UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : Environment and Geography MCQs on Barak Valley, Montreux Record and more (Week 113)

QUESTION 1

The Barak Valley has been affected by the floods. The Barak sub-basin lies in:

1. Assam

2. Manipur

3. Sikkim

4. Mizoram

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2, 3 and 4

(c) 1, 2, 3 and 4

(d) 1, 2 and 4

Explanation

— Assam’s flood situation remained dire, affecting 2.57 lakh people across 21 districts and resulting in 12 deaths in the state.

— More than 94,000 people were affected in the Barak Valley in Sribhumi district alone.

— The Barak sub-basin drains portions of India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. The drainage area of the site in India is 41723 square kilometres, accounting for about 1.38% of the country’s total geographical area.

— The sub-basin lies in the States of Meghalaya. Manipur, Mizoram, Assam, Tripura and Nagaland.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: waterresources.assam.gov.in)

QUESTION 2

With reference to the Sundarbans mangrove forest, consider the following statements:

1. It lies on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers on the Bay of Bengal.

2. It is a World Heritage site which was inscribed in 1987.

3. It lies on the India-Myanmar border.

4. It is the world’s second-largest contiguous mangrove forest.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

Explanation

— Amid the Centre’s crackdown on illegal immigration and cross-border terror networks, the Border Security Force (BSF) has asked the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for assistance in deploying advanced surveillance systems such as drones, radars, and satellites along a critical 113-kilometer stretch of the Sundarbans on the India-Bangladesh border. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— The Sundarbans Reserve Forest (SRF), located in the south-west of Bangladesh between the rivers Baleswar and Harinbanga, and bordering the Bay of Bengal, is the world’s biggest contiguous mangrove forest. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

— The Sundarbans mangrove forest, one of the world’s largest (140,000 acres), is located on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers in the Bay of Bengal. It is near India’s Sundarbans World Heritage Site, which was designated in 1987. Hence, statements 1 and 2 are correct.

— The area is recognised for its diverse wildlife, which includes 260 bird species, the Bengal tiger, and other threatened species like the estuarine crocodile and Indian python.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: whc.unesco.org)

QUESTION 3

The region ‘thermal equator’ refers to:

(a) The region which receives the maximum heat from the Sun and is distinct from the geographical equator

(b) A belt of low pressure near the equator where trade winds converge

(c) A theoretical line or zone encircling Earth with the most stable and high-temperature climate

(d) A boundary between the cold polar air and the warm tropical air, typically found between 50° and 60° latitude in both hemispheres.

Explanation

— According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the Southwest Monsoon began over Kerala on Saturday (May 24), eight days earlier than its average onset date of June 1.

— According to the IMD, seasonal wind reversal is caused by annual variations in the Sun’s apparent location between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.

— This causes the thermal equator, the region which receives the maximum heat from the Sun and is distinct from the geographical equator, to oscillate.

— The southwest monsoon is the southwesterly wind that brings rain to the subcontinent, usually from June to September. The 2025 monsoon season began bringing over 70% of the country’s yearly rainfall.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

Mount Etna, sometimes referred to simply as Etna, is an active volcano in:

(a) Philippines

(b) United States

(c) Indonesia

(d) Italy

Explanation

— Mount Etna, Europe’s largest volcano, erupted explosively, spewing a massive cloud of ash, smoke, and rock fragments several kilometres into the sky.

— Mount Etna, also known simply as Etna, is an active volcano on the east coast of Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, located just off the toe of the Italian “boot”. Etna’s peak is the highest in Italy south of the Alps, and it is Europe’s greatest active volcano.

— Etna’s summit contains five craters that are responsible for the majority of the volcano’s eruptions. “Flank” eruptions also occur at the mountain’s 300-odd vents, which vary in magnitude.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

Which of the following statements with reference to the Aravalli Green Wall Project are correct?

1. It aims to improve the ecological health of the Aravalli range.

2. Its objective is to prevent the westward expansion of the Thar Desert.

3. The wall will help in carbon sequestration and mitigating climate change.

4. This project spans the states of Rajasthan and Haryana only.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

Explanation

— Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the Centre’s Aravalli Green Wall initiative on June 5, World Environment Day, to prevent desertification and repair degraded land in four states.

— The Aravalli Range, one of the world’s oldest, extends across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

— The Aravalli Green Wall Project’s objectives are as follows:

(i) Improving ecological health in the Aravalli range. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

(ii) To halt the eastward spread of the Thar Desert and reduce land degradation by establishing green barriers that will prevent soil erosion, desertification, and dust storms. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

(iii) This green wall will contribute to carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation by planting native tree species in the Aravalli range, providing a home for wildlife, and enhancing water quality and quantity. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

(iv) Encourage sustainable development and livelihood opportunities by incorporating local populations in activities such as afforestation, agroforestry, and water conservation that produce revenue, employment, food security, and social benefits.

(v) Contribute to India’s commitments under international agreements such as the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: energy.vikaspedia.in)

QUESTION 6

Consider the following statements:

1. The Champions of the Earth award is the UN’s highest environmental honour.

2. Indian ecologist Madhav Gadgil received the Lifetime Achievement (The Champions of the Earth award) in 2024.

Which of the above statements is/are true?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

According to UNEP:

— Established in 2005, the Champions of the Earth award is the UN’s highest environmental honour. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Every year, UNEP honours individuals and organizations working on innovative and sustainable solutions. Champions transform our economies, innovate, lead political change, fight environmental injustice, and defend our natural resources.

— The 2025 award spotlights outstanding climate action focusing on solutions on methane, buildings and construction, sustainable cooling, clean air, and forests.

— Indian ecologist Madhav Gadgil received the Lifetime Achievement (The Champions of the Earth award) in 2024. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 7

‘Tiger My Life, Ranthambhore and Beyond’ is authored by:

(a) Dr. Salim Ali

(b) Billy Arjan Singh

(c) Valmik Thapar

(d) Kota Ullas Karanth

Explanation

— Valmik Thapar, a towering figure in Indian wildlife conservation and one of the country’s most passionate advocates for the tiger, died recently at his residence on Kautilya Marg in New Delhi. He was 73 and was diagnosed with cancer last year.

— In 1987, Thapar set up Ranthambhore Foundation, a non-profit that worked for integrating local communities into conservation efforts. He also partnered with the non-profit Dastkar to create livelihoods for displaced villagers.

— In his book ‘Tiger My Life, Ranthambhore and Beyond’, Thapar, in 2012, summed up what he called his mission: “My fight was always for inviolate spaces—where the tiger could live free, away from noise, away from humans.”

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 8

What is the ‘Montreux Record’?

(a) It is a book compiled by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) documents climate-related hazards around the world, providing critical data to support risk assessment, preparedness, and climate resilience efforts.

(b) It is a record comprising data from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and serves as a foundation for charting an ambitious path forward to expand this critical indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity.

(c) It is a register of wetland sites on the List of Wetlands of International Importance where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur as a result of technological developments, pollution or other human interference.

(d) None of the above

Explanation

As per ramsar.org:

— “The Montreux Record is a register of wetland sites on the List of Wetlands of International Importance where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur as a result of technological developments, pollution or other human interference. It is maintained as part of the Ramsar List. The Montreux Record was established by Recommendation 4.8 of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (1990). Resolution 5.4 of the Conference (1993) determined that the Montreux Record should be employed to identify priority sites for positive national and international conservation attention.”

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 113)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 113)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 113)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 113)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 112)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 112)

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