Set 2 | Important Water Conservation MCQs

Correct Answer is B.

• Soil water holding capacity, it’s basically how much water a certain type of soil can keep and store for plants to use later. The thing is, the texture of the soil and how much organic stuff is in it are like the main factors that decide how good the soil is at holding water.
• Organic matter, it’s kind of a big deal because it changes the way the soil behaves in a bunch of different ways. Like, when you’ve got plant leftovers covering the top of the soil, it stops the soil from getting all hard and crusty when rain hits it.
• This helps the water soak into the ground better instead of just running off, and it also makes the soil better at holding onto that water. So yeah, organic matter really does a lot for the soil’s ability to keep water.
• Now, sulphur, it’s one of those three important nutrients that kind of move around between the soil, living things, and even the air. It’s part of this whole cycle that keeps things balanced.
• And then there’s salinization, which is a pretty big issue when it comes to watering crops. What happens is, when you irrigate, salts start building up in the soil over time.
• If it gets bad enough, those salts can reach levels that are just too much for crops to handle, and it can really mess them up. It’s a tricky problem to deal with when you’re trying to grow stuff.

Correct Answer is *.

• The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act was enacted in 1977, but it came into force in 1978.

Correct Answer is B.

• The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 was brought in because water pollution was becoming a serious issue in India, and there weren’t really any proper laws to deal with it at that time.
• It was passed on March 23, 1974, and it started being implemented the same year. The main reason behind this law was to keep water sources clean and to control how industries and other entities were dumping waste into rivers, lakes, and other water bodies.
• One of the biggest things this Act did was set up Pollution Control Boards, both at the central and state levels. These boards were given the power to monitor pollution, set rules for industries, and take action if companies or individuals were polluting beyond the allowed limits.
• Basically, if a factory wanted to dump wastewater into a river, they first had to get permission from these boards, and if they didn’t follow the guidelines, they could face heavy fines and even jail time.

Correct Answer is A.

• In 1984, the Central Water Commission set up “Irrigation Research and Management Organization,” and this fact was part of a question in an exam conducted by the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission.
• Now, in the original answer sheet they provided, the correct answer was marked as option (a), but later on, when they released a revised answer sheet, they changed it and said that option (e) was actually the right answer.

Correct Answer is C.

• The issue of arsenic getting into drinking water is worst in [C] Kolkata. Places around Kolkata, especially in West Bengal, have a lot of arsenic in their groundwater, and it’s a big problem there.
• This happens because arsenic is naturally found in the soil, and over time, it mixes with the water. While cities such as Chennai, Kanpur, and Mumbai also deal with water problems, Kolkata and nearby areas are way more affected by arsenic contamination than the others. It’s a serious health concern for the people living there.

Correct Answer is A.

• Ultra-violet water purification stands out as one of the most effective ways to disinfect bacteria from water.
• The way it works is that ultra-violet rays go right through harmful pathogens present in the water and completely destroy those tiny micro-organisms that cause illnesses.
• What makes this method really efficient is how it takes away their ability to reproduce, stopping them from spreading.
• UV systems are known to get rid of 99.99% of these harmful micro-organisms, and the best part is that it doesn’t involve adding any chemicals to the water, nor does it change the taste or smell of the water.
• That’s why, without a doubt, option (a) is the correct answer here.

Correct Answer is D.

• The correct answer is [D] All of the above, as all three are commonly used in water treatment.
• Ozone is a strong disinfectant that effectively kills bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens in water.
• Chlorine dioxide is widely used because it disinfects water well without producing many harmful by-products.
• Chloramine, a combination of chlorine and ammonia, is often used for its long-lasting disinfecting properties, especially in water distribution systems.
• All three methods play a crucial role in ensuring water is safe and clean for drinking, making option [D] the correct choice.

Correct Answer is D.

• Greenwash is a term that describes when companies or organizations pretend to be environmentally friendly but aren’t really doing much to protect the environment.
• It’s like they make big claims or promises about being green, but it’s mostly just for show, and there’s not much real action behind it. The word itself comes from mixing “green,” which stands for environmental stuff, and “whitewash,” which means covering up the truth.
• It’s not about Jhum agriculture, cleaning river water, or getting rid of greenery. Instead, it’s all about misleading people by making them think a company cares about the environment when it doesn’t.
• That’s why the right answer is [D] Making false promises of protecting the environment.

Correct Answer is C.

• The Yamuna Action Plan, which is often called YAP, was officially started in the year 1993. This was a big project that came together through an agreement between the Government of India and Japan.
• The main goal of this plan was to tackle the pollution problem in the Yamuna River, especially in the areas where the river flows through Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana.
• The idea was to clean up the river by improving things like sewage treatment systems and managing solid waste better, along with other steps to reduce pollution.
• It wasn’t launched in 1991, 1992, or 1994, but specifically in 1993, which is why the correct answer is [C] 1993.

Correct Answer is A.

• The National Ganga River Basin Authority, or NGRBA, is an organization that handles planning, financing, monitoring, and coordinating efforts related to the Ganga River.
• Its main goal is to reduce pollution effectively and conserve the Ganga River by using a river basin approach, which means looking at the entire river system for planning and management.
• This makes statement 1 correct because the NGRBA is indeed focused on pollution control and conservation through this approach.
• The river cleaning program wasn’t just limited to the Ganga; it was also expanded to cover other major rivers in the country under two separate schemes. This means statement 2 is also correct, as the initiative went beyond just the Ganga.
• Additionally, the NGRBA’s Apex body, which makes policy decisions, is led by the Prime Minister, showing the high level of importance given to this initiative. The structure and goals of the NGRBA highlight its role in addressing river pollution and conservation on a large scale.

Correct Answer is A.

• The Aral Sea has seen a massive reduction in size over the past few decades, mainly because humans diverted the rivers that used to feed it for irrigation purposes. This has caused the sea to shrink dramatically, leading to huge environmental and ecological problems.
• As for the Black Sea and Lake Baikal, they haven’t dried up or shrunk in the same way. The Black Sea does face pollution issues, but it hasn’t lost a significant amount of water.
• Lake Baikal, which is the deepest freshwater lake in the world, is still largely intact, though it’s dealing with threats like pollution and climate change.
• So, out of the three, only the Aral Sea has been severely affected by human activities, making option [A] the right answer.