Current Affairs in Short: 30 December 2021

Pulwama in Jammu & Kashmir gets its first gas insulated substation

• The Power Development Department of Jammu & Kashmir has commissioned the first Gas-Insulated Substation in the Lassipora area of Pulwama to give a boost to electricity supply.

• It is the first Gas-Insulated Substation of J&K Transmission Corporation Limited which has been commissioned in the Union Territory recently and has started working.

• The people in the area have also lauded the step taken by the Jammu & Kashmir administration as it will further solve the long-pending demand for power supply during the winter season in the Kashmir valley.

• The facility will particularly be beneficial for children as they are required to take online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Inquiry report on CDS Chopper Crash likely to be submitted on December 31

• The tri-services inquiry team which was formed to probe the Chopper crash of December 8, 2021, is expected to submit its inquiry report to the Government on December 31, 2021. The crash led to the deaths of CDS Bipin Rawat, his wife, and 12 others.

• The probe team on the crash is headed by Air Marshal Manvendra Singh and also includes two Brigadier rank officers from the Indian Army and Indian Navy.

• Reportedly, the initial investigations suggested that the accident was sudden. The detailed report has been prepared on the ground by the officials and through the thorough analysis of the data that was received from the Black box.

• The assistance of the original equipment manufacturers was also sought for the probe in which India lost its first Chief of Defence Staff.

EC assures free elections in UP with strict adherence to COVID guidelines

• The Election Commission after reviewing the poll preparedness for the assembly elections in UP assured that free and fair elections will be held in the state with strict adherence to Coronavirus guidelines.

• The Election Commission led by the Chief Election Commissioner of India Sushil Chandra held discussions with various stakeholders for reviewing the preparedness for assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.

• Chandra informed that polling time will be increased by one hour because of the COVID threat and instead of 1,500 only 1,250 voters will vote on one booth during elections.

• CEC also said that the number of patients with the Omicron variant is very less in UP and the state government has also assured to vaccinate a maximum number of people.

Tsunami of Covid cases due to circulation of Delta and Omicron variant: WHO

• The World Health Organisation has warned that the simultaneous circulation of Omicron and Delta variants will drive a dangerous tsunami of COVID cases globally.

• The Director-General of WHO said that the twin threats of the variants are now driving up cases to record numbers, further leading to spikes in hospitalizations and deaths.

• He further reiterated his call for the countries to share their vaccines more equitably and also warned that the emphasis on booster doses in the richer countries can leave poor nations short of jabs.

• Omicron, the variant which was first discovered in South Africa, has already become dominant in Europe and in the US, the variant accounts for nearly 73 percent of the cases.

China and Japan agreed to launch military hotline

• China and Japan have agreed to establish a military hotline in 2022. It will be done to put in place a system that can defuse the potential crisis over the disputed islands and Taiwan strait.

• The Defence Ministry of Japan informed that the two governments have agreed to set up the link by the end of 2022.

• On the other hand, the Defence Ministry of China stated that there has been a need for strengthening liaison and communication between the defence ministries of both Japan and China.