UPSC Essentials daily subject quiz : Environment and Geography MCQs (Week 161) — Check your progress for Prelims 2026

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Relevance: Questions can be framed on IUCN status, habitat distribution, endemic and rare species, and provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The species is also relevant for understanding riverine ecosystems, conservation challenges and international biodiversity conservation efforts.

Explanation

— A THDC India Ltd proposal seeking clearance for diversion of 869.35 hectares of semi-evergreen forest for the 1,200 MW Kalai-II hydroelectric project in Arunachal Pradesh has been placed before the Environment Ministry’s forest advisory committee (FAC) in the habitat of the critically endangered White-Bellied Heron, as per proposal documents submitted to FAC.

— Planned in Anjaw district bordering China, the Rs 14,176.26 crore run-of-the-river project is proposed on the Lohit river, a tributary of the Brahmaputra and will involve construction of a 128.5 m concrete gravity dam and an underground powerhouse.

— Lohit river is a habitat for the critically endangered White-Bellied Heron which has been accorded Scheduled-I status, the highest protection, under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. However, a joint site inspection report, submitted as part of the proposal, and signed by the Namsai Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), stated that “no rare or endangered flora and fauna is present along the proposed forest land diversion area”. Hence, statements 1 and 2 are not correct and statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

With reference to the phases of El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), consider the following statements:

1. In the neutral phase, the eastern side of the Pacific Ocean (near the northwestern coast of South America) is cooler than the western side (near the Philippines and Indonesia).

2. During El Niño, the surface waters of this region of the Pacific get unusually warm, disrupting the flow of moist winds in India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Relevance: ENSO is one of the most important climatological phenomena for UPSC Prelims due to its direct impact on the Indian monsoon, agriculture, droughts, floods, and global weather patterns. Understanding ENSO is also essential for linking climate variability with food security, disaster management, and economic impacts in India.

Explanation

— The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a climate phenomenon marked by changes in sea temperatures along the eastern Pacific Ocean, coupled with fluctuations in the overlying atmosphere. It can alter and interfere with the global atmospheric circulation, which, in turn, influences the weather worldwide.

— It has three phases: warm (El Niño, Spanish for little boy), cool (La Niña, Spanish for little girl), and neutral. It occurs in irregular cycles of 2 to 7 years.

— In the neutral phase, the eastern side of the Pacific Ocean (near the northwestern coast of South America) is cooler than the western side (near the Philippines and Indonesia). This is due to the prevailing wind systems that move from east to west, sweeping the warmer surface waters towards the Indonesian coast. The relatively cooler waters from below come up to replace the displaced water. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— During El Niño, the surface waters of this region of the Pacific get unusually warm, disrupting the flow of moist winds in India. The result is a weak or delayed monsoon for India, as well as dry spells in major agricultural states. There is also evidence that the frequency and severity of heatwaves India experiences are linked with the El Niño phenomenon. In April, the US Climate Prediction Center predicted a 61% chance of El Niño unfolding between May and July, and anticipates it will persist until the end of the year. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— The opposite happens when La Niña is underway: cooling of the surface waters of the eastern Pacific. India thus gets stronger, moisture-bearing winds, and typically experiences a boost in its southwest monsoon. In extreme situations, the excessive rain has caused flooding and crop damage as well.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

The Chabbra coal plant and Suratgarh coal plant were recently in the news. They are located in:

(a) Odisha

(b) Rajasthan

(c) Jharkhand

(d) Chhattisgarh

Relevance: Thermal power plants are important for UPSC Prelims in the context of India’s energy infrastructure, coal-based power generation, and state-wise location mapping. The topic is also relevant for understanding India’s energy transition, power security, and climate commitments under sustainable development goals.

Explanation

— Rajasthan’s state-owned electricity producer Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (RVUNL) has sought to divert 1,742.6 hectares of prime forest and fell 4.48 lakh trees in central India’s green lung Hasdeo-Arand forest for its Kente Extension coal mine in Chhattisgarh’s Surguja district. It has proposed compensatory afforestation on existing forest land elsewhere in the state, official documents show.

— RVUNL was allotted the coal block in October 2015 for captive use of coal at its Chabbra coal plant and Suratgarh coal plant in Rajasthan.

— The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Environment Ministry, which grants approval for diversion, will appraise the PSU’s proposal. The Hasdeo-Arand forest spans the Korba, Surguja and Surajpur districts in Chhattisgarh. It is home to dense Sal forests besides nine Schedule – I species, including leopards, sloth bears and elephants, which are accorded the highest level of protection under the country’s wildlife law. It is also a catchment for the Hasdeo River and Bango Dam, and a dispersal corridor for tigers.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

Consider the following statements about Ecocide:

1. The term was coined in 1970 by Prof Arthur W Galston.

2. Australia became the world’s first country to codify ecocide in its domestic law in 1990.

3. There are three universal recognitions of “ecocide” as an international crime.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Relevance: Ecocide is increasingly important for UPSC Prelims due to the growing linkage between environmental protection, international law, climate governance, and sustainable development. It is also relevant for questions related to biodiversity conservation, environmental ethics, climate justice, and global governance institutions like the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Explanation

— Ecocide refers to the very worst harms caused to the environment by human actions, usually on a major industrial scale or affecting a huge area.

— The term was coined in 1970 by Prof Arthur W Galston — a Yale plant biologist whose early research contributed to the development of Agent Orange — to describe massive, long-term environmental devastation, particularly caused by the herbicide’s use in the Vietnam War. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Vietnam became the world’s first country to codify ecocide in its domestic law in 1990. Since then, the use of the term has become more widespread, with many countries — such as Russia, Ukraine, Chile, France and Belgium — incorporating ecocide (or its equivalent) into their laws. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— However, there is no universal recognition of “ecocide” as an international crime. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

With reference to the Mandovi River, consider the following statements:

1. It is a west flowing river.

2. The river rises from the Jamboti Ghats in Karnataka State.

3. Nanoda and Khandepar are the tributaries of the Mandovi River.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1, 2 and 3

(c) 2 only

(d) 2 and 3 only

Relevance: Questions on tributaries, origin, estuaries, and river-based geography are frequently asked in both Geography and Environment sections. The river is also relevant due to its ecological significance in Goa, inland navigation, mining-related issues, and biodiversity-rich estuarine ecosystem.

Explanation

— The High Court of Bombay at Goa barred the entry of a new casino vessel in the Mandovi river in Panaji, observing that the vessel shall not sail into the Panaji port without the prior permission of the court and without obtaining all the required certifications.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: indiawris.gov.in)

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Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 155)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 161)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 161)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 161)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 160)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 160)

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