Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2023

Notes:
New Zealand’s Prime Minister declared a State of Emergency after Cyclone Gabrielle. The Cyclone, which battered the North Island, is considered as a weather event not seen in a generation.
The state of emergency was declared only the third in New Zealand’s history. At least three people have died and about a third of the country’s population of five million live in affected areas.

Notes:
The Draft Geo-heritage Sites and Geo-relics (Preservation and Maintenance) Bill was released recently by Ministry of Mines for public suggestions.
This proposed legislation has provisions concerning the declaration, preservation, protection and maintenance of geo-heritage sites and geo-relics of national importance. Its objective is to promote research, education and awareness about these sites.

Notes:
Periyar Tiger Reserve is a protected area in Kerala. It was declared as a national park in 1982. A 4-day bird survey, which was conducted recently by the state forest department, has identified 231 bird species in the Periyar Tiger Reserve
Among these birds, 14 were endangered and 20 were endemic to the Western Ghats. It also found the presence of 11 bird species that were not recorded during the previous surveys.

Notes:
The ‘Aadi Mahotsav’ is a national tribal festival organized by the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation (TRIFED).
This nationwide festival celebrates the Indian tribal community’s traditional art, culture, crafts, gastronomy, and trade. Special emphasis will be placed on exhibiting millets grown by tribal people.

Notes:
Recently, the Union Cabinet approved the construction of the Shinku La Tunnel. The proposed tunnel will provide all-weather connectivity in Ladakh.
This is expected to be a major asset for tourism and other economic activities in the region. It will also benefit the economy of the Zanskar Valley. Covering a distance of 4.1 km, it will be constructed at an altitude of 16,580 feet by the Border Roads Organization (BRO). It is expected to be the world’s highest tunnel.

Notes:
The International Engineering and Technology Fair 2023 was inaugurated recently by President of India Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi.
This is the 25th edition of the global fair. It covers 11 areas of emerging technologies and provides a global platform to bring together policymakers, technical experts, CEOs, sourcing personnel, diplomats, government and trade dignitaries.

Notes:
eSanjeevani, also known as National Teleconsultation Service, is a government initiative that provides online outpatient doctor (OPD) consultation service to citizens.
This first-of-its-kind scheme was launched in 2019 and it is being implemented by the Union Health Ministry. The eSanjeevani OPD portal and system was developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC). The platform recently registered a new record by delivering teleconsultation services to 10 crore beneficiaries.

Notes:
The H3 rocket is a Japanese launch vehicle developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
The first launch attempt of the H3 rocket was expected to take place in February, 2023. However, it was aborted due to an anomaly in the first stage system. The second launch attempt is expected to take place at the end of March this year.

Notes:
Lavani folk art is a traditional art form in which women dancers wearing brightly coloured sarees, perform on stage before live audience. This indigenous art form gained popularity during the Peshwa era in the 18th century.
There are various sub-genres of Lavani. The most popular among them is the Shringarik or the erotic kind. A younger generation of women dancers is accused of vulgarising the traditional folk-art form.

Notes:
One of the most elongated asteroids, designated 2011 AG5, passed safely past the Earth at around 1.8 million kilometers.
It is an elongated asteroid with the similar dimensions of the Empire State Building was discovered for the first time in 2011. It is measured to be 1,600 feet long and around 500 feet wide.