TPS 18 DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS Date:

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1 TPS 18 DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS Date: Environment Organizations engaged in Wildlife Crime Prevention Wildlife Crime Control Bureau Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Statute of the South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) TRAFFIC Operation Thunderbird Operation Save Kurma Jackfruit of Tumakuru Geography Aravalli Cyclones- Categorization Social Sector Arogya Governance National Crisis Management Committee International Relation International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) Yemen Houthi Rebels Locating Yemen ENVIRONMENT 1.1. ORGANIZATIONS ENGAGED IN WILDLIFE CRIME PREVENTION Wildlife Crime Control Bureau was awarded with the Certificate of Commendation for its exemplary enforcement action in its regional and global effort to combat illegal wildlife trade. The award was given by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Lets explore various organizations involved in Wildlife Crime Prevention and was in news in the last two years WILDLIFE CRIME CONTROL BUREAU It is a statutory multi-disciplinary body established by the Government of India under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, to combat organized wildlife crime in the country. The Bureau was constituted by amendment to the Wild Life (Protection) Act, It will have officials from forests, police, customs and other similar agencies. NEO IAS , , Page 1

2 The Bureau has it s headquarter in New Delhi and five regional offices at Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and Jabalpur. It performs Coordination, Intelligence gathering, public education and awareness on Wildlife crime and trafficking. It is not intended to perform the normal and routine functions falling within the domain of the States / Union Territories, as crime including the implementation of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, is mandate of the State Governments CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES) CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention) is an international agreement between governments aiming to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. It was drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is a legally binding treaty where different species are categorized into groups called Appendices. o Appendix I: Includes species threatened with extinction, trade only in exceptional situation; o Appendix II: Includes species not necessarily threatened with extinction, trade strictly regulated; o Appendix III: includes species that are protected in at least one country, which has asked other CITES Parties for assistance in controlling the trade STATUTE OF THE SOUTH ASIA WILDLIFE ENFORCEMENT NETWORK (SAWEN) SAWEN is a regional network is comprised of eight countries in South Asia to combat wildlife crime. Members of SAWEN are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. What kind of Questions to expect Headquarters is in Kathmandu, Nepal. Prelims TRAFFIC It is a wildlife trade monitoring network and it is the leading nongovernmental organization working globally on trade in wild animals and plants in the context of both biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. TRAFFIC is governed by the TRAFFIC Committee, a steering group composed of members of TRAFFIC's partner organizations, WWF and IUCN OPERATION THUNDERBIRD Consider the following statements in respect of Trade Related Analysis of Fauna and Flora in Commerce (TRAFFIC): 1. TRAFFIC is a bureau under United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). 2. The mission of TRAFFIC is to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature. Which of the above statements is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Operation Thunderbird is the code name for INTERPOL's multi-national and multispecies enforcement operation. NEO IAS , , Page 2

3 OPERATION SAVE KURMA It was a species specific wildlife enforcement Operation, codenamed Operation Save Kurma, conducted and coordinated by WCCB. Approximately 16, 000 live turtles/tortoises were seized and released back into the wild as part of the program JACKFRUIT OF TUMAKURU Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a farmer at Tumakruru in Karnataka to multiply a unique variety of jackfruit tree through grafting. More about the plant Planted 35 years ago, it produces a unique variety of jackfruit, with deep, coppery red flakes that are not only tasty but also have high nutritive value. the biggest advantage of this variety is that it yields very small fruits with an average weight of 2.5 kg, as against the kg of normal varieties By cultivating this variety, farmer could set earn Rs. 10 lakh from this tree in one year. Scientists nominated the farmer, Paramesha, as the custodian of genetic diversity for this particular variety, and named it Siddu after his father. The bio-chemical analysis has revealed that it has high lycopin content of 2 mg per 100 gm of pulp, as against 0.2 mg in normal varieties. (Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant found in fruits and vegetables that can protect and repair the body from damage caused by a multiple diseases) 2. GEOGRAPHY 2.1. ARAVALLI Aravallis are to be delineated in the entire NCR, as per the earlier decisions of the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB). Know more about Aravallis The Aravalli range are the oldest fold mountains in India Aravalli range is a hill system of northern India, running northeasterly for 350 miles (560 km) across the Indian states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Haryana, ending in Delhi. The range joins two of the ancient segments that make up the Indian craton, the Marwar segment to the northwest of the range, and the Bundelkhand segment to the southeast. The famous Delhi Ridge is the last leg of the Aravalli Range, ending in Raisina Hills. Formation of Aravalli can be traced back to a pre- Indian sub-continental collision with the mainland Eurasian Plate. The Aravallis plays a crucial role in arresting the eastward march of the Indian desert, and act as a water divide between the Indus and the Ganga basins. NEO IAS , , Page 3

4 Numerous rivers rise amidst the ranges including Chambal, Banas, the Luni, Sahibi, the Sakhi, and the Sabarmati River. Mount Abu, the highest peak in the Aravalli Range (1,722 metres) What kind of Questions to expect: (2017 Prelims) Consider the following statements: 1. In India, the Himalayas are spread over five States only. 2. Western Ghats are spread over five States only. 3. Pulicat Lake is spread over two States only. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3 only 2.2. CYCLONES- CATEGORIZATION Cyclone Ockhi was described as a very severe cyclonic storm, the third strongest category according to the definitions used by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). On Saturday, at its most powerful, Ockhi had wind speeds between 155 and 165 km per hour, touching the upper border for very severe cyclonic storm. Different Categories of tropical Cyclone Cyclones are categorised by the maximum wind speed they generate. As per the criteria adopted by the World Meteorological Organisation (W.M.O.), India Meteorological Department classifies the low pressure systems in the Bay of Bengal and in the Arabian Sea into 7 classes. Class Intensity Speed Conditions of Sea No: 1 Depression kmph Morderate to rough 2 Deep Depression kmph Very Rough 3 Cyclonic Storm kmph High 4 Severe Cyclonic kmph Very High Storm 5 Very Severe Cyclonic Storm kmph Phenomenal 6 Extremely Severe kmph Phenomenal Cyclonic Storm 7 Super Cyclone Above 222 Kmph Phenomenal, Cyclone in Odisha in 1999 is categorized as Super Cyclone. To name a depression as a cyclone it require 62 Kmph at least. And to name a cyclone as super cyclone it need 222 kmph at least. (Please refer to earlier Current Affairs Material for more aspects on tropical cyclones.) NEO IAS , , Page 4

5 3. SOCIAL SECTOR 3.1. AROGYA 2017 Arogya 2017 was inaugurated by the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Suresh Prabhu and Minister of State for AYUSH, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik in New Delhi today. More about Arogya The First Ever International Conference on AYUSH and Wellness. Arogya 2017 has been jointly organized by Ministry of AYUSH and Ministry of Commerce and Industry including Pharmexcil in partnership with FICCI to showcase the strength and scientific valuation of traditional system of medicine. 4. GOVERNANCE 4.1. NATIONAL CRISIS MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) convened a meeting to review the relief and rescue operations in States and Union Territories affected by the ongoing cyclone Ockhi More about NCMC NCMC is constituted for effective coordination and implementation of response and relief measures in the wake of disasters. It is composed of secretary level bureaucrats only. The Ministry of Home Affairs will provide necessary secretariat assistance. It is chaired by Cabinet Secretary and Joint Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat is the convener. 5. INTERNATIONAL RELATION 5.1. INTERNATIONAL NORTH SOUTH TRANSPORT CORRIDOR (INSTC) With the opening of Chabahar Port in Iran, policymaker try to integrate the port with its larger connectivity project the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) to increase India s trade potential with Central Asia and Europe. More about INSTC The INSTC, initiated in 2000 by Russia, India and Iran, is a multi-modal transportation route linking the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea via Iran, and onward to northern Europe via St Petersburg in Russia. The INSTC envisages the movement of goods through following route: o from Mumbai, India to Iran (Sea route) o from Bandar Abbas/Chabahar (Iranian Ports) to Bandar-e-Anzali, an Iranian port on the Caspian Sea(by road) o from Bandar-e-Anzali to Astrakhan, a Caspian port in the Russian Federation(by ship across the Caspian Sea) NEO IAS , , Page 5

6 o thereafter into the Russian Federation and further into Europe (by Russian Railways.) It is expected that cargo by this route would reach Russia in about days as against the present route through Suez which takes about days. India along with 12 other members are parties in the agreement of INSTC. India, Russia and Iran are the founding members of the project. Other members are Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Belarus, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Oman, Ukraine, Bulgaria YEMEN Yemen s veteran former President Ali Abdullah Saleh was killed in a roadside attack on Monday after switching sides in Yemen s on going civil war. For prelims perspective and with regard to civil war in Yemen, you need to know the location of Yemen in the map and be aware of Houthi rebels HOUTHI REBELS Houthi group is a major rebel group in the Yemen Civil War and fight against the regime. They are members of an Islamic religious-political movement that emerged from northern Yemen in the 1990s. It is a predominantly Shia-led movement. The Houthis group is considered as a terrorist organization by the governments of Saudi Arabia NEO IAS , , Page 6

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