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    9 JANUARY 2025 CURRENT AFFAIRS

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    Vivek KJ

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    9 JANUARY 2025 CURRENT AFFAIRS

    Uploaded by

    Vivek KJ
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    7 views6 pages

    9 JANUARY 2025 CURRENT AFFAIRS

    Uploaded by

    Vivek KJ

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    You are on page 1of 6

    Daily Current Affairs 0

    2025

    January 9, 2025
    Daily Current Affairs 1

    ADVANCED LIGHT HELICOPTER (ALH)

    Syllabus: DEFENCE, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

    Context: The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter
    (ALH) fleet has been temporarily grounded for the second time in two years following a series
    of crashes. This decision follows the January 5 incident in which an Indian Coast Guard ALH
    Dhruv Mk III crashed at Gujarat’s Porbandar Airport, claiming the lives of three crew members.

    Learning Points:

    • Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv is a multi-role and multi-mission light


    utility helicopter in the 5.5-ton weight class, intended for both military and civil
    operators.
    • It is developed indigenously by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
    • The ALH choppers are operated by all three Indian defence forces, including the Army,
    Navy, and Air Force, along with the Indian Coast Guard.
    • The major variants of Dhruv are classified as Dhruv Mk-I, Mk-II, Mk-III & Mk-IV.

    Key Design Elements of HAL ALH

    • Development Objective: Initiated in 1984, the ALH Dhruv was designed as a multi-
    role, multi-mission helicopter to replace the aging Chetak and Cheetah fleets.
    • Indigenous Manufacturing: Most components, including the airframe, are
    manufactured in India, though critical systems like Shakti engines were initially
    developed in collaboration with foreign partners. Over time, indigenisation has
    increased.

    January 9, 2025
    Daily Current Affairs 2

    • Certification and Performance: The ALH Dhruv is certified by the Directorate


    General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), confirming compliance with international
    standards. However, recurring crashes raise concerns over long-term operational
    reliability.

    DAM SAFETY ACT (DSA), 2021

    Syllabus: POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

    Context: The Supreme Court criticized the Union government for not fully implementing the
    Dam Safety Act, 2021, nearly five years after its passage. The court emphasized that despite
    the Act being enacted, the National Committee on Dam Safety had not been formed.

    Learning Points:

    • The Dam Safety Act (DSA), 2021, provides for an institutional framework for
    prevention of dam failure related disaster through proper surveillance, inspection,
    operation and maintenance of the specified dams in India.
    • The Act provides for the surveillance, inspection, operation, and maintenance of all
    specified dams across the country. These are dams with height more than 15
    metres, or height between 10 m -15 m with certain design and structural
    conditions.
    • It also provides for the institutional mechanism to ensure the safety of such dams.

    Features:

    Institutional Mechanism:

    • Two National Level Bodies:

    January 9, 2025
    Daily Current Affairs 3

    ▪ The National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS) which improvises policies and
    recommends regulations regarding dam safety standards.
    ▪ The National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) which implements policies of the
    NCDA and provides technical assistance to State Dam Safety Organisations
    (SDSOs) and resolves disputes involving an SDSO.
    • Two State Level Bodies:
    ▪ The SDSOs will keep perpetual surveillance, inspect and monitor the dams.
    ▪ The State Committee on Dam Safety supervises state dam rehabilitation programs,
    reviews the work of the SDSO, and the progress on measures recommended in
    relation to dam safety, among others.

    Obligation of Dam Owners:

    • Dam owners will be responsible for the safe construction, operation, maintenance
    and supervision of a dam.
    • They must provide a dam safety unit in each dam which will inspect the dams
    before and after monsoon season, and during and after every earthquake, flood,
    calamity, or any sign of distress.
    • Functions of dam owners include:
    ▪ Preparing an emergency action plan
    ▪ Carrying out risk assessment studies at specified regular intervals
    ▪ Preparing a comprehensive dam safety evaluation through a panel of experts.

    Offences and Penalties:

    • Anyone obstructing a person in the discharge of his functions under the Act or refusing
    to comply with directions may be imprisoned for a year.
    • In case of loss of life, the person may be imprisoned for two years.

    FLAMINGO

    Syllabus: ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

    Context: The Flamingo Festival 2025 is set to take place in the Sullurpeta constituency of
    Tirupati district, Andhra Pradesh, from January 18 to 20.

    Learning Points:

    January 9, 2025
    Daily Current Affairs 4

    • Flamingos are large shore birds with S-like long necks, sticklike legs.
    • Flamingos are social birds, known for living in large colonies, sometimes numbering
    in the thousands.
    • Flamingos are known for their distinctive pink or reddish coloration, flamingos acquire
    this from the carotenoid pigments in their diet, mainly from algae and small
    invertebrates.
    • They Found in tropical and subtropical regions, including parts of Africa, Asia, and
    the Americas, often in shallow saline or alkaline lakes and mudflats.
    • Flamingos migrate to India during the winter season, primarily to coastal
    wetlands and estuaries for feeding and breeding.
    • Flamingos help in maintaining ecosystem balance by controlling algae and small
    invertebrate populations.

    Distribution:

    • There are 6 species of flamingos in the World:


    ▪ Greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
    ▪ Chilean flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis)
    ▪ American flamingo or Caribbean (Phoenicopterus ruber)
    ▪ Lesser flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor)
    ▪ Andean flamingo (Phoenicoparrus andinus)
    ▪ James’s flamingo or Puna Flamingo (Phoenicoparrus jamesi).
    • They are found in tropical and subtropical areas.

    January 9, 2025
    Daily Current Affairs 5

    • In India, 2 species of flamingos are found – Greater and Lesser Flamingo.

    Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)

    • Greater flamingo is the most widespread and the largest flamingo species.
    • It is the state bird of Gujarat.
    • Distribution: It is found in Africa, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, and
    southern Europe. It is found almost all over India (except the high-altitude Himalayas,
    East and NE India).
    • Habitat: They are found in both brackish and fresh water wetlands.
    • Conservation Status:
    ▪ IUCN: Least Concern
    ▪ CITES: Appendix II.

    Lesser Flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor)

    • Lesser Flamingos are the smallest species of flamingo.


    • Distribution: They are restricted largely to western India’s brackish water places like
    Gujarat, Rajasthan and Mumbai.
    • Habitat: They prefer brackish and coastal waters.
    • Conservation Status:
    ▪ IUCN: Near Threatened
    ▪ CITES: Appendix II

    January 9, 2025

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