Current Affairs Assam – December 2017 eMagazine
December 4
Strategically important Chabahar port in Iran opened
The first phase of the Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman was inaugurated by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, opening a new strategic route connecting Iran, India and Afghanistan bypassing Pakistan, and reflecting growing convergence of interests among the three countries. The port in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich nation’s southern coast is easily accessible from India’s western coast and is increasingly seen as a counter to Pakistan’s Gwadar Port, which is being developed with Chinese investment and is located at distance of around 80 km from Chabahar.
December 4 is observed as Navy Day
The Indian Navy Day is observed every year on 4th December to acknowledge the valour, maritime achievements and technological progress of Indian Navy.
Navy Day in India is celebrated to commemorate the courageous attack on the Karachi harbor during the Indo-Pakistan war (on 4 December, 1971) by the Indian Naval Missile boats as well as to reverence all the martyrs of that war. It is celebrated using a particular theme (like “Safe Seas and Secure Coasts for a strong Nation”) of the year for making it more powerful and potent.
Virat Kohli surpasses Brian Lara for Most Double Centuries as Captain
Just a day after becoming the first captain to register a hat-trick of centuries in a three-match series, Virat Kohli, the Indian skipper scaled yet another milestone when he scored his sixth double century, the highest as a captain. He overtook West Indies great Brian Lara, who held the record previously with five double tons in Tests.
With a sixth double hundred, Kohli has also tied Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag for the most 200-plus scores for India in Tests. While Tendulkar had six double centuries, Sehwag had recorded four double and two triple hundreds.
December 5
Untreated Brahmaputra water not safe for consumption
The turbidity of the Brahmaputra water, which is attributed by some circles to some ‘mischievous activities’ on the Yarlung Tsangpo inside the Chinese territory, cannot pose any threat to human health if the water is properly filtered. This was the finding of the water testing laboratory of the Central Water Commission (CWC) here. Yarlung Tsangpo is known as the Siang in Arunachal Pradesh and Dihang in Assam. It is the main contributing stem of the Brahmaputra and it contributes around 33 per cent to the total water that flows through the Brahmaputra. This is nearly one-third of the total Brahmaputra discharge.
Black carbon levels in Guwahati alarming
Black carbon levels in the city atmosphere are on the rise and this may have severe consequences on the respiratory health of children and elderly as an immediate impact, a study by a team from IIT Guwahati has indicated.
At the Lachit Nagar point, the daily average black carbon concentration during winter (December-February) was found to be 19 microgram per cubic metre and the maximum recorded concentration during the season was up to 62 microgram per cubic metre. During the post monsoon period (September-November), the concentration was 15 and 47 respectively.
Black carbon concentrations change with seasons drastically. In monsoon, it has decreased by about 47 per cent as compared to the values observed in the winter season, which is considered to be the worst season for air pollution.
It has also been observed that black carbon constitutes about 30 to 40 per cent share in the daily average PM2.5 (particulate matter 2.5) levels.
Venezuela launches new virtual currency ‘Petro’
Venezuela has launched its own crypto-currency ‘Petro’ to circumvent US-led financial sanctions.The currency is expected to help the country to advance in issue of monetary sovereignty.
FACTFILE- Crypto currency
- A cryptocurrency (or crypto currency) is a digital asset designed to work as a medium of exchange that uses cryptography to secure its transactions, to control the creation of additional units, and to verify the transfer of assets.
- Cryptocurrencies are classified as a subset of digital currencies and are also classified as a subset of alternative currencies and virtual currencies.
- Bitcoin, created in 2009, was the first decentralized cryptocurrency.
- Since then, numerous other cryptocurrencies have been created.
- These are frequently called altcoins, as a blend of alternative coin.
- Bitcoin and its derivatives use decentralized control as opposed to centralized electronic money and central banking systems.
The decentralized control is related to the use of bitcoin’s blockchain transaction database in the role of a distributed ledger.
December 6
Supreme Court allows panchayat papers as link documents for NRC
The Supreme Court set aside Gauhati High Court’s order, allowing gaon panchayat certificates to be used to establish linkage after the verification process.A Bench of Supreme Court headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi and comprising Justice Rohinton F Nariman overturned the order of Gauhati High Court that had invalidated these certificates for claiming citizenship. The order will provide relief to 47.09 lakh applicants who are using the document to establish linkage with fathers and husbands.
Sixth International Tourism Mart 2017 begins in Assam
Sixth International Tourism Mart Current Affairs In Assam, the 6th International Tourism Mart 2017 began in Guwahati. Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi, Chief Minister Sarbanand Sonowal and Union Tourism minister K L Alphons will attend the inaugural program this evening.
The three-day program has been organized by Ministry of Tourism in association with all North Eastern states. Panel discussions, workshops, business to business meetings, cultural programs are being organized. The senior officials from Railway, Civil Aviation, DoNER, Road Transport ministry will share their views for the betterment of the tourism sector of North East including Assam.
International Solar Alliance becomes Treaty-based International Intergovernmental Organisation
Indian brainchild International Solar Alliance (ISA) has become treaty-based International Intergovernmental Organisation.
With this, ISA has become the first treaty based international government organization to be based in India. 46 countries have signed the treaty so far.
ISA was jointly launched by the Prime Minister NarendraModi and President of France, Francois Hollande in 2015 in Paris on the sidelines of COP-21 of UN Climate Conference.
FACTFILE – International Solar Alliance (ISA)
- The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an alliance of 121 countries, most of them being sunshine countries, which come either completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
- The alliance’s primary objective is work for efficient exploitation of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
- Countries that do not fall within the Tropics can join the ISA and enjoy all benefits as other members, with the exception of voting rights.
- The Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance opened for signatures in Marrakech, Morocco in November 2016, and 121 countries have joined
- Headquarters – Gurgaon, Haryana, India
- Membership (As of 2017) – 121 nations
