Current Affairs Quiz | 18 August 2017

The Parambikulam Tiger Reserve (PTR) is a protected area located in Chittur taluk in Palakkad district of Kerala and covers an area of 391 square kilometers. It is alos home to lion-tailed macaques, Nilgiri tahr, elephants, Bengal tigers, Indian leopards, Nilgiri marten small Travancore flying squirrel, etc. According to recently conducted tiger census at the regional level in 2016, there are 33 tigers in Periyar reserve and 25 in Parambikulam reserve respectively, which is informed by the Forest Minister K Raju in the state assembly on August 18, 2017. It must be noted that as per a tiger census conducted at the national level in 2010, considered as authoritative figure, there were 38 tigers in Parambikulam spread over 643 sq feet area and 34 in Periyar that covers an area of 925 sq feet.

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is a statutory censorship and classification body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting that regulated the public exhibition of films under the provisions of the Cinematograph Act. . The headquarters of CBEC is located at Mumbai, Maharashtra. The board consists of non-official members and a Chairman, all of whom are appointed by Central Government. Any Film can be publicly exhibited in the country only after they have been certified by it. Prasoon Joshi, the famous lyricist, is the newly appointment chairperson of the CBFC. Joshi is known for putting forth his opinion on contemporary issues. He twice won the National Award for Best Lyricist – first in 2008 for ‘Maa’ (Taare Zameen Par) and then in 2013 for ‘Bolo Na’ in Chittagong.

The Government of India (GoI) has signed Global Environment Facility (GEF) Grant Agreement with the World Bank (WB) for $24.64 million for Ecosystems Service Improvement Project (ESIP). The project is entirely be financed by the World Bank out of its GEF Trust Fund. The project’s duration is 05 years. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) will implement the Project in the States of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh through Indian Council of Forestry Research & Education under the National Mission for Green India. The purpose of the Project is to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Departments of Forestry and Community Organisations to enhance forest ecosystem services and improve the livelihoods of forest dependent communities in Central Indian Highlands.

The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL) has launched its mobile wallet “BSNL Wallet” in partnership with MobiKwik to enable one-tap bill payment for its over 100 million subscribers. This digital wallet was launched at an event by Manoj Sinha, Minister for Telecommunications in New Delhi. The mobile wallet is developed & issued by MobiKwik on behalf of BSNL. It works on both smartphone and feature phones and enables fast online recharges, bill payments, shopping, bus & train booking and many more.

The World Photography Day (WPD) is observed every year on August 19 to inspire photographers across the planet to share a single photo with a simple purpose: to share their world with the world. The date of August 19 was chosen to commemorate the invention of the Daguerreotype, a photographic process developed by Frenchmen Louis Daguerre and Joseph Nicephore Niepce in 1837. On January 9, 1839, the French Academy of Sciences announced the Daguerreotype process. On August 19 that same year, the French government purchased the patent and announced Daguerreotype free to the world as a gift. This event was an important step in the development of modern-day photography.

Sohail Mahmoodm, the senior diplomat, has taken charge as the new Pakistan’s high commissioner to India. He succeeded Abdul Basit. The High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi is the diplomatic mission of Pakistan in India. Prior to this, Mahmood served as Pakistan’s ambassador in Turkey.

Real Madrid football club has won the Spanish Super Cup for the 10th time with a 2-0 win over Barcelona at a joyous Bernabeu on August 16, 2017 to complete a 5-1 aggregate victory.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has launched two mobile Apps namely MyFASTag and FASTag Partner in New Delhi to ensure smooth functioning of the Electronic Toll Collection system. The mobile apps will ease the process and will make it possible to buy or recharge FASTags at the click of a mobile button. Basically, MyFASTag is a consumer App that can be downloaded from the App Store for both Android and iOS systems. A consumer can purchase or recharge FASTags on this App. The app also helps to keep track of transactions and provides for online grievance redressal. While, the FASTag Partner app is for banks and agencies selling the tag. A total of 10 banks, including mobile wallets, provide FASTags.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has launched the “Harit Diwali, Swasth Diwali” campaign to celebrate pollution-free diwali. Diwali is an integral part of our rich tradition and a festival that embodies joy and happiness. In recent times, the pattern of celebration has changed somewhat and has got associated with excessive bursting of crackers, which contributes significantly to air and noise pollution. As a result, there has been a significant impact on the environment and health of the people. Thus, as a part of the campaign, the Environment Ministry will undertake various activities to create awareness among various stakeholders and encourage people to participate in combating air pollution.

S Paul (88), the veteran photographer, has passed away in New Delhi on August 16, 2017. He was a self-taught photographer who discovered his passion for the art as a teenager. He joined The Indian Express in the 1960s and retired from the newspaper in 1989. Paul received recognition and fame as a professional photographer when his pictures were selected for publication in three renowned British publications — Amateur Photographer, Miniature Camera and Miniature Camera World. B&W Magazine of US had described him as ‘The Henry Cartier-Bresson of India’. Apart from other recognitions, Paul was the first Indian to be profiled by The British Journal of Photography in 1967. He was the first Indian to win the Nikon International Photo Contest in 1971. Paul was born on 19 August, 1929 in Jhang, Pakistan. He moved to India after Partition and his family shifted to Shimla. His younger brother, Raghu Rai, is also a renowned photographer