daily current affairs dated on 26-feb-2020feb 26, 2020 · 1. mekedatu dam project. 2. eac defers...

Daily Current Affairs Dated On 26-Feb-2020

I MEKEDATU DAM PROJECT:

Being set up by the Karnataka government, the project is near

Mekedatu, in Ramanagaram district, across the river Cauvery

from Tamil Nadu.

Its primary objective is to supply drinking water to Bengaluru and

recharge the groundwater table in the region.

Tamil Nadu’s Objection:

Tamil Nadu has moved the Supreme Court. Its main argument is

that the project violates the final award of the Cauvery River

Water Tribunal, and that the “construction of the two reservoirs

would result in impounding of the flows in the intermediate

catchment below the Krishnaraja Sagar and Kabini reservoirs,

and Billigundulu in the common border of Karnataka and Tamil

Nadu”.

Today’s Important Topic’s For UPSC Preparation

1. MEKEDATU DAM PROJECT.

2. EAC DEFERS NOD FOR PARLIAMENT

REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT.

3. INDIA AND US TO UPGRADE TIES.

4. HAPPINESS CLASS JOINED BY MELANIA TRUMP.

5. SEBI APPROVAL FOR MAURITIUS FPI’STO CONTINUE

IN INDIA.

6. GRANS SLAM.

7. BLUE DOT NETWORK.

8. NASA MATHEMATICIAN KATHERINE JOHNSON

PASSED AWAY

9. WORLD AIR QUALITY REPORT


Karnataka says, the project will not come in the way of releasing

the stipulated quantum of water to Tamil Nadu, nor will it be used

for irrigation purposes.

Why in News?

Karnataka’s bid to seek approval for the Mekedatu dam project,

at the fifth Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA)

meeting in New Delhi.

Because of the objection by tamilnadu the CWMA dropped the

discussion on Karnataka’s application.

ABOUT CWC:

Presently functioning as an attached office of the Ministry of

Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation,

Government of India.

Entrusted with the general responsibilities of initiating,

coordinating and furthering in consultation of the State

Governments concerned.

Entrusted with the schemes for control, conservation and

utilization of water resources throughout the country, for purpose

of Flood Control, Irrigation, Navigation, Drinking Water Supply

and Water Power Development.

ABOUT CAUVERY RIVER FOR PRELIMS:

River rises on Brahmagiri Hill of the Western Ghats in south-

western Karnataka state.

It flows in a south-easterly direction for 475 miles through the

states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Before emptying into the

Bay of Bengal south of Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, the river

breaks into a large number of distributaries.

Upon entering Tamil Nadu, the Kaveri continues through a

series of twisted wild gorges until it reaches Hogenakal Falls.

There the Mettur Dam was constructed for irrigation and hydel

power.


The Cauvery’s main tributaries are the Kabani (Kabini),

Amaravati, Noyil, and Bhavani rivers.

II EAC DEFERS NOD FOR PARLIAMENT

REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT:

About EAC:

Expert appraisal committees (EAC) exist at the Union as well as

state levels (state expert appraisal committee or SEAC) to advise

the government on environmental clearance of development

projects.

According to the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA)

Notification, 2006, evaluation of proposals involves four steps:

screening

scoping


public hearing

appraisal

Ministry of Environment , Forests and Climate Change(moEFcc)

appoints chairpersons and members of expert appraisal

committee(EAC).

Why in News?

The petitioner in the Delhi High Court has pleaded that no

environment clearance be given for the Parliament

Redevelopment Project.

petitioner also prayed that no permission be granted to cut trees

for the expansion and renovation of the Parliament building,

which is part of the Central Vista Redevelopment project.

The EAC has delayed the decision on clearance to Parliament

Redevelopment Project.


III INDIA AND US TO UPGRADE TIES:

India and the U.S. on Tuesday resolved to upgrade their bilateral

relationship to a Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership

that will include issues such as defence, security cooperation and

revitalization of the Indo-Pacific quadrilateral dialogue.

They called for concerted action against all terrorist groups

including Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Taiba,

Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, the Haqqani Network, TTP, D Company, and

all their affiliates.

Both sides also took note of the efforts of the ASEAN region to

create a code of conduct in the South China Sea region.

Mr. Trump also said the U.S. and India were working to revitalise

the quadrilateral initiative consisting of Japan, the U.S., India and

Australia.

Trump also said that US is working with Pakistan to defeat

terrorism.

He said the Indo-Pacific region should be free and open for

navigation and the 5G technology should be used for spread of

freedom and not for suppression of people.


IV HAPPINESS CLASS JOINED BY MELANIA TRUMP :

About Happiness Curriculum:

Happiness Curriculum was launched in 2018 as a scheme to

reinvent school education sector in Delhi Government Schools.

Happiness Curriculum was launched which aims at promoting

development of cognition, language, literacy, numeracy and the

arts.

This in turn aids the mental growth well-being and happiness of

students.

The objectives of the happiness curriculum include developing

self-awareness and mindfulness, inculcating skills of critical

thinking and inquiry, enabling learners to communicate effectively

and helping learners to apply life skills to deal with stressful and

conflicting situations around them. The curriculum is designed for students of classes nursery

through the eighth standard.

Why in News?

The First Lady of the U.S., Melania Trump, on Tuesday

participated in a “happiness class” at a Delhi government school

and said she found it “very inspiring”.


v SEBI APPROVAL FOR MARITIUS FPI’S TO CONTINUE IN INDIA:

SEBI is a statutory regulatory body established on the 12th of

April, 1992.

It monitors and regulates the Indian capital and securities market

while ensuring to protect the interests of the investors formulating

regulations and guidelines to be adhered to.

The head office of SEBI is in Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai.

Foreign portfolio investment (FPI) consists of securities and other

financial assets held by investors in another country.

FPI holdings can include stocks, ADRs, bonds, mutual funds, and

exchange traded funds.

Along with foreign direct investment (FDI), FPI is one of the

common ways for investors to participate in an overseas

economy, especially retail investors.

Unlike FDI, FPI consists of passive ownership; investors have no

control over ventures or direct ownership of property or a stake in

a company.

Why in News?

Foreign portfolio investors (FPI) from Mauritius will continue to be

eligible for FPI registration with increased monitoring as per

Financial Action Task Force (FATF) norms, said by market

regulator sebi.

FATF is an inter-governmental policy-making body setting anti-

money laundering standards.

The market regulator said there has been uneasiness among

market participants regarding whether the inclusion of Mauritius

in the ‘grey list’ would have an effect on the registration of FPIs

from Mauritius.

Grey List : Jurisdictions under increased monitoring commonly

referred to as Grey List.


VI Grand Slam(TENNIS):

Australian Open

French Open(Roland-Garros)

Wimbledon

US Open

are counted among the most prestigious tournaments in the

world of tennis.

The oldest of these is the Grand Slam 'Wimbledon’, followed by

the US Open in 1881, the French Open in 1891 and the

Australian Open in 1905.

Australian Open and US Open, both are played on hard courts.

French Open played at Clay Court.

Wimbledon played at Grass Court.

If a singles player or doubles team in the same year in the

four Grand Slam tournament wins is that it is said that he " Grand

Slam" is achieved.

Why in News?

Mary Pierce Expressing happiness about being part of the

promotion for clay court tennis, and Roland Garros, “the Mecca

of clay court tennis.

She interacted with the Indian Junior Players and shared about

her experience of Grand Slam.


VII BLUE DOT NETWORK:

Led by the US’s International Development Finance

Corporation (DFC), the Blue Dot network was jointly launched

by the US, Japan (Japanese Bank for International

Cooperation) and Australia (Department of Foreign Affairs and

Trade) in November 2019 on the sidelines of the

35th ASEAN Summit in Thailand.

It is meant to be a multi-stakeholder initiative that aims to

bring governments, the private sector and civil society together

to promote “high quality, trusted standards for global

infrastructure development”.

The network is like a “Michelin Guide” for infrastructure

projects.

The projects that are approved will get a “Blue Dot”, thereby

setting universal standards of excellence, which will attract

private capital to projects in developing and emerging

economies.

Why in News?

With US President Donald Trump on his maiden visit to

India, the two countries have discussed the Blue Dot

Network, a proposal that will certify infrastructure and

development projects.

https://indianexpress.com/article/what-is/what-is-asean-5028044/


VIII NASA MATHEMATICIAN KATHERINE JOHNSON PASSED

AWAY :

Katherine Johnson, the NASA mathematician whose work

was fundamental in enabling Apollo 11 to land on the moon

in 1969, died aged 101 on February 24.

Johnson joined the National Advisory Committee for

Aeronautics’ (NACA, which would become NASA in 1958) in

1953.

IX World AIR QUALITY REPORT:

India accounts for two-thirds of the world’s most polluted cities —

21 of the most polluted 30 cities; 14 of the highest 20; and 6 of

the highest 10 — in the 2019 World Air Quality Report released

by the pollution tracker IQAir and Greenpeace on Tuesday.

The ranking is based on a comparison of PM2.5 levels.

Among countries, when population is taken into account, average

PM2.5 pollution is highest in Bangladesh, followed by Pakistan,

while India is at number 5.

What is PM2.5?

Refers to particulate matter(Ambient Air Bond Particles

which measures upto 2.5 microns in size).

https://indianexpress.com/article/world/katherine-johnson-nasa-mathematician-dies-6285136/


Due to its small size PM2.5 is able to penetrate deep into

human respiratory system and from there entire body

causing health effects.

Common sources of PM include combustion

[A. From Vehicle Engines

B. Industry

C. Wood

D. Cold Burning]


WORD OF THE DAY

Pandemic:

A pandemic is the worldwide spread of a new disease.

An influenza pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus

emerges and spreads around the world, and most people do not

have immunity.

Current Affairs Quiz

1. US Open is played on

a) Grass

b) Clay

c) Hard Court

d) Wood

2. The title achieved by winning of all four Major tournaments in a

single calendar year is called

a) Winner

b) All Slams

c) Golden Slam

d) Grand Slam

3. Who is the current chairman of the SEBI?

a) U.K. Sinha

b) Ajay Tyagi

c) T.S.Vijayan

d) A. K.Mathur

4. Amnesty International is a) an agency of the United Nations to help refugees of civil wars b) a global Human Rights Movement c) a non-governmental organization to help people voluntary


very poor people d) an inter-governmental agency to cater to medical emergencies in war-ravaged regions. 5. Consider the following States 1. Arunachal Pradesh 2. Himachal Pradesh 3. Mizoram In which of the above States do 'Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests' occur?

a) 1 only b) 2 and 3 only c) 1 and 3 only d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answers:

1. C

2. D

3. B

4. B

5. C

daily current affairs dated on 26-feb-2020feb 26, 2020 · 1. mekedatu dam project. 2. eac defers...

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