17 August 2013 Current Affairs

Indian American Professor Received Top US Environmental Award On 17 August An Indian American professor of biological and agricultural engineering has been recognised by a top US environmental and water resources institute for his pioneering work in hydrology.Vijay P Singh, professor and Caroline & William N Lehrer distinguished chair in the department of biological and agricultural engineering at Texas A&M University, was named a recipient of the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Society of Civil Engineers Environmental and Water Resources Institute (ASCE-EWRI).His work has developed the application of kinematic wave theory to the point where it is widely used throughout the world in hydrologic models used for water resource modeling, flood planning and hydrologic design.Singh has made numerous advances in hydrologic and environmental modelling and received prestigious awards for hydrology from multiple professional societies.Singhs work on entropy theory has given rise a new branch of hydrology, called entropic hydrology. Dilip Trivedi is new CRPF chief On 17 August Senior IPS officer Dilip Trivedi has been appointed as the new chief of the countrys largest paramilitary force CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force). Trivedi, a 1978-batch officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre has served in various positions in the state police and has also served in the Centre as ADG of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police.He succeeded Pranay Sahay who retired on 31 July 2013. Virginius Xaxa Committee To Asses Status Of Scheduled Tribes On 17 August On the pattern of Sachar Committee for Muslims, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has set up a committee to assess the status of scheduled tribes with an aim of ensuring their uplift, particularly in socio-economic, health and education fields.Prof. Virginius Xaxa was appointed as the chairman of the seven-member committee.The committee will finalise and present its report within nine months from the date of this notification.The Prime Ministers decision of setting up a committee came after the government found that the STs, who form 7.5 percent of the countrys population, are not getting enough dues despite the special status in the constitution.