Current Affairs in Short: 2 December 2020

HAL delivers biggest-ever cryogenic propellant tank to ISRO

•Hindustan Aeronautics has delivered its biggest-ever cryogenic propellant tank (C32 LH2) to ISRO, much ahead of schedule. 
•The C32-LH2 tank is a developmental cryogenic propellant tank, made of aluminium alloy, which has been designed for improving the payload capability of GSLV MK-III launching vehicle.
•The 4 metre diametric tank has a length of 8 metre and 89 cubic metre volume with a capacity to load 5,755 Kg propellant.The tank is leak proof. 

NGT directs total ban on sale, use of firecrackers across cities with poor air quality

•The National Green Tribunal has directed a complete ban on the sale and use of all kinds of firecrackers during COVID-19 pandemic in Delhi-NCR and all cities and towns across the country where the air quality falls below the 'poor' category.
•The NGT bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said that only green crackers will be allowed in cities and towns where air quality is 'moderate' or below and the duration for using them will also be for not more than two hours.
•During Christmas and New Year, the usage of green crackers will be allowed from 11:55 pm to 12:30 am at places where air quality is 'moderate' or below. The NGT bench added that any victim of pollution can approach District Magistrate for compensation.

Government constitutes high-level ministerial committee for Paris Agreement implementation

•The Government has set up a high-level ministerial committee for implementation of the Paris Agreement. 
•The Environment Secretary will be chairing the Apex Committee for Implementation of Paris Agreement (AIPA) and its members will include senior officials from fourteen ministries.
•The main objective of the committee will be to generate a coordinated response on climate change, which will ensure that India is on track towards meeting its obligations under the Paris Agreement.

Union Petroleum Minister launches India's first indigenously developed 100 Octane premium petrol

•Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan launched India's first indigenously developed environment-friendly fuel, 100 Octane premium petrol through video conferencing on December 1, 2020. 
•He described the launch of the fuel as one step towards facilitating ease of living for the citizens. The development has helped India join a select leage of nations having such super grade fuel. 
•The high octane premium grade petrol will be marketed under the brand XP-100 and it will be made available in 10 cities across the country including the national capital in the first phase. The second phase will see addition of 5 more cities including Chennaia and Kolkata.
•The Octane ratings are measures of fuel stability, which help increase engine efficiency. 

Karnataka CM lays the foundation stone for a 11.5 megawatt power plant run on municipal waste

•Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa recently laid the foundation stone for a 11.5 megawatt power plant, which will be run on municipal waste. 
•This is a first-of-its-kind plant in the state and it will be capable of converting 600 tonnes of municipal waste into 11.5 megawatt energy. 
•This power plant will add 80.59 million units of power to the existing power grid. Bengaluru generates 5000 tonnes of waste every day.