Current Affairs 7th February 2019

Current Affairs 7th February 2019 - Important Points     

• India’s communication satellite GSAT-31 launched from  - French Guiana
• New missile agreement with potential to include India proposed on - 5th February 2019 
• NBWL grants wildlife clearance to Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project in  - January 2019
• Transport Minister launched highway projects in Odisha  on - 6th February 2019
• Siamese Fighting Fish  is named  as its National Aquatic Animal by - Thailand

Current Affairs 7th February 2019 - Details

India’s communication satellite GSAT-31 launched from  - French Guiana

Indian Space Research Organisation’s latest communication satellite, GSAT-31 was effectively released by Arianespace aboard its launch vehicle Ariane-5 from the spaceport in French Guiana on February 5th, 2019.
The launch vehicle Ariane-5 VA-247 take-off from Kourou Launch Base in Guiana Space Centre at 2:31am IST carrying 2 telecommunications satellites.  This is Arianespace’s 1st launch of the year & the 103rd Ariane 5 mission.
Ariane 5 carried two communication satellites:
1. Saudi Geostationary Satellite 1/Hellas Sat 4 & Hellas Sat
2. Indian Space Research Organisation’s GSAT-31
Main Objectives
With a take-off mass of 2536 kilograms, the telecommunications satellite will add the Ku-band transponder capacity in Geostationary Orbit for minimum 15 years.
It will further deliver continuity to operational services on few of the in-orbit satellites. It will also assist bridge the digital divide in the Indian subcontinent as part of a determined Indian space programme, whose ideas are to develop India while pursuing scientific research & planetary exploration.
It has a unique configuration of delivering flexible frequency segments & flexible coverage. Henceforth, it will deliver communication services to Indian mainland &islands.
It will also deliver DTH Television Services, connectivity to VSATs for ATM machines, Stock-exchange, Digital Satellite News Gathering & e-governance claims. The satellite will also be utilised for bulk information transfer for a host of emerging telecommunication applications.

New missile agreement with potential to include India proposed on - 5th February 2019

United States President Donald Trump has offered a new nuclear missiles agreement that could conceivably include India as he brought the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress. 
Defending his decision to remove from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Agreement with Russia, he informed in a speech on February 5th, 2019 that perhaps United States can negotiate a different agreement, adding China & others, or perhaps United States can't, in which case, we will outspend & out-innovate all others by far.
Main Highlights

• The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces agreement, which was signed by President Ronald Reagan & Soviet Communist Party General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev, banned land-based missiles of 1000-5000 kms. 
• Some of the Prithvi & Agni class missiles in India's arsenal could come under the ambit of such an agreement, as well as some of Pakistan's Babur, Shaheen & Ghauri missiles. 
• Trump defended his decision to remove from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces agreement stating that Russia repeatedly violated its conditions.
• While stating that the United States could possibly negotiate a fresh agreement, Trump did not make any direct references to India/region.

NBWL grants wildlife clearance to Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project in  - January 2019

The National Board of Wildlife, headed by Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan, in January 2019 rendered wildlife clearance to the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Project that goes through the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary & the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Mumbai.
The bullet train, would be India’s 1st high-speed rail line. The work for the alleged corridor was initiated by PM Narendra Modi &  his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in Ahmedabad in September 2017. The corridor is predictable to be ready by 2022.
The wildlife clearance was accorded for following proposals:
For the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor, 3.2756 hectares of forestland &  97.5189 hectares of space close to protected area of Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary will be abstracted.
Diversion of 32.75 hectares of forestland & 77.30 hectares of non-forestland from Sanjay Gandhi National Park Diversion of 0.6902 hectares of forestland & 4.7567 hectares of non-forest land from Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary.
Conditions laid by board for bullet train project
While giving the clearance, the National Board of Wildlife laid the pre-conditions for the bullet train project including:
Payment of Rupees 10 crore for habitat development of the sanctuary & barricading the work-site to make sure that no wreckage fall outside the project area Providing site & funds for penal plantation of minimum 5 times the number of mangroves plants estimated to be lost in this project.

Transport Minister launched highway projects in Odisha  on - 6th February 2019

The Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on February 6th, 2019 placed the foundation stone of 3 major highway projects with an investment worth Rupees 2345 crores in Odisha. The projects are intended at ensuring speedy expansion in the state.
The three national highway projects will have a total length of 132 km. They include:
4-Laning of 41.7 kilometres Talcher-Kamakhyanagar section of NH 200/23 (new NH 53) at a cost of Rupees 795.18 crore.
4-Laning of 51.1 kilometres Kamakhyanagar-Duburi section of NH 200 (new NH 53) at a cost of Rupees 761.11 crore.
4-Laning of 39.4 kilometres Duburi-Chandikhole section of NH 200 (new NH 53) at a cost of Rupees 789.23 crore.

Impression 
The new projects will have suitable structures to decrease traffic congestion & ensure the safety of road users.

Siamese Fighting Fish  is named  as its National Aquatic Animal by - Thailand

The government of Thailand has sanctioned the proposal to name Siamese fighting fish as the National
Aquatic Animal. The conclusion was based on the commendation of the National Identity Committee of
Thailand which encourages Thai cultural pride forwarded its endorsement of the fighting fish.
The government has permitted the proposal owing to the cultural & historical importance of the Siamese fighting fish for Thailand. The Siamese fighting fish was selected as it’s a native, unique species to the  kingdom’s waters &  an imperative animal for Thailand’s economy.
More about  Siamese Fighting Fish

• The Siamese fighting fish commonly known as the ‘Betta’ is a popular fish in the aquarium business.
• The Siamese fighting fish is native to the Mekong basin of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam & habitually found at Chao Phraya river in Thailand.
• The Siamese fighting fish was listed as intangible cultural heritage by the Cultural Ministry in 2013.
• The title of Siamese fighting fish as Thailand’s national aquatic animal could support boost both conservation efforts & commercial breeding.