26-27-09-21 Daily-Punjab-PPSC Current Affairs

The Punjab Government has at last acknowledged that reckless abuse of groundwater, non-harvesting of rainwater and wheat-paddy would result in Desertification of the state in the next 15-20 years. However, given the track record of successive governments in Punjab, there is little hope that the problem will be addressed in an effective and sustainable manner. For the past about four decades, governments conveniently ignored the ever-growing problem of water scarcity in Punjab. They refused to read what was written on the wall. The only significant step taken to save groundwater was the Punjab Preservation of Sub-Soil Water Act, 2009, enacted by the Assembly. The effective implementation of this Act did postpone the extraction of groundwater from May 15 to June 15 a very hot and dry period during which there is a very high level of evapo-Transpiration.

The Vidhan Sabha panels report is not the first to highlight the depleting water table and impending water scarcity. Some expert committees and several experts have been pointing to the unsustainable overexploitation of groundwater since the mid-1980s. Johl Committee-1 (1986) and II (2002), constituted by the State Government for restructuring and diversifying <a href="https://exam.pscnotes.com/Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture, made significant recommendations for shifting a substantial area (20 per cent) from under paddy, but these did not cut any ice. Instead, the area under paddy increased from 3.9 lakh hectares (9.62% of the net sown area) in 1970-71 to 31.03 lakh hectares (75.35% of the net sown area) in 2018-19. The Draft Agricultural Policies (2013 and 2019) prepared by the Punjab State Farmers Commission also recommended crop diversification by shifting a considerable area from under paddy. Unfortunately, these draft policies never fructify into an agricultural policy. Consequently, the state has neither an agricultural policy nor a comprehensive water policy. Even the Punjab Water Development and Regulatory Authority, constituted in 2020, has not included Irrigation under its purview. Unfortunately, successive governments of Punjab, instead of acting upon the recommendations of their expert committees, have been indulging in cheap, competitive political populism aimed at vote banks. This is a classic case of irresponsible Governance.

Affairs:Union Sports Minister, Shri Anurag Thakur, visited Kichpora Kangan in the Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir on 26 September and laid the foundation stone of the Zonal Physical Education Office (ZPEO) and Zonal playfield.

Highlights:

The Union Minister visited Kichpora Kangan and laid the foundation stone of Zonal Physical Education Office (ZPEO) and Zonal Level Playfield

He also approved the Development of Zonal Level Playfield at the cost of Rs 1.14 crore.

The Union Minister distributed certificates, mementoes and sports kits among the students during the function.

The Union Government is obliged to further reinforce the existing sports and facilities for the UT by setting aside an amount of Rs 200 crore under PM Development Plan for the improvement of playfields and indoor stadiums.

Affairs:The worlds highest EV charging station was opened at Kaza town, in Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh.

Highlights:

The EV charging station was opened on 23 September 2021 to promote a sustainable Environment.

It is the worlds highest electric vehicle charging station, located at 500 ft.

A couple of Women drove electric vehicles from Manali to Kaza to promote a clean and green environment along with the EV charging station.

All the products, including chargers of this station, are made in India.

India is achieving good momentum in the electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem. These technologies are all set to overhaul fossil-run automotive by 2050 in India.

Kaza Town is the sub-divisional headquarters of Spiti Valley. It is located in the western Himalayas in the Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh.

Indian Air Force (IAF) on 26 September mesmerised locals in Srinagar with the jets performing aerial acrobatics and manoeuvring in the skies.

Highlights:

Many students from different schools in the Valley enjoyed the IAF jets skilfully navigating and synchronising while hovering over the famous Dal Lake.

The show was named Give Wings to Your Dream and inaugurated by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha

It was organised as a part of the ongoing celebrations commemorating Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.

The solar DC cooking technology was developed by the CMERI (Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute). The CMERI is an institute under the CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research).

Highlights:

It is a based totally Cooking System which consists of a solar PV panel, charge controller, battery bank and cooking oven.

It presents a Clean Cooking Environment, Inverter-Less Direct Operation, Fast and Uniform Heating and a workable to shop 1 ton Carbon Dioxide emissions per year/household.

It has 20-25% higher effectiveness and is extra Economical in assessment with Conventional Solar based Cooking Systems.

In New Mexico, North America, the oldest human footprints have been found in new scientific research conducted by archaeologists in New Mexico.

Highlights

The research administered at the White Sands in New Mexico determined that the footprints were between 21,000 and 23,000 years old.

The finding helps understand the time and location of early humans who appeared in the Americas after scattering from Africa and Asia.

Scientists at the US Geological Survey examined the seeds stuck in the footprints to define how old are the footprints.

They found several pieces of evidence, such as fossil bones, stone tools, and genetic analysis. Based on the size, scientists concluded that the footprints were related to primarily children and teenagers.

Earlier, scientists believed that the early humans in the Americas appeared around 11,000 to 13,000 years ago because of the stone spears found everywhere in North America. Scientists connected this occurrence with the Clovis culture.

During the first leader-level assembly on energy, under the UN General Assembly, India has made commitments to increase the renewable electricity established potential to 450 GW by 2030.

Highlights:

India has additionally dedicated to improve and put into effect a National Hydrogen Energy Mission in order to increase the annual green hydrogen production to 1 MT by 2030.

It additionally announced to start a Production Linked Incentive Scheme which will assist in including 10 GW photo voltaic PV manufacturing potential by 2025.

World Tourism Day is observed internationally on 27 September to promote knowledge on the role of tourism within the international community and demonstrate how it affects social, cultural, political and economic values everywhere.

Highlights:

The theme for World Tourism Day 2021 is Tourism for <a href="https://exam.pscnotes.com/inclusive-Growth“>Inclusive Growth. UNWTO has termed it as an opportunity to look beyond tourism statistics and recognise that, behind every number, there is a person.

On 27 September 1980, World Tourism Day was celebrated annually across the world 27 September as the United Nations World Tourism Organization Laws were adopted, which is considered a breakthrough in global tourism.