CURRENT-AFFAIRS

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

• The Supreme Court has recently ruled that a disclosure made by an accused under Section 27 of the Indian Evidence Act is inadmissible if the fact was already known to the police before the disclosure.
• About Section 27 of the Indian Evidence Act:
  • This section provides an exception to the general rule that confessions made to police officers while in custody are inadmissible. Sections 25 and 26 of the Act protect against self-incrimination and prevent abuse by police authorities by rendering confessions made in police custody, without a magistrate present, inadmissible in court.
  • Section 27, however, makes an exception to this rule, allowing the admission of confessions that lead to the discovery of new facts. It states: "Provided that, when any fact is deposed to as discovered in consequence of information received from a person accused of any offence, in the custody of a police officer, so much of such information, whether it amounts to a confession or not, as relates distinctly to the fact thereby discovered, may be proved."
  • In other words, a confession made by an accused while in police custody that leads to the discovery of a fact is admissible in court, but only if the information revealed was not previously known to the police and resulted in the recovery of evidence or identification of witnesses.
• For a confession to be admissible under Section 27:
  • It must relate directly to the fact discovered.
  • The confession must be voluntary and not coerced.
  • The confession must provide new information that was not known to the police before.
  • The principle underlying Section 27 is the doctrine of confirmation through subsequent events. This means that the information disclosed must be corroborated by the subsequent discovery to be admissible in court.
  • In the case of Asar Mohd. v. State of U.P, the Supreme Court clarified that the term "fact" in Section 27 is not restricted to physical objects alone but can also encompass crucial psychological or mental facts relevant to the case. Nonetheless, the confession alone cannot be used to establish the accused's guilt without additional corroborating evidence.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

• The Central Government has recently updated the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDR) Act of 1957, by including Tantalum among the 24 minerals listed as Critical and Strategic in Part D of the First Schedule.
• About Tantalum:
  • Symbol and Atomic Number: Tantalum is represented by the symbol Ta and has the atomic number 73.
  • Occurrence: Tantalum is not commonly found in its raw form in nature. Instead, it is usually extracted from the mineral columbite-tantalite, commonly known as coltan.
  • Major Producers: The leading producers of tantalum include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Brazil, and Nigeria.
• Properties:
  • Classification: Tantalum is classified as a transition metal and remains solid at room temperature.
  • Appearance: It is a lustrous, silvery metal that is relatively soft in its pure state.
  • Chemical Resistance: Tantalum is highly resistant to chemical attack at temperatures below 150 degrees Celsius.
  • Corrosion Resistance: Due to an oxide film that forms on its surface, tantalum exhibits exceptional resistance to corrosion.
  • Ductility: When in its pure form, tantalum is ductile, allowing it to be drawn into thin wires or threads without breaking.
  • Refractory Metal: As a refractory metal, tantalum has a high melting point and is resistant to heat and wear, surpassed only by tungsten and rhenium.
• Applications:
  • Electronics: Tantalum is extensively used in the electronics industry. Tantalum capacitors can store more electricity in a compact size with minimal leakage compared to other types of capacitors. This makes them ideal for use in portable electronic devices such as smartphones, laptops, and digital cameras.
  • Substitute for Platinum: Due to its high melting point, tantalum is often used as an alternative to platinum, which is more costly.
  • Industrial Uses: It is utilized in the production of components for chemical processing equipment, nuclear reactors, aircraft, and missiles.
  • Medical Equipment: Tantalum is biocompatible, meaning it does not react with bodily fluids, making it suitable for surgical instruments and implants, including artificial joints.
  • Cutting Tools: A composite of tantalum carbide (TaC) and graphite is one of the hardest known materials and is employed in the cutting edges of high-speed machine tools.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

• Researchers from Mizoram University and the Max Planck Institute have recently discovered a new species of snake, named Smithophis mizoramensis, in the northeastern Indian state of Mizoram.
• About Smithophis mizoramensis:
  • Species Overview: Smithophis mizoramensis is a newly identified snake species from Mizoram.
  • Naming: The species is named Smithophis mizoramensis in honor of its discovery location. It is also known locally by the Mizo name "Tuithiangrul" or "Mizo Brook Snake."
  • Species Count: With this discovery, the total number of known Smithophis species worldwide now stands at five.
  • Related Species: Two other species in this genus, Smithophis atemporalis and Smithophis bicolor, have been previously documented in Mizoram.
  • Research History: The new species has been under examination for 15 years due to its close resemblance to related species.
  • Genetic Findings: Genetic analysis shows a 10-14% DNA divergence from its closest relatives.
  • Physical Characteristics: The snake is noted for its distinctive coloration and scale patterns.
  • Habitat: It is found in both lowland and highland regions of Mizoram, particularly in areas near rivers and their surroundings.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

• Madhya Pradesh has launched the largest floating solar project in central and northern India, generating 90 MW of power at Omkareshwar.
• About the Omkareshwar Floating Solar Project:
• Location: Situated at Omkareshwar in District Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh.
• Development: The floating solar plant is installed on the backwaters of the Omkareshwar Dam, a gravity dam on the Narmada River.
• Scale: This is the largest solar park in India and the most significant floating solar project in central and northern India, with a capacity of 90 MW.
• Oversight: The project was developed under the Union Ministry of Renewable Energy.
• Execution: Managed by SJVN Green Energy Limited (SGEL), a fully owned subsidiary of SJVN, which is a joint venture between the Government of India and the Government of Himachal Pradesh.
• Cost: The total project cost is Rs. 646 crores.
• Electricity Production: It is expected to produce 196.5 million units of electricity in its first year of operation and a total of 4,629.3 million units over its 25-year lifespan.
• Environmental Impact: The project is set to reduce carbon emissions by 2.3 lakh tons and will play a crucial role in the Government of India’s goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2070.
• Water Conservation: It will also aid in water conservation by decreasing water evaporation.
• Tariff: The project was developed through a competitive tariff bidding process on a Build-Own-Operate basis for 25 years, with a tariff rate of Rs 3.26 per unit.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

• NASA’s Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) has officially wrapped up its mission, concluding over a decade of space exploration.
• Background on NEOWISE:
  • Launch: Initially launched in 2009 by NASA under the name Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE).
  • Mission: The space telescope was originally designed to conduct an infrared survey of the sky, identifying asteroids, stars, and some of the faintest galaxies.
  • Primary Mission Completion: It completed its initial mission in February 2011.
  • Reactivation: In December 2013, the telescope was reactivated and repurposed for the NEOWISE project, focusing on studying near-Earth objects (NEOs), along with distant asteroids and comets.
  • Orbit: While NEOWISE originally orbited at an altitude of 310 miles, it now orbits at about 217 miles above Earth’s surface due to increased solar activity affecting its trajectory.
  • Achievements: During its primary mission, NEOWISE discovered over 158,000 minor planets, including 34,000 previously unknown objects.
  • Data Significance: The data collected by NEOWISE has been instrumental in establishing parameters for the numbers, orbits, sizes, and likely compositions of asteroids across our solar system. It also led to the discovery of the first known Earth Trojan asteroid.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

• India's first 24/7 grain ATM, named Annapurti, has recently been inaugurated at Mancheswar in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
• About Annapurti Grain ATM:
  • Development: The Annapurti Grain ATM was designed and developed by the World Food Programme India.
  • Universal Access: This ATM provides universal access to all individuals with a valid Public Distribution System (PDS) ration card, regardless of their State or Union Territory in India.
  • Functionality: It can dispense up to 50 kilograms of grain in just five minutes, operating around the clock and cutting down waiting times by 70 percent.
  • Automation: The system is an automated multi-commodity dispenser that delivers essential commodities (such as rice, wheat, and other grains) efficiently and accurately after biometric authentication.
  • Design: It features a modular design for easy assembly and adaptation to available space. The ATM is energy-efficient and can be powered by solar panels for automatic refilling.
• Benefits:
  • Reduces long queues at traditional distribution points.
  • Minimizes issues related to theft and black marketing.
  • Ensures accurate weight and prevents potential fraud.
  • Provides 24/7 access to rice, significantly reducing waiting times by 70%.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

• Researchers have recently issued a warning that silicosis could emerge as a significant health issue, comparable to the dangers associated with asbestos exposure.
• About Silicosis:
  • Description: Silicosis is a respiratory disease characterized by the hardening of lung tissue.
  • Causes: The disease is caused by inhalation of silica dust or silica crystals, which are commonly found in materials such as soil, sand, concrete, mortar, granite, and artificial stone.
  • Industries at Risk: Silicosis is prevalent in industries such as construction, mining, oil and gas extraction, kitchen engineering, dentistry, pottery, and sculpting. Workers in these fields are frequently exposed to silica dust and are at an increased risk of developing the disease.
  • Development Timeline: Silicosis can take several years to develop, often requiring 10 to 20 years of occupational exposure to silica dust.
  • Symptoms: Common symptoms of silicosis include a persistent cough, shortness of breath, weakness, and fatigue.
• Types of Silicosis:
  • Acute Silicosis: Symptoms such as cough, weight loss, and fatigue can appear within a few weeks to years of high-level silica exposure.
  • Accelerated Silicosis: This type occurs within 10 years of substantial exposure to silica dust.
  • Chronic Silicosis: Developing 10 to 30 years after exposure, chronic silicosis primarily affects the upper lungs and can lead to extensive scarring.
• Silicosis is a progressive condition with no known cure.