Day-415 | Daily MCQs | UPSC Prelims | CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS

Answer: C
Explanation:
Context: The Union Cabinet recently approved the construction of the Shinku la tunnel. With the Atal Tunnel and the completion of the Shinku La Tunnel in 2025, the Nimmu – Padum – Darcha road shall be accessed all through the year.

● SHINKU LA TUNNEL:Shinku-La Tunnel or Shingo-La Tunnel is an upcoming motorable tunnel under 16,580ft high Shinku-la pass between Himachal’s Lahaul valley and Ladakh’s Zanskar valley in Northern India. The Manali-Padum-Nimu road or Darcha-Padum-Nimu road will become all-weather after the completion of the Shinku-la tunnel. This will be the safest and shortest road to reach Leh.
● CHENANI-NASHRI TUNNEL:Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel, also known as Chenani-Nashri Tunnel is a road tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir. It is located in the Lower Himalayas, on National Highway 44. It is India’s longest road tunnel with a length of 9.028 km and the country’s first tunnel with a fully integrated tunnel control system
● ATAL TUNNEL: Also known as Rohtang Tunnel is a highway tunnel built under the Rohtang Pass in the eastern Pir Panjal range of the Himalayas on the Leh-Manali Highway in Himachal Pradesh.
● Z-MORH TUNNEL: It is an under construction 2 lane road project located between Kangan and Sonamarg on the Srinagar-Leh Highway in Jammu and Kashmir. It aims to ensure all-weather connectivity between Srinagar, Sonamarg and Kargil in Ladakh.

Answer: C
Explanation:
Context: Recently, the FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization) published its first Global Assessment of Soil Carbon in Grasslands.

Grasslands – Regions
Pustaz – Hungary
Downs – Australia
Prairies – North America
Veld – South Africa
Pampas – Argentina
Steppe – Europe & North Asia
Selvas – South America
About Grasslands:
● Grasslands are areas dominated by grasses.
● Distribution: Grasslands are found in areas having well-defined hot and dry, warm and rainy seasons.
● Grasslands can majorly be divided into two parts:
● Tropical Grasslands – Savannah, Campos, and Llanos
● Temperate Grasslands- Pampas, Prairie, Veld, Steppe, and Down.

Answer: C
Context: Recent studies have reported that ‘Bisphenol A’, may shorten the life cycle of a mosquito and lead to a population explosion.
Explanation:
● Bisphenol A acts as a component in epoxy resins that are very good coating agents and therefore is used for the protective coating of pipelines and to cover the inner surface of food cans.
● It is used in many medical devices such as heart-lung machines, incubators, artificial kidneys, dental fillers, and sealants. It is also used as eyewear glasses , due to their optical clarity.
● BPA polycarbonate plastics are very sturdy in nature and are used to make large variants of microwave-proof utensils.
● a synthetically obtained colourless, crystalline organic compound that occurs in the solid phase belonging to the diphenylmethane group.
The harmful Chemical:
● General exposure to BPA at low levels comes from eating food or drinking water stored in containers that have BPA. Small children may be exposed by hand-to-mouth and direct oral (mouth) contact with materials containing BPA.
● When ingested, the Chemical that is widely used to soften plastics, paints and other products, disrupts the endocrine system by interfering with the hormones and affects the brain and prostate gland of foetuses, infants and children.
● Several studies establish that the Chemical can cause high blood pressure, diabetes and cardiovascular disease in adults.

Answer: C
Explanation:
Context: Recently, Doha Political Declaration adopted by world leaders to fast-track progress in least developed countries.

Doha Political Declaration:
● The Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) concluded with adoption of the ‘Doha Political Declaration’ by the world leaders.
● The declaration made by the head of the states is a key outcome of the second part of LDC5 conference held under the theme “From Potential to Prosperity” at Qatar from March 5-9, 2023.
● With just under eight years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, the declaration focuses on implementing the Doha Programme of Action (DPoA) — the 10-year plan to put the world’s 46 most vulnerable countries back on track to achieving the UN-mandated Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

Answer: B
Explanation:
Context: The first G20 meeting under the culture track will begin from Madhya Pradesh’s Khajuraho, and the delegates will engage in a range of activities, besides visiting its iconic temples and the Panna Tiger Reserve.
About Khajuraho Temple
● The Temples of Khajuraho are a magnificent example of the Nagara style of temples as the temples consist of
o a sanctum,
o a narrow ante-chamber (antarala),
o a transept (mahamandapa),
o additional halls (ardha mandapa),
o a mandapa or nave and
o an ambulatory passage (Pradakshina-path) which is lighted by large windows.
● These are a collection of Hindu and Jain temples located in Madhya Pradesh.
● They are known for their ornate temples, built by the Chandela rulers between 900 CE to 1130 CE.
● The temple is located in the Vindhya Mountain range.
● And it got the status of UNESCO’s World Heritage Site in 1986.