Current Affairs Today 16th May 2020-Download in PDF

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Current Affairs Today – 16th May 2020

NEWS AT A GLANCE

1. The Endangered Species Day is observed on the third Friday of May to raise awareness about endangered species and how to protect them.
2. Every year, on May 16, International Day of Light is celebrated by UNESCO.
3. India observes Nation Dengue Day on May 16 as suggested by the Union Health Ministry to create awareness about the disease.
4. The International Day of Living Together in Peace is observed on 16 May every year to promote peace through a harmonious living together regardless of nationality, gender, language or religion, to build a sustainable world of peace, solidarity and harmony.
5. The World Bank has approved USD 1 billion aid, under ‘Accelerating India’s COVID-19 Social Protection Response Program’, to support India’s efforts for providing social assistance to the poor and vulnerable households, severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
6. According to a report “Updated Assessment of the Potential Economic Impact of COVID-19” released by Asian Development Bank (ADB), global economy is expected to lose between $ 5.8 trillion to $ 8.8 trillion, which will be 6.4 % to 9.7 % of global gross domestic product (GDP), due to the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).
7. Facebook has announced that it has acquired the animated graphics startup GIPHY. Facebook will now integrate GIPHY in its Instagram visual social network.
8. 38 new mandis were integrated with the e-NAM platform.
9. Under the corona studies series published by NBT India, Union HRD Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ has e-launched 7 titles as print and e-edition.
10. “Atmanirbhar Gujarat Sahay Yojana” as been launched by the Gujarat Government.
11. The Chhattisgarh State Government is to launch the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana.
12. ‘Aarogya’ scheme (Health scheme) of the Tamil Nadu government, a scheme to use traditional medicines for boosting immunity, is being taken up in various Cauvery Delta districts like Trichy, Karur, Ariyaloor and Perambaloor, as a complement to schemes being popularized by the AYUSH Ministry.
13. Delhi Police launched India’s first ‘Thermal Corona Combat Headgear’ to ensure the safety of frontline warriors and enforce social distancing.
14. In Jharkhand, the State Education Department (dept) in collaboration with Doordarshan (DD) started online classes and educational programmes to provide school education to students of the state through video and thematic lectures.
15. Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has launched a highly-sophisticated mobile unit to conduct testing for COVID-19 in densely populated areas, especially labour camps.
16. Hossein Kazempour Ardebili, Iran’s representative at OPEC (Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries), has passed away after falling into a coma following a brain hemorrhage.
17. According to analysis by the environmental website, Carbon Brief, India’s Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions fell by 30metric tonnes(1.4%) in the fiscal year ending March, which is the first annual decline in four decades.
18. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank approves a loan of 145 million USD to improve irrigation facilities and flood management West Bengal.
19. The Jammu & Kashmir Government has appointed senior vice president of HDFC Bank Zubair Iqbal, as the new Managing Director (MD) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Bank on 15 May 2020, for a period of three years.
20. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved the launch of the Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS) with an outlay of Rs.400 crore.
21. National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research-Guwahati (NIPER-G) has developed two products, 3D-printed hands-free object & 3D-printed antimicrobial face-shield, to help in the fight against the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
22. An interactive COVID-19 dashboard named as “MIR AHD Covid-19 Dashboard” has been developed by the researchers at IIT Gandhinagar.
23. Scientists at CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI), Durgapur, have developed two mobile indoor Disinfection Sprayer units, Battery Powered Disinfectant Sprayer (BPDS) and Pneumatically Operated Mobile Indoor Disinfection (POMID).
24. Bangladesh’s Noted literary personality, educationist and national Professor Anisuzzaman passed away.
25. Veteran Bengali author Debesh Roy, who had five decades of career as a writer, passed away.

NEWS IN DETAILS

IMPORTANT DAYS AND THEMES

Endangered Species Day 2020 observed on 15^th  May

• The Endangered Species Day is observed on the third Friday of May to raise awareness about endangered species and how to protect them.
• In 2020, the day falls on May 15.
• The day was proposed by National Wildlife Federation, United States’ largest private, nonprofit conservation education and advocacy organization.
• An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular region due to various risk factors such as habitat loss, poaching and invasive species.

International Day of Light observed on 16^th May

• Every year, on May 16, International Day of Light is celebrated by UNESCO.
• The day is being celebrated to mark the first successful operation of LASER in 1960
• The first successful LASER operation was done by an engineer and physicist Theodore Maiman.
• The day celebrates the role of light in art, culture, science, sustainable development and education. The day is administered by International Basic Science Programme that is conducted by UNESCO.

Goals:

• The International Day of Light day aims to improve the public understanding of how light and light based technologies help in development of future society. It also signifies the fact that technology help in playing greater role in saving energy and therefore, lighting technologies need to be protected.

Extra Shots:

UNESCO: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations aimed at contributing “to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information.

• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Head: Audrey Azoulay
• Founded: 16 November 1945, London, United Kingdom
• Formation: 4 November 1946; 73 years ago
• Parent organization: United Nations Economic and Social Council

India observes Nation Dengue Day on May 16

• India observes Nation Dengue Day on May 16 as suggested by the Union Health Ministry to create awareness about the disease.
• Measures to prevent and preparing to control the spread of dengue are among a few things that are discussed and shared on this day.
• Dengue fever starts with sudden onset of fever, followed by severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pain, and rash.
• Though there are no specific antiviral medicines for dengue, early clinical diagnosis by physician puts the fatality rate from this disease below 1%.

International Day of Living Together in Peace observed on16 May

• The International Day of Living Together in Peace is observed on 16 May every year to promote peace through a harmonious living together regardless of nationality, gender, language or religion, to build a sustainable world of peace, solidarity and harmony.
• The first ever International Day of Living Together in Peace was observed in 2018.
• The day is recognized by the UN General-Assembly in December 2017.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

World Bank Approves USD1 billion Social Protection Package for India

• The World Bank has approved USD 1 billion aid, under ‘Accelerating India’s COVID-19 Social Protection Response Program’, to support India’s efforts for providing social assistance to the poor and vulnerable households, severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The new USD 1 billion support will be funded in two phases:
• Allocation of $750 million in first tranche for fiscal year 2020. Of this, $ 550 million will be financed by International Development Association (IDA) and USD 200 million will be a loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD).
• The remaining $250 million second tranche will be made available for fiscal year 2021.
• The Phase I of the operation will be implemented countrywide through the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY).
• With this, the total commitment from the World Bank towards emergency Covid-19 response in India reaches to $2 billion.
• Earlier in April 2020, World Bank announced $1 billion support for India’s health sector.

Extra Shots:

World Bank: The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of poorer countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. It comprises two institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the International Development Association.

• Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States
• President: David Malpass
• Parent organization: World Bank Group
• Membership: 189 countries (IBRD); 173 countries (IDA)
• Purpose: Economic development

COVID-19 may cost global economy loss of up to $ 8.8 trillion: ADB report

• According to a report “Updated Assessment of the Potential Economic Impact of COVID-19” released by Asian Development Bank (ADB), global economy is expected to lose between $ 5.8 trillion to $ 8.8 trillion, which will be 6.4 % to 9.7 % of global gross domestic product (GDP), due to the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).
• Earlier on April 3, 2020, ADB in its Asian Development Outlook (ADO) 2020 had estimated a loss of $ 2 trillion to $ 4.1 trillion in the global economy due to the coronavirus. In March 6, 2020, ADB estimated losses of 77 billion to 347 billion dollars (0.1 -0.4 %of global GDP).
• The latest ADB estimates are predicting double the global GDP loss than the previous estimates of the World Bank (WB) and IMF’s (International Monetary Fund) World Economic Outlook.
• The WB had predicted losses of 2-4 % and IMF estimated 6.3 %. ADB’s loss estimates do not include the measures being taken by all countries to handle the economy.
• This means that the decline may be limited due to efforts such as relief packages.

Extra Shots:

Asian Development Bank (ADB):

• Headquarters: Manila, Philippines
• Membership: 68 countries
• President: Masatsugu Asakawa
• Chief Economist: Yasuyuki Sawada

Facebook acquires animated graphics startup GIPHY

• Facebook has announced that it has acquired the animated graphics startup GIPHY. Facebook will now integrate GIPHY in its Instagram visual social network.
• GIPHY is known for its use of stickers and other products using the graphics interchange format or GIFs.
• GIPHY, a leader in visual expression and creation, is joining the Facebook company today as part of the Instagram team

Extra Shots:

Facebook, Inc. is an American social media and technology company based in Menlo Park, California.

• CEO: Mark Zuckerberg
• Headquarters: Menlo Park, California, United States
• Founders: Mark Zuckerberg, Andrew McCollum, Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz, Chris Hughes

NATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS

e-NAM reaches milestone of 1000 Mandis across 18 States, 3 UTs

• 38 new mandis were integrated with the e-NAM platform.
• With this move, the pan-India electronic agriculture trading portal, e-NAM has reached the milestone of 1,000 Mandis across 18 States and 3 Union Territories (UTS).
• The information was announced by the Agriculture Ministry.

Highlights:

• The 38 new Mandis include 19 Mandis from Madhya Pradesh, 10 Mandis from Telangana, 4 from Maharashtra and one each in Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Kerala and Jammu, and Kashmir.
• e-NAM has become a tool for social distancing during the COVID-19 lockdown. States/UTs are promoting virtual trading platform like e-NAM thereby reducing human intervention in the handling the produce and trading ensured through online mode.

Extra Shots:

e-NAM: National Agriculture Market or eNAM is an online trading platform for agricultural commodities in India. The market facilitate farmers, traders and buyers with online trading in commodities. The market is helping in better price discovery and provide facilities for smooth marketing of their produce.

• Founded: 14 April 2016
• Location: India
• Owner: Ministry of Agriculture; Government of India
• Key people: Narendra Singh Tomar; Union Agriculture Minister

Union HRD Minister e-launches 7 titles under NBT’s Corona Studies series

• Under the corona studies series published by NBT India, Union HRD Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ has e-launched 7 titles as print and e-edition.
• These 7 titles are based on “Psycho-Social impact of pandemic & lockdown and how to Cope With”
• To document and provide relevant reading materials for all age-groups for the post-Corona readership needs, the National Book Trust India has conceptualized the Corona Studies Series.
• The first sub series of books focuses on ‘Psycho-Social Impact of Pandemic and How to Cope With’ which has been created by a study Group including seven psychologists and counsellors constituted by NBT.

The seven titles under the first sub-series are as follows:

1. Vulnerable in Autumn: Understanding the Elderly
2. The Future of Social Distancing: New Cardinals for Children, Adolescents and Youth
3. The Ordeal of Being Corona Warriors: An Approach to Medical and Essential Service Providers
4. New Frontiers At Home: An Approach to Women, Mothers and Parents
5. Caught in Corona Conflict: An Approach to the Working Population
6. Making Sense of It All: Understanding the Concerns of Persons With Disabilities
7. Alienation And Resilience: Understanding Corona Affected Families

STATE CURRENT AFFAIRS

“Atmanirbhar Gujarat Sahay Yojana” launched in Gujarat

• “Atmanirbhar Gujarat Sahay Yojana” as been launched by the Gujarat Government.
• The scheme aims to provide an interest subsidy, a moratorium as well as a collateral free loan of up to Rs 1 lakh.
• All the above facilities has been launched for over a million small traders, street-vendors and small professionals in the state.
• Gujarat government has a target of lending around Rs 5000 crore via the loan that carries a tenure of 3 years.
• Loans under the “Atmanirbhar Gujarat Sahay Yojana” would be available at 2% annual interest while the remaining 6% interest would be borne by the state government.
• A moratorium period of 6 months would also be provided to the beneficiary in which he would not be required to pay either interest of principal amount during this time.
• It means that the re-payment of principal and interest will start after six months of sanction.
• The loans under the “Atmanirbhar Gujarat Sahay Yojana” would be available via written application at co-operative banks, district banks and credit co-operative societies.

Extra Shots:

Gujarat:

• Capital: Gandhinagar
• Chief Minister: Vijay Rupani
• Governor: Acharya Devvrat
• State formed on: 1 May 1960
• Literacy Rate: 79.31%
• National Park: Vansda NP, Blackbuck NP, Gir Forest NP, Marine NP, Gulf of Kutch

Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana to be launched by Chhattisgarh

• The Chhattisgarh State Government is to launch the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana.
• The scheme is to be launched on May 21, 2020. The scheme is being launched to commemorate the death anniversary of the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Highlights

• The scheme will infuse Rs 5,100 crores into the rural economy of the state.
• This is to be done through Direct Benefit Transfer. The provisions for the scheme was made during the State Budget 2020-21.
• Features Under the scheme, the farmers are to be paid Rs 10,000 per acre for the crops such as sugarcane, corn and paddy.
• The scheme will benefit more than 1.87 million farmers.
• The funds are to be transferred to the farmers based on the registered and notified areas for oilseeds and pulses.

Extra Shots:

Chhattisgarh:

• Formation: 1 November 2000
• Governor: Anusuiya Uikey
• Chief Minister: Bhupesh Baghel
• Literacy rate: 70.01% (2011 Census)
• Official language: Chhattisgarhi, Hindi

Tamil Nadu govt’s ‘Aarogya’ scheme complements AYUSH Ministry schemes for boosting immunity through traditional medicines

• ‘Aarogya’ scheme (Health scheme) of the Tamil Nadu government, a scheme to use traditional medicines for boosting immunity, is being taken up in various Cauvery Delta districts like Trichy, Karur, Ariyaloor and Perambaloor, as a complement to schemes being popularized by the AYUSH Ministry.
• Traditional immunity boosting formulations like Kabusoora, Nilaveembu along with herbs like gooseberry are being used by the Directorate of Traditional Medicine in the forms of powders as well as medicines.
• with the WHO putting out a world wide call for “Living with Corona” immunity the medications are being supplied to common people in both powder as well as medicine forms in the various dispensaries

Extra Shots:

Tamilnadu

• Capital: Chennai
• Chief Minister: Edappadi K.Palanisamy
• Governor: Banwarilal Purohit
• Chief Justice of Madras High Court: Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani
• National Park: Guindy NP,Gulf of Mannar Marine NP, Indira Gandhi (Annamalai) NP,             Mudumalai NP, Mukurthi NP.

Delhi Police gets India’s first ‘Thermal Corona Combat Headgear’ to enhance social distancing

• Delhi Police launched India’s first ‘Thermal Corona Combat Headgear’ to ensure the safety of frontline warriors and enforce social distancing.

Highlights:

• The initiative has been launched by the Delhi police in collaboration with Indian Robotics Solution.
• Thermal Corona Combat Headgear: This equipment helps police personnel to detect the temperature of a large number of people from a distance of 10-15 metres.
• Through this equipment, live imagery can also be sent to a centralised control centre.
• IRS founder Sagar Gupta Naugriua also added that the frontline workers can scan people without coming in close contact with them in public areas such as hospitals, supermarkets and crowded areas.
• Thermal Corona Combat Drone: The Delhi Police has also launched a ‘Thermal Corona Combat Drone-(TCCD)’ in collaboration with the same startup.

Jharkhand education dept with Doordarshan starts online classes for School children

• In Jharkhand, the State Education Department (dept) in collaboration with Doordarshan (DD) started online classes and educational programmes to provide school education to students of the state through video and thematic lectures.
• The special educational lectures are designed for students from class 1 to 12 with special slots allotted for each class.
• The programme is scheduled on the regional DD channel and free Dish TV from morning 10 am to afternoon 2 pm for five days a week everyday from Monday to Friday as the schools remain closed till June 15 due to summer vacations.
• Students can study regularly at their home during this lockdown period and can get benefitted of the 1 hour long subject-wise classes specially designed with the help of teachers aided by UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) & the state education department.
• Apart from the regional broadcast on Doordarshan these classes will also be available online on YouTube channel of Doordarshan – DD Jharkhand and DIGI SATH for uninterrupted access by the students as per their convenience.

Extra Shots:

Jharkhand:

• Capital: Ranchi
• Chief Minister: Hemant Soren
• Governor: Draupadi Murmu
• National Park: Betla National Park

INTERNATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS

Dubai Health Authority launches mobile unit to conduct tests for COVID-19 in densely populated areas

• Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has launched a highly-sophisticated mobile unit to conduct testing for COVID-19 in densely populated areas, especially labour camps.
• The testing bus will also be available to certain segments of society such as the elderly and people unable to visit health centres due to underlying medical conditions.
• The initiative was implemented in collaboration with the National Fire Fighting Manufacturing Company (NAFFCO) and SHIELDme.
• The mobile testing unit was designed and manufactured by NAFFCO in the UAE and provided to DHA for the purpose of community COVID-19 screening.
• It is equipped with internal and external isolation and sterilization systems developed using SHIELDme technology.
• The advanced bus meets all regulations for protection of staff, medical professionals and people being screened. The screening capacity of the bus is 1,000 individuals per day.

Iran’s OPEC Governor Hossein Kazempour Ardebili Passes Away at 67 due to brain hemorrhage

• Hossein Kazempour Ardebili, Iran’s representative at OPEC (Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries), has passed away after falling into a coma following a brain hemorrhage. He was 67.
• He had served as Iran’s OPEC governor for nearly 20 years.
• Kazempour had been Iran’s representative to OPEC since 2013, after previously holding the position from 1995 to 2008.

Extra Shots:

Iran (Capital/Currency): Tehran/ Iranian rial

• President: Hassan Rouhani

RANKS AND INDICES

As per the report of Carbon Brief, India’s CO2 emissions falls for the 1st time in four decades

• According to analysis by the environmental website, Carbon Brief, India’s Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions fell by 30metric tonnes(1.4%) in the fiscal year ending March, which is the first annual decline in four decades.
• Furthermore emission fell by 15% during the month of March and is likely to fall by 30% in April.
• Fall of contribution- By an economic slowdown, the growth of the country’s use of renewable energy and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
• The analysis is done by Lauri Myllyvirta and Sunil Dahiya of Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air(CREA).
• As per the Indian national grid, Coal-fired power generation was down 15% in March and 31% in the first three weeks of April.
• The renewable energy (RE) generation increased by 6.4% in March and saw a slight decrease of 1.4% in the first three weeks of April.
• In the fiscal year ending March 2020, coal deliveries by the main coal producer Coal India Ltd fell by 4.3% & coal imports increased 3.2%, which implies that total coal deliveries fell by 2%. It is the 1st year-on-year fall in consumption in two decades.
• Oil consumption decreased 18% in March compared to the previous year. Consumption grew 0.2% during the fiscal year, it is the slowest growth in at least 22 years & is mostly due to lockdown measures.

Extra Shots:

Carbon Brief: It is a United Kingdom based website covering the latest developments in climate science, climate policy and energy policy.

• Headquarters: London, UK
• Director & editor: Leo Hickman

AGREEMENTS AND MOU SIGNED

AIIB sanctions 145 million USD loan for Major Irrigation Project of West Bengal

• Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank approves a loan of 145 million USD to improve irrigation facilities and flood management West Bengal.

Highlights:

• The project is to focus on the Damodar Valley of West Bengal. It will benefit more than 2.7 million farmers spread across five districts of West Bengal. The total value of the project is 413.8 million USD. Apart from the AIIB, the project is also co-financed by IBRD (International Bank of Reconstruction and Development).
• The IBRD and the IDA (International Development Association) together constitute the World Bank. Though there are other major partners of the world bank, these two have role in terms of decision making and approving grants.

Extra Shots:

AIIB: The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is a multilateral development bank that aims to support the building of infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific region. The bank currently has 78 members as well as 24 prospective members from around the world.

• Headquarters: Beijing, China
• Region served: Asia and Oceania
• Membership: 78 Members
• Main organ: Board of Governors; Board of Directors
• Purpose: Crediting
• Legal status: Treaty
• Formation: 16 January 2016 (Open for business); 25 December 2015 (Entry into force Articles of Agreement)

West Bengal:

• Established on: 26 January 1950
• Capital: Kolkata
• Governor: Jagdeep Dhankhar
• Chief Minister: Mamata Banerjee

APPOINTMENT

Zubair Iqbal Appointed as the New MD of J&K Bank

• The Jammu & Kashmir Government has appointed senior vice president of HDFC Bank Zubair Iqbal, as the new Managing Director (MD) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Bank on 15 May 2020, for a period of three years.
• RK Chibber, who currently holds the position of Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of J&K Bank, will continue to serve as the Chairman of the bank for next three years.
• The appointments are based upon the continuous directions by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to separate the positions of Chairman and Managing Director for better governance.

Extra Shots:

Jammu and Kashmir Bank is a J&K – based private sector banking and financial services company. It is a privately owned bank with majority owned state share with its headquarters in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

• Headquarters: Srinagar
• CEO: R K Chhibber
• Owner: Government of Jammu and Kashmir
• Subsidiaries: Jammu and Kashmir Bank Ltd., Asset Management Arm, Jkb Financial Services Limited

DEFENCE CURRENT AFFAIRS

Defence Minister approves Rs.400 crore Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved the launch of the Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS) with an outlay of Rs.400 crore.
• The aim is to create a state of the art testing infrastructure for the defence sector and to boost domestic defence and aerospace manufacturing.

Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme:

• DTID Scheme will run for a duration of 5 years. Unser the scheme, the MoD set up 6-8 new test facilities in partnership with the private industry.
• The scheme will facilitate indigenous defence production, consequently, reduce imports of military equipment and help make the country self-reliant.
• The projects will be provided with up to 75% of government funding in the form of ‘Grant-in-Aid’. The other 25% of the project cost will be borne by the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), whose constituents will be Indian private entities and State Governments.
• The SPVs will be registered under the Companies Act 2013.
• It will operate and maintain all assets under the Scheme, in a self-sustainable manner by collecting user charges. The systems that are tested will be certified as per appropriate accreditation.
• The majority of test facilities are expected to come up in the two Defence Industrial Corridors (DICs). The Scheme is not limited to setting up Test Facilities in the DICs only.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

NIPER-Guwahati developed innovative 3D products to contain COVID-19 spread

• National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research-Guwahati (NIPER-G) has developed two products, 3D-printed hands-free object & 3D-printed antimicrobial face-shield, to help in the fight against the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The devices are expected to play a key role in containing the transmission of coronavirus from one person to another through bare hand contacts or contaminated surface source.

3D-printed hands-free object:

• The 3D-printed hands-free object can be used to help open or close doors, windows, drawers, and refrigerator handle, or press elevator buttons, and laptop/desktop keyboards, including turning the switch buttons on/off. The object was developed after detailed analyses of several resources for risk measurement and on how viruses spread through bare hands.

3D-printed antimicrobial face-shield:

• The second product is a 3D-printed antimicrobial face-shield to control the spread COVID-19. It was designed after a thorough study to understand how viruses spread through oral, ophthalmic, olfactory, and other body cavities. The face shield is also easy to design and it is possible to have rapid development of prototypes. It is also low cost, easy to wear, has good chemical stability, non-fragile, and is easy to clean with the existing sanitizers or any alcoholic disinfectant.

Extra Shots:

NIPER-Guwahati

• Director: Dr.USN Murty
• Founded: 2008

“MIR AHD Covid-19 Dashboard” developed by IIT Gandhinagar

• An interactive COVID-19 dashboard named as “MIR AHD Covid-19 Dashboard” has been developed by the researchers at IIT Gandhinagar.
• The dashboard aims to provide key information to stakeholders and the public in order to make research-backed decisions during the time of crisis.
• This interactive dashboard can assist the administrators, hospitals and also the public in planning optimised examination for the novel coronavirus.
• It can also help in containing the community infection in various post-lockdown scenarios.
• The “MIR AHD Covid-19 Dashboard” offers different epidemiological scenario-specific information at a city-scale and combines the complex social as well as transportation patterns with state-of-the-art epidemic spread models.
• It can also share the information about the most critical intersections in the city to the stakeholders, if it decides to implement “drive-through testing”.

Extra Shots:

IIT Gandhinagar

• Director: Prof. Sudhir K. Jain
• Chairman: Vacant; to be appointed; functions currently being discharged by the director
• Founded: 2008

CSIR develops mobile indoor disinfection sprayer to combat COVID-19 spread

• Scientists at CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI), Durgapur, have developed two mobile indoor Disinfection Sprayer units, Battery Powered Disinfectant Sprayer (BPDS) and Pneumatically Operated Mobile Indoor Disinfection (POMID).
• These disinfection units can be used for cleaning and disinfecting pathogenic micro-organisms effectively, especially in hospitals.

Highlights:

• These units can be used to clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces such as tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, sinks, and cardboards.
• The objective of the device is to minimize the risk of transmitting coronavirus to people who inadvertently come in contact with those surfaces.
• These sprayers are equipped with mopping features and extendable arms to reach hidden areas and clean comprehensively.
• The sprayer systems are designed with two-stage spraying units and separate storage tanks to clean and disinfect the indoor areas by the numbers of fixed and flexible nozzles set in the lower and upper tiers.
• The disinfectant Sprayer has an industrial variant for heavy usage and to cover a larger area.
• The technology is expected to have relevance even beyond the current COVID-19 crisis.

Extra Shots:

CMERI: The Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute is a public engineering research and development institution in Durgapur, West Bengal, India. It is a constituent laboratory of the Indian Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.

• Director: Prof. Harish Hirani
• Chairman: Prime Minister of India

OBITUARIES

Bangladesh’s National Professor Anisuzzaman passes away

• Bangladesh’s Noted literary personality, educationist and national Professor Anisuzzaman passed away.
• He was the President of Bangla Academy since 2012.
• He was a liberation war fighter and also participated in the language movement against Pakistan.
• Professor Anisuzzaman received various awards in his illustrious life as educationist, academic, author and social activist.
• He was awarded with the Ekushey Padak in 1985, and was conferred the Padma Bhushan award by the government of India in 2014.

Sahitya Akademi winning Bengali author Debesh Roy passes away

• Veteran Bengali author Debesh Roy, who had five decades of career as a writer, passed away.
• He was awarded with the Sahitya Akademi award for his novel ‘Teesta Parer Brittanto’.
• The first book of Debesh Roy was Jajati, and he was also a regular contributor to a number of Bengali dailies.
• He has penned various renowned books such as Borisaler Jogen Mondal, Manush Khun Kore Keno, and Samay Asamayer Brittanto.

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