GS PAPER II NEWS
National Energy Conservation Day
Why in News
- ‘National Energy Conservation Day’ is celebrated all over India on 14th December every year.
Key point
- National Energy Conservation Day is organized by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), which is under the Ministry of Power. It aims to showcase India’s achievements in energy efficiency and conservation.
- The Energy Conservation Act 2001 in India was enacted by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).
- The Bureau of Energy Efficiency is a statutory body that comes under the Government of India and helps in the development of policies and strategies to reduce energy use.
- The day is celebrated to raise awareness among people about the importance of energy conservation and energy efficiency as well as holistic efforts required for holistic development for climate change mitigation.
How is National Energy Conservation Day celebrated?
- In order to make the national energy conservation campaign more effective and special all over India, many energy conservation competitions are organized by the government and other organizations among the people.
- Various painting competitions are organized at school, state, regional or national level on Energy Conservation Day by students or members of organizations at many places.
- Students participating and winning the competition are honored by the Ministry of Power in the program of National Energy Conservation Day on 14th December.
What is Energy Conservation?
- Energy conservation is said to avoid unnecessary use of energy and use the least amount of energy. Its purpose is to save energy for future use.
- This day emphasizes on every individual to incorporate energy conservation in their practice.
- Bureau of Energy Efficiency has said that any person can save energy by taking small steps at home or office by eliminating unnecessary use of lights, fans, ACs or any other electrical appliance.
Objective
- National Energy Conservation Day is organized in India to create awareness among the public about the importance of saving and conserving energy. At the same time, it is also told how people can use energy for its better use in the future.
- In addition, information is given to explain the true meaning of conservation of energy and reduce the wastage of energy. Its main objective is to reduce energy consumption and encourage people to use it efficiently.
GS PAPER II
Chardham Project
Why in News
-
- The Supreme Court on December 14, 2021 allowed double lane widening of roads for the Char Dham project in view of security concerns.
Key point
-
- A bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud has constituted an inspection committee headed by former Justice AK Sikri to report directly on the project.
- After getting this permission, India’s access to China will become easier under the Chardham project and the Indian Army will be able to reach the borders with China in any weather. The court, while hearing the matter, said that the Ministry of Defense has no ill-will in increasing the width of the road for the construction of the highway.
- The Defense Ministry said that with the construction of this road, it will be easier for the Indian army to reach the border with tanks and weapons and will increase connectivity in mountainous areas.
- An NGO had challenged to make the road double lane up to 10 meters wide. The Supreme Court upheld the government’s notification on the basis of the country’s defense needs, but in view of environmental concerns, a committee was formed which would report directly to the SC. The committee will report to the Supreme Court on the progress of the project every 4 months.
Objective
-
- The objective of the Central Government’s Chardham project is to provide all-weather connectivity to Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath.
- The cost of this 900 km long project is estimated at Rs 12 thousand crore.
- The Central Government, during the hearing of its petition, told the court that these are feeder roads for the border roads leading to the India-China Line of Actual Control.
- Supreme Court allows widening of all-weather road with shoulder to 10 meters in Chardham Road project in Uttarakhand.
- The court has ordered the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Road Transport, Government of Uttarakhand and all the District Magistrates to give full cooperation to the monitoring committee.
- The Supreme Court said that in recent times there have been serious challenges to the security at the borders.
- This court cannot second guess the infrastructural requirements of the armed forces.
Background
-
- The central government wants to increase the width of the roads to 10 meters under the project. For this, a petition was filed in the Supreme Court on behalf of the Central Government.
- The All Weather Chardham Project will connect Rishikesh with Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath.
- There was a case in the Supreme Court regarding the width of the road on one of these parts, due to which it was not able to move forward.
GS PAPER III
United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
Why in News
-
- India has voted against the resolution presented in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on 13 December 2021 in connection with environmental reforms.
Key point
-
- Shortly thereafter, Russia vetoed this proposal, making it ineffective. In this resolution, the changing environment was described as a threat to peace and security in the world.
- There were things against the interests of developing countries in this resolution. India said that this resolution is against the very difficult consensus reached at the Glasgow Summit.
- India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations TS Tirumurti said that India had no option but to vote against the resolution.
- There should be no doubt about India’s commitment to combat climate change and will always support genuine action and serious climate justice to combat climate change.
- This resolution has been jointly presented by Niger and Ireland in the United Nations. The resolution calls on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to make climate-related security risks a core component of a “comprehensive anti-controversy strategy”.
Threat to international peace and security
-
- Russia used a veto against this first of its kind UN Security Council resolution deeming climate change a threat to international peace and security.
- The resolution, led by Ireland and Niger, called for the inclusion of information on the security impacts of climate change, so that the Council could give adequate attention to the root causes of conflict or risk factors.
- India’s side
- India has said that in the environmental conference held in Glasgow, it was said to keep in mind the interests of developing countries.
- India demanded the immediate release of one trillion dollars (about Rs 7,50,000 crore) in aid to developing countries as per the Paris Agreement.
- This money is to be given to all developed countries including America for environmental improvement measures.
GS PAPER III
Ramanujan Award
Why in News
-
- Professor Neena Gupta of the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, has been awarded the Ramanujam Prize for Young Mathematician, one of the most prestigious mathematics awards.
Key point
-
- Professor Neena Gupta is the third woman to receive the Ramanujan Award.
- According to the Ministry of Science and Technology, she is the third woman in the world to win the Ramanujam Prize.
- Neena Gupta’s name has been recorded in history as she is the fourth Indian and third woman in the world to receive this award.
- Professor Neena Gupta is a mathematician at the Indian Statistical Institute in Kolkata. He has been awarded for his outstanding work in ‘Affine Algebraic Geometry’ and ‘Commutative Algebra’.
- Neena Gupta: Award-Honor
- Neena Gupta was also awarded the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology in the year 2019.
- He was awarded the Young Scientist Award by the National Academy of Sciences in the year 2014 for solving the Zariski cancellation problem in the field of Algebraic Geometro.
Ramanujan Award
-
- This award is given every year to young mathematicians in developing countries who are below 45 years of age. This award is given in the memory of Srinivasa Ramanujan.
- It is also called International Center for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) Ramanujan Prize.
- The award is presented by the International Center for Theoretical Physics, located in Italy.
- Funds for this are provided through Albel Fund. Ramanujan Award is given annually since the year 2005.
- international mathematical union
- It is an international non-governmental organization. It is a member of the International Congress of Mathematicians.
- The main objective of this association is to promote international cooperation in mathematics and other international scientific meetings and conferences.
Srinivasa Ramanujan
-
- Ramanujan was born on December 22, 1887 in the village of Erode. Srinivasa Ramanujan was an Indian mathematician.
- He has made significant contributions to number theory, mathematical analysis, infinite series and continued fractions.
- His works were recognized by Hardy, an English mathematician. In 1913, Hardy invited Ramanujan to the University of Cambridge.
- However, in 1919, hepatic amoebiasis forced Ramanujan to return to India.
- Later, he suffered from tuberculosis. After returning to India, he died on 26 April 1920 at the age of 32 due to prolonged illness.
GS PAPER III
Assisted torpedo system
-
Why in News
- The Supersonic Missile Assisted Torpedo System developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) was successfully launched on 13 December 2021 from Wheeler Island in Odisha.
Key point
-
- This system is the next generation missile based standoff torpedo delivery system. The full range capability of the missile was successfully demonstrated during the mission.
- The system is designed to enhance the anti-submarine warfare capability beyond the conventional range of torpedoes.
- In this planned launch, the entire route was monitored by an electro-optic telemetry system, various ranges of radars.
- These include down range equipment and down range ships. The missile has a torpedo parachute delivery system and release mechanism.
- This missile system is of advanced technology, i.e., it has two-stage solid propulsion electro mechanical actuators and precision inertial navigation.
- The missile was launched from a ground mobile launcher and can cover a long distance.
- Various laboratories of DODO developed various technologies for this advanced missile. Industry also participated in the development and production of various sub-systems.