Prelim Snippets 22-10-2019

1.National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)

Why in News?
  • National Tiger Conservation Authority has red-flagged Madhya Pradesh government’s move to increase tourism activities inside the Tiger Reserves.
About:
  • It is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change constituted under enabling provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
  • It was initially launched in 2005, following the recommendations of the Tiger Task Force. It was given statutory status by 2006 amendment of the Wildlife Protection Act
  • It is set up under the chairmanship of the Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change
  • It approves the reserve specific tiger conservation plan prepared by the State Government.
  • Evaluate and assess various aspects of sustainable ecology and disallow any ecologically unsustainable land use such as, mining, industry and other projects within the tiger reserves;
  • Provide for management focus and measures for addressing conflicts of men and wild animal and to emphasize on co-existence in forest areas outside the National Parks, sanctuaries or tiger reserve, in the working plan code;
  • Provide information on protection measures including future conservation plan, estimation of population of tiger and its natural prey species, status of habitats, disease surveillance, mortality survey, patrolling, reports on untoward happenings and such other management aspects as it may deem fit including future plan conservation

2.Thylacine

Why in News?
  • Newly released Australian government documents show sightings of the Tasmanian tiger which was seen two months ago.
About:
  • Tasmanian tiger is a large striped carnivorous marsupial which was believed to be extinct around 80 years ago.
  • Native of the species was Tasmania, New Guinea, and the Australian mainland.
  • It has been confined to Tasmania in recent times and disappeared from mainland Australia over 2000 years ago.
  • It has disappeared mainly because of over-hunting by humans, diseases and competition from the Dingo (Canis lupus), a wild dog native to Australia.
  • The Thylacine was also persecuted because it was believed to be a threat to sheep and in its latter years it was hunted for the purposes of collection by museums and zoos.

3.Police Commemoration Day

Why in News?
  • National Police Commemoration Day is observed every year on October 21 to remember the brave policemen who sacrificed their lives while discharging their duties.
Police Commemoration Day:
  • This day is observed in honour of ten CRPF men who laid down their lives fighting in the inhospitable terrain of Hot Springs in Ladakh.
  • Chinese troops attacked twenty Indian policemen on 21st October 1959.
  • The fighting that followed saw ten Indian men being killed.
  • Seven others were taken captive by the Chinese but they managed to escape.
  • Since then, this day is observed as the National Police Commemoration Day in honour of the martyred soldiers’ valour and courage.
  • Last year, the Prime Minister has inaugurated the first-ever National Police Memorial in Delhi on this occasion. The underground museum is the first police museum of its kind in India, and showcases over 2000 years of policing in the region, since the time of Kautilya’s system of law and order in 310 BCE.
  • It also commemorates the over 30000 police personnel from the central and state police forces who have died in the line of duty.

4.Marawah Island:

  • It is an island at the coast of Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the United ArabEmirates.
  • It is an important archeological site, where many discoveries rangingfrom the period of Neolithic Age to Islamic period was made.
  • Recently, world’s oldest natural pearl has been found in the island,which belong to 5,800-5,600 BCE.
  • It is dubbed as the ‘Abu Dhabi Pearlʼ.

5.Liver Transplant Registry:

  • India’s first voluntary liver transplant registry has picked up the pace.
  • It is an initiative of Liver Transplantation Society of India.
  • The registry aims to collate the national data of procedures and theiroutcomes.
  • Nearly 2,000 liver transplants are carried out in the country annually,the highest in the world, yet there is no India-specific data.
  • India has a 90% survival rate in liver transplants, but it may vary fromhospital to hospital and doctor to doctor.

6.Skin-On Interface:

  • Researchers from UK and France have developed a skin-on interfacethat mimics the appearance of human skin and its ability to sense.
  • The interface is made up of layers of silicone membrane. It is morenatural than the hard casing of phones, and can detect gestures madeby end-users.
  • The interface is made up of layers of silicone membrane. It is, therefore,more natural than the hard casing of phones, and can detect gesturesmade by end-users. The artificial skin allows the device it is on to “feel”the userʼs grasp, including its pressure and location. Therefore, it candetect interactions such as tickling, caressing, twisting and pinching.

7.Defence Acquisition Council (DAC)

Why in News?
  • DAC approves procurement of indigenously developed military Hardware worth Rs. 3300 crores.
About:
  • DAC was set up in 2001 to counter corruption and speed updecision- making in military procurement.
  • It is headed by the Defence Minister.
  • The DAC is responsible to give policy guidelines to acquisitions,based on long-term procurement plans.
  • It also clears all acquisitions, which includes both imported andthose produced indigenously or under a foreign license.
  • The objective of the DAC is to ensure expeditious procurement ofthe approved requirements of the Armed Forces, in terms ofcapabilities sought, and time frame prescribed, by optimallyutilizing the allocated budgetary resources.
  • The structure of the council ensures equal representation tobureaucracy as well as armed forces, which means that there arein-built checks and balances in relation to procurement.
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