Prelim Bits 05-10-2018

STAR C

• International Solar Alliance has recently approved Solar Technology Application Resource Centre (STAR C) project in its first assembly.
• The aim of the project is to set up 121 centres, one in each presently eligible member-country.
• Under the STAR-C, 500 personnel from 121 member countries would be trained in India on solar infrastructure.
• ISA has also provisionally approved the Work Plan 2019, under which agricultural pumps, finance mobilisation, mini grid, rooftop solar, and solar e-mobility and storage.

Click here to know about International Solar Alliance

Delhi Declaration on Renewable Energy

• The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) countries has adopted "Delhi Declaration on Renewable Energy in the Indian Ocean Region" in its 2nd Renewable Energy Ministerial Meeting.
• It calls for collaboration among IORA member states in

1. Meeting the growing demand for renewable energy in the Indian Ocean littorals,
2. Development of a common renewable energy agenda for the Indian Ocean region and
3. Promote regional capacity building

• As per the declaration, IORA member nations will collaborate with the ISA member nations to exchange knowledge and share potential interests in the renewable energy sector.
• Global Renewable Energy Atlas is the world’s largest-ever joint renewable resource data project.
• IORA countries will undertake the expansion of Atlas which will be coordinated by International Renewable Energy Agency(IRENA).

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Sahyag HOP TAC

• It is a naval joint exercise between India and Vietnam.
• It was recently conducted off the Coast of Chennai.
• It was aimed at enabling the Coast Guard units to acquaint themselves with each other’s capabilities, strengthening the working-level relationship to rescue lives at sea and refining joint operation procedures.

Status of Ambient Noise Level in India 2017

• It is a report published by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
• According to the report, Delhi is ranked as the noisiest metro followed by Kolkata, Bengaluru and Chennai.
• As per the National Environment Policy (NEP)-2006, ambient noise is included as an environmental quality parameter and has to be monitored in specified urban areas regularly.
• Thus, CPCB has developed National Ambient Noise Monitoring Network Programme which includes installation of Noise Monitoring Stations all over India.
• The cities include  Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow and Mumbai.

Ancient City of Sabratha

• It is located west of Tripoli in Libya's Mediterranean Coastal area.
• It is one of three former cities that constituted Roman Tripolitania.
• It was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
• In 2016, UNESCO classified it as an "Endangered" site along with four other Libyan sites on its World Heritage list.
• The listing is because of great damage caused by armed groups and excavation and smuggling of antiquities due to lack of security.

Swachh Survekshan Grameen Awards

• Swachh Survekshan Grameen - 2018 was commissioned by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
• Under it, an independent survey agency develop ranking of all districts on the basis of sanitation parameters.
• As per the ranking, Haryana was ranked as the best State while Satara District of Maharashtra was ranked as the best district.
• Uttar Pradesh was rewarded for maximum citizens’ participation and Nashik was ranked first in maximum citizens' participation in district wise.
• The awards were recently given at the concluding session of Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention organised by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.

Source: PIB, The Hindu, BusinessLine