Category: environment

Assam Current Affairs – January 16-18, 2024

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Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – January 16-18, 2024

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for January 16-18, 2024)

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Current Affairs Assamexam

January 16-18, 2024 

Assam Govt Unveils Mukhyamantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan

The Assam government launched the Mukhyamantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyaan (MMUA) to empower rural women entrepreneurs.

About Mukhyamantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan

  • The scheme is designed to foster the development of rural women who are part of self-help groups, transforming them into “rural micro-entrepreneurs” with a target annual income of Rs 1 lakh per member.
  • To qualify for the grant, women from the general and other backward caste (OBC) categories must have no more than three children. 
  • However, specific exemptions are made for women from the Moran, Muttock, and tea-tribe communities, who can apply with four or fewer children. 
  • For women belonging to Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Scheduled Caste (SC) categories, the eligibility criteria dictate that they should have no more than four children.
  • If beneficiaries have daughters, they must be enrolled in school. For girls not attending school, a signed commitment for future enrollment is necessary. 
  • Beneficiaries need to ensure that the trees planted under the government’s tree plantation campaign, Amrit Brikshya Andolan, are thriving.

Assam Baibhav Award 

Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi will be honored with Assam’s highest civilian award ‘Assam Baibhav’. The decision to confer this year’s award upon Ranjan Gogoi reflects the state government’s acknowledgment of his exceptional service and achievements.

This marks the third year of the Assam Baibhav awards, with the inaugural award presented to business magnate Ratan Tata in the first year, followed by journalist Tapan Saikia in the second year. 

About ‘Assam Baibhav’ Awards

  • It is one of the highest civilian awards given by the state of Assam. As an award, Gogoi will be given a citation, certificate, medal and a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh. 
  • Ranjan Gogoi held the office of the 46th Chief Justice of India. 
  • During his tenure, the Supreme Court had given a historic verdict on the decade-old Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case.

Assam Saurav Award 2023: 

This award will be given to four personalities. 

  1. Mainly among these Hima Das – Athletics 
  2. Dr. Kishan Chand Nauriyal: Art and Culture 
  3. Elvis Ali Hazarika: Swimming and 
  4. Nadiram Deuri: Tiwa Dance 

This award will include a citation, certificate, medal and a cash prize of Rs 4 lakh. 

Assam Gaurav Award 2023: 

This year 17 personalities will be given the ‘Assam Gaurav’ award. 

  1. Ranjit Gogoi (Folk and Bihu dance exponent) 
  2. Parvati Barua (animal protection activities) 
  3. Debojit Chiangmai (sound engineer) 
  4. Drono Bhuyan (Oja Pali) 
  5. Neelam Dutta (Organic Farming) 
  6. Anupam Deka (industrialist) 
  7. Soumyadeep Dutta (Wildlife Conservation) 
  8. Basant Chiring Phukan (Mushroom Cultivation) 
  9. Manendra Deka (Handicraft) 
  10. Meenakshi Chetia (Social Service) 
  11. Pakhila Lekhtepi (Karbi Lok) 
  12. Tenzing Bodosa (Elephant Friendly Tea Garden) 
  13. Nirmal De (mat) 
  14. Jessin Kumbang Pao (weaving) 
  15. Mary Hassa (social services) 
  16. Upendra Rabha (black rice cultivation) and 
  17. Rahul Gupta (Hydroponic Farming). 

Assam Gaurav Award winners will be given a citation, certificate, medal and a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh.

Indian Army launched Operation Sarvashakti

The Indian Army has launched Operation Sarvashakti in the Rajouri-Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir, deploying forces on both sides of the Pir Panjal range to target terrorists who have carried out a series of attacks on troops in the area.

About Operation Sarvashakti

  • Recent years have witnessed three major terrorist attacks in the area, resulting in the loss of 20 soldiers.
  • Operation Sarvashakti is an initiative of the Indian army to neutralise terrorist threats in Pir Panjal range. 
  • As part of the operation at least three brigades of additional troops are being deployed in the sector from various reserve and strike corps formations in order to increase the density of troops.
  • It is similar to Operation Sarpvinash. 
  • In 2003, Indian forces launched Operation Sarpvinash to flush out terrorists who had infiltrated from across the border and set up camps in the thick forests south of the Pir Panjal range, especially in the Hilkaka area in Poonch. 
  • The operation flushed out terrorists and brought peace to the area that lasted until 2017-18, even as terrorist incidents continued to take place in the valley.

The deposits raised under the framework are covered by the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC).

Swachh Survekshan Awards 2023

Surat and Indore have been jointly recognized as the cleanest cities in India at the Union Urban Affairs Ministry’s annual Clean City Awards 2023. Indore achieved the top rank for the seventh consecutive time.

President Smt. Droupadi Murmu conferred the Swachh Survekshan awards 2023 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi hosted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). 

The theme for the year 2023 was -“Waste to Wealth”. 

The theme for the Cleanliness Survey 2024 is “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.”

The President launched the Swachh Survekshan 2023 dashboard, emphasizing the importance of everyone’s contribution to and participation in the survey.

Key Points

  • In the category of cities with a population of less than 1 lakh, Sasvad, Patan and Lonavala secured the top three spots. 
  • Mhow Cantonment Board in Madhya Pradesh was adjudged the Cleanest Cantonment Board. 
  • Varanasi and Prayagraj won the top two awards amongst the Cleanest Ganga Towns. 
  • Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh won the top three awards for Best Performing State.
  • Chandigarh walked away with the award for the Best Safaimitra Surakshit Sheher, acknowledging initiatives that prioritize the safety, dignity, and well-being of sanitation workers.  

About Swachh Survekshan Awards

  • It was launched in 2016, as part of the Swachh Bharat Mission initiated by the Government of India to promote cleanliness and sanitation in urban areas. 
  • The annual survey ranks cities based on various sanitation parameters like door-to-door waste collection, waste treatment, public toilet management, citizen participation, and innovation in sanitation practices.
  • Winning cities and states receive recognition and financial incentives, aiming to motivate them to maintain and improve their sanitation standards.

NHAI Introduces ‘One Vehicle, One FASTag’ Initiative

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has launched the ‘One Vehicle, One FASTag’ initiative that aims to discourage user behavior of using single FASTag for multiple vehicles or linking multiple FASTags to a particular vehicle.

About the ‘One Vehicle, One FASTag’ initiative:

  • The initiative aims to enhance the efficiency of the Electronic Toll Collection system and provide seamless movement at the Toll Plazas. 
  • The new arrangement Of ‘One Vehicle, One FASTag’ has also been introduced to discourage user behaviour of using single FASTag for multiple vehicles or linking multiple FASTags to a particular vehicle.
  •  The initiative encourages FASTag users to complete ‘Know Your Customer’ (KYC) process of their latest FASTag by updating KYC as per RBI guidelines.
  • FASTags with valid balance but with incomplete KYC will get deactivated/blacklisted by banks post 31st January 2024.
  • NHAI has taken this initiative after the recent reports of multiple FASTags being issued for a particular vehicle and FASTags being issued without KYC in violation of RBI’s mandate. 
  • The ‘One Vehicle, One FASTag’ initiative will help to make toll operations more efficient and ensure seamless & comfortable journeys for the National Highway users.

About FASTag

  • FASTag is a device that uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to enable toll payments while the vehicle is in motion. 
  • It is essentially an RFID passive tag on the vehicle’s windscreen linked to a customer’s prepaid or savings/current account. 
  • It allows customers to drive through toll plazas without stopping for toll payments. 
  • The toll fee is deducted from the customer’s linked account. 
  • It is also vehicle specific and once it is affixed to a vehicle, it cannot be transferred to another vehicle.

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)State’s Startup Ranking 2022

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) released the State’s Startup Ranking Framework 2022 report. Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu emerged as the best-performing states in the Startup Ranking for 2022.

Categories and Participation 

A total of 33 states and union territories actively participated in the evaluation, categorized under five distinct groups – best performers, top performers, leaders, aspiring leaders, and emerging startup ecosystems. The rankings serve as a testament to the varied and evolving nature of the startup ecosystem in different regions of the country.

About State’s Startup Ranking Framework 2022 report

Category A States (Population more than 1 crore)

  • Best performing states: Gujarat, Karnataka and Kerala 
  • Top performing states: Punjab, Rajasthan, Telangana, Orissa and Maharashtra
  • Leading states: Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Assam and Andhra Pradesh 
  • States with Ambitious Leadership: Bihar and Haryana 
  • States developing emerging startup ecosystems: Chhattisgarh, Delhi, and Jammu and Kashmir 

Category B States (Population less than 1 crore)

  • Best performer: Himachal Pradesh 
  • Top Performer: Arunachal Pradesh Meghalaya 
  • Leader: Goa, Manipur and Tripura 
  • Aspiring leader:  Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Nagaland
  • Emerging Ecosystems: Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu, Ladakh Mizoram, Puducherry and Sikkim

MeitY Secretary Launches India’s First Graphene Centre and IoT CoE in Kerala

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Secretary S Krishnan inaugurated the India Innovation Centre for Graphene (IICG) and a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Intelligent Internet of Things (IIoT) Sensors in Kerala.

About India Innovation Centre for Graphene (IICG): India’s first Graphene Center

  • Digital University Kerala (DUK) (formerly IIITMK) and Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (CMET)-Thrissur are the technical partners for setting up these centers at Makers Village Kochi. 
  • The complete full-fledged facility for R&D, incubation, innovation, skilling, capacity building, testing & certification shall be established at these centers by the experts of these agencies.
  • The creation of a complete eco-system for start-ups in the area of IoT Sensors and Graphene & 2D Materials are the main objectives for setting up these centers in the country. 
  • The complete solution with material to product/system development shall be provided at these centers in the respective areas. 

Indian Army Develops Encrypted Mobile Ecosystem “SAMBHAV”

Indian Army develops end-to-end encrypted mobile ecosystem SAMBHAV (Secure Army Mobile Bharat Version). SAMBHAV’ has been developed in collaboration with leading national centers of excellence from academia and industry.

About SAMBHAV (Secure Army Mobile Bharat Version)

  • SAMBHAV is an end-to-end secure mobile ecosystem developed by the Indian Army. 
  • It operates on 5G technology and aims to provide secure communication and instant connectivity. 
  • It aims to address the information security challenges faced by the Indian Army.
  • Command Cyber Operations Support Wings enhance cyber capabilities at operational and tactical levels. 
  • SAMBHAV addresses the vulnerability of mobile networks to eavesdropping, offering end-to-end security. 

Command Cyber Operations Support Wing (CCOSW)

  • The Command Cyber Operations Support Wing (CCOSW) is being established which increases cyber security capability. 
  • The CCOSWs are specialized units of the Indian Army that assist formations in carrying out mandated cyber security functions. 
  • According to a report, six CCOSWs are being established for all commands. Additionally, specialized training will be provided to personnel involved in this initiative.

Assam Current Affairs – September 19-21, 2022

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Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – September 19-21, 2022

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the September 19-21, 2022)

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Assam Current Affairs and GK Quiz – Set 316: July 2022, Week 4 

September 19-21, 2022

Hemkosh becomes first Braille dictionary in South-east Asia

South-East Asia’s first Braille version of the prestigious Assamese dictionary “Hemkosh” was formally launched at a program held at the Vivekananda Kendra in Guwahati. 

The dictionary was launched by the Sadin Pratidin Group to give a new dimension to the Assamese language with an aim to help in improving the educational quality of visually impaired children in the state.

Sarbananda Sonowal, the minister for ports, shipping, and waterways, as well as other officials, were present on this occasion. The dictionary was formally presented to the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. 

The first Assamese language dictionary “Hemkosh” was first published in 1919 by Hem Chandra Baruwa.

Government of Assam will use portable device ‘SAANS’ to prevent neonatal deaths

The Assam government has decided to utilize the air pressure machine ‘SAANS,’ in all of its hospitals to minimize infant mortality 

SAANS’ is a portable neonatal Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP) system built by a Bangalore-based start-up.  

Key Points

  • The machine can provide lifesaving breathing support to infants in hospital settings as well as during travel. 
  • More than 50 SAANS devices have been deployed across medical colleges in Assam to date with more deployments underway to district hospitals. 
  • InnAccel Technologies, incubated at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), partnered with the SAMRIDH Healthcare Blended Finance Facility to build the equipment to improve respiratory assistance for babies and paediatric populations in Assam.
  • SAMRIDH is a multi-stakeholder innovation and funding platform operated by IPE Global and supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
  • The partnership between InnAccel, C-CAMP, and SAMRIDH, with backing from the National Health Mission, , Assam and the Government of Assam will help deploy 307 units of SAANS in the state. 
  • The distribution of these machines is projected to cover practically all of the state’s current demand for respiratory support technology.

Bhaichung Bhutia becomes new president of Hamro Sikkim Party

Legendary footballer Bhaichung Bhutia has been recently elected as the new president of the Hamro Sikkim Party (HSP). He was elected by party leaders and members at a national conference.

Bhutia pledged to put endless effort to serve the people of Sikkim and represent their hopes and aspirations.

He said “We shall make unending efforts to ensure social equality and justice and provide limitless possibilities for every Sikkimese to realize the full potential of our state,” 

He also expressed gratitude towards the outgoing HSP president Bina Basnett for successfully completing her tenure of three years.

India will host next Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in 2023

The rotational presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has been handed over to India in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The next meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State will be held in India in 2023.

Delhi will hold the presidency of the grouping for a year until September 2023. Next year, India will take over as the next Chair of SCO from Uzbekistan and will also host the summit. 

During the SCO Summit, the Member States noted the various global challenges and threats in the global economy. They expressed deep concern over the security threat posed by terrorism, separatism and extremism and strongly condemned terrorist acts around the world.

They will seek to develop common principles and approaches to form a unified list of terrorist, separatist and extremist organizations whose activities are prohibited on the territories of the SCO member states. 

The Member States also made commitments to build a sustainable economic system by promoting green and environmentally friendly technologies.

In the Samarkand Declaration, the member states supported the efforts of the countries of the region to ensure prosperity, peace and sustainable development. They advocated strengthening the role of SCO in enhancing stability and socio-economic development in the region. 

About Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)

  • Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an international alliance consists of 8 member states: China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. 
  • The Secretariat of the SCO, headquartered in Beijing, China.
  • The official languages of the SCO are Chinese and Russian.
  • It is governed by the Heads of State Council (HSC), its supreme decision-making body, which meets once a year.

Science magazine ‘Vigyan Pragati’, received the National Rajbhasha Kirti Award

CSIR’s (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research) popular science magazine ‘Vigyan Pragati Received the National Rajbhasha Kirti Award (first position). 

Vigyan Pragati is one of India’s most popular science magazines. It is popular among children, teachers, researchers, and the public across India as well as the world. 

Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) started publishing this magazine in 1952. It carries a legacy of seven decades and over these many years.

This monthly Hindi publication imparts the knowledge of the recent national-international S&T related developments. The magazine contents aim at igniting curiosity about science among the young and strive to develop an interest in them to pursue science. 

Rajbhasha Kirti Award was introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs. which aims to encourage the implementation of the Official Language Policy. It is given on the day of Hindi Diwas. 

Andaman and Nicobar Islands become India’s first Swachh Sujal Pradesh

Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has declared Andaman and Nicobar Islands as India’s first Swachh Sujal Pradesh.

With this achievement, all the villages in Andaman and Nicobar Islands have received the Har Ghar Jal certification and also have been verified as ODF (open defecation free) and ODF Plus. 

Swachh And Sujal Key Components

Three important components of Sujal and Swachh states are given below

  • Safe and secure drinking water supply and management; 
  • ODF Plus: ODF Sustainability and Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) 
  • Cross-cutting interventions like convergence, IEC, action planning, etc.

Current Affairs GK & Quiz Monthly – August 2022 

Current Affairs GK & Quiz Monthly – September 2022

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Assam Geography/Environment MCQ Questions Set 4

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Assam Geography/Environment MCQ Questions Set 4 – National Parks & Wildlife Conservation in Assam

for APSC / Assam exam Geography Preparation

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Assam History - Assam Exam

Q1. Which of the following protected site was declared a World Heritage Site in December 1985 by UNESCO and it was removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2011?

  1. Kaziranga National Park
  2. Orang National Park
  3. Raimona National Park
  4. Manas National Park

Manas National Park

Q2. In which year Kaziranga National Park was given official status of National Park by the central government?

  1. 1951
  2. 1974
  3. 1999
  4. 2006

1974

In 1954, the government of Assam passed the Assam (Rhinoceros) Bill, which imposed heavy penalties for rhinoceros poaching. Fourteen years later, in 1968, the state government passed the Assam National Park Act of 1968, declaring Kaziranga a designated national park. The 430 km2 park was given official status by the central government on 11 February 1974. In 1985, Kaziranga was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its unique natural environment. Kaziranga National Park was declared a Tiger Reserve in 2006.

Q3. Kaziranga National Park hosts around ______ of the world’s one-horned rhinoceroses?

  1. Half
  2. 90 per cent
  3. Two-thirds
  4. 100 per cent

Two-thirds

Kaziranga National Park is a national park in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of the state of Assam, India. The park, which hosts two-thirds of the world’s great one-horned rhinoceroses, is a World Heritage Site.

Q4. Which of the following statements is NOT correct about Kaziranga National Park?

  1. It is a declared UNESCO World Heritage Site
  2. It is a declared Tiger Reserve.
  3. It is recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International for conservation of avifaunal species.
  4. It is declared as an Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Govt of India

It is declared as an Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Govt of India

Q5. Assam has what per cent of it’s total geographical area under the Seven national parks in the state?

  1. 1.88%
  2. 2.51%
  3. 21.68%
  4. 23.45%

2.51%

Assam protected areas includes Seven national parks (2.51% of Assam‘s area), 16 wildlife sanctuaries (1.88% of Assam’s area), and two proposed wildlife sanctuaries.

Q6. Which state has the maximum no. of National Parks?

  1. Madhya Pradesh
  2. Assam
  3. Kerala
  4. Uttarakhand

Madhya Pradesh

Q7. Which National Park forms the core area of Chirang Ripu Elephant Reserve?

  1. Kaziranga National Park
  2. Manas National Park
  3. Nameri National Park
  4. Dibru-Saikhowa National Park

Manas National Park

Q8. Which of the two National Parks are declared as National Parks in 2021?

  1. Dehing Patkai National Park and Orang National Park
  2. Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and Dehing Patkai National Park
  3. Raimona National Park and Dehing Patkai National Park
  4. Dehing Patkai National Park and Orang National Park

Raimona National Park and Dehing Patkai National Park

Q9. Which state has the largest population of wild water buffalo in the world?

  1. Bihar
  2. West Bengal
  3. Andhra Pradesh
  4. Assam

Assam

Q10. Which of the following protected areas in Assam is known for Bengal florican?

  1. Manas National Park
  2. Royal Manas National Park
  3. Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary
  4. Garampani Wildlife Sanctuary

Manas National Park

 

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Major Environmental Movements in India – APSC Geography Exam Note

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Major Environmental Movements in India

Geography /Environment Notes APSC, UPSC and State Exam Notes

Assam Geography Assamexam

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Environmental movement is a type of social movement for the conservation of the environment or for the improvement of the state policy especially inclined towards the environment.Many environmental movements have emerged in India. These movements have grown out of a series of independent responses to local issues in different places at different times.

 

Major Environmental Movements in India 

Bishnoi Movement: This movement was started by sage Sombaji around 1700 AD against deforestation. After that Amrita Devi forwarded the movement. Around 363 people sacrificed their lives for the protection of their forests. When the king of this region came to know the protest and killing, he rushed to the village and apologized, and declared the region as a protected area. This movement was the first of its kind to have developed the strategy of hugging or embracing the trees for their protection spontaneously.

Narmada Bachao Andolan: This movement is against the Narmada River Valley Project. It has drawn upon a multiplicity of discourses for protests such as: displacement risks and resettlement provisions; environmental impact and sustainability issues; financial implications of the project; forceful evictions and violations of civil liberties; issues pertaining to river valley planning and management etc.

Chipko Movement:  It is one of the world-known environmental movements in India.This movement initiated by Shri Sunderlal Bahaguna to guard the trees on the Himalayan slopes. Sunderlal Bahaguna not only successfully resisted deforestation in several areas but also showed that community afforestation with indigenous species can be enormously successful. He enlightened the villagers by conveying the importance of trees in the environment which checks the erosion of soil, causes rains and provides pure air. The women of Advani village of Tehri-Garhwal tied the sacred thread around trunks of trees and they hugged the trees, hence it was called the ‘Chipko Movement’ or ‘hug the tree movement’.

Jungle Bachao Andolan: The tribal community of Singhbhum district of Jharkhand agitated against the forest policy of the Government in 1982. The Government wanted to replace the natural soil, forests with the high-priced teak. This movement was called by many environmentalists as “Greed Game Political Populism”. Later this movement spread to Jharkhand and Orissa.

Appiko Movement: It is one of the forest-based environmental movements in India. The movement took place in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka in the Western Ghats. Its main objectives were afforestation as well as development, conservation and proper utilization of forests in the best manner. The movement created awareness among the villagers throughout the Western Ghats about the ecological danger posed by the commercial and industrial interests to their forest which was the main source of sustenance.

Silent Valley Movement: Silent Valley Movement in Kerala was against the construction of a hydroelectric dam on the river Kunthipuzha under the Kudremukh project.

Tehri Dam Conflict: In recent years, it is one of the most publicized environmental movements in recent years. The major issues of the movement include- seismic sensitivity of the region, submergence of forest areas along with Tehri town etc.

These environmental movements were mainly against the ecological concerns such as greater exploitation of the already depleted natural resources, construction of big dams etc. However, along with these ecological concerns, there were also economic and identity issues associated with these environmental movements.

 

Some of the economic issues associated with environmental movements

  • The economy of subsistence was pitted against the economy of profit. Along with this issue of social inequality (villagers versus a government that represented commercial, capitalist interests), the Chipko Movement also raised the issue of ecological sustainability.
  • Villagers relied on the forest to get firewood, fodder and other daily necessities. The livelihood needs of poor villagers were put at stake against the government’s desire to generate revenues from selling timber. The need for infrastructural development attracted many foreign logging companies, who were eyeing the vast forest resources. This led to denying of villager’s control over these natural resources on which they relied for both food and fuel.
  • Widespread flooding of the villages and forest areas, which was attributed to the mismanagement due to commercial logging and construction of big dams, led to displacement of villagers thereby losing their means of livelihood.

 

Some of the identity issues associated with environmental movements

  • Environmental movement is a type of “social movement that involves an array of persons, groups and coalitions that observe a common interest in environmental protection and act to bring about changes in environmental policies and practices
  • The villagers valued the forest for their own sake and were of the view that their existence and identity is closely linked to the forest. They were able to perceive the link between their victimization and the denuding of mountain slopes by commercial interests.
  • Women, being solely in charge of cultivation, livestock and children, suffered the most due to floods and landslides.
  • Women were given no share in the decision-making process, public power and political activities like men. These movements provided them with the opportunity to raise their concerns and fight for their rights.

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India State of Forest Report 2021 – Highlights & important findings | APSC Exam Notes

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India State of Forest Report 2021 – Highlights & important findings | APSC Exam Notes

Geography Notes APSC, UPSC and State Exam Notes

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Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) released the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021, which provides information on forest cover, tree cover, mangrove cover, growing stock, carbon stock in India’s forests, forest fire monitoring, forest cover in tiger reserve areas, above ground estimates of biomass using SAR data & climate change hotspots in Indian forests. 

As per the report, India has recorded an increase of 1,540 sq kms in its forest cover, reaching India’s total forest cover of 713,789 sq km or 21.71 per cent of the total geographical area of the country. India has set a target of bringing 33 percent of its geographical area under forest cover as envisaged in the National Forest Policy, 1988.

The Forest Survey of India defines “forest cover” as all land of one hectare or more of tree patches with canopy density of more than 10 per cent. This covers all land irrespective of legal ownership and land use.

Three categories of forests are surveyed – very dense forests (canopy density over 70%), moderately dense forests (40-70%) and open forests (10-40%). Scrubs (canopy density less than 10%) are also surveyed but not categorised as forests.

 

India’s total 7,13,789 sq km of forest cover comprises
  • Open forests have the biggest share in India’s forest cover, with 9.34% of the total geographical area (307,120 sq km). There is an increase of 2,612 sq km.
  • Very dense forests account for just 3.04% (99,779 sq km) of the total geographical area. There is an increase of 501 sq km.
  • Moderately dense forests account for 9.33% (3,06,890 sq km). There is loss of 1,582 sq km.

 

Key highlights of India State of Forest Report, 2021
  • ISFR 2021 has shown an increasing trend in forest cover overall, the trend is not uniform across all kinds of forests. Increase in forest cover has been observed in open forest followed by very dense forest. 
  • The forest and tree cover of India is 80.9 million hectares which is 24.62 percent of the geographical area of the country. As compared to the assessment of 2019, there is an increase of 2,261 sq km in the total forest and tree cover of the country. Out of this, the increase in the forest cover has been observed as 1,540 sq km and that in tree cover it is 721 sq km.

  • Madhya Pradesh has the largest area covered under forest in the country followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra.
  • In terms of forest cover as percentage of total geographical area, the top five States are Mizoram (84.53%), Arunachal Pradesh (79.33%), Meghalaya (76.00%), Manipur (74.34%) and Nagaland (73.90%).
  • 17 states/UT’s have above 33 percent of the geographical area under forest cover. Five states/UTs namely Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya have more than 75 percent forest cover.
  • Total carbon stock in the country’s forest is estimated to be 7,204 million tonnes and there is an increase of 79.4 million tonnes in the carbon stock of the country as compared to the last assessment of 2019. The annual increase in the carbon stock is 39.7 million tonnes.
  • By 2030, 45-64% of forests in India will experience the effects of climate change and rising temperatures, and forests in all states (except Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland) will be highly vulnerable climate hot spots. Ladakh is likely to be the most affected. 
  • India’s forests are already showing shifting trends of vegetation types, such as Sikkim which has shown a shift in its vegetation pattern for 124 endemic species.
  • The assessment of the report is based on interpretation of LISS-III data from Indian Remote Sensing satellite data (Resourcesat-II) with a spatial resolution of 23.5 meters with the scale of interpretation 1:50,000 to monitor forest cover and forest cover changes at District, State and National level.

 

Mangroves coverage
  • India’s total mangrove cover is 4,992 sq km and an increase of 17 sq Km in mangrove cover as compared to the previous assessment of 2019. 
  • Top three states showing mangrove cover increase are Odisha (8 sq km) followed by Maharashtra (4 sq km) and Karnataka (3 sq km).

 

Forest  cover in Tiger reserves
  • In ISFR 2021, FSI has included a new chapter related to the assessment of forest cover in the Tiger Reserves, Corridors and Lion conservation area of India.
  • It has found that the forest cover in tiger corridors has increased by 37.15 sq km (0.32%) between 2011-2021, but decreased by 22.6 sq km (0.04%) in tiger reserves.
  • Buxa (West Bengal), Anamalai (Tamil Nadu) and Indravati reserves (Chhattisgarh) have shown an increase in forest cover.
  • The highest forest cover losses have been found in Kawal (Telangana), Bhadra (Karnataka) and the Sundarbans reserves (West Bengal).
  • Pakke Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh has the highest forest cover, at nearly 97%.

 

Some of the concerns
  • India is not adding dense forests. It is actually losing significant areas of natural forests with moderate tree cover. India has more ‘open forest’ i.e. forest cover with tree canopy density in the range of 10% to 40%.
  • 1,582 sq km decline in moderately dense forests, or “natural forests”, in conjunction with an increase of 2,621 sq km in open forest areas – shows a degradation of forests in the country, with natural forests degrading to less dense open forests. 
  • Scrub area has increased by 5,320 sq km, indicating the complete degradation of forests in these areas.
  • The Northeast states, which account for 7.98% of total geographical area but 23.75% of total forest cover, have shown an overall decline of 1,020 sq km in forest cover.
  • Forest loss in NE states: Mizoram (84.5% of its total geographical area is forests) or Arunachal Pradesh (79.3%), the two states have respectively lost 1.03% and 0.39% of their forest cover, while Manipur has lost 1.48 %, Meghalaya 0.43%, and Nagaland 1.88%.
  • In 2019-20, 1.2 lakh forest fire hotspots were detected by the SNPP_VIIRS sensor, which increased to 3.4 lakh in 2020-21. The highest numbers of fires were detected in Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
 
FACTFILE - India State of Forest Report (ISFR)
  • The biannual report is prepared by The Forest Survey of India (FSI), a body under MoEFCC, which conducts surveys and assessment of forest resources in the country.
  • The information given in the report will serve as an important tool to monitor the country’s forest resources and plan suitable scientific and policy interventions for its management. It will also serve as a useful source of information for the policy makers, planners, State Forest Departments, line agencies involved in various developmental works, academicians, civil society and others interested in natural resource conservation and management.
  • Published biennially, the India State of Forest Report, 2021 is an assessment of the forest and tree resources of the country. The first survey was published in 1987, and ISFR 2021 is the 17th.

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India State of Forest Report 2021 – Forest coverage highlight in Assam and Northeast region – APSC Exam Notes

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India State of Forest Report 2021 – Forest coverage highlight in Assam and Northeast region (APSC Exam Geography Notes)

Assam Geography/Environment Notes APSC, UPSC and State Exam Notes

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The Northeast states account for 7.98% of total geographical area but 23.75% of total forest cover. North eastern states from the region have the highest percentage of forest cover w.r.t. total geographical area of the state. Mizoram (84.53%) > Arunachal Pradesh (79.33%) > Meghalaya (76.00%) > Manipur (74.34%) > Nagaland (73.90%). 

As per India’s State of Forest Report 2021, the northeastern states viz. Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Sikkim have lost 1,020 square kilometres of forest during 2019-2021. The eight states account for 23.75 per cent of the country’s total forest cover. 

Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh have respectively lost 1.03% and 0.39% of their forest cover, while Manipur has lost 1.48 %, Meghalaya 0.43%, and Nagaland 1.88%. Manipur recorded the largest loss in forest cover (249 sq kms), followed by Nagaland (235 sq kms) and Mizoram (186 sq kms). The decline in the Northeastern states has been attributed to a spate of natural calamities, particularly landslides and heavy rains, in the region as well as to anthropogenic activities such as shifting agriculture, pressure of developmental activities and felling of trees.

The northeastern states have been losing forest cover consistently and between 2011 and 2019, forest cover of six states, excluding Assam, had decreased by nearly 18 per cent between 2011 and 2019. The region lost nearly 25,012 sq. km of forest cover in the preceding decade.

Forests in all states (except Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland) will be highly vulnerable to climate hot spots. Ladakh (forest cover 0.1-0.2%) is likely to be the most affected.

States under North-Eastern Region showed the highest tendency of forest fire, and these states fall under extremely to very highly forest fire zones. States like Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, and Manipur in the North-Eastern Part of India exhibit the highest forest fire probability in terms of its frequency of event occurrence.

Special thematic information on forest cover such as hill, tribal districts, and north eastern region has also been given separately in the report.

 

FACTFILE – India State of Forest Report (ISFR)
  • The biannual report is prepared by The Forest Survey of India (FSI), a body under MoEFCC, which conducts surveys and assessment of forest resources in the country.
  • The India State of Forest Report 2021 is 17th such report in the series. In line with the Government of India’s vision of Digital India and the consequent need for integration of digital data sets, the Forest Survey of India has adopted the vector boundary layers of various administrative units upto districts developed by Survey of India along with digital open series topo sheets, bringing about full compatibility with the geographical areas as reported in Census, 2011.
  • The report contains information on forest cover, tree cover, mangrove cover, growing stock inside and outside the forest areas, carbon stock in India’s forests and forest cover in different patch size classes. Special thematic information on forest cover such as hill, tribal districts, and north eastern region has also been given separately in the report.
  • Forest Survey of India (FSI) has been assessing the forest and tree resources of our country on a biennial basis since 1987. The results of the assessment are published in its biennial report titled “India State of Forest Report (ISFR)”.

 

India State of Forest Report 2021 – Highlights & important findings

 

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APSC Prelim 2018 GS Paper – Analysis of Geography, Environment & Ecology Sections Questions

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APSC Prelim 2018 GS Paper – Geography, Environment & Ecology Sections Questions Analysis

Geography, Geography, Environment & Ecology are important sections in any General Studies papers, including APSC Prelims GS Paper. but the number of Qs are gradually decreasing. Analyzing the previous years Qs from these section can be very helpful to understand Focus Areas to study more extensively.

 

Q14. As per 2011 Census, which of the following States showed a negative decadal growth rate of population?

  1. Sikkim
  2. Arunachal Pradesh
  3. Nagaland
  4. Mizoram

Focus Areas : 2011 Census & Demography

Read more about Census 2011

 

Q96. Which of the following rivers of India does not meet the Bay of Bengal?

  1. North Pennar
  2. Subarnarekha
  3. Mahi
  4. Vaigai

Focus Areas : Rivers of India

 

Q97. Identify the district which ranks first in regards to density of population as per 2011 Census?

  1. Dhubri
  2. Barpeta
  3. Nalbari
  4. Nagaon

Focus Areas : 2011 Census & Demography

 

Q98. Which of the following Wildlife Sanctuaries in located in Udaigiri District?

  1. Chakrashila
  2. Bornadi
  3. Amchang
  4. Bura Chapori

Focus Areas: Protected Areas of Assam and India

Five National Parks of Assam (APSC Assam Geography Notes)

Wildlife Sanctuaries in Assam (APSC Assam Geography Notes)

Q99. Which of the following traditional agricultural practices is followed by the Apatanis of Arunachal Pradesh

  1. Bamboo-drip irrigation
  2. Zabo system
  3. Paddy-cum-fish culture systems
  4. Panikheti system

Focus Areas: Agriculture

India State of Forest Report 2019 Highlights & Important Points – APSC Exam Notes

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India State of Forest Report 2019 – Highlights & Summary

Geography /Environment Notes APSC, UPSC and State Exam Notes

India State of Forest Report 2019 - Highlights

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The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar released the biennial, India State of Forest Report (ISFR). The report is published by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) which has been mandated to assess the forest and tree resources of the country including wall-to-wall forest cover mapping in a biennial cycle. Starting 1987, 16 assessments have been completed so far. ISFR 2019 is the 16threport in the series.India is among few countries in the world where forest cover is consistently increasing.

 

Major Highlights

  • The total forest cover of the country is 7,12,249 sq km which is 21.67% of the geographical area of the country.

  • The tree cover of the country is estimated as 95,027 sq km which is 2.89% of the geographical area.

  • The total Forest and Tree cover of the country is 8,07,276 sq km which is 24.56% of the geographical area of the country.

  • The current assessment shows an increase of 3,976 sq km (0.56%) of forest cover, 1,212 sq km(1.29%) of tree cover and 5,188 sq km (0.65%) of forest and tree cover put together, at the national level as compared to the previous assessment i.e. ISFR 2017.

 

 

TOP 5 States in terms of increase in forest cover:

  1. Karnataka (1,025 sq km)

  2. Andhra Pradesh (990 sq km)

  3. Kerala (823 sq km)

  4. Jammu & Kashmir (371 sq km)

  5. Himachal Pradesh(334 sq km)

 

  • Forest cover in the hill districts of the country is 2,84,006 sq km, which is 40.30% of the total geographical area of these districts. The current assessment shows an increase of 544 sq km(0.19%) in 140 hill districts of the country.

  • The total forest cover in the tribal districts is 4,22,351 sq km, which is 37.54% of the geographical area of these districts. The current assessment shows a decrease of 741 sq km of forest cover within the RFA/GW in the tribal districts and an increase of 1,922 sq km outside.

  • Mangrove cover in the country has increased by 54 sq km (1.10%) as compared to the previous assessment.

  • The total growing stock of wood in the country is estimated 5,915.76 million cum comprising 4,273.47 million cum inside forest areas and 1,642.29 million cum outside recorded forest areas (TOF). The average growing stock per hectare in forest has been estimated as 55.69 cum.

  • Total bamboo bearing area of the country is estimated as 1,60,037 sq km. There is an increase of 3,229 sq km in bamboo bearing area as compared to the estimate of ISFR 2017.

  • Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) represents the largest pool of carbon stock in forests, which has been estimated 4,004 million tonnes. The SOC contributes 56% to the total forest carbon stock of the country.

  • There are 62,466 wetlands covering 3.83% of the area within the RFA/GW of the country. The total number of wetlands located within the RFA/GW is 8.13%.

  • Amongst the States, Gujarat has largest area of wetlands within RFA in the country followed by West Bengal.

  • Dependence of fuelwood on forests is highest in the State of Maharashtra, whereas, for fodder,small timber and bamboo, dependence is highest in Madhya Pradesh. It has been assessed that the annual removal of the small timber by the people living in forest fringe villages is nearly 7% of the average annual yield of forests in the country.

 

TOP 5 States with largest forest cover (Area-wise)

    1. Madhya Pradesh

    2. Arunachal Pradesh

    3. Chhattisgarh

    4. Odisha

    5. Maharashtra.

 

TOP 5 States in terms of forest cover as a percentage of total geographical area

    1. Mizoram (85.41%)

    2. Arunachal Pradesh (79.63%)

    3. Meghalaya (76.33%)

    4. Manipur (75.46%)

    5. Nagaland (75.31%)

  • Total Mangrove cover in the country is 4,975 sq km. An increase of 54 sq Km in mangrove cover has been observed as compared to the previous assessment of 2017.

  • Top three states showing mangrove cover increase are Gujarat (37 sq km) followed by Maharashtra (16 sq km) and Odisha (8 sq km).

  • The total growing stock of India’s forest and TOF is estimated 5,915.76 million cum of which 4,273.47 million cum is inside the forests and 1,642.29 million cum outside. There is an increase of 93.38 million cum of total growing stock, as compared to the previous assessment.

  • The extent of bamboo bearing area of the country has been estimated 16.00 million hectare. There is an increase of 0.32 million hectare in bamboo bearing area as compared to the last assessment of ISFR 2017. The total estimated green weight of bamboo culms is 278 million tonnes, slowly an increase of 88 million tonnes as compared to ISFR 2017.

  • Total carbon stock in country’s forest is estimated 7,124.6 million tonnes and there an increase of 42.6 million tonnes in the carbon stock of country as compared to the last assessment of 2017. The annual increase in the carbon stock is 21.3 million tonnes, which is 78.2 million tonnes CO2 eq.

 

FACTFILE - India State of Forest Report (ISFR)
  • The biannual report is prepared by The Forest Survey of India (FSI), a body under MoEFCC, which conducts surveys and assessment of forest resources in the country.
  • The information given in the report will serve as an important tool to monitor the country’s forest resources and plan suitable scientific and policy interventions for its management. It will also serve as a useful source of information for the policy makers, planners, State Forest Departments, line agencies involved in various developmental works, academicians, civil society and others interested in natural resource conservation and management.
  • The India State of Forest Report 2019 is 16th such report in the series. In line with the Government of India’s vision of Digital India and the consequent need for integration of digital data sets, the Forest Survey of India has adopted the vector boundary layers of various administrative units upto districts developed by Survey of India along with digital open series topo sheets, bringing about full compatibility with the geographical areas as reported in Census, 2011.
  • Forests play a vital role in water conservation and improve the water regime in the area. Considering the importance of water bodies in forest, FSI has assessed water bodies in forest cover for the decade 2005-2015. As per the assessment, there is an increase of 2,647 sq km in the extent of water bodies inside forest cover between 2005 to 2015.
  • The report contains information on forest cover, tree cover, mangrove cover, growing stock inside and outside the forest areas, carbon stock in India’s forests and forest cover in different patch size classes. Special thematic information on forest cover such as hill, tribal districts, and north eastern region has also been given separately in the report. The report for the first time contains information on decadal change in water bodies in forest during 2005-2015, forest fire, production of timber from outside forest, state wise carbon stock in different forest types and density classes.
  • Forest Survey of India (FSI) has been assessing the forest and tree resources of our country on a biennial basis since 1987. The results of the assessment are published in its biennial report titled “India State of Forest Report (ISFR)”.

 

India State of Forest Report 2021 – Highlights & important findings

 

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Tiger Census 2018 – Highlights & state of Tigers in India (APSC Geography Notes)

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All India Tiger Estimation Report 2018 (Tiger Census) – Highlights & state of Tigers in India

(APSC Geography Notes)

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The All India Tiger Estimation Report 2018 made public by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on occasion of Global Tiger Day on 29 July. As per the report, India has 2,967 tigers, which is about 33% more than in 2014.

PM Modi said, “With around 3,000 tigers, India has emerged as of one of the biggest and safest habitats for them in world. The country is proud to be home to almost 75% of the global tiger population”.

Highlights & Key Findings

Top 5 Performing States

  • Madhya Pradesh (526)
  • Karnataka (524)
  • Uttarakhand (442)
  • Maharashtra (312)
  • Tamil Nadu (264)

States that saw Decline in Tiger Population

  • Chhattisgarh and Mizoram.

While all other States saw a Positive increase.

  • Assam has a total of 190 Tigers.
  • Highest Number of Tigers in Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
  • Maximum Improvement in Tiger Population since 2014 is recorded in Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu.

4th cycle of the Management Effectiveness Evaluation of Tiger Reserves (MEETR), which evaluates India’s 50 tiger sanctuaries was also released along with 4th National Tiger Estimation (Tiger census).

  • According to it, Pench sanctuary (MP) and Periyar sanctuary of Kerala emerged as best managed tiger reserves in country. Dampa Reserve (Mizoram) and Rajaji reserve (Uttarakhand) were left at bottom of ladder.
  • Chhattisgarh was least performing State in reserve management.
4th National Tiger Estimation (Tiger census)
  • It is 4th such tiger survey since 2006, conducted once in 4 years. Latest survey is culmination of 15 months of forest officials surveying 3,81,400 sq-km of forested habitat, installing 26,760 camera traps and wildlife biologists digging by 35 million images of wildlife. Nearly 83% of estimated tiger population was captured in these images.
  • India has been counting tigers and assessing habitat every four years since 2006. The 33% rise in tiger numbers is the highest ever recorded between four-year cycles. The growth was 21% during 2006-10 and 30% between 2010 and 2014.
  • The report does not contain numbers of other predators like leopards. But better tiger numbers are generally seen as indicating good prey bases and habitat.
Global Tiger Population
  • The world-wide population of wild tigers stands at around 3,950.
  • India has almost 75% of the total population.
  • Russia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Thailand, Bangladesh and Bhutan being key countries contributing to the remaining 25% count.
International Tiger Day
  • Global Tiger Day, often called International Tiger Day, is an annual celebration to raise awareness for tiger conservation, held annually on 29 July.
  • It was created in 2010 at the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit.
  • The goal of the day is to promote a global system for protecting the natural habitats of tigers and to raise public awareness and support for tiger conservation issues.

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APSC Forest Ranger Exam 2019 – Environmental Science optional Question Paper with Answers

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APSC Forest Ranger Exam 2019


Environmental Science optional Question Paper – with Answers

Download PDF

Go to APSC Forest Ranger Previous years Questions

Q1. Which pair of the Global Environment serve as an interacting sphere for the circulation of water and nutrient?

Ans. (B) Hydrosphere

Q2. Which of the following are the highly variable constituents of air in the lower atmosphere?

Ans. (A) Water vapour and oxygen

Q3. Which layer of the atmosphere is dry and ozone rich?

Ans. (B) Stratosphere

Q4. Choose the correct statement

Ans. (A) The base of the stratosphere is cooler over the equator than over the poles.

Q5. Which instrument is used for measuring humidity in air?

Ans. (D) Hygrometer

Q6. The scale used for measuring wind velocity?

Ans. (C) Beaufort scale

Q7. Freshwater available for human use in the form of surface water and ground water is about

Ans. (B) 0.003%

Q8. Which of the following rivers has the largest annual discharge?

Ans. (C) Amazon

Q9. On the average, how much thick is the earth crust?

Ans. (C) 40 Km

Q10. Laterite soils
(A) are red in colour
(B) are formed in tropical climates
(C) Often contain high concentration of aluminium
(D) All of the above

Q11. Which of the following pairs of biomes is the most similar with regard to precipitation?

Ans. (B) Tundra and Desert

Q12. Identify the wrong statement

Ans. (B) Rainfall gradient is more in the boundary between two biomes.

Q13. In which of the following biomes animals use metabolic water and excrete highly concentrated urine?

Ans. (B) Desert

Q14. Which of the following biomes has the richest biodiversity with relatively thin and nutrient poor soil?

Ans. (C) Tropical rainforest

Q15. How many different biogeographical zones are there in India?

Ans. (D) 10

Q16. Ecosystem homeostasis is affected by

Ans. (B) The abiotic factors of environment.

Q17. Graphical representation of tropic structure and function of an ecosystem is known as

Ans. (C) Ecological Pyramid

Q18. Energy contents in higher tropic levels are

Ans. (A) Less than lower tropic levels

Q19. Stability of a complex ecosystem such as rainforest can be assessed on the basis of

Ans. (B) Species diversity

Q20. A mature ecosystem is characterised with

Ans. (C) Low nutrient productivity with closed nutrient cycle and good nutrient conservation.

Q21. How many phases are there in the biogeochemical cycles?

Ans. (A) Two

Q22. Which of the following cycles belongs to sedimentary cycles?

Ans. (B) Phosphorous cycle

Q23. Climax stable grassland ecosystems are the characteristics of

Ans. (A) Tropical zone

Q24. Which of the following ecosystems is used by migratory birds as seasonal homes

Ans. (A) Wetland

Q25. In which of the following zones fresh water lake fishes can survive but depend upon two other zones for food?

Ans. (A) Littoral zone

Q26. Which of the following states has the largest amount of total replenishable ground water resources (in km2/year)?

Ans. (B) Uttar Pradesh

Q27. Which of the following States has the highest coverage of very dense forest?

Ans. (D) Kerala

Q28. The total no. of National Parks in India as on 2018 is

Ans. (C) 100
Explanation: Actually it is 99.(http://www.wiienvis.nic.in/Database/Protected_Area_854.aspx)

Q29. The construction of solar cooker is based on the principle of

Ans. (B) Concentration of solar heat energy

Q30. In which of the following electricity generation processes water is used as boiler liquid?

Ans. (B) Geothermal energy conservation

Q31. Which of the following arrangement of States in terms of estimated wind power potential at 50 metre height is in descending order?

Ans. (A) Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha

Q32. From both Global and regional perspectives, which of the following types of pollution has more significance?

Ans. (A) Air pollution

Q33. Which of the following groups of chemical species in the atmosphere is of the long-live (more than 1 year)?

Ans. (B) N2O, CH4, CH3Br

Q34. Which of the following air pollutants cause curling of leaves of plants?

Ans. (D) NO2 and particulates

Q35. Which of the following on inhalation dissolves in the blood haemoglobin?

Ans. (D) Nitrous Oxide

Q36. Under what condition is the atmosphere inherently unstable?

Ans. (C) when the environment lapse rate is between the moist and dry adiabatic rate

Q37. Which of the following is not a common source of dissolved solids in surface water?

Ans. (B) Forestry runoff

Q38. Which of the following statement is correct?

Ans. (A) BOD is inversely proportional to DO

Q39. A lake usually with brown water, full of soil particles and having low food value is called

Ans. (A) Dystrophic lake

Q40. Acid rain is defined as the rain water having pH value

Ans. (D) None of the above
Explain: Unpolluted rain would have a pH value of between 5 and 6. Acid rain has a pH of 5.0 or less.

Q41. The correct relation between theoretical oxygen demand (TOD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) is given by

Ans. (B) TOD>COD>BOD

Q42. The saturation value of dissolved oxygen (DO) depending on temperature and salinity of water is in the range of

Ans. (D) 8-15 mg/L

Q43. The dissolved oxygen level in natural unpolluted water at normal temperature is found to be of the order of

Ans. (B) 10 mg/L

Q44. The minimum recommended (by EPA) amount of dissolved oxygen for warm water fishes is

Ans. (B) 4 ppm

Q45. The process of killing micro-organism in water is called

Ans. (C) Disinfection

Q46. The pathogens in waste water can be killed by

Ans. (B) Chlorination

Q47. The lowest limit of water availability in soil is known as

Ans. (D) wilting point

Q48. Which of the following processes is best suited for reclaiming polluted soil?

Ans. (A) Phytoremediation

Q49. Sanitary landfill is associated with

Ans. (C) Solid waste disposal

Q50. Solid waste management is best conducted by
(A) Dumping
(B) Sanitary landfill
(C) 3 R principle
(D) Both (B) and (C)

Q51. The sound level of normal conversation is

Ans. (D) 60 dB

Q52. Environmental pollution caused by the discharge of water from a cooling tower of a nuclear power plant is known as

Ans. (C) Thermal pollution [Doubt; Radiation pollution]

Q53. The heated effluents discharged into river have

Ans. (C) reduced DO level

Q54. Which of the following organism are the first to be adversely affected by thermal pollution of a stream?

Ans. (A) insect larvae is the water

Q55. The biggest radiation hazard comes from

Ans. (A) cosmic rays

Q56. Which of the following devices is the most effective in trapping air pollution released through stack of a coal fire power?

Ans. (C) Electrostatic Precipitator

Q57. Which of the following water pollutants does not require AAS for it’s determination in the laboratory?

Ans. (D) Chromium

Q58. Algal growth in an aquatic ecosystem can be controlled by reducing the supply of

Ans. (A) limited nutrient

Q59. Excessive use of fertilizer in a firm land causes

Ans. (C) Micro-nutrient imbalance

Q60. Which is the most serious long-term effect of deforestation?

Ans. (B) Extinction of species

Q61. Acid mine drainage is problem associated with

Ans. (B) Surface mining (quarry)

Q62. In which of the following practices occupational health-hazard is the highest?

Ans. (D) Under-ground mining

Q63. Which type of coal mining creates maximum environmental damages?

Ans. (D) Deep underground mining

Q64. ‘Ring of fire’ refers to the

Ans. (A) Volcaninc belt around the Pacific Ocean

Q65. What kind of deformation leads to the Earthquake?

Ans. (B) Convergent deformation

Q66. Which of the following waves cause most damages during an Earthquake?

Ans. (D) Surface waves

Q67. Green house gases absorb

Ans. (B) Terrestrial radiation

Q68. Which of the following is least likely to be an effect of Global warming?

Ans. (C) decreased rate of photosynthesis of vegetation

Q69. Which of the following is known as total protected area?

Ans. (A) National Park

Q70. Desertification is assessed on the basis of the

Ans. (B) decrease of soil moisture

Q71. Which of the following plants are suitable for bio-monitoring of SO2?

Ans. (C) Moss and lichens

Q72. Standard EDTA (Ethylene Diamine Tetraacetic Acid) Solution is used to determine

Ans. (B) Hardness of water

Q73. Alkalinity in water is expressed as milligrams per litre in terms of equivalent

Ans. Calcium carbonate

Q74. We have seen that the outliers in a dataset can produce problematic results. Rank the following measures in order of ‘least affected by outliers’ to ‘most affected by outliers’.

Ans. (B) Median, mean, range

Q75. What is the range of coefficient of determination R2 ?

Ans. (A) (0,1)

Q76. What test statistics is used in the analysis of variance?

Ans. (B) F-statistics

Q77. A technique of superimposing various thematic maps using digital data on a large number of interrelated aspects is known as

Ans. (A) GIS

Q78. There are many known shortcomings in EIA report. Which is not a known shortcoming?

Ans. (D) All relevant stakeholder’s concerns are incorporated

Q79. Which of the following sequences of typical steps for a project specific EIA process is correct?

Ans. (A) Impact identification – Baseline study – Impact evaluation – Documentation

Q80. The International Conference on Human Environment was held at

Ans. (C) Stockholm in 1972

Q81. Which of the following statement is not correct?

Ans. (D) Nairobi Conference declared June 5 as the World Environment Day

Q82. The Water (Control and Prevention of Pollution) Act was enacted in

Ans. (B) 1974

Q83. Penalty of any of the provisions of Section 2 of the Forest Act 1980 is under

Ans. (A) Section 3A

Q84. In which of the following States the Forest Conservation Act 1980 is not adopted

Ans. (D) Jammu and Kashmir

Q85. Amrita Devi was associated with which of the following movement?

Ans. (B) Bishnoi Movement

Q86. The Appiko Movement was held in

Ans. (A) 1983 in Karnataka

Q87. Which of the following ISO 14000 series of standards deals with environmental performance evaluation guidelines?

Ans. (C) ISO 14031

Q88. Which of the following ISO 140000 series of standards focuses on life cycle assessment, pre-production planning and environmental gold setting?

Ans. (C) 14040

Q89. In 1992, National Commission of Women was started. It launched which of the following programmes?

Ans. (A) Dahej Mukti Abhyan

Q90. World AIDS Day is observed every year in which of the following dates?

Ans. (C) December 1

Q91. Which of the following has the economic value provided by forest resources?

Ans. (A) Fuel wood

Q92. Which is the cause of deforestation?

Ans. (B) Establishment of industries and mining activities.

Explanation: (C) is also correct

Q93. The Cauvery Water Dispute is occurred in between which States?

Ans. (A) Karnataka and Tamil Nadu

Q94. Which of the following is the Environmental problem created by big dam?

(A) Loss of forest flora and fauna
(B) Displacement of people
(C) Both (A) and (B)
(D) None of the above

Q95. Who first coined the term ‘ecosystem’?

Ans. (B) AG Tansley, 1935

Q96. Which one is the renewable source of energy?

Ans. (A) Solar energy

Q97. Which are the constituents of abiotic component of environment?

Ans. (A) Soil, light, organic and inorganic material

Q98. Which is the approximate percentage of tropical forest ecosystem?

Ans. (A) 56%

Q99. What is the standard value of pH in the drinking water according to WHO?

Ans. (A) 7-8.5

Q100. Which are the two branches of life sciences helpful in the study of environmental science?

Ans. (C) Zoology and Botany
(two branches of life sciences :P)

Disclaimer: The answer keys and solution given here are found most suitable to us. The correct answer keys will be what APSC decides and may varies from what is given here.

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