QUIZ – 2017: Insights Current Affairs Quiz, 23 September 2017

Solution: d.
• Aerosols interact both directly and indirectly with the Earth’s radiation budget and climate. As a direct effect, the aerosols scatter sunlight directly back into space. As an indirect effect, aerosols in the lower atmosphere can modify the size of cloud particles, changing how the clouds reflect and absorb sunlight, thereby affecting the Earth’s energy budget.
• Aerosols also can act as sites for chemical reactions to take place (heterogeneous chemistry). The most significant of these reactions are those that lead to the destruction of stratospheric ozone.
• Three types of aerosols significantly affect the Earth’s climate – Volcanic aerosol layer which forms in the stratosphere after major volcanic eruptions, desert dust and human-made aerosols.

For a basic, yet comprehensive, understanding of Atmospheric Aerosols, refer to: https://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/news/factsheets/Aerosols.html;
Improvisation (passing reference): http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/from-ocean-to-ozone-the-limits-of-our-planet/article19737717.ece;
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Solution: d.
Justification for statements 3: Farm mechanisation has killed the practice of using wheat stalk and straw as fodder, and burning is the only way out. “The cuttings left by the machines are too sharp. Not only do they injure us, even animals find it difficult to graze on,” says a farmer.

Primary Source: http://www.prsindia.org/uploads/media/MPR/MPR-%20August%202017.pdf#page17;
Summary of report on “Comprehensive Agriculture Research based on Geographical Conditions and Impact of Climate Change to ensure Food Security in the Country”: http://www.prsindia.org/uploads/media/Report%20Summary/SCR%20Summary-%20Agriculture%20Research.pdf;
For detailed reading: http://www.downtoearth.org.in/coverage/river-of-fire-57924;
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Solution: b.
There may be slight confusion regarding whether or not HFCs are emitted from paddy fields after you read this: “The Standing Committee on Agriculture in its report noted that paddy fields are a major source of greenhouse gases in the farm sector. These gases include methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons and carbon dioxide. The Committee noted that the reduction of emissions of these greenhouse gases would help India meet obligations under the International Accord on Climate Change.”

The second sentence under quotes probably only refers to some of the important greenhouse gases. But in context, it is made to appear that HFCs too are emitted from paddy fields. We came across no research documents that list HFC as an emission from paddy fields. Importantly, HFCs have no natural sources, and are known to be emitted through industrial processes.

Summary of report on “Comprehensive Agriculture Research based on Geographical Conditions and Impact of Climate Change to ensure Food Security in the Country”: http://www.prsindia.org/uploads/media/Report%20Summary/SCR%20Summary-%20Agriculture%20Research.pdf;
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/management_rice_paddy_fields_affects_ghg_emissions_454na3_en.pdf;
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Solution: d.
The descriptions must be interchanged.
The Balchandra L. Jarkiholi & Others v. B.S. Yeddyurappa (2011) case:
• The Supreme Court (in 2011) quashed the disqualification of 11 MLAs by the Speaker ahead of a no confidence motion which had ensured survival of the Yeddyurappa government in Karnataka.
• The legislators in their appeal had submitted that they had made a categorical statement in their replies to the show-cause notice issued by the speaker before their suspension that they had no intention at all to leave BJP or the membership of its legislature party and that their letter to the governor was aimed at “cleansing the image of the party by getting rid of Yeddyurappa as chief minister.” According to the petition, democratic dissent, without any intention of leaving the party but in the hope of saving its image and reputation by getting rid of a “corrupt” chief minister, cannot be regarded as voluntarily giving up the party membership as such.
The Nabam Rebia and Bamang Felix vs Deputy Speaker & Ors. Case (2016):
• Legally, the main significance of the Arunachal Pradesh verdict lies in the clarity it provides on the Governor’s role. The Governor has no authority to resolve disputes within a political party; nor is he the conscience-keeper of the legislature. He has no discretionary power to advance an Assembly session without the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers; nor can he fix its agenda. On the state’s Governor’s defence that he was acting to prevent constitutional improprieties such as a Speaker, for whose removal a motion was pending, adjudicating on the disqualification of some MLAs, the Court has made three points about the Governor’s intervention: he had no role in the removal of the Speaker, he had no authority to interfere in the Speaker’s powers under the anti-defection law, and he had no basis to act on the views of a group of 21 breakaway Congress MLAs, who clearly did not constitute a two-third fraction of the 47-member Congress Legislature Party to be lawfully recognisable.

Source and Improvisation: http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/questions-of-numbers/article19737714.ece;
From 2016: http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/Turning-back-the-clock/article14486822.ece;
From 2011: http://www.livemint.com/Politics/kpf9jHpIuoxThDRvCEVSgM/SC-quashes-Karnataka-speaker8217s-decision-to-disqualify.html

Solution: a.
The Standing Committee on Agriculture in its report stated that availability of good quality of seeds ensures high productivity of agriculture. Share of area sown using certified or quality seeds out of the total area sown is called the seed replacement ratio. The Committee stated that this ratio is skewed as 65% of the seed requirement is met by farmers’ own seeds or seeds distributed among themselves. It also noted that the private sector contributes to 50- 57% of the seed production in India. The Committee stated that high yielding varieties of improved seeds need to be developed. Further, it recommended that the process of production, procurement and distribution of these improved seeds should be centralised.

Primary Source: http://www.prsindia.org/uploads/media/MPR/MPR-%20August%202017.pdf#page17;
Summary of report on “Comprehensive Agriculture Research based on Geographical Conditions and Impact of Climate Change to ensure Food Security in the Country”: http://www.prsindia.org/uploads/media/Report%20Summary/SCR%20Summary-%20Agriculture%20Research.pdf;