Challenge Prelims V1.0 – Day 81 – GS Paper (Environment & Ecology)

1. Consider the following statements with respect to the National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOS-DCP):

1. It mandates the government of every coastal State to constitute a State-level Oil Spill Crisis Management Group.
2. Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways is the designated national authority for oil spill response in Indian waters under the Plan.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

2. With reference to the gaseous and particulate pollutants present in the troposphere, consider the following statements:

1. Nitrogen dioxide damage the leaves of plants and retard the rate of photosynthesis.
2. Carbon dioxide binds to haemoglobin to form carb-oxy-haemoglobin which reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.
3. The presence of particulate matter in polluted air catalyses the oxidation of sulphur dioxide to sulphur trioxide.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

3. Consider the following statements regarding the Swachh Sarvekshan 2021 Report:

1. The survey is conducted by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
2. The survey is conducted annually both in rural and urban areas.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

4. With reference to Black Carbon, consider the following statements:

1. It is a gaseous substance that results from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and biomass.
2. It remains in the atmosphere for a shorter period of time and contributes to climate change.
3. It lowers the albedo of Earth’s surface that causes temperature rise.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

5. Consider the following statements regarding Arsenic pollution:

1. Arsenic has no smell or taste.
2. Arsenic is a carcinogenic agent.
3. Arsenic is the most common heavy metal pollutant found in India’s rivers.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

6. In the context of the environment, ‘Carbon Pricing’ is best described as

7. An innovative Bubble Curtain Technology was deployed in the Yamuna river to:

8. With reference to the Blue Carbon Ecosystem, consider the following statements:

1. The carbon sequestering capacity of a coastal blue carbon ecosystem is more than those of tropical forests.
2. The Blue Carbon Initiative for securing the Blue Carbon Ecosystem is an initiative of Conservation International.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

9. With reference to the fluoride ion concentration in drinking water, consider the following statements:

1. Soluble fluoride ions in drinking water make the enamel on teeth much harder.
2. The optimum level of fluoride in drinking water is up to 1 ppm.
3. Methemoglobinemia disease is caused by the excess of fluoride ions in drinking water.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

10. The Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) classifies a company’s GHG emissions into three ‘scopes’. In this context, consider the following pairs:

Scope Sources of Emission

1. Scope 1 Emissions: Direct emissions from owned or controlled sources
2. Scope 2 Emissions: Indirect emissions from the generation of purchased energy
3. Scope 3 Emissions: Indirect emissions occurring in the value chain of the company

How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

11. Taj Trapezium zone is a defined area around the Taj Mahal to protect the monument from pollution. In this context, consider the following statements:

1. The area has been constituted by the Central Government under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
2. It includes the world heritage sites of Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

12. In the context of International Protocols on air pollutants, consider the following pairs:

Protocols Associated Pollutant

1. Helsinki : Nitrogen oxide
2. Sofia : Sulphur dioxide
3. Geneva : Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

How many of the pairs is/are correctly matched?

13. Indoor air pollution is the degradation of indoor air quality by harmful chemicals and other materials. In this context, how many among the following are the indoor air pollutants:

1. Radon
2. Asbestos
3. Carbon Monoxide
4. Formaldehyde

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

14. With reference to the banning of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in India, consider the following statements:

1. The POPs mentioned in the Stockholm Convention are banned under the provisions of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
2. The Cabinet has delegated its powers to ratify chemicals under the Stockholm Convention to Union Ministers of External Affairs (MEA) and Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MEFCC).
3. The ratification process would enable India to access Global Environment Facility (GEF) financial resources in updating the National Implementation Plan (NIP).

How many of the statements given above are correct?

15. Gothenburg Protocol was established to address air pollutants. In this context, which of the following air pollutants are covered under the Protocol?

1. Sulphur dioxide
2. Nitrogen oxide
3. Particulate matter
4. Black carbon
5. Volatile organic compounds

Select the correct answer using the code given below.