Set 4 | Important Environment Pollution MCQs

Correct Answer is C.

• The first statement—that mercury is a naturally occurring element present in soil, water, and air—is true. Mercury has the potential to be toxic and can have detrimental effects on the lungs, kidneys, skin, eyes, nervous, digestive, and immune systems, as well as the developing foetus. The fetus is extremely susceptible to exposure to mercury during development. Mercury can be found in batteries, medical equipment, lamps, mobile phones, relays, switches, sensors, and thermostats.
• Statement 2 is untrue: The Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (COP-4.2) will discuss combating global mercury trafficking in the second round of their fourth meeting. In Bali, Indonesia, at Nusa Dua, the proclamation was recited. The non-binding Bali Declaration requests that parties: 1. Provide useful tools, alerting and information-sharing mechanisms, and trade monitoring and management systems for mercury. 2. Discuss strategies and tactics for thwarting the illicit mercury trade, including lowering the amount of mercury used in artisanal and small-scale gold mining. 3. Provide instances of national laws as well as statistics and information about this kind of trade.
• The third statement is true: the Minamata Convention on Mercury is a multilateral environmental treaty that addresses particular human activities that are causing mercury pollution to spread widely. Adopted in 2013, it is the first legally binding treaty in history, coming into effect in August 2017. In 2018, India became a signatory to the Convention. In an effort to limit usage, cut emissions, and release mercury, about 137 parties and nations are cooperating to regulate the supply and trade of mercury. The pact also addresses issues like identifying populations that are more vulnerable to mercury exposure, enhancing medical facilities, and educating medical professionals on how to treat illnesses and diseases linked to mercury exposure.

Correct Answer is C.

• Shifting/Slash and Burn Cultivation: This method involves clearing land, burning vegetation, and mixing the ash into the soil to add nutrients. Crops are grown for 2-3 years with moderate yields, then the land is left to regenerate, and the process moves to a new area. It requires simple tools and minimal mechanization.
• Development Projects: Projects like dams, hydroelectric plants, and infrastructure, while beneficial, often lead to deforestation and environmental issues.
• Fuel Demand: Growing populations increase the demand for firewood, leading to greater deforestation.
• Industrial Pressure: The need for raw materials from forests drives significant ecosystem degradation.
• Other Causes: Deforestation is also caused by overgrazing, agriculture, mining, urbanization, and natural disasters.
• Community Forestry: This approach empowers communities to manage local forests, improving livelihoods while preserving traditions and promoting sustainable coexistence with nature.

Correct Answer is B.

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Acid rain harms trees by leaching aluminum from the soil, which can be toxic to plants and animals. It also removes essential minerals and nutrients from the soil, rather than adding them. Therefore, Statement 1 is incorrect.
• Statement 2 is correct: Acid rain and dry acidic particles can damage manmade structures like statues and buildings. The nitric and sulfuric acids corrode metal, deteriorate paint and stone, and dirty surfaces.
• Statement 3 is correct: Acid rain has significant ecological effects, especially in aquatic environments like streams and lakes, harming fish, coral, and other wildlife. Acid rain increases ocean acidity, making it difficult for corals and marine invertebrates to build strong shells and skeletons, weakening the entire coral reef system.
• Statement 4 is incorrect: The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Acid rain lowers the pH of oceans, making them more acidic (below 7 on the pH scale) by increasing hydrogen ion concentration.

Correct Answer is A.

• Statement 1 and 2 are correct: Forest fires are categorized into three types: ground, surface, and crown fires. Ground fires burn slowly beneath vegetation, consuming organic material in the soil. Surface fires occur when dry leaves, branches, and other materials on the ground ignite, spreading quickly, such as in Himachal. Crown fires, which burn from tree top to tree top with large flames and intense heat, are rare in India.
• Statement 3 is correct: Dry pine leaves are highly flammable and significantly increase fire risk. In Himachal Pradesh, 80 out of 196 forest ranges are vulnerable to fires, with chir pine forests, comprising 15% of Himachal’s forests, being the most fire-prone.
• Statement 4 is incorrect: According to the Forest Survey of India (FSI), 54.40% of forests in the country experience occasional fires, 7.49% face moderately frequent fires, and 2.405% are exposed to high fire incidence, while 35.71% have not been significantly affected by fires.

Correct Answer is C.

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Pollutants, especially non-degradable ones, move through different trophic levels in an ecosystem. Non-degradable pollutants are substances that living organisms cannot break down. Biomagnification is the process where the concentration of pollutants increases as they move up the food chain, from one trophic level to the next.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: Bioaccumulation occurs when chemicals accumulate in an organism because the rate of intake exceeds the rate of excretion. These chemicals enter the organism through the environment (soil, water, air) or as part of their diet.
• Statement 3 is correct: The ecosystem is being damaged as heavy metals enter the food chain. These metals pose significant risks to humans and the environment due to their toxicity, bioaccumulation, and inability to biodegrade. Heavy metals also hinder the biodegradation of organic pollutants, worsening environmental pollution.

Correct Answer is A.

• Statement 1 and 2 are correct: Groundwater pollution in India is significant, with arsenic contamination affecting states like West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, and Chhattisgarh. Fluoride contamination is widespread, particularly in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Rajasthan, where 50-100% of districts have drinking water with excess fluoride levels. Uranium contamination has been reported in aquifers across 16 states, and high nitrate concentrations are found in nearly all hydrogeological formations in India.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has set limits for contaminants in drinking water. The BIS 10500:2012 standard outlines the acceptable levels of bacteria and other contaminants in drinking water.
• Statement 4 is incorrect: The World Bank’s report, “Seeing the Invisible: A Strategic Report on Groundwater Quality,” highlights the importance of groundwater quality for human health, agriculture, industry, and the environment, and emphasizes its relevance to decision-making and the World Bank’s efforts across different development stages.

Correct Answer is A.

• Statement 1 is incorrect: India is the first Asian country to develop a plastics pact aimed at creating a circular system for plastics. The Indian Plastics Pact (IPP) aligns with the circular economy principles of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy, which seeks to ensure that plastic never becomes waste. The plastic pact model is already in place in countries like the UK, South Africa, and Australia, with the first pact launched in the UK in 2018.
• Statement 2 is correct: The circular economy is a production and consumption model focused on extending the life cycle of products through sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling materials. This approach minimizes waste by keeping materials in use within the economy for as long as possible, thus creating ongoing value.
• Statement 3 is correct: The India Plastics Pact (IPP) was launched through a collaboration between WWF India and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). It aims to unite stakeholders across the plastics value chain to set time-bound commitments and transition from a linear plastics system to a circular plastics economy.

Correct Answer is C.

• Statement 1, 3, and 4 are correct: Sand acts as a natural aquifer and as a protective layer on the riverbed. Sand mining strips this layer, leading to:
• Downstream erosion, changes in channel bed and habitat type, deepening of rivers and estuaries, and enlargement of river mouths.
• Degradation of rivers due to excessive instream sand and gravel mining, which lowers the streambed and can cause bank erosion.
  Sand serves as a connection between the flowing river and the water table. For example, illegal and excessive sand mining in the Papagani catchment area in Karnataka has led to groundwater depletion and environmental damage in communities along the river in both Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
• Sand mining destroys the intertidal zone and increases the risk of saline water intrusion into freshwater. Coastal sand mining has devastating effects on fisheries, coral reefs, mangroves, and wetlands, and has contributed to the near-extinction of gharials, a crocodile species found only in India.

Correct Answer is B.

• Statement 1 is correct: The Green India Mission (GIM) is one of eight missions under the National Climate Change Action Plan (NAPCC). Launched in February 2014, GIM aims to protect, restore, and enhance India’s forest cover while addressing climate change through both adaptation and mitigation efforts. The mission targets 10 million hectares of forest and non-forest lands to increase forest/tree cover and improve the quality of existing forests.
• Statement 2 is correct: The German government and IUCN launched the voluntary Bonn Challenge in 2011, aiming to restore 150 million hectares of degraded and deforested landscapes by 2020 and 350 million hectares by 2030. In 2015, India pledged to restore 21 million hectares of degraded and deforested land under the Bonn Challenge, later increasing the target to 26 million hectares by 2030.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: Due to concerns over the impact on trade, the agricultural sector, and the role of livestock in the rural economy, India did not sign the COP26 pledge to halt deforestation and reduce methane emissions by 2030.

Correct Answer is D.

• Statement 1 is correct: Desertification and land degradation in North-western India intensified due to increased human activity and the Green Revolution of the 1960s. The introduction of dwarf wheat and rice varieties during the Green Revolution accelerated the desertification process in the region.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: Scientists have indeed created desertification status maps for Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana using remote sensing data from 2003 to 2005 and 2011 to 2013. These maps indicate that desertification is expected to impact 14.35% of Andhra Pradesh, 36.24% of Karnataka, and 31.40% of Telangana’s total geographical area during this period.
• Statement 3 is correct: The 14th Conference of Parties (COP 14) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was held in New Delhi on September 2, 2019. This marked India’s first time hosting the biennial event, which brought together 196 countries, scientists, business leaders, industry experts, and non-profit organizations. India pledged to restore 5 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 in preparation for the conference.