Water & Wetland Conservation UPSC PYQ — Rivers, Groundwater & Ramsar Sites

Consider the following statements :
Statement-I : According to the United Nations' 'World Water Development Report, 2022', India extracts more than a quarter of the world's groundwater withdrawal each year.
Statement-II : India needs to extract more than a quarter of the world's groundwater each year to satisfy the drinking water and sanitation needs of almost 18% of world's population living in its territory.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

1. A Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
2. B Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
3. C Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
4. D Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

"If rainforests and tropical forests are the lungs of the Earth, then surely wetlands function as its kidneys." Which one of the following functions of wetlands best reflects the above statement?

1. A The water cycle in wetlands involves surface runoff, subsoil percolation and evaporation.
2. B Algae form the nutrient base upon which fish, crustaceans, molluscs, birds, reptiles and mammals thrive.
3. C Wetlands play a vital role in maintaining sedimentation balance and soil stabilization.
4. D Aquatic plants absorb heavy metals and excess nutrients.

Consider the following statements:
1. 36% of India’s districts are classified as “overexploited” or “critical” by the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA).
2. CGWA was formed under the Environment (Protection) Act.
3. India has the largest area under groundwater irrigation in the world.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. A 1 only
2. B 2 and 3 only
3. C 2 only
4. D 1 and 3 only

Which of the following is/are the possible consequence/s of heavy sand mining in riverbeds?
1. Decreased salinity in the river
2. Pollution of groundwater
3. Lowering of the water-table
Select the correct answer using the code given below :

1. A 1 only
2. B 2 and 3 only
3. C 1 and 3 only
4. D 1, 2 and 3

Which of the following are the key features of ‘National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA)’?
1. River basin is the unit of planning and management.
2. It spearheads the river conservation efforts at the national level.
3. One of the Chief Ministers of the States through which the Ganga flows becomes the Chairman of NGRBA on rotation basis.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1. A 1 and 2 only
2. B 2 and 3 only
3. C 1 and 3 only
4. D 1, 2 and 3

With reference to a conservation organization called ‘Wetlands International’, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. It is an intergovernmental organization formed by the countries which are signatories to Ramsar Convention.
2. It works at the field level to develop and mobilize knowledge, and use the practical experience to advocate for better policies.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1. A 1 only
2. B 2 only
3. C Both 1 and 2
4. D Neither 1 nor 2

What are the benefits of implementing the ‘Integrated Watershed Development Programme’?
1. Prevention of soil runoff
2. Linking the country’s perennial rivers with seasonal rivers
3. Rainwater harvesting and recharge of groundwater table
4. Regeneration of natural vegetation
Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1. A 1 and 2 only
2. B 2, 3 and 4 only
3. C 1, 3 and 4 only
4. D 1, 2, 3 and 4

Which of the following can be found as pollutants in the drinking water in some parts of India?
1. Arsenic
2. Sorbitol
3. Fluoride
4. Formaldehyde
5. Uranium
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

1. A 1 and 3 only
2. B 2, 4 and 5 only
3. C 1, 3 and 5 only
4. D 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

With reference to the wetlands of India, consider the following statements :
1. The country’s total geographical area under the category of wetlands is recorded more in Gujarat as compared to other States.
2. In India, the total geographical area of coastal wetlands is larger than that of inland wetlands.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. A 1 only
2. B 2 only
3. C Both 1 and 2
4. D Neither 1 nor 2

There is a concern over the increase in harmful algal blooms in the seawaters of India. What could be the causative factors for this phenomenon?
1. Discharge of nutrients from the estuaries.
2. Run-off from the land during the monsoon.
3. Upwelling in the seas. Select the correct answer from the codes given below:

1. A 1 only
2. B 1 and 2 only
3. C 2 and 3 only
4. D 1, 2 and 3

The 2004 Tsunami made people realize that mangroves can serve as a reliable safety hedge against coastal calamities. How do mangroves function as a safety hedge?

1. A The mangrove swamps separate the human settlements from the sea by a wide zone in which people neither live nor venture out
2. B The mangroves provide both food and medicines which people are in need of after any natural disaster
3. C The mangrove trees are tall with dense canopies and serve as an excellent shelter during a cyclone or tsunami
4. D The mangrove trees do not get uprooted by storms and tides because of their extensive roots

In India, which one of the following States has the largest inland saline wetland?

1. A Gujarat
2. B Haryana
3. C Madhya Pradesh
4. D Rajasthan

Virtual water trade is being looked at by experts as a solution to the world’s water crisis. What does virtual water (VW) imply?

1. A Volume of heavy water required to replace ordinary water.
2. B Volume of water required to produce a commodity or service.
3. C Volume of water saved by using rainwater harvesting.
4. D Volume of water utilized by an effective flood control.

Tarun Bharat Sangh, an organization based in a village near Alwar (Rajasthan) has become famous because of

1. A Cultivation of genetically modified cotton
2. B Rehabilitation of women victims of AIDS
3. C Livelihood projects for destitute rural women
4. D Rain-water harvesting

Estuaries possess distinct blooms of excessive growth of a pigmented dinoflagellate. These blooms are called

1. A red tides
2. B sea tides
3. C black tides
4. D sea flowers

Some people in Manipur live in houses built on floating islands of weeds and decaying vegetation held together by suspended silt. These islands are called

1. A Tipis
2. B Barkhans
3. C Phumdis
4. D Izba

The water pollution in river is measured by the dissolved amount of

1. A Chlorine
2. B Ozone
3. C Nitrogen
4. D Oxygen

Assertion (A): Mangroves are very specialised forest ecosystems of tropical and subtropical regions bordering certain sea coasts.
Reason (R): They stabilise the shoreline and act as bulwark against encroachments by sea.
In the context of the above two statements, which one of the following is correct?

1. A Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
2. B Both A and R are true but R is not a correct explanation of A
3. C A is true but R is false
4. D A is false but R is true

Physico-chemical characteristics of water in water sources undergo changes due to

1. A aquatic macrophytes
2. B aquatic fungi
3. C effluents
4. D evapotranspiration

“Monoculture of commercially viable trees is destroying the unique natural profile of ……… Thoughtless exploitation of timber, deforesting vast tracts for palm cultivation, destruction of mangroves, illegal logging by tribals and poaching only compound the problem. Fresh water pockets are fast drying up due to deforestation and destruction of mangroves.” The place referred to in this quotation is

1. A Sundarbans
2. B Kerala Coast
3. C Orissa Coast
4. D Andaman and Nicobar Islands