broadcaster Prasar Bharati are exploring the feasibility of a technology that allows to broadcast video and other forms of multimedia content directly to mobile phones, without needing an active internet connection.

• The technology, called ‘direct-to-mobile’ (D2M) broadcasting, promises to improve consumption of broadband and utilisation of spectrum. The technology is based on the convergence of broadband and broadcast, using which mobile phones can receive terrestrial digital TV.
• It would be similar to how people listen to FM radio on their phones, where a receiver within the phone can tap into radio frequencies. Using D2M, multimedia content can also be beamed to phones directly.
• It can possibly be used to directly broadcast content related to citizen-centric information and can be further used to counter fake news, issue emergency alerts and offer assistance in disaster management, among other things.
• More so, the content should stream without any buffering whatsoever while not consuming any internet data.

Hence both statements are correct.

Ministry of Tourism, in partnership with United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and Responsible Tourism Society of India (RTSOI) organized National Summit on Developing Sustainable & Responsible Tourist Destinations in New Delhi.

• On the occasion, the Ministry of Tourism launched the National Strategy for Sustainable Tourism and Responsible Traveller Campaign.
• The Strategy document has identified the strategic pillars for development of sustainable tourism like Promoting Environmental Sustainability, Protecting Biodiversity, Promoting Economic Sustainability, Promoting Socio-Cultural Sustainability, Scheme for Certification of Sustainable Tourism, IEC and Capacity Building and Governance.

Hence both statements are correct.

Gujarat villagers (of Ganasar village) turn farm into artificial wetland to save Saras crane eggs.

• The sarus crane (Antigone antigone) is a large non-migratory crane.
• It is found in open wetlands in South Asia, seasonally flooded Dipterocarpus forests in Southeast Asia, and Eucalyptus-dominated woodlands and grasslands in Australia.
• The Sarus crane is the tallest flying bird in the world standing 152-156 cm tall with a wingspan of 240cm. The sarus crane is easily distinguished from other cranes in the region by its overall grey colour and the contrasting red head and upper neck.
• The main threat to the Sarus crane in India is habitat loss and degradation due to draining the wetland and conversion of land for agriculture.
• Status: Listed in Schedule IV of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 of India and as Vulnerable on IUCN Red List.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Among the evidence relied upon by a special court in Mumbai while giving the death sentence to a 44-year-old man for the rape and murder of a woman in the Saki Naka area of the city, is a “gait analysis” report.

• Gait is defined as a manner of walking or moving on foot. Gait analysis is a technique in podiatry medical care and the treatment of the foot, which is used to evaluate and diagnose conditions that affect walking and posture.
• The analysis can help experts zero in on the source of an injury or pain that determines the way in which an individual stands or walks. It can also be used by physiotherapists for treatment, and in athletics training so that athletes can perform better and in greater comfort.
• Gait analysis techniques have now been borrowed by forensic sciences experts to identify suspects in criminal cases. With footage from CCTV cameras becoming a crucial element in fighting and preventing a range of crimes especially in the cities, gait analysis has begun to be used as a tool for focusing on or eliminating individuals from a list of suspects.

Hence both statements are correct.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend a programme on ‘Save Soil Movement’ in New Delhi on the occasion of World Environment Day.

• Save Soil Movement is a global movement to increase awareness about deteriorating soil health and bring about a conscious response to improve soil.
• The movement was started by Sadhguru in March this year, who embarked on a 100-day motorcycle journey passing through 27 countries.
• The Save Soil movement strives to rally the environmentally-conscious around soil conservation, advocating the power of individual actions for policy change and public engagement.
• Prime Minister’s participation in the programme will be reflective of the shared concerns and commitment towards improving the health of soil in the country.

Hence both statements are correct.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch a global initiative ‘Lifestyle for the Environment (LiFE) Movement, on the occasion of World Environment Day.

• The launch will initiate ‘LiFE Global Call for Papers’ inviting ideas and suggestions from academics, universities & research institutions etc to influence and persuade individuals, communities and organisations across the world to adopt an environment conscious lifestyle.
• The idea of LiFE was introduced by the Prime Minister during the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties COP-26 in Glasgow last year.
• The idea promotes an environment-conscious lifestyle that focuses on mindful and deliberate utilisation instead of mindless and destructive consumption.

Hence both statements are correct.

• Recently, researchers have identified a new colorful species of leopard geckos named Eublepharis pictus, also known as the Painted Leopard Gecko.
  • Based on IUCN conservation prioritization criteria, the researchers suggested it to list as Near Threatened (NT). Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
• Eublepharis is a genus of terrestrial geckos native to eastern and southwestern Asia.
  • The new species appears to be common in the forests of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
  • It lives in dry evergreen forests mixed with scrub and meadows.

• Trincomalee harbour is on the northeastern coast of Sri Lanka. It is situated on a peninsula in Trincomalee Bay—formerly called Koddiyar Bay. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
  • Trincomalee is the nearest port to Chennai, India. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• The location of this port in Indian ocean has strategic significance, it has been of interest to several countries, including India, Japan and the US.
• Trincomalee already has several dedicated port terminals —it has Lanka Indian Oil Company facility, Tokyo Cement facility, and grain facility for a flour factory, and a tea terminal.
• This development will decongest and help in offloading operations at Colombo Port which will increase the supply chain.
• This would also entail the development of the port for non-containerised cargo traffic, such as cement, coal or other industrial raw material.