J&K govt sets up panel to declare Dal Lake as Eco-Sensitive Zone

NATIONAL NEWS

J&K govt sets up panel to declare Dal Lake as Eco-Sensitive Zone

• The Jammu and Kashmir government has set up a ten-member committee to declare Srinagar's famous Dal Lake and its surrounding areas as an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ), following concerns over its shrinking size.
• Pollution and encroachments have resulted in the Dal Lake shrinking from its original area of 22 square kilometers to about 10 square kilometers, according to an assessment by the Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) in 2017.
• The DCI also found that the world-famous lake's capacity has shrunk to about 40 per cent and that its water quality has deteriorated.

FACTS

Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir-Girish Chandra Murmu

Gujarat Govt gives approval to world’s first CNG terminal at Bhavnagar port

• Gujarat Government has given approval to the world’s first CNG terminal at Bhavnagar port. According to release issued by State Information Department, the joint venture of United Kingdom-based Foresight Group and Mumbai-based Padmanabh Mafatlal Group, will invest 1,900 crore rupees to set up a CNG terminal at Bhavnagar port.
• Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani as a Chairman of Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board - GIDB- approved this proposal.
• Memorandum of Understanding between Gujarat Maritime Board and London-based Foresight Group was signed during the Vibrant Gujarat Summit earlier this year.
• At present, the Bhavnagar port is operated by Gujarat Maritime Board, which is handling three metric tons of cargo annually.

FACTS

Gujarat CM-Vijay Rupani

Governor-Acharya Devvrat

Thermal power plant in Gujarat-Mundra, Ukai, Akrimota

Centre approves to set up four medical device parks

• The government has approved setting up four medical device parks in the country. It aims to support the Make in India initiative. It will also provide world-class products at affordable prices for treatment.
• The four parks will be set up in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. The states Uttarakhand and Gujarat have also approached the Centre for a go-ahead for such parks. These parks will provide the necessary infrastructure, where companies can easily plug and play.
• This will not only cut import bills but will also help in easy access to standard testing facilities and reduce the cost of production, they said. The project of Andhra Pradesh Medtech Zone for the creation of Common Facility Centre (CFC) for Superconducting Magnetic Coil Testing and Research was given in-principle approval recently.
• The scheme proposes to provide Rs. 25 crores or 70% of the project cost of setting up CFCs, whichever is less, for the creation of common facilities in any upcoming park.

IOCL gets Environment Ministry’s clearance to set up 2G ethanol plant in Panipat

• The Ministry of Environment has granted clearance to the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) to set up a Rs 766-crore 2G ethanol plant in Haryana’s Panipat district.
• The IOCL had submitted a proposal seeking environment clearance for its proposed 100 KLPD Ligno-Cellulosic 2G ethanol plant at Baholi in Panipat district of Haryana.
• This project not only promotes use of environment friendly fuel but also aids in fulfilment of government’s goal of doubling farmers’ income.

DEFENCE

Defence innovations conference showcasing accomplishments of iDEX

• The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is organising ‘Def-Connect’ to showcase the accomplishments of the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative and construct a strong outreach towards the potential future entrepreneurs of the defence sector.
• Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh will be the Chief Guest of the event.
• The conference aims to bring together all stakeholders of the iDEX ecosystem i.e. MoD, iDEX selected startups, Partner Incubators, Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO), Nodal agencies (Indian Army, Navy, Airforce), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), Indian Ordnance Factories (IOFs), MSMEs and Industry associations to showcase the growth of the defence ecosystem in the country and recognise the infinite potential of the MSMEs/startups for future growth of the defence sector in the country.
• Launch of iDEX Portal, launch of Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC)-III are some of the major activities planned during this day-long event.
• MoUs between the new incubators and private industry will be exchanged in the presence of Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Shripad Naik.
• The event would lead to better interaction & bridging the gap between the stakeholders and will be a precursor for Startup showcase during the forthcoming DefExpo 2020, to be held in Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow from February 5-8, 2020.

AWARD

George Schaller award for wildlife biologist

• Wildlife biologist K. Ullas Karanth, Director, Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bengaluru, was awarded the George Schaller Lifetime Award in Wildlife Conservation Science for his contribution to the field of conservation.
• He is the first recipient of the award instituted by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), New York.

SPORTS

Hat-trick man Deepak Chahar records best-ever figures in T20

• India pacer Deepak Chahar recorded the best-ever figures in the Twenty20 Internationals when he returned figures 6 for 7 runs in 3.2 overs against Bangladesh at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur.
• The previous record of 6 for 8 by Sri Lankan mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis against Zimbabwe in 2012.
• Chahar also became the first Indian bowler to take a hat-trick in the shortest format of the game as he wrapped up the Bangladesh innings with the wickets of Shafiul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman and Aminul Islam in three consecutive deliveries.

Saurabh Chaudhary wins silver medal in Men's 10m air pistol event at Asian Championship

• Saurabh Chaudhary claimed the silver medal in men's 10m air pistol event to continue India's surge at the 14th Asian Championship in Doha.
• World Cup and Asian Games gold-medallist shot 244.5 to finish second on the podium behind North Korea's Kim Song Guk, who won the top prize with a world record 246.5. Iran's Foroughi Javed bagged the bronze.
• With 583, both Chaudhary and Abhishek Verma had qualified for the finals in seventh and sixth place. However, Verma had to be satisfied with a fifth-place finish in the eight-man final. 
• The trio of Chaudhary, Verma and Sharvan Kumar bagged the team bronze with a total of 1740 in the qualifying, finishing behind China (1745) and Korea (1744). Both Chaudhary and Verma had already secured their Olympic quotas in the earlier competitions.

Javelin thrower Sundar Singh wins gold in World Para Athletics Championships

• Javelin thrower Sundar Singh Gurjar has won India's second gold defending his World Para Athletics Championships title in the men's F46 javelin throw event in Dubai. With this, India has secured three Tokyo Paralympic Games quota, along with the bronze winner Ajeet Singh and Rinku.
• Gurjar came up with his season's best effort of 61.22m to claim the top spot. Singh sent the spear to a distance of 59.46m to clinch the bronze while Rinku finished fourth.
• India now have two gold, two silver and a bronze in the Championships.

Thomas Dennerby takes charge as Indian Head Coach in FIFA U-17 Women's WC

• All India Football Federation (AIFF) has announced the appointment of Thomas Dennerby (Sweden) as the Indian head coach of the Women's U-17 football team. The FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) U-17(under 17) women's football World Cup 2020 will be hosted by India.
• Thomas led the Sweden Women's national team to finish third in the FIFA World Cup in 2011. He previously worked as coach of Super Falcons, the Nigerian women's national team to the 2019 FIFA World Cup in France.
• He was also awarded the coach of the year for 2018 in Nigeria.