Set 1 | Important Water Conservation MCQs

Correct Answer is B.

• World Water Day is something that happens every year on March 22, and it’s basically a day to remind people how super important freshwater actually is. It was started by the United Nations back in 1993, mainly to get people talking about things like water shortages, pollution, and how not everyone has access to clean drinking water, which is honestly a huge problem in a lot of places.
• Every year, they pick a different theme to focus on, like maybe water conservation or how climate change is messing with water sources, and the goal is to get governments, organizations, and just regular people to actually do something about it.

Correct Answer is A.

• The right answer here is [A] Freshwater because, well, it’s not something that comes from a living thing. Biotic resources are basically things that are either alive or were once alive, like coal, petroleum, and fish. Coal and petroleum might not look alive now, but they actually came from ancient plants and other organic matter that got buried and turned into fuel over millions of years.
• And fish, of course, are living creatures. But freshwater? That’s just water. It doesn’t come from anything living, so it’s considered abiotic instead of biotic.

Correct Answer is C.

• The ‘Central Ganga Authority’ was formed in February 1985 under former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Later, in September 1995, its name was changed to “National River Conservation Authority.”

Correct Answer is B.

• National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) was basically set up in February 2009 by the Indian government, right? The whole idea behind it was to tackle the huge problem of pollution and damage happening to the Ganga River, which is super important for India—not just culturally and religiously, but also economically and environmentally.
• Before this, there were other efforts like the Central Ganga Authority in 1985 and then the National River Conservation Authority in 1995, but they didn’t really work out as well as people hoped. So, the NGRBA was kind of a bigger, more serious attempt to fix things. It wasn’t just about cleaning the river but also managing the entire river basin in a way that’s sustainable and long-term.
• The authority was led by the Prime Minister, which shows how important it was, and it involved a bunch of different groups—state governments, local bodies, and even the public—to make sure everyone was on the same page. The goal was to improve water quality, reduce pollution, and basically save the Ganga, which has been struggling for years.
• It was a big deal at the time, and even though there’s still a lot of work to be done, the NGRBA was a step in the right direction to try and protect this iconic river.

Correct Answer is C.

• In 2009, India set up National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA). That was the main body they created to try and clean up the Ganga River, which was, and still is, in pretty bad shape because of all the pollution and stuff.
• The idea was to take a more serious and organized approach compared to earlier efforts, like the Central Ganga Authority or the National River Conservation Authority, which didn’t really do enough to fix the problem.
• The NGRBA was supposed to look at the whole river basin, not just parts of it, and focus on sustainable ways to improve water quality and reduce pollution.
• It wasn’t just about cleaning the river but also managing it better for the long term. The Prime Minister was in charge of it, which shows how important it was, and they wanted to involve state governments, local bodies, and even the public to make sure everyone was working together.
• Now, the other options like [A] National Ganga Commission, [B] Clean Ganga Authority, [D] National Mission for Clean Ganga River, and [E] Ganga Seva Mission—those aren’t the right names for what was set up in 2009.
• But later on, programs like Namami Gange (started in 2014) and the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) became part of the bigger effort to save the Ganga. Still, the NGRBA was the first big step in that direction back in 2009.

Correct Answer is B.

• Out of these options, the gas used for purifying drinking water is [B] Chlorine. It’s pretty common and has been used for a long time to kill bacteria and other harmful stuff in water, making it safe to drink.
• The other gases, like [A] Sulphur dioxide, [C] Fluorine, and [D] Carbon dioxide, aren’t really used for water purification.
• Sulphur dioxide is more for stuff like preserving food, Fluorine is too reactive and dangerous for this kind of use, and Carbon dioxide is, well, just not used for cleaning water. So yeah, Chlorine is the one you’re looking for.

Correct Answer is D.

• In deserts, where water is super scarce, some plants have adapted in really cool ways to save water. For example, their leaves often change shape or structure to cut down on water loss.
• Some leaves become hard and waxy, which helps stop water from escaping through diffusion. Others produce a gummy substance that reduces the surface area exposed to the air, which also helps save water.
• Then there are thorns—they might seem like they’d lose a lot of water because of their high surface area, but they actually help conserve it.
• Thorns can even pull moisture from the air, which then condenses and drips down to the ground, where the plant’s roots can absorb it. It’s like the plant has its own little water-saving system!

Correct Answer is C.

• Population of the Ganga river dolphin has been dropping, mainly because of dams being built and water pollution from things like pesticides, fertilizers, and waste from industries.
• This messed-up ecosystem is now a big threat to the survival of these freshwater dolphins. These dolphins live in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems, which stretch across Nepal, India, and Bangladesh.
• According to reports, these dolphins often end up accidentally getting caught in fishing nets, which is really dangerous for them. On top of that, industrial activities and heavy farming along the riverbanks have added even more risks.
• The chemicals from pesticides and fertilizers are messing up the freshwater biodiversity, making it harder for the dolphins to survive.
• What’s interesting is that this dolphin is one of only four “obligate” freshwater dolphins in the world, meaning they can only live in freshwater, not in the ocean. So, losing them would be a huge loss for the planet’s biodiversity.

Correct Answer is B.

The main goal of the National Water Mission is pretty straightforward—it’s all about saving water, reducing waste, and making sure it’s shared more fairly, both between different states and within them. To do this, the mission focuses on managing and developing water resources in a more organized way.

This mission is actually part of a bigger initiative called the National Action Plan on Climate Change, which was launched on June 30, 2008. The plan recognizes that water is a crucial resource, and it lays out five key objectives to tackle water-related challenges:

1. Creating a detailed water database that is accessible to the public, along with assessing how climate change is affecting water resources.
2. Encouraging both citizens and state governments to take action for conserving, improving, and protecting water sources.
3. Paying special attention to areas that are at high risk, especially those where water is already overused.
4. Boosting water-use efficiency by 20%, making sure that every drop counts.
5. Implementing water resource management at the basin level, so that planning is done in a more coordinated way across regions.

So, based on this information, option (b) is the correct answer.

Correct Answer is B.

• When sand is removed from a riverbed, it messes with the way water naturally flows. The water starts moving faster than usual, and over time, this unnatural speed causes the riverbanks to wear away. It’s kind of like when you turn on a hose at full blast—the force of the water erodes the soil around it.
• Sand isn’t just some useless stuff sitting in the river. It actually plays a big role in keeping things balanced. Think of it like a giant sponge—it soaks up water and slowly releases it back, which helps recharge the groundwater levels. But when too much sand is taken away, the water table in nearby areas starts dropping, making it harder for people to access groundwater.
• Not just that, sand is also like a natural filter. It helps trap pollutants and keeps the water clean. Without it, more dirt, chemicals, and other harmful substances can flow freely into rivers and other water bodies, messing up the entire aquatic ecosystem.