Week 3 Current Affairs Update

15th- 21st August 2017

EVENTS

NATIONAL

SOCIAL
Bovine Productivity Scheme
DATE: - 15th August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: To improve vaccination practices, breeding and milk production
in milk producing cattle
TARGET/APPLICATION: National Mission on Bovine Productivity scheme
was initiated by the Government in November 2016. Under the scheme, 85 lakh
milk producing animals have been identied and their data has been uploaded on
INAPH data base. Data of the identied animals is uploaded on Information Network
on Animal Health and Productivity (INAPH) data base. Around, 88 million milk
producing animals out of 300 million cattle and bualoes are being identied using
polyurethane tags with 12 digit unique identication (UID) number. The Pashu
Sanjivni is crucial for control and spread of animal diseases, scientic management of
animals, enhanced production and productivity, improvement in quality of livestock
& livestock products by meeting out sanitary issues. The polyurethane tags, which
will last for a few years, will be axed by the technicians using a special applicator
including vaccination and de-worming status into an online database.

ENVIRONMENT

Long Term Irrigation Fund (LTIF)

DATE: - 17th August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: - To achieve convergence of investments in irrigation
TARGET/APPLICATION: - Cabinet has approved raising Extra Budgetary
Resources up to Rs. 9020 crore for Long Term Irrigation Fund during the year
2017-18. To cater to the Long Term Irrigation Fund (LTIF) in NABARD with an
initial corpus of Rs. 20,000 crore for funding of Central and State share for the
identied ongoing projects under PMKSY (AIBP and CAD). Corpus would be
raised by way of budgetary resources and market borrowings to fund fast tracking
of implementation of incomplete major & medium irrigation projects. The major
objective of PMKSY is to expand cultivable area under assured irrigation, improve
on-farm water use eciency and to reduce wastage of water and further enhance the
adoption of precision-irrigation and other water saving technologies (more crops per
drop). PMKSY has been conceived amalgamating ongoing schemes viz. Accelerated
Irrigation Benet Programme (AIBP) of the Ministry of Water Resources, River
Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWR, RD&GR), Integrated Watershed
Management Programme (IWMP) of Department of Land Resources (DoLR)
and the On Farm Water Management (OFWM) of Department of Agriculture and
Cooperation (DAC). These schemes are implemented by Ministries of Agriculture,
Water Resources and Rural Development.
Global Environment Facility
DATE: - 17th August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: - To enhance forest ecosystem services and improve the
livelihoods of forest dependent communities in Central Indian Highlands
TARGET/APPLICATION: - A Grant Agreement from the Global Environment
Facility (GEF) of the World Bank of USD 24.64 million for Ecosystem Service
Improvement Project was recently signed between India and the World Bank. The
size of Project is USD 24.64 million which will entirely be nanced by the World
Bank out of its GEF Trust Fund. 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 objective of the Project is to strengthen the
institutional capacity of the Departments of Forestry and Community Organisations.
Signicance of the project is as follows: -
(a) Using only approved and safe bio-control agents and following release and
documentation protocols.
(b) Avoiding using general bio-control agents; use host-specic ones for targeted
species.
(c) Promoting use of bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides.
(d) Ensuring that legitimate users are not denied access to resources as a result of
declaration.
(e) Establishing village level participatory monitoring protocols and social audit
arrangements for the project.
(f) Creating village level household beneciary lists and identifying the most poor,
farthest, marginal, and backward beneciaries.
(g) Ensuring convergence for alternative employment or income for landless
livestock owners during common property resources (CPR) restoration.
Harit Diwali, Swasth Diwali Campaign
DATE: - 18th August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: - To create awareness among various stakeholders and encourage
people to participate in combating air pollution.
TARGET/APPLICATION: - Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate
Change has launched the Harit Diwali, Swasth Diwali campaign. Diwali is an
integral part of Hindu 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 signicantly to air and noise
pollution. As has been the experience in the past few years, airborne pollution has
been rising above safe limits during winter in many cities. The excessive burning of
crackers during Diwali aggravates the problem. As a result there has been a signicant
impact on the environment and health of the people. The pollution levels in Delhi last
year, especially post Diwali, reached such levels that the government had to declare
an emergency situation, which had socio-economic consequences like closing down
of schools, construction sites and power stations.

IRRIGATION

North Koel Reservoir Project

DATE: - 17th August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: - To provide irrigation in the most backward and drought prone
areas of Jharkhand and Bihar
TARGET/APPLICATION: - The Union Cabinet has given its approval to the
proposal to complete the balance works of the North Koel Reservoir Project in
Jharkhand and Bihar at an estimated expenditure of Rs.1622.27 crore to be incurred
during three nancial years from the start of the project. The Cabinet also approved
storage of water in dam restricted at lower level than envisaged earlier to reduce the
submergence and to protect Betla National Park and Palamau Tiger Reserve. The
project is situated on North Koel River which is a tributary of Sone River nally
joining the river Ganga.
The North Koel Reservoir is located in the most backward tribal areas of Palamau and
Garhwa districts of Jharkhand State and Aurangabad & Gaya districts of Bihar. North
Koel River rises on Ranchi plateau and ows through Jharkhand. It joins Sone River
a few miles north-west of Haidarnagar. The North Koel, along with its tributaries and
meanders through the northern part of Betla National Park. The principal tributaries
are the Auranga and Amanat. The construction was originally started in the year
1972 and continued till 1993 when it was stopped by the Forest Department, Govt.
of Bihar. Since then, the work on dam is at a standstill.

BIODIVERSITY
2 New Earthworm Species Found In Kerala
DATE: - 19th August
AGENDA/ISSUE: - To contribute in the food chain of an ecosystem
TARGET/APPLICATION: - Scientists have discovered two new primitive species
of earthworm in the Western Ghats mountain ranges in Kerala. They have named the
new earthworm species Drawida polydiverticulata and Drawida thomasi. There had
been sixteen Drawida species known from the state with ten of them being unique. The
present discovery of two new species and ve new local records further contributes
to the vast species richness of the genus in Kerala. To date, there are 73 species of
the genus Drawida conrmed to be living in the Indian subcontinent. However, the
greatest concentration (43 species) is found in the Western Ghats. The genus has an
important centre of speciation in Kerala. For Drawida polydiverticulata, its multiple
lobes also called diverti-culums an organ located in the front of its body are unique
amongst the members of the genus. This species was found to be widespread in the
protected Shola grasslands of the Munnar region, including Eravikulam National
Park, Pampadun Shola National Park and Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary. The second
new earthworm, Drawida thomasi, was collected at the Kozhippara Waterfalls near
Kakkadampoyil, at the border between Malappuram and Kozhikode.
 INTERNATIO NAL

GEOLOGY
Largest Volcanic region on Earth
DATE: - 15th August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: - To overcome the eects of global warming
TARGET/APPLICATION: - Scientists have discovered the largest volcanic
region on Earth consisting of almost 100 volcanoes, which are about two kilometres
below the surface of the Antarctic ice sheet. The region consists of a staggering 91
volcanoes. The highest volcanic region is as tall as Mt. Eiger, which stands at almost
4,000 metres, in Switzerland. The newly discovered volcano ranges in height from
100 to 3,850 metres. All of them are covered in thick layers of ice. If one of these
volcanoes erupts, it could further de-stabilise west Antarcticas ice sheets and will
result in the melting of the ice. These active peaks are concentrated in a region of
Antarctica rift system, which stretches 3,500 kms from Antarcticas Ross Ice Shelf
to the peninsular region. Another alarming trend is that most volcanism in the world
at present occurs in the regions that have recently lost their glacier, covering after
the end of the last ice age. This could happen in west Antarctica, where signicant
warming in the region is caused by climate change and has begun to aect its ice
sheets.
New Tectonic plate discovered
DATE: - 17th August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: - To study the movement of tectonic plates
TARGET/APPLICATION: -Researchers have discovered a new tectonic plate o
the coast of Ecuador. Scientists discovered the new micro-plate which theyve dubbed
into Malpelo, while analyzing the movements of the three tectonic plates. There
were 56 plates and now after the discovery it was found to be 57 plates. Researchers
observed the coming together of a major tectonic plate and two smaller plates. The
edge of the Pacic lithospheric plate roughly forms the Ring of Fire, a region of
most volcanic activity. Just west of the Galapagos Islands, the Pacic plate is met
by Cocos and Nazca plates. A diuse boundary is best described as a series of many
small faults rather than a ridge or transform fault that sharply denes the boundary of
two plates. Evidences for the Malpelo plate came with the researchers identication
of a diuse plate boundary that runs from the Panama Transform Fault eastward
to the diuse plate boundary and intersects a deep oceanic trench just oshore of
Ecuador and Colombia.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Damaged organs repaired using Injectable Tissue
DATE: - 16th August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: - To improve cardiac function after a heart attack
TARGET/APPLICATION: - A team of researchers from the University of Toronto
mended the broken hearts with an expanding tissue bandage, which is smaller than a
postage stamp. Repairing of the heart tissue that has been destroyed by a heart attack
or by any medical condition (with regenerative cells or tissues) usually requires
an invasive open heart surgery. Such lab grown tissues are already being tested on
potential drug candidates for the side eects, but the long term goal is to implant
them back into the body to repair damage.
The team of experts utilises the polymer scaolds to grow realistic 3D slices of human
tissue in the lab. One of them is an AngioChip, which is a tiny patch of heart tissue
having its own blood vessels. The heart cells could beat with a regular rhythm. After
dozens of attempts, it was found that the design matched the mechanical properties
of the target tissues and has the required shape memory eect (as tissue emerges
from the needle and the patch unfolds itself into a bandage like shape).
The other step is to grow the patch with real heart cells. After letting them grow for a
few days, these patches were injected into rats and pigs. The scaold was then built
out of the same biocompatible, biodegradable polymer used in the teams previous
creations. Over time, the scaold would naturally break down, leaving behind a new
tissue. There is still a long way to go before the material is ready for clinical trials.
The teams are collaborating with the researchers at the Hospital for Sick Children to
assess the long term stability of the patches, as well as whether the improved cardiac
function can be maintained. They have also applied for patents on the invention and
are exploring the use of the patches in other organs such as the liver.
Articial Womb for premature babies
DATE: - 19th August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: - To sustain critically pre-termed infants
TARGET/APPLICATION: - US paediatricians have designed an articial womb
that could dramatically lift the survival chances of critically premature babies born
as early as 23 weeks. A prototype system, which allows lungs and other organs to
develop more naturally than todays incubators and has successfully, sustained ultra
premature lambs for four weeks for maintaining foetal animals outside a real womb.
Lambs were used frequently by medical researchers as a model for the human foetus.
The articial womb is a plastic bio-bag lled with liquid, formulated to mimic
amniotic uid, in which the foetus breathes as it would in a normal womb. The
foetal heart pumps blood through the umbilical cord linked to an articial placenta,
while a gas exchange machine ensures that the blood is correctly oxygenated.
This sealed and sterile system reproduces natural conditions far better than previous
unsuccessful attempts to create an articial womb and provides nourishment to the
developing embryo. It avoids the use of an external pump to drive circulation, which
can overload the under developed foetal heart, and allows the lungs to breathe in
liquid rather than having air forced in through a ventilator.
Foetal lungs are designed to function in uid and the environment is stimulated,
allowing the lungs and other organs to develop while supplying nutrients and growth
factors. This system is potentially far superior to what hospitals can currently do for
a 23 week old baby born at the cusp of viability.
Worlds smallest surgical robot created
DATE: - 21st August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: -
TARGET/APPLICATION: - Scientists in the UK have developed worlds smallest
surgical robot with low cost technology used in mobile phones and space industries.
The robot is called Versius and is controlled by a surgeon at a console guided by a 3D
screen in the operating theatre. The robot is much easier to use than existing systems,
and take up about a third of the space of current machines.
It mimics the human arm and can be used to carry out a wide range of procedures in
which a series of small incisions are made to circumvent the need for traditional open
surgery. These include hernia repairs, colorectal operations, as well as prostate, ear,
nose and throat surgery. It contains technology that detects resistance to make sure
the right amount of force is used when the instruments are inside the patient. Such
procedure reduces complications and pain after surgery and speed up recovery time
for patients.
SPACE
TDRS-M satellite
DATE: - 21st August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: - To provide information on scientic datas and telemetry
communications
TARGET/APPLICATION: - NASAs third and nal in a series of next generation
communications satellites has successfully been placed into orbit. The Tracking
and Data Relay Satellite-M (TDRS-M) was launched aboard by United Launch
Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket. Introduced in the 1980s to support the Space Shuttle,
TDRSS continues in service till date. The Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System,
or TDRSS, is a eet of geosynchronous communications satellites that is a part of
NASAs Space Network. The TDRS eet is a critical connection delivering science
and human spaceight data to those who can use it here on Earth. TDRS-M will
expand the capabilities and extend the lifespan of the Space Network, allowing
researchers to continue receiving and transmitting mission data well into the next
decade. When ready, TDRS-M will become part of NASAs Space Network providing
navigation and high data rate communications to the International Space Station,
NASAs Hubble Space Telescope, rockets and a host of other spacecraft.
 PEOPLE

NATIONAL

OBITUARY
S Paul
Born: - 1929
Died: - 16th August 1929
Background: -The world of Indian photography lo a gem. At 88 years, Paul
Sahab passed away after a bout of illness. He was the elder brother of veteran
photographer Raghu Rai.
Born in Jhang, Pakian in 1929, Mr. Pauls family moved to Shimla after the
partition. A self taught photographer, he discovered his passion for the camera as a
teenager. Juniors in the indury fondly remember him as a seless mentor, ready
to impart the tricks of the trade to anyone who came to him.
S Pauls Achievements are as follows:-
He was the r Indian to be proled by The British Journal of Photography in
1967.
In 1971, he became the r Indian to win the Nikon International Photo Conte.
In 2004, B&W Magazine US nicknamed him the Henry Cartier- Bresson of
India.
Three years in the making (200407) and selected by 47 top judges and The
Worlds Greate Black & White Photography book contained ve of his
pictures.
 IDEAS

NATIONAL

SOCIAL

QR-code based utility bill payments

DATE: 18 August, 2017
ISSUE/AGENDA: To ensure safe and easy payment of electricity bills
TARGET/APPLICATION: Tata Power has become the rst power utility to
introduce a QR code based bill payments system in India. The functionality of
bill payments through a QR code has been introduced in other service industries.
The QR code linked to Unied Payments Interface (UPI) will be printed on the
electricity bills. The customers can scan the QR code with BHIM app or any other
UPI linked bank app and pay their bills without any hassle. The bill details will be
displayed on the app, post which the customer can authorise the payment within a
few seconds and his bill will be paid instantaneously.
Some of the advantages of QR code service are that the consumer need not visit
any Tata Power bill collection/ customer relation centre or any other payment
avenues and can make the payment from the comfort of his home/oce or on-the-
go. Besides, all bill details will be auto captured while scanning the QR code and
the consumer has to pay using a single tap on his smartphone. The consumer also
need not remember his debit/credit or net banking account and IFSC code details.
The service will provide safer payment options to the consumers and contribute to
the nancial inclusion in the country.

INTERNATIONAL

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Injectable tissue bandage to repair hearts

DATE: 15 August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: To repair heart damage with the help of AngioChip
TARGET/APPLICATION: Scientists from the University of Toronto, Canada
have developed an injectable tissue bandage dubbed as AngioChip, smaller than a
postage stamp that that can repair damaged hearts. The AngioChip is a tiny patch
of heart tissue with its own blood vessels and heart cells beating with a regular
rhythm. It is made out of the biocompatible, biodegradable polymer.
Repairing heart tissue destroyed by a heart attack or medical condition with
regenerative cells usually requires invasive open-heart surgery which usually poses
more risks than potential benets. The newly developed technique lets researchers
to inject a repair patch (AngioChip) using a small needle, without the need to open
up the chest cavity. Researchers by injecting the patch into rat hearts have shown
that it can improve cardiac function after a heart attack.
New state of matter
DATE: 17 August, 2017
ISSUE/AGENDA: : To explain the phenomena like superconductivity through
the new states of matter
TARGET/APPLICATION: Scientists Los Alamos National Laboratory, US have
discovered a potential new state of matter that may help explain phenomena like
superconductivity. It was discovered in the high-magnetic-eld state of the heavy
fermion superconductor CeRhIn5. Heavy fermions are intermetallic compounds,
containing rare earth or actinide elements.
In the new state, materials electrons are aligned in such a way, that they apparently
reduce the symmetry of the original crystal. This appearance of electronic
alignment in a prototypical heavy-fermion superconductor is called nematic
behaviour. It is phenomenon of electronic symmetry breaking common among the
superconducting materials in high magnetic elds. It highlights the interrelation
of nematicity and unconventional superconductivity, suggesting that nematicity is
common among correlated superconducting materials. It appears to be universal
among unconventional superconductors. Unconventional superconductivity
develops near a phase boundary separating magnetically ordered and magnetically
disordered phases of a material.
First robotaxis
DATE: 17 August, 2017
ISSUE/AGENDA: : To promote cost-eective commuting
TARGET/APPLICATION: Fiat Chrysler along with BMW will develop self-
driving cars, intensifying a race by carmakers and technology companies to develop
robotaxis which can be called up via smartphone and paid for by the minute.
Fiat Chrysler plans to put autonomous car technology into production by 2021,
matching a timeframe shared by rival companies who are also developing self-
driving cars. Fiat Chrysler would bring engineering and other expertise to the deal,
paving the way to creating an industry-wide autonomous car platform which other
carmakers could adopt. Automakers are seeking alliances to share the high costs of
developing autonomous cars, which according to consulting rm Frost & Sullivan
will make up about 10 to 15 percent of vehicles in Europe by 2030.
Autonomous cars will allow carmakers to disrupt the taxi market which is run by
eet operators and ride-hailing rms. Without having to pay drivers, ride-hailing
could become more cost eective and compete against other forms of transport
including buses.
Satellite that help astronauts communicate from the earth
DATE: 21 August, 2017
ISSUE/AGENDA: : To communicate between the International Space Station
and the Earth.
TARGET/APPLICATION: NASA has launched the latest in a series of satellites
aimed at ensuring astronauts at the International Space Station can communicate
with Earth. The Boeing-made Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS-M) soared
into space atop an Atlas V rocket that launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The
satellite will support critical space communication into the mid-2020s.
The satellite will facilitate space-to-ground communication for NASAs low-Earth
orbit operations, ensuring scientists, engineers and control room sta can readily
access data for missions like the Hubble Space Telescope and the International
Space Station. TDRS-M is the last of 13 such satellites that have been launched
since 1983.
 ISSUES

NATIONAL

ENVIRONMENT

Black carbon released by aeroplanes aecting ozone and monsoon

Date: 15 September, 2017
ISSUE/AGENDA: Monsoon and ozone layer at risk due to aeroplane emission
According to a recent study by climate researchers, aeroplanes may be ejecting
signicant amounts of black carbon (BC) which in turn is aecting monsoon,
depleting the ozone layer and quickening glacier melt. The study was conducted
by climate researchers from multiple institutions in India including from the Indian
Institute of Science and ISROs Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre.
Earlier it was believed that airborne BC is unlikely to travel upward of 4 km and
dissipate and settle down in few months under the inuence of wind and rain.
However, this study shows that such particles exist up to 18 km into the stratosphere,
a stable region of the atmosphere. Given the shape and location of these BC
particles, researchers believe they could only derive from emissions from burning
of aviation fuel in aeroplane. The airborne BC particles released by aeroplanes
possess a problem because they can linger long time, enough to provide a fertile
ground for other chemical reactions that can deplete the ozone layer.

HEALTHCARE

Increasing cases of Chikungunya

DATE: - 16 August, 2017
ISSUE/AGENDA: - Growing cases of Chikungunya put public health at risk
Delhi has witnessed a spurt in dengue and chikungunya cases in August, considered
a crucial month for checking the vector-brone diseases. A similar trend was observed
in the past two years. According to the latest report, 251 dengue, 193 malaria and
174 chikungunya cases have been reported till August 12 -the highest count for
the same period since 2013. Delhi witnessed a massive outbreak of dengue and
chikungunya in September and October of 2015 and 2016. In August 2015, 778
cases of dengue were reported and, just a month later, 6,775 cases. A similar pattern
was seen in 2016, when 652 cases were reported in August, 1,362 in September
and 1,517 in October.
The cases are growing at an alarming rate this year too despite the civic bodies
claiming to have undertaken an aggressive drive to check mosquito breeding. In
July, the city had recorded the highest number of such cases in the past ve years.
The corporations have employed domestic breeding checkers (DBCs) but they
are not well paid and lack the enthusiasm as they are not paid regularly. Lack of
cooperation from common people is also a reason. Many government institutions
next to residential areas are also found to be major breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

ECONOMY

Increase in retail and wholesale ination

DATE: - 18 August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: - Growing retail ination aecting common men as commodity
prices go up
Retail ination gathered increased in July, rising for the rst time in four months
as pace of sharp decline in food prices in previous months moderated, prompting
economists to say that the Reserve Bank of India may not cut interest rates in the
rest of the year as price pressures rise.
Data released by the Central Statistics Oce showed retail ination, as measured
by the consumer price index (CPI), rose an annual 2.4% in July, faster than the
record low of 1.5% in June. The June number was the lowest since CSO started
publishing the new retail ination data in 2012. Separate data showed the annual
rate of ination, based on the monthly wholesale price index, stood at 1.9% in July
compared to 0.9% for the previous month and 0.6% during corresponding month
of the previous year.
The increase in WPI ination was largely led by vegetables, minerals and some
food items. Vegetable prices rose an annual 22% while mineral prices shot up 25%.
Robust monsoon rains are expected to have a sobering impact on prices but oods
in some parts may put some temporary strains on supplies. Some economists said
the data showed that fears of an increase in prices post introduction of GST and
implementation of Housing Allowances on headline ination are rather limited at
this point. As the favourable base eect unwinds, vegetable prices record a seasonal
hardening and the impact of HRA pushes up housing ination further, we expect
CPI ination to ramp up over the next few months, and cross 4% by October 2017.
Growing ination will put extra pressure on the Indian economy.
Export growth lowest in July
DATE: - 19 August, 2017
ISSUE/AGENDA: - Indian economy aected by slow growth in export
Retail ination gathered momentum in July, rising for the rst time in four months
as pace of sharp decline in food prices in previous months moderated, prompting
economists to say that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) may not cut interest rates
in the rest of the year as price pressures rise.
Indias overseas shipments aggregated at $22.5 billion in July 2017 against that
of $21.7 billion in the same month of last year, showing a growth rate of 3.9%. It
is the lowest export growth since November 2016 when shipments had expanded
by 2.3%. Thereafter, the growth rate had risen to 27.6% in March before it began
to decelerate. A contraction in export of pharmaceuticals, gems and jewellery and
ready-made garments hit the overall export growth in July. Import rose by 15.4%
to $34 billion in July from $29.5 billion in the year-ago month due to rise in inward
shipments of crude oil and gold.
Gold imports increased by 95% to $2.1 billion in July against $1.1billion in the same
month last year. Trade decit, however, narrowed when compared to the previous
month. In June, the gap stood at $12.9 billion. Engineering goods, petroleum,
chemicals, marine products were some of the sectors which contributed to the
positive growth during the month. Exporters body Federation of Indian Export
Organisations (FIEO) expressed concern over major product categories such as
gems & jewellery, pharmaceuticals and ready-made garments recording negative
growth in July. The order booking position from October onwards is not very
promising and the appreciation of domestic currency with increasing pressure on
liquidity under GST may aect exports in the last quarter of 2017 bringing exports
to about $310 billion in the current scal.

SOCIAL

Blue Whale Challenge prompting suicide of children

DATE: - 21 August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: - Online video games leading to suicide of children
The government has directed internet companies Google, Facebook, WhatsApp,
Instagram, Microsoft and Yahoo, to immediately remove the links of dangerous
online game Blue Whale Challenge, which has led to the suicide of children in
India and other countries.
Instances of children committing suicide while (playing) Blue Whale Challenge
have been reported in India. A letter was issued following instructions from law and
IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, to all the above companies, requesting removing
the link of the game. The Blue Whale Challenge is reportedly a suicide game in
which the player is given certain tasks to complete for a period of 50 days and the
nal task leads to suicide. The player is also asked to share photos after nishing
the challenge. An administrator of the game uses social media platform to invite /
incite children to play this game, which may eventually lead them to take extreme
steps for self inicting injuries including suicide.
Week Practice Test-3
(15th-21st August)

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