UPSC 2019 Environment and Ecology Questions with Answers

Explanation

Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act (Campa Act), 2016 is aimed at providing an appropriate institutional mechanism to utilize afforestation funds. The Act sets up the Central and State Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management & Planning Authorities (CAMPA).

Statement 1 is correct: As per the Act, the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) is set up at both central and state levels for expeditious and transparent utilisation of funds released for forest land diverted for non-forest purposes. The National Fund receives 10% & State Fund gets 90% of funds collected.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 does not mandate people’s participation in compensatory afforestation programmes. While community involvement is encouraged in forest conservation efforts, the Act does not legally require it.

Explanation

Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 is aimed at protecting, improving the environment & reducing pollution. The Act, empowers the Government of India for coordination of action by the state, planning and execution of nationwide programmes. The Act authorises the central government to control & reduce pollution from all sources.

Statement 1 is incorrect: The provisions in the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 does not explicitly mention detailed provisions for public participation. However, it does enable certain mechanisms that indirectly promote public involvement.

Statement 2 is correct: Section 3(2)(v) of the Act states that the central government can prescribe standards for the quality of the environment and emissions or discharges of pollutants from various sources. The Act also allows the government to regulate industrial and commercial activities that may harm the environment.

Explanation

Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 promote the use of compost, conversion of waste into energy, and revision of parameters for landfills location and capacity. It replaced the Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000 and are now applicable beyond municipal areas and have included urban agglomerations, census towns, notified industrial townships etc.

Option (a) is incorrect: Waste generators would now have to now segregate waste into three streams-Biodegradables, Dry (Plastic, Paper, Metal, Wood, etc.) and Domestic Hazardous waste (diapers, napkins, mosquito repellants, cleaning agents etc.) before handing it over to the collector.

Option (b) is incorrect: Under the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016, waste processing facilities will have to be set up by all local bodies having 1 million or more population within two years. In case of census towns below 1 million population, setting up common, or standalone sanitary landfills by, or for all local bodies having 0.5 million or more population and for setting up common, or regional sanitary landfills by all local bodies and census towns under 0.5 million population will have to be completed in three years.

Option (c) is correct: The new rules emphasize waste segregation at source, manufacturer responsibility for packaging and sanitary waste, and user fees for waste management. Biodegradable waste should be processed on-site through composting or bio-methanation, with residual waste handed over to authorized collectors. Schedule I of rules outlines criteria for landfill and waste processing site selection.

Option (d) is incorrect: As per the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, it is not mandatory for the waste generator that the waste generated in one district cannot be moved to another district.

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Government of India is not obligated to protect and conserve all the wetlands within its territory. It is only obligated to conserve the wetlands that are recognised under the Ramsar convention as Ramsar sites.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010, notified by the Ministry of Environment and Forest, aim to conserve and manage wetlands in India and prevent their degradation. However, they were not based on the Ramsar Convention’s recommendations. Its objectives are wetland conservation, protection, and management to prevent further degradation of wetlands in India.

Statement 3 is correct: As per Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 a wetland includes natural or artificial areas of marsh, fen, peatland, or water, with static or flowing water, fresh, brackish, or salt, and marine areas with a depth at low tide not exceeding six meters. It also covers inland waters such as lakes, reservoirs, tanks, backwaters, lagoons, creeks, estuaries, and man made wetlands, along with their drainage areas or catchment regions.

Explanation

National Parks are designated protected areas aimed at preserving the natural environment, ecosystems, and wildlife. India’s first national park, i.e Jim Corbett National Park was established in 1936. As of 2023 India has 106 national parks, covering a total area of 44,402.95 km². Valley of Flowers National Park was established in 1982. Located in Chamoli, in the state of Uttarakhand, it is renowned for its meadows of indigenous alpine flowers and the variety of vegetation. The park is entirely inside the temperate alpine region. It is located close to Joshimath in the Garhwal area, tucked in the upper reaches of the Bhyundar Ganga river’s Pushpawati river valley. The Asiatic black bear, snow leopard, musk deer, brown bear, red fox, and blue sheep are among the rare and endangered species that call this area home. Himalayan monal pheasants and other high-altitude birds can also be seen in the park. The Valley of Flowers is one of the most unique ecosystems in the world. It lies within the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve and is part of a biodiversity hotspot in the Indian Himalayas. The park’s ecosystem is highly sensitive and provides a home to numerous endangered plant species. The valley plays a significant role in conserving alpine flora and provides a refuge for various Himalayan wildlife species.

Explanation

Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve was established in 2001. It is located near the southernmost tip of the Western Ghats. It includes the following wildlife sanctuaries: Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary, Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary, and Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary. It comprises the tropical wet evergreen forests of India, the moist deciduous forests of the South Western Ghats, the montane rain forests of the South Western Ghats, and the Shola forests. The Kanikaran tribe, one of the oldest extant ancient tribes in the world, is also found in Agasthyamalai. In 2016, it was added to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves of UNESCO.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: The Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica) is a subspecies of lion that is naturally found only in India. The Gir Forest is a protected area that provides a habitat for these majestic animals, and conservation efforts are in place to protect and manage the Asiatic lion population.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Double-humped camels (Camelus bactrianus) are naturally found in the Central Asian region, particularly in countries like Mongolia, China, and parts of Afghanistan. In India, they are found in the Ladakh region, but their native habitat is not India alone.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) is found in India, particularly in Assam and other northeastern states and it is also found in parts of Nepal and Bhutan.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: Many species of turtles are herbivores, especially those that live in freshwater or on land. For instance, the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) is primarily herbivorous, feeding on seagrass and algae. Similarly, the Aldab-ra giant tortoise is also herbivorous, feeding mainly on grasses and leaves.

Statement 2 is correct: Several species of fish are herbivores, consuming algae, aquatic plants, or detritus. Examples include parrotfish, which graze on algae, and certain species of sur-geonfish, which feed on marine plants.

Statement 3 is correct: Some marine mammals are herbivores, notably the manatee and dugong, which feed on seagrasses. These mammals are specialized to thrive on a plant-based diet.

Statement 4 is correct: Boa Constrictors and Green Anacon-das are examples of viviparous snakes, meaning they give birth to live young with no eggs involved at any stage of development.

Explanation

Pair 1 is correctly matched: Blue Finned Mahseer is found in the Mula-Mutha River close to the Indian city of Pune, a part of the Krishna River basin. It is a freshwater fish. It is also known as Deccan Mahseer or Tor Khudree.

Pair 2 is incorrectly matched: Irrawaddy Dolphin’s habitat extends from the Bay of Bengal to New Guinea and the Philippines. It is found in three rivers namely the Irrawaddy (Myanmar), the Mahakam (Indonesian Borneo) and the Mekong but not in Chambal river. The highest single lagoon population of dolphins is considered to be found in Chilika Lake.

Pair 3 is correctly matched: Rusty Spotted Cat has been observed in eastern Gujarat’s Gir National Park, in Maharashtra’s Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve and along India’s Eastern Ghats.

Explanation

The Himalayan nettle has gained attention as a sustainable source of textile fibre. The fibres extracted from the stems of this plant are strong, durable, and eco-friendly, making them suitable for producing textiles. This has significant potential for promoting sustainable livelihoods in rural and mountainous regions, especially in the Himalayas. Himalayan nettle (Girardinia diversifolia) is not known for its use as an anti-malarial drug. Anti-malarial drugs are derived from plants like Artemisia annua (source of artemisinin) or Cinchona officinalis (source of quinine). Himalayan nettle is not recognized as a source of biodiesel. Biodiesel is usually derived from oil-rich plants like Jatropha, Pongamia, or algae. While Himalayan nettle is a fibrous plant but it is not widely used as a source of pulp for the paper industry. The paper industry primarily relies on wood pulp from trees like Eucalyptus, Bamboo, or agricultural residues like wheat straw and bagasse.