Current Affairs - 2B Sai Kumar Swamy

Triumphant Institute of Management Education P Ltd

AgendaMullaperiyar Dam Issue

UIDAI

Kudankulam Nuclear Plant

Illegal Mining Goa Karnataka

Gorkhaland Issue

Mullaperiyar Mullayar & Periyar River - 173ft height & storage level of 136ft Constructed in 1887 to divert water to Madras Presidency Periyar National Park – Biodiversity hotspot Operated by TN though its in Kerala Threat of Earthquake

6.5 Quake can cause significant damage at 136ft water level Seismic active zone

TN wanted to increase storage height to 142ft SC agrees with TN

Strengthening works to be carried out

Kerala promulgates – Dam Safety Act No objection to giving water Only worried about safety of dam

Justice AS Anand Committee To inspect dam safety

UIDAIUnique Identification Authority of India

Part of Planning Commission of India

Agency of GOI Nandan Nilekani is Chairman Ram Sewak Sharma – DG & Mission Director

Established in Feb 2009 Will own and operate the Unique ID Number Database Biometric Data No smart cards to be issued 12 digit unique number

Photo – Fingerprints – Iris Scan

Launched at Tembhli, Maharashtra on 29th Sep 2010 Rajana Sonawane

Will link – Passport, DL, PAN, Bank Acs, Address, Voter ID etc.

Koodankulam Russian collaboration – 1988 – 9.2Gw Delayed

Breakup of USSR US objection – NSG People’s Movement against Nuclear Energy Fears of another Fukushima

Construction began in 1997 – $3Bn Fast breeder reactor – VVER Model

Commissioning in a phased manner May 2011 for one unit March 2012 for 2nd unit Postponed to May 2012

Thorium Fuel Cycle 3 stage Nuclear Power Program

PHWR – U238 Pu239 FBR – Pu239 – Thorium232 blanket – U233 Advanced Nuclear Power System – Th232 – Fuel charge of U or Pu

Goa – Illegal Mining Tourist haven

12% of tourist traffic Forested Areas – 1500SqKm - Biodiversity hotspot

6 National Parks

Mineral rich 2nd biggest industry Iron Ore, Bauxite, Manganese

Illegal Mining rampant Justice MB Shah commission Only 9 of 336 mining leases are valid 54Mn tonnes of Iron ore extracted illegally Mining beyond permitted quota Illegal mining in forests without clearance of NBWL Dempo mines – Sesa – Largest Exporter – 34% - Vedanta 22K trucks – 400barges – Employment generator

Karnataka – Illegal Mining Bellary region - Iron ore rich – Huge exports OMC – Obulapuram Mining Company

AMC – GLAT - GJR

G Janardhan Reddy – G Karunakara Reddy Complex structuring to avoid taxes

OMC – GLATI (Singapore) Under-Invoicing Rate to GLATI is $76-98 – International prices are $144-165

Lok Ayukta Report – 2008 Major violations Encroaching Forest Land Mining in areas other than stipulated Underpayment of royalty Collusion of Govt. officials Environmental damage

SC Probe

Gorkhaland Demand for statehood Northern most part of West Bengal Nepali/Gorkhali speaking region Demand since 1907 ABGL – Pranta Parishad 1980 petition to Indira Gandhi GNLF – Subhash Ghising – Violent agitation DGHC formed in 1988 – Semiautonomous GJM – Gorkha Janmukti Morcha – 2008

Bimal Gurung – Prashant Tamang – Indian Idol Madan Tamang – ABGL- Murdered by GJM activist Gorkhaland Territorial Administration – 2011

Replaces DGHC

Indian Space Program - ISROCV Raman Vikram SarabhaiHomi BhabhaFounded on 15th Aug, 1969

CM – K RadhakrishnanBudget of $1.5Bn – NASA has $20Bn!Space program Highlights

Aryabhatta – 1975 – Russian launch vehicleRohini – 1980 – Indian launch vehiclePSLV - GSLV

Moon MissionChandrayaan-1

ISRO – 2008Lunar Orbiter & ImpactorPSLV C-1114th Nov 2008 – Moon Impact probe makes soft landingPlanted Indian flag on the moon

Chandrayaan-2Rovers – Moon rock samplesObjective – Find Lunar water

Ultimate Plan – 2 astronauts on Moon in 2015

Annexure

Mullaperiyar

Scheme of the Dam

Logo – Atul Sudhakar Rao Pande

Koodankulam

2003 to 2011

Proposed State of Gorkhaland

PSLV and GSLV

Basel 3RTEPSLC-C18-ISRO-MMOil Exploration-NELP-Barmer-Cairn