DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYSIS

12^th January 2022

No.	Topic Name	Prelims/Mains
1.	ABOUT MAKAR SANKRANTI	Prelims & Mains
2.	DETAILS OF THE MULLAPERIYAR DAM ISSUE	Prelims & Mains
3.	ABOUT PETTA THULLAL DANCE	Prelims & Mains
4.	DETAILS OF THE CENTRAL VISTA PROJECT	Prelims & Mains
5.	ABOUT THE BRAHMOS MISSILE	Prelims Specific

 

1 – ABOUT MAKAR SANKRANTI:

GS I

Topic – Indian Culture

• About:
• Makar Sankranti is a Hindu feast day named after the Hindu god Surya (sun).
• Makar Sankranti is observed in accordance with the solar cycles. It is usually held on January 14th, or a day before or after. In certain areas, celebrations might last up to four days and include a wide range of customs.
• It is the first day of the sun’s transit into Makara (Capricorn), signaling the end of the month with the winter solstice and the beginning of longer days.
• Paush, the unlucky period of the previous month, comes to an end.
• Winter is coming to an end, and it’s going to be a cold one.
• This is an opportunity to recognize the dedication of millions of our farmers and citizens across the country (it is celebrated as a harvest Festival)
• In Odisha, Maharashtra-Goa, Andhra-Telengana, Kerala, and most of north India, it is known as ‘Makar Sankranti.’ Paush Parbon is another name for it in Bengal.
• Different Names:
• Pongal in Tamil Nadu.
• Uttarayan in Gujarat.
• Assam’s Bhogali Bihu
• Punjab and Jammu celebrate Lohri.
• Haryana and Himachal Pradesh have Maghi.
• In Karnataka, Makar Sankramana is celebrated.
• Kashmir’s Saen-kraat.
• Madhya Pradesh’s Sukaraat
• Parts of Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh have Khichdi Parwa.
• Source – The Hindu – 12/01/22 – Page Number 6

2 – DETAILS OF THE MULLAPERIYAR DAM ISSUE:

GS II

Topic – Federalism related issues

• Context:
• In the midst of severe rain in Kerala, the Supreme Court has ordered the Supervisory Committee to make an expedient and firm decision on the maximum water level that can be maintained at Mullaperiyar dam.
• Background:
• In 2014, the SC established a permanent Supervisory Committee to oversee all matters relating to the Mullaperiyar Dam. The dam has caused a squabble between Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
• What exactly is the problem:
• Kerala said the water level should not rise above 139 feet, which is the same limit set by the court on August 24, 2018, when the state was flooded.
• Because if the dam’s water level is raised, the lives of 50 lakh people will be jeopardized.
• Tamil Nadu, on the other hand, protested to the order, citing Supreme Court decisions from 2006 and 2014 that set the maximum water level at 142 feet.
• So, what’s next:
• The court ordered Kerala and Tamil Nadu officials to communicate appropriately and avoid putting lives in danger. The Court also said emphatically that this was not a political issue.
• The supervisory committee must now decide on the maximum water level and notify the court of its decision.
• What do you need to know about the Mullaperiyar Dam:
• Although the dam is located in Kerala, it is operated by Tamil Nadu via a 999-year lease agreement made in 1886 between the Maharaja of Travancore and the Secretary of State for India for the Periyar Irrigation works (the Periyar Lake Lease Agreement).
• The dam, which was built between 1887 and 1895, redirected the river’s flow to the Bay of Bengal rather than the Arabian Sea, providing water to the parched rain region of Madurai in Madras Presidency.
• In Kerala’s Idukki district, the dam is built at the junction of the Mullayar and Periyar rivers
• What does Tamil Nadu have to say about it:
• Despite taking steps to fortify the dam, Tamil Nadu argues that the Kerala government has prevented any move to boost the reservoir water level, causing losses to Madurai farmers.
• Kerala’s reasons are as follows:
• Residents in the earthquake-prone district of Idukki in Kerala, on the other hand, are concerned about disaster.
• Scientists have said that if the region has an earthquake with a magnitude greater than six on the Richter scale, the lives of over three million people will be jeopardized.
• Source – The Hindu – 12/01/22 – Page Number 1

3 – ABOUT THE PETTA THULLAL DANCE:

GS I

Topic – Indian Culture

• The Kerala State Pollution Board recently proposed banning chemical-based colors used during the Petta Thullal ritual.
• The inclusion of toxic metals in the ritual’s colors, including as lead, arsenic, and cadmium, causes skin irritation as well as pollution of the water and soil.
• It has been suggested that an organic vermilion be used to reduce the environmental impact.
• Vermilion is a red pigment that was initially manufactured from powdered cinnabar.
• Petta Thullal is a traditional religious dance performed to commemorate Lord Ayyappa’s victory over evil.
• It also marks the start of the final leg of Kerala’s yearly Sabarimala pilgrimage season.
• Source – The Hindu – 12/01/22 – Page Number 7

4 – DETAILS OF THE CENTRAL VISTA PROJECT:

GS II

Topic – Indian Parliament

• In 2019, the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs proposed a renovation proposal for Central Vista.
• The plan calls for the construction of a triangular Parliament building adjacent to the current one.
• Creating a Central Secretariat for the Common Good.
• The 3-kilometer-long Rajpath between Rashtrapati Bhavan and India Gate is being remodeled.
• The North and South Blocks will be turned into museums.
• The government’s case for redeveloping Central Vista is as follows:
• The amenities and infrastructure of the Parliament building are insufficient to satisfy current demand.
• The Central Government’s offices are dispersed around the country, causing inter-departmental coordination issues and unnecessary travel, which contributes to congestion and pollution.
• The majority of the existing structures have reached the end of their useful lives.
• About the Lutyens Zone:
• In December 1911, King George V announced in the Delhi Durbar (grand assembly) that India’s capital will be relocated from Calcutta to Delhi.
• The Delhi Durbar was held to commemorate King George V’s coronation.
• Edwin Lutyens, noted for his strong dedication to European Classicism, and Herbert Baker, a prominent architect in South Africa, were tasked with designing a new city.
• The Union buildings in Pretoria, South Africa, were also designed by Herbert Baker.
• Lutyens and Baker collaborated on the design of Parliament House.
• Edwin Lutyens designed Rashtrapati Bhavan.
• Herbert Baker designed the Secretariat, which contains both the north and south blocks.
• Source – The Hindu – 12/01/22 – Page Number 1

5 – ABOUT THE BRAHMOS MISSILE:

Prelims Specific Topic

• The BRAHMOS supersonic cruise missile has successfully tested its propulsion system, airframe, power supply, and other main indigenous components.
• BRAHMOS is a cooperative venture between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s National Propulsion Organization (NPOM).
• The rivers Brahmaputra and Moskva are named Brahmos.
• It’s a two-stage air-to-surface missile with a range of roughly 300 kilometers (solid propellant engine in first stage, liquid ramjet in second).
• However, India’s entrance into the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) has increased the BRAHMOS missile’s range to 450-600 kilometers, a little increase above the present MTCR-capped range of 300 kilometers.
• With a weight of 2.5 tonnes, Brahmos is the largest weapon ever deployed aboard a Su-30 MKI fighter plane.
• Brahmos is a multiplatform, multi-capability missile that can be launched from land, air, and sea. It has pinpoint accuracy and can be used at any time of day or night, regardless of weather conditions.
• It works on the “Fire and Forgets” principle, which means it doesn’t need any additional instructions after it’s launched.
• Brahmos is one of the fastest cruise missiles in service today, with a top speed of Mach 2.8, or three times the speed of sound.

• Source – The Hindu – 12/01/22 – Page Number 10