17.08.18 (BPSC) Bihar Current Affairs

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BIHAR

  • State ready with plastic ban draft

 

  • The state government on Saturday made public the draft notification for a blanket ban on use of plastic carry bags of any shape or thickness to seek objections and suggestions from persons, institutions and stakeholders.

 

  • The state government is seriously considering the proposal to completely ban “manufacture, import, storage, distribution, sale, transport and use of plastic bags in municipal corporation, council and Nagar panchayat areas.”

 

  • The government will consider the objections and suggestions before publishing this notification in the official gazette, 30 days after which the ban will come into effect.

 

  • It is observed that plastic carry bags are non-biodegradable, produce toxic gases on burning, cause choking of sewers and drains, reduce soil fertility and pose a threat to life of cattle-eating plastic waste along with their feed. Government of Bihar, after considering the adverse effects of plastic carry bags on the environment and local ecology, felt that they have detrimental effect on environment and human health.

 

  • No person, be it shopkeeper, vendor, wholesaler, retailer, trader, hawker, feriwala or sabziwala shall sell, store, distribute or use any kind of plastic carry bag for storing or dispensing edible or non-edible goods or materials in the jurisdiction of all municipal corporations, municipal councils and nagar panchayats.

 

  • Use of plastic carry bags of over 50 microns for collection or storage of biomedical waste for its disposal will be exempted. Similarly, plastic containers for packaging food materials, milk and milk products and raising plants in nurseries will not be deemed as carry bags.

 

 

INTERNATIONAL

 

  • 24th World Congress of Philosophy held in Beijing, China

 

  • The World Congress of Philosophy is organized every five years by the International Federation of Philosophical Societies (FISP) in collaboration with one of its member societies.

 

  • The XXIV World Congress will be held in Beijing, China, from August 13 to August 20, 2018, under the auspices of the Chinese Organizing Committee.

 

  • The complementary aims of the 2018 Congress include an emphasis on exploring dimensions of the human and inquiring into the challenges facing humanity:

 

  • Its theme is “Learning To Be Human”

 

 

NATIONAL

 

 

  • FSSAI launches RUCO initiative to collect, convert used cooking oil into biofuel

 

  • The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Friday launched RUCO (Repurpose Used Cooking Oil), an initiative that will enable collection and conversion of used cooking oil to bio-diesel.

 

  • FSSAI may also look at introducing regulations to ensure that companies that use large quantities of cooking oil hand it over to registered collecting agencies to convert it into biofuel.

 

  • Under this initiative, 64 companies at 101 locations have been identified to enable collection of used cooking oil.

 

 

  • BSNL launches VOIP based phone service – WINGS

 

  • Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has launched BSNL WINGS a VOIP based service.
  • In WINGS, there is no SIM or cable wiring as is a VOIP service through an app.

 

  • The WINGS service offers unlimited free audio/video calling for one year. Calls can be made using any data connection such as wired broadband, Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G network of any operator.

 

  • WINGS can also be used over Internet Leased Lines. WINGS also supports video calls, but is restricted between WINGS.

 

·         India’s first Humboldt penguin was born at Mumbai’s Byculla zoo

 

  • India’s first Humboldt penguin was born on 15th August at Mumbai’s Byculla zoo. As it was born on Independence Day, it was named as
  • “The Freedom Baby”. The zoo authorities will be conducting DNA test to find out its gender. The chick weighed 75 gm and was reported to be healthy.

 

  • The Humboldt penguin (Spheniscus humboldti) is a South American penguin that breeds in coastal Chile and Peru.

 

  • The penguin is named after the cold water current it swims in, which is itself named after Alexander von Humboldt, an explorer.

 

  • The species is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN.

 

·        Indo-Israel missile defence system Barak 8 to be procured by Israeli Navy

 

  • The multi-purpose Barak 8 missile defence system, jointly developed by India and Israel, will be procured by the Israeli Navy to protect its economic zones and strategic facilities from diversified threats and the sales for it have exceeded USD 5 billion.
  • Barak-8 is an operational air and missile defense system used by the Israeli Navy as well as by the Indian Navy and air forces.
  • Barak 8 has been jointly developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), India’s DRDO, Israel’s Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure, Elta Systems, Rafael and some other Indian defence companies.

 

·        India’s First project of Swadesh Darshan launched in Manipur

 

  • The Manipur Governor, Dr. Najma A. Heptullainaugurated the project ‘Development of North East Circuit: Imphal & Khongjom’ implemented under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme of Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
  • The project which covers two sites – Kangla Fort in Imphal and Khongjom was taken up at an estimated cost of 72,22,82607under the Union Ministry of Tourism.

 

  • ‘Swadesh Darshan’ (tour of country) is a flagship scheme of the Ministry of Tourism for the development of thematic circuits in the country in a planned and prioritised manner.

 

  • The scheme was launched in 2014-15 and the ministry has so far sanctioned 70 projects at a cost of Rs 5,708.88 crore.

 

·        Indian Army to climb world’s fifth highest peak Mt Makalu

 

  • To achieve greater heights in the field of mountaineering, Indian Armyis planning to attempt fifth highest mountain peak in the world – Mt Makalu(8,485 metres) in 2019.
  • Under the protection of Army Adventure Wing, an expedition to Mount Kamet (7756 meters), Joshimath (district Chamoli, Uttarakhand), is also being conducted from August to September.
  • Mount Kamet is the third highest peak of Indiaafter Kanchanjunga and Nandadevi and the only highest peak available to climb within the country.

 

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