Tiger Triumph
Why in news?
- HADR Exercise named ‘TIGER TRIUMPH’ is scheduled on the Eastern seaboard, Visakhapatnam from 13 to 21 November 2019.
About:
- ‘Tiger Triumph’ is the maiden India US joint Tri services Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise.
- The Exercise is aimed to developing interoperability for conducting HADR operations.
- Indian Naval ships Jalashwa, Airavat and Sandhayak, Indian Army troops from 19 Madras and 7 Guards, and Indian Air Force MI-17 helicopters and Rapid Action Medical Team (RAMT) would be participating in the exercise. The US would be represented by US Navy Ship Germantown with troops from US Third Marine Division.
Iran’s sole nuclear power plant
Why in news?
- Iran and Russia inaugurated a new phase of construction for a second reactor at Iran’s sole nuclear power plant in Bushehr on the Gulf coast. The reactor is one of two officially under construction since 2017 at the Bushehr site.
Important Facts
- The Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant is a nuclear power plant in Iran 17 kilometres southeast of the city of Bushehr, along the Persian Gulf.
- The plant was officially opened in a ceremony in 2011. It is the first civilian nuclear power plant built in the Middle East.
- In 2014 Iran and Russia signed an agreement to build two new nuclear reactors at the Bushehr site, with an option of six more at other sites later. Construction formally started in 2017.
- The landmark 2015 nuclear deal Iran signed with six major powers, including Russia, placed restrictions on the sort of nuclear reactor Tehran could develop and its production of nuclear fuel. However, the pact did not require Iran to halt its use of nuclear energy for power generation.
Progress on childhood pneumonia, diarrhoea falling short
Why in news?
- The 10th Pneumonia and Diarrhoea Progress Report was released by the International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Summary of the report
- This report analyses how effectively countries are delivering 10 key interventions, including breastfeeding, vaccination, access to care, use of antibiotics, ORS, and zinc supplementation.
- Globally, pneumonia and diarrhoea led to nearly one of every four deaths in children under five years of age in 2017.
- Health systems are falling short of ensuring the world’s most vulnerable children access to prevention and treatment services in the 23 countries that together account for 75% of global pneumonia and diarrhoea deaths in children under five.
- India accounts for a major portion of these deaths. Only half of the Indian children with diarrhoea receive ORS (oral rehydration solution) and 20% receive zinc supplementation — to help protect against, prevent and treat pneumonia and diarrhoea.
Bolivian President Evo Morales resigns amid turmoil
Why in news?
- The President of Bolivia, Evo Morales, has resigned amid turmoil following his disputed re-election last month. He has been in power for nearly 14 years. He left the post after losing the support of the army and the police.
News summary
- Bolivia is a landlocked country located in South America. It is bordered to the north and east by Brazil, to the southeast by Paraguay, to the south by Argentina, to the southwest by Chile, and to the northwest by Peru.
- Alongside Paraguay, it is one of the only two landlocked countries in the Americas.
- It is also the largest landlocked country in the Southern Hemisphere and the world’s seventh largest landlocked country, after Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Chad, Niger, Mali and Ethiopia.
- Its geography varies from the peaks of the Andes in the West, to the Eastern Lowlands, situated within the Amazon Basin. One-third of the country is within the Andean mountain range.
- The capital is Sucre, while the seat of government and financial center is located in La Paz.
Suranga Bawadi on World Monument Watch list
Why in news?
- A New York-based NGO has included Suranga Bawadi in the World Monument Watch list for 2020 along with 24 other monuments from across the world.
News summary
- Suranga Bawadi is an integral part of the ancient Karez system of supplying water through subterranean tunnels built during Adil Shahi era in Karnataka.
- The Adil Shahis built the Karez underground water system in the 16th century to supply water to Vijayapura in Karnataka.
- The monument has been selected under the “Ancient Water System of the Deccan Plateau” by the World Monuments Fund (A New York-based NGO), which monitors restoration of ancient monuments across the globe.
- With this, the Suranga Bawadi is expected to get funds for restoration within the next two years.
Karez System
- Karez is a water harnessing technology in which groundwater is brought to the surface by a tunnel.
- In this system, no mechanical pump or lift is used, Gravity alone brings the water from the underground source.
- The technology originated in Persia/Iran and was widely used during the medieval period.
India’s cancer care facilities highly inadequate
Why in news?
- The Department-related Standing Committee on Science headed by Jairam Ramesh has expressed serious concern over the rising number of cancer patients in the country. The report was presented to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu.
News summary
- The incidence, or the number of newly diagnosed cases of cancer annually, is about 16 lakh. The disease kills 8 lakh people annually. Among these are 140,000 fresh cases of breast cancer, 100,000 cervical cancer cases, and 45,000 cases of oral cancer among women.
- Among men, the top three cancers with the highest incidence are those in the oral cavity (1,38,000 cases), cancer of the pharynx (90,000) and those of the gastro-intestinal tract (2,00,000).
- Mortality to incidence ratio of 0.68 in India is higher than that in very high human development index (HDI) countries (0.38) and high HDI countries (0.57).
- The “systematic failure” to address the needs of patients contributes to a 20% higher mortality among Indian cancer patients than in countries with a “high” Human Development Index.
- The incidence of cancer is very high in all North Eastern States, as it is higher than the national average for several types of cancer.
Committee to draft new water policy
Why in news?
- The Union Water Resources Ministry has finalised a committee to draft a new National Water Policy (NWP).
News summary
- The committee has 10 principal members. It will be chaired by Mihir Shah, who is a former Planning Commission member and a water expert.
- The committee is expected to produce a report within six months.
National Water Policy (NWP), 2012
- The NWP currently in force was drafted in 2012.
- It introduced the concept of an Integrated Water Resources Management approach that took the “river basin/ sub-basin” as a unit for planning, development and management of water resources.
- It also proposed that a portion of river flows ought to be kept aside to meet ecological needs.
- That policy also stressed for a minimum quantity of potable water for essential health and hygiene to all its citizens to be made available within easy reach of households.
World’s first CNG port terminal at Bhavnagar
Why in news?
- Gujarat Government has given its nod to the world’s first CNG port terminal at Bhavnagar.
- According to official release, the U.K. based Foresight group and Mumbai based Padmanabh Mafatlal group joint venture will invest Rs.1900 crore to set up a CNG port terminal at Bhavnagar port.
- Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board- GIDB under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has also approved this proposal.
News summary
- According to official sources, the proposed CNG port terminal will have annual capacity of 6 million matric tone, which will increased the total handling capacity of the port to 9 million matric tones.
- Mammorandum of Understanding- MoU for this project between Gujarat government arm Gujarat Maritime Board and London based Foresight Group was signed during the 2019 Vibrant Gujarat summit.
- The new facility will be developed in the Northen side of present port, underwhich RoRo terminal, liquid terminal and container terminal will be developed in future.
- The consortium has proposed an investment of Rs.1,900 crore in two phases with Rs 1,300 crore in the first phase and Rs 600 crore in the second phase through the ‘Swiss challenge’ method.
- Studies for pre-feasibility report, cite selection, gas supply agreement and CNG vessel development have also been completed.