Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2021

Notes:
The National Assembly of France has recently approved the creation of an “ecocide” offence, which seeks to punish acts of environmental damage.
The bill will be applied to the most serious cases of environmental damage at national level, such as the pollution of a river. An offence of endangering the environment is punishable on the lines of endangering life.

Notes:
Hypoxia is a condition in which the human body is deprived of adequate oxygen supply at the tissue level. This condition gets repeated in a Covid-19 patient due to the virus infection.
Amid a massive shortage of oxygen cylinders in the country due to raise in coronavirus cases, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed SpO2 (Blood Oxygen Saturation) supplemental oxygen delivery system. It saves a person from sinking into a state of Hypoxia.

Notes:
The Health Ministry announced that 162 Pressure Swing Adsorption, PSA oxygen plants have been sanctioned by the Government of India for installation in public health facilities in all States.
This step would enhance the local oxygen capacity by over 154 Metric Tonnes. Out of 162 PSA Oxygen plants, 33 have been installed. States have also requested the Centre to provide additional 100 oxygen plants.

Notes:
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that Iran started enriching uranium up to 60 per cent. This figure is its highest-ever level of enrichment.
The decision to boost uranium enrichment and to install modernized centrifuges at the Natanz nuclear facility was made due to the recent incident damaging the electricity distribution network in Natanz.

Notes:
Indian Navy’s first unit of the indigenously-built Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Mk III, Indian Naval Air Squadron 323 (INAS 323), was commissioned at INS Hansa, Goa.
The Mk III version of the ALH will be used for Search and Rescue, Special Operations and Coastal Surveillance. The squadron will operate three ALH Mk III helicopters, a multi-role chopper with the Shakti engine manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

Notes:
The Ministry of Railways has decided to map local festivals celebrated near railway tracks across the country. It would issue advisory to loco pilots on speed restrictions and other safety aspects to be followed.
There are several local festivals celebrated in India during which the people gather near railway premises and cross the track in groups as part of the event. Two years ago, 61 people who were a part of Dussehra celebrations near Amritsar, were run over by train.

Notes:
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved subsidy for urea to be produced by state-run Talcher Fertilizers (TFL), by means of coal gasification technology.
The company is to set up the urea plant based on coal gasification at Odisha. Talcher Fertilizers is a joint venture company between Coal India, GAIL, Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers, Fertilizer Corporation of India.

Notes:
The American Space Agency NASA’s robot helicopter named Ingenuity has successfully flown over the surface of Mars.
This makes it the first powered – controlled flight by an aircraft on another planet. Bob Balaram, an Indian origin NASA Engineer is considered to be the man behind Ingenuity helicopter.

Notes:
The RBI formed a 6-member committee headed by Sudarshan Sen, then RBI Executive Director, to review the role and effectiveness of Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs) in stressed debt resolution and suggest improvements to the legal and regulatory framework.

Notes:
Sankha Ghosh, who is a noted Bengali Poet, died recently in Kolkata at the age of 90 years. He was tested COVID positive.
He is a recipient of Padma Bhushan, Jnanpith, Sahitya Akademi awards, and Rabindra Puraskar awards for his literature works. Ghosh was known for raising voice for various social and political issues.