Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2024

Notes:
Home Minister Amit Shah was unanimously re-elected as Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language. The government aims for all government systems to operate in Indian languages by 2047. The Department of Official Language is developing software to automatically translate all languages of the Eighth Schedule. A meeting was held in New Delhi to reconstitute the committee after the formation of the new government. Amit Shah previously served as the committee’s Chairperson from 2019 to 2024.

Notes:
The Coonoor railway station, part of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR), is being transformed under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, drawing criticism from heritage enthusiasts. The NMR line, known as the Ooty toy train, runs 45.88 km from Mettupalaiyam to Ooty, located in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore and Nilgiri districts. The train first ran on June 15, 1899, after plans were initiated in 1854. The railway was operated by Madras Railway under a government agreement. In 2005, the NMR was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, highlighting its cultural and historical significance.

Notes:
The Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) launched the Air Quality Management Exchange Platform (AQMx). It aims to assist air quality professionals globally in addressing air pollution. AQMx provides guidance and tools aligned with WHO Air Quality Guidelines targets. It was created in response to a UN Environment Assembly resolution, calling for global cooperation on air pollution. The platform addresses air quality management capacity gaps with curated guidance. AQMx helps decision-makers see air pollution’s full impact, enabling more accurate public health policies worldwide.

Notes:
A Southern Birdwing butterfly, India’s second largest butterfly species, was recently found at the satellite campus of The American College in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. Also known as the ‘Sahyadri Birdwing,’ it is mostly found in South Asia, especially in the Western Ghats. It is exceptionally large, with wings larger than some small birds, which gives it the name “birdwing.” Males have black wings with greenish-blue markings, while females display cream-coloured patterns. It is Karnataka’s state butterfly and is classified as “Least Concern” by the IUCN.

Notes:
Telangana government will celebrate September 17 as Telangana Praja Palana Day, marking Hyderabad’s 1948 integration into India. Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari issued orders for national flag hoisting at government offices, urban local bodies, and gram panchayats. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy will hoist the flag in Hyderabad, while ministers will do the same at district headquarters. In 2023, the BRS government marked it as National Integration Day. The Union government celebrates it as Hyderabad Liberation Day, commemorating the 1948 police action under Operation Polo that merged Hyderabad with India.

Notes:
The United Kingdom has allowed Ukraine to use Storm Shadow cruise missiles against Russian targets. Storm Shadow is a long-range, air-launched cruise missile with low observability. It was jointly developed by the UK and France, known as SCALP-EG in France. The missile is designed to hit high-value stationary targets like airbases, radar stations, communications hubs, and ports. It is used by the air forces of countries including Egypt, India, Italy, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE.

Notes:
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) appointed Mr. R. Ravindran as the next ambassador to Iceland. He has served in various organizations and locations throughout his career. R. Ravindran is an Indian Foreign Service officer from the 1999 batch. He is currently India’s Deputy Permanent Representative at the United Nations.

Notes:
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addresses the inauguration of the Official Language Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the 4th Akhil Bharatiya Rajbhasha Sammelan in New Delhi on September 14, 2024. The event, marking 75 years of Hindi as an official language, is organized by the Department of Official Language. Shah will launch the Diamond Jubilee special issue of ‘Rajbhasha Bharti,’ a commemorative stamp, and coin, and present awards. The event also includes the launch of Bharatiya Bhasha Anubhag. This Sammelan continues the tradition of celebrating Hindi Diwas and promoting Indian languages as initiated in 2019.

Notes:
Researchers from the University of Kerala recently presented a study at the Estuarine & Coastal Sciences Association (ECSA) 60 conference in Hangzhou, revealing significant ecological decline in Veli-Akkulam Lake. Over 30 years, non-native species have invaded the lake, altering its nutrient flow and disrupting the food web. Using the Ecopath Model, the study highlights a major decline in native species like prawns and cichlids, while invasive species have surged. Initially, in the 1990s, the lake was rich in native species, but now, its ecosystem is severely impacted. Veli-Akkulam Lake, a 20-acre freshwater lake in Kerala, is fed by the Veli River.

Notes:
Union Home Minister announced that Port Blair will be renamed ‘Sri Vijaya Puram.’ Port Blair, the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, was named after naval officer Archibald Blair. It is located on the east coast of South Andaman Island and hosted the first Tiranga unfurling by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Historically, the Andaman Islands were used by Chola emperor Rajendra I for a naval base to attack Srivijaya (present-day Indonesia). The Cholas called the islands “Ma-Nakkavaram,” which may have led to the name Nicobar. The Chola invasion of Srivijaya marked a significant event in India-Southeast Asia relations.