IASTODAY DAILY CAPSULES -General Studies-01

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Surge in Kargil fish along Karnataka coast attributed to climate change

News

• College of Fisheries, Mangaluru, has said that changes in climatic conditions, including higher sea surface temperature, have affected the quantity of popular fish species, including sardines and mackerels, while giving way for the heavy landings of trigger fish or Kargil fish that has meagre commercial value along the State’s coast.

Climate change

• Higher atmospheric temperature has also led to higher carbon dioxide concentration making water acidic with lower dissolved oxygen levels thereby affecting primary productivity in the coastal waters, said a study.
• Conventional specifies are affected with non-availability of phytoplankton, zooplankton and other microorganism components.
• Once known for mackerel and sardine landings along with commercially important species such as pink perch, pomfrets, seer fish, lactarius and anchovies, fishermen have been getting loads of trigger fish or Odonus niger that is called Kargil fish. While trawl landing of Kargil fish was about 300-500 tonnes in 2008-2009, it rose substantially to 41,810 tonnes in 2018.
• The species was largely observed in the coast from Kerala to Gujarat. The landings jumped to 2.69 lakh tonnes in 2018-19.
• The red-toothed Kargil fish is normally found in the bottom region of the seas, occurring in enormous shoals and is caught in large quantities in trawl nets during the monsoon season as well as in other months.
• These fish were found in areas where there are rocks and at 40- 60 fathom depth. At present, it is found even in shallow regions.
• The region is also experiencing high frequency of cyclonic conditions with higher intensity following climatic changes.
• Cyclonic condition increases sea water turbulence leading to increased suspended solids in the sea water column thereby affecting primary production. Hence, there could be a shift in the fish population and diversity.

IASTODAY DAILY CAPSULES -General Studies-02

President’s rule imposed in Maharashtra

News

• President’s rule was imposed in Maharashtra on November 12 evening amid a stalemate over government formation.

President’s rule

• The Union Cabinet recommended President’s rule in the State after Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari submitted a report in this regard.
• President Ram Nath Kovind has signed a proclamation imposing President’s rule in Maharashtra, they said adding the Assembly will remain in suspended animation.
• In his report, the Governor said a situation has arisen that a stable government is not possible even after 15 days of election results being declared.
• The Governor’s report was examined by the Union Cabinet chaired Prime Minister Narendra Modi which decided to recommend a proclamation under Article 356 (1), thereby imposing President’s rule in Maharashtra and keeping the Assembly in suspended animation.
• The President’s Rule can be revoked before the six-month period if a situation emerges for formation of a stable government, the officials said.
• In the Assembly polls held last month, the BJP won 105 seats, followed by the Shiv Sena (56), the NCP (54) and the Congress (48) in the 288-member House. The BJP and Shiv Sena alliance got a comfortable majority but the two parted ways over sharing of power.

Article 356(1)

• As per Article 356(1): If the President, on receipt of report from the Governor of the State or otherwise, is satisfied that a situation has arisen in which the government of the State cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, the President may by Proclamation

(a) assume to himself all or any of the functions of the Government of the State and all or any of the powers vested in or exercisable by the Governor or anybody or authority in the State other than the Legislature of the State;

(b) declare that the powers of the Legislature of the State shall be exercisable by or under the authority of Parliament;..”

Air pollution in Delhi worsens to ‘severe’ category

News

• The air quality of Delhi worsened to “severe” category, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 413, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
• The air quality is expected to improve to “very poor” category.

Severe air quality

• ‘Severe’ air quality can cause respiratory problems to healthy people and serious health impact on people with lung or heart diseases, according to authorities.
• The level of PM 2.5 deadly respirable particles, which is a chief pollutant was 4.7 times (283.9 ug/m3) the safe limit (60ug/m3) as per Indian standards in Delhi and NCR.
• But the level of PM 2.5 is more than 11 times the safe limit (25 ug/m3) set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
• People are advised to avoid all outdoor physical activities, skip morning walks and close room windows.
• The air quality has deteriorated because of low wind speed, cloudy conditions and an increase in contribution of stubble burning in neighbouring States.
• An AQI between 0-50 is considered “good” and 51-100 “satisfactory”.

Anaemia among men a major public health problem

News

Anaemia among men in India is an important public health problem with State-level prevalence in men varying from 9.2% (average of 7.7%-10.9%) in Manipur to 32.9% (average of 31%-34.7%) in Bihar, revealed a study.

Aim of study: to determine variation in prevalence of anaemia across States by socio-demographic characteristics and whether the variations are similar to that among women.

IASTODAY DAILY CAPSULES -General Studies-03

SpaceX launches 60 more mini satellites for global internet

News

• SpaceX launched 60 mini satellites, the second batch of an orbiting network meant to provide global internet coverage.
• The compact flat-panel satellites just 575 pounds (260 kg) each will join 60 launched in May.
• Each satellite has an autonomous system for dodging space junk.

Plastics exports fall 17% in Sept.

News

• India’s plastic exports for September 2019 declined by 16.8% to $649 million from $780 million in September 2018, as per data with the Plastics Export Promotion Council (Plexconcil).

Plastic exports

• • The cumulative value of plastics export from India during April 2019 to September 2019 saw a negative growth of 5.9% to $4,324 million as against $4,594 million during the same period last year.
  • In September 2019, plastic raw materials witnessed year-on-year decline of 33.0%; followed by optical items (-19.2%); stationery/office/school supply (-9.7%); and moulded and extruded goods (-8.2%). Product categories that reported positive growth include human hair products (+29.5%); other plastic items (+12.1%); plastic sheet, film, plates etc (+3.5%); and packaging materials (+2.7%).
  • Within plastics raw materials, exports of linear low-density polyethylene were down 64.5% y-oy to $20.4 million, due to lower sales to China, Indonesia and Vietnam.
  • India’s exports of Polypropylene witnessed a negative growth of 36.9% year-on-year to $36.7 million in September 2019 due to lower sales to Vietnam, Italy and Nepal.
  • Among value-added plastics products, export of optical items from India was lower due to a decline in export of optical fibers, optical fibre bundles and cables, down 32.4% y-o-y to $16.8 million to countries like France and Russian Federation.
  • India’s plastics export was negative across all territories including, ASEAN (-34.0% year-on-year); Latin America & Caribbean (-30.1%); North-East Asia (-22.5%); Commonwealth of Independent States (-19.8%); European Union (-19.6%); Africa (-13.3%); South Asia (-11.4%); Middle East (-7.5%); and North America (-6.0%).

Mercury travels across the face of the Sun in rare transit

News

• The planet of Mercury skipped across the vast, glaring face of the sun in a rare celestial transit.
• Stargazers used solar-filtered binoculars and telescopes to spot Mercury a tiny black dot as it passed directly between Earth and the Sun.
• Mercury is the solar system’s smallest, innermost planet. The next transit isn’t until 2032.

India’s GDP likely to grow 5% this fiscal: SBI report

News

• An SBI research report sharply cut the country’s GDP growth forecast to 5% for FY 2019-20 from the earlier projection of 6%.

 GDP growth forecast

• The second quarter GDP growth rate is likely to slip to 4.2% on account of low automobile sales, deceleration in air traffic movements, flattening of core sector growth and declining investment in construction and infrastructure.
• The report, said the economic growth rate will pick up pace in 2020-21 to 6.2%.
• Last month, while reducing the key policy rate (repo) by 25 basis points for the fifth time in a row, the RBI had also reduced its growth forecast to 6.1% for 2019-20 from 6.9%.

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