Prelim Snippets 19-07-2019
BRAHMAPUTRA RIVER
- Context: Rivers in Brahmaputra and Baraka Basin are flowing in severe flood situation in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal
About Brahmaputra River:
- The Brahmaputra rises in Tibet east of Mansarowar lake very close to the sources of the Indus and the Satluj.
- It is slightly longer than the Indus, and most of its course lies outside India.
- It flows eastwards parallel to the Himalayas.
- On reaching the Namcha Barwa (7757 m), it takes a ‘U’ turn and enters India in Arunachal Pradesh through a gorge.
- Here, it is called the Dihang and it is joined by the Dibang, the Lohit, and many other tributaries to form the Brahmaputra in Assam
- In Tibet the river carries a smaller volume of water and less silt as it is a cold and a dry area.
- In India it passes through a region of high rainfall.
- Here the river carries a large volume of water and considerable amount of silt.
- The Brahmaputra has a braided channel in its entire length in Assam and forms many riverine islands.
- Every year during the rainy season, the river overflows its banks, causing widespread devastation due to floods in Assam and Bangladesh.
- Unlike other north Indian rivers, the Brahmaputra is marked by huge deposits of silt on its bed causing the river bed to rise.
- The river also shifts its channel frequently
PLOONET
- If the moon turns rogue as it moves nearer to its star, breaking away — or being forced out of its orbit by the planet — and going off on its own trip in effect behaving like a planet in its own right.
- The researchers explain that the angular momentum between the planet and its moon results in the moon escaping the gravitational pull of its parent.
- They concede, however, that ploonets remain hypothetical.
SAGAR MAITRI MISSION-2
- Context: INS Sagardhwani embarks on mission Sagar Maitri
- INS Sagardhwani, an oceanographic research vessel of the Defence Research and Development Organisation, embarked on a two-month-long Sagar Maitri Mission-2 from Southern Naval Command in Kochi
About Sagar Maitri
- It is a unique initiative of the DRDO which aligns with the broad objective of ‘Safety and Growth for All in the Region’ (SAGAR)
- Aim: To promote closer cooperation in socio-economic aspects as well as greater scientific interaction, especially in ocean research among Indian Ocean Rim (IOR) countries
- Objectives: Data collection from the entire North Indian Ocean, focusing on the Andaman Sea and adjoining seas and establishing long-term collaboration with eight IOR countries in the field of ocean research and development
- The other IOR countries include Oman, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Myanmar.
About INS Sagardhwani:
- It is a marine acoustic research ship (MARS) owned by the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), a DRDO laboratory and is maintained and operated by the Indian Navy, and based at Southern Naval Command, Kochi.
- It was commissioned on July 30, 1994.
- The ship is fitted with state-of-the-art equipment, including the latest wave height measuring radar, and is exclusively used for the scientific and research programmes.
REPORT: INTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANIZATION (ILO)<
- The report titled “Working on a warmer planet: The impact of heat stress on labor productivity and decent work” recently released by ILO
About the Report:
- Rising temperatures and increasing heat stress at work will lead to the loss of 80 million full time jobs and to global economic losses of $2.4 trillion in 2030.
- People who work outdoors mainly in the agricultural and construction sectors will be most affected by rising temperatures.
- Agriculture will account for 60 percent of global working hours lost due to heat stress, followed by the construction sector with an estimated loss of 19 percent.
- Southern Asia and western Africa are the most seriously affected regions
- Heat stress is concentrated in countries, in regions with existing decent work deficits, a large share of informal employment, extended working poverty, and limited social security coverage,
- Workers in wealthy countries also will be affected by excessive heat, but to a much lesser extent than those in poor countries.
The ILO urges governments to enact policies to address heat stress risks and protect workers.
- These include the creation of better working conditions and improving early warning systems for heat events.
- It also calls for enhancing occupational safety and health to help people tackle heat-related hazards.
- Context- The ‘Brindavana’ (tomb) of Sri Vyasaraja Tirtha, a renowned saint of the Madhwa tradition at Anegundi near Hampi, was found razed.
HAMPI
- The austere, grandiose site of Hampi was the last capital of the Kingdom of Vijayanagar.
- Its fabulously rich princes built Dravidian temples and palaces which won the admiration of travellers between the 14th and 16th centuries.
- Location: Hampi’s spectacular setting is dominated by river Tungabhadra, craggy hill ranges and open plains, with widespread physical remains.
Features of Hampi
- Hampi houses the famous Virupaksha Temple, Vithala Temple and Nandi Statue.
- Group of Monuments at Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- They are Dravidian temple and palaces that won the admiration of travelers between the 14th and 16th centuries.
- The Vitthala temple in Hampi is an excellent example of Vijayanagar style.
- The monolithic statues of Lakshmi, Narasimha and Ganesha are noted for their massiveness and grace.
- The Krishna temple, Pattabhirama temple, Hazara Ramachandra and Chandrasekhara temple and also the Jain temples, are other examples.
- Majority of these temples in Hampi were provided with widespread bazaars flanked on either side by storied Mandapas.
- Virupaksha Temple, Hampi
- It is located in Hampi in Karnataka on the banks of the Tungabhadra river
- It is dedicated to Lord Shiva
- It is built in 735 AD by a queen of Vikramaditya II to celebrate the victory over the Pallavas of Kanchipuram.
CERCOPITHECUS ROLOWAY MONKEY
- Context: IUCN added more than 7000 animals, fish and plants to its endangered “Red List”
About Roloway Monkey:
- It is endemic to tropical West Africa
- It has a white beard, chest, and throat; there are a white stripe along each thigh and a deep reddish or orange patch on its back.
- On the inside of the thighs, the fur is whitish, yellowish, or reddish.
- The body length ranges from 40 to 55 cm and its weight is between 4 and 7 kg
- Roloway monkeys consume a diverse array of varying insects, fruit, seeds, and flowers. They can feed on the plant parts of roughly 130 species of trees, climvbers, and epiphytes.
IUCN RED LIST | CRITICALLY ENDANGERED |
CITES | APPENDIX I |
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