UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : Environment and Geography MCQs on sharing of the Ganga waters, Indian tent turtle and more (Week 150)

4. Adult females are predominantly herbivorous, while males and juveniles are more carnivorous.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

Relevance: The Indian tent turtle (Pangshura tentoria) is relevant under environment & biodiversity. Habitat type and species-specific traits can be tested in Prelims through elimination-based MCQs.

Explanation

— The AC First-Class coach of the Patna-Indore Express train should have been carrying business executives reclining in cushioned berths. Instead, on a sweltering afternoon at Sant Hirdaram railway station, forest officers discovered a different kind of passenger — over 300 endangered turtles.

— The trail began not in Madhya Pradesh, but hundreds of kilometers away, along the muddy banks of the Ganga and other clean, flowing river systems where these Indian Tent Turtles thrive.

About Indian Tent Turtles

— It is highly protected under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— It is primarily a riverine turtle, inhabiting small and large rivers. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— It is included in CITES Appendix II, which allows for international commercial traffic in the species as long as it is not harmful to the species and complies with national trade legislation. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

(Wikimedia commons)

— Adult females are primarily herbivorous, whereas males and juveniles are more carnivorous. Hence, statement 4 is correct.

— The Indian tent turtle (Pangshura tentoria) is rated as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: http://www.iucnredlist.org)

QUESTION 2

With reference to the sharing of the Ganga waters, consider the following statements:

1. The 1996 Ganga Water Sharing Treaty between India and Bangladesh governs the sharing of water.

2. The sharing of Ganga waters is regulated through the Farakka Barrage.

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: The question on the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty, makes it important for India–Bangladesh bilateral relations. It is frequently in news due to transboundary river disputes, sedimentation, flooding, and ecological impacts, which are common Prelims themes.

Explanation

— Tensions had brewed over sharing of the Ganga waters since the 1950s, when the Indian government proposed building a barrage at Farakka in West Bengal, some 18 km from what would become the international border between India and (then) East Pakistan. Construction began in 1961 and upon its completion in 1975, the Farakka barrage started diverting waters from the Ganga to the Hooghly river, flushing out the silt around the Kolkata port located on the latter and keeping it navigable for ships. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— There were ad hoc agreements signed between the two countries throughout the next decade (1977, 1982, and 1985), none of them provided lasting solutions.

— Finally, in December 1996, both countries signed the Ganga Water Sharing Treaty, instituting a 30-year framework for a flow-sharing mechanism during the annual dry season (January to May) and setting up a joint committee to monitor and implement the pact. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

With reference to the Expert Appraisal Committee, consider the following statements:

1. The EAC are formed under the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006, as amended.

2. These committees are reconstituted after every year.

3. The approval of EAC is required for the construction of a hydroelectric project.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Relevance: Questions can test understanding of project categorisation (Category A/B), appraisal authority, and the role of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. It is important for elimination-based MCQs on environmental governance and regulatory institutions.

Explanation

— An Environment Ministry expert panel has recommended clearance for construction of NHPC’s 1,720 MW Kamala hydroelectric project in Arunachal Pradesh which entails felling of 23.4 lakh trees.

— The compensatory afforestation for the project will be carried out in various parts of Madhya Pradesh, as no degraded forest land was available in Arunachal Pradesh, as per submissions made to the panel by Arunachal forest department.

— The expert appraisal committee (EAC) on river valley and hydroelectric projects has directed NHPC Ltd, the project proponents, to obtain an in-principle forest clearance before they are granted the final environmental clearance, minutes of EAC’s January 28 and January 30 meetings show. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

About EAC

— The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) is a multi-disciplinary sectoral appraisal committee composed of various subject matter experts for screening, scoping and appraisal of Projects / Activities specified under the EIA Notification, 2006, as amended. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— There are nine EACs at the Central level which have been constituted for appraisal of different categories of projects viz. Thermal & Coal Mining, Non-coal Mining, Infrastructure, Industries, River Valley and Hydro-electric Projects and Nuclear, Strategic & Defence.

— These committees are reconstituted after every three years with maximum 15 members as per the provisions of Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: sansad.in)

QUESTION 4

The Indira Point is located in which of the following?

(a) Little Andaman Island

(b) Car Nicobar Island

(c) Great Nicobar Island

(d) Campbell Bay Island

Relevance: The question is important in the context of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, strategic location near the Six Degree Channel and Indo-Pacific sea lanes. It is also significant due to the Great Nicobar development project and its ecological–strategic significance.

Explanation

— The National Green Tribunal (NGT) cleared the way for the government’s Rs 81,000-crore Great Nicobar mega infrastructure project, noting its “strategic importance” and observing that there were “adequate safeguards” in the project’s environmental clearance.

— The tribunal’s order is significant as it will likely act as a reference point for future projects of strategic importance that are planned in ecologically sensitive areas.

— Great Nicobar Island covers 910 sq km and is home to India’s southernmost location, Indira Point.

— The government’s main goal on the island is to create an economic and defence hub. This goal rests on four pillars: An integrated township that will include defence facilities, a transshipment port, a civil and military airport, and a 450-MVA gas and solar power-based plant.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

Which of the following states became the country’s first state to ratify a policy that will shape its urban development pathway?

(a) Karnataka

(b) Odisha

(c) Andhra Pradesh

(d) Kerala

Relevance: It is also important in the context of climate resilience and flood management. It will help in understanding how state-level urban planning aligns with environmental sustainability and disaster risk reduction, a frequent Prelims theme.

Explanation

— Kerala became the country’s first state to ratify a policy that will shape its urban development pathway over the next 25 years. The roadmap, first announced in the state budget for 2023-24, is crucial for a state that expects 80% of its population to be urban by 2050.

— Kerala faces the challenge of managing rapid urbanisation while protecting its small towns that retain a strong rural character. As urban growth intensifies, these settlements risk losing their ecological balance, cultural identity and community-based livelihoods.

— Kerala’s narrow geography also exposes its urban areas to hazards such as floods, landslides, coastal erosion and extreme weather events.

— The Urban Policy calls for integrating climate resilience and disaster vulnerability into every layer of urban planning, such as land use, infrastructure design and investment decisions.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 145)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 150)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 150)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 150)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 149)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 149)

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