Day-637 | Daily MCQs | UPSC Prelims | ENVIRONMENT

Answer. B
Explanation: The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991 enacted with a purpose to provide immediate relief to the persons affected by accident occurring while handling hazardous substances and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
• It was enacted after the Bhopal gas tragedy in 1984.
• PLI Act, 1991 covers death or injury to any person other than workman (general public) or damage to property resulting from an accident while handling hazardous substances.
Statement 1 is correct: The PLI Act mandates industries handling hazardous materials to mandatorily obtain public liability insurance.
Statement 2 is incorrect but statement 3 is correct: In exercise of the powers conferred by section 7(A) of the Public Liability Insurance (PLI) Act, 1991, the central government established the Environmental Relief Fund (ERF) in 2008. The ERF’s primary purpose is to offer immediate relief to victims of accidents involving hazardous substances. Apart from contributions from hazardous industries that opt for insurance under the PLIA, the ERF consists of compensation awarded by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for damage to the environment under Section 24 of the NGT Act, 2010.
• The United India Insurance Company Limited (UIICL) is the fund manager of the ERF Scheme.

Answer. B
Explanation:
Statement 1 is incorrect: The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), a network including 45 countries who represent over 75% of the world’s coral reefs, has launched the Coral Reef Breakthrough (CRB) in partnership with the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR) and the High-Level Climate Champions (HLCC). The Coral Reef Breakthrough aims to secure the future of at least 125,000 km2 of shallow-water tropical coral reefs with investments of at least US$12 billion to support the resilience of more than half a billion people globally by 2030.
The Breakthrough was launched through the ICRI 37th General Meeting in October 2023 and developed with support from the Government of Sweden and the Principality of Monaco.
Statement 2 is correct: The action points under the CRB includes the vision to double the area of coral reefs under effective protection by 2030. To achieve this target, it seeks to bolster resilience-based coral reef conservation efforts by aligning with and transcending global coastal protection targets including 30 by 30.

Answer: C
Explanation:
Statement 3 is incorrect: France (rank 7) was the only G20 country in the top 10, followed closely by Germany (11), the U.S. (12), and the U.K. (13).
Statements 1, 2 and 4 are correct: The WEF in collaboration with Accenture releases the ranking of 120 countries on the basis of their scores in Energy Transition Index.
● Sweden leads the global rankings on the Energy Transition Index 2023, followed by Denmark and Norway.
● India has been ranked 67th on the ETI 2023 and applauded for being the only major economy with energy transition momentum accelerating across all dimensions.
● China is the only Asian country that features in the top 20 list of countries in the recent ETI. Rank of China in the ETI 2023 is 17.
● Only 2 out of 120 countries – India and Singapore – are advancing across the equitable, secure and sustainable dimensions, each with its own unique transition journey.
● Yemen has been ranked the last (120th) on the Energy Transition Index 2023.

Answer: B
Explanation: Options 1 and 2 are correct.
Deep ploughing is a farming technique that involves turning the soil to a depth of at least 12 inches or more. It benefits in the following ways:
● Improved Soil Drainage and Aeration: Deep ploughing helps to break up compacted soil layers, allowing water to penetrate more effectively and ensuring that plant roots receive sufficient oxygen. This is especially beneficial during the monsoon season when excess water can lead to waterlogging.
● Weed Control: By burying weeds deeper into the soil, deep ploughing can help control weed growth. This reduces competition for nutrients and sunlight, giving crops a better chance to thrive.
● Enhanced Soil Fertility: Deep ploughing facilitates the incorporation of organic matter, like crop residues and manure, into the soil. This organic material enriches the soil’s nutrient content and boosts its fertility, leading to healthier crops.
Drawbacks:
● Cost and Time Intensive: Deep ploughing requires specialized equipment and can take more time compared to shallow ploughing. This can be a challenge for farmers with limited resources or tight schedules.
● Soil Structure Damage: Excessive deep ploughing can harm the natural structure of the soil, making it more vulnerable to erosion by wind and water. This erosion can wash away valuable topsoil and negatively impact crop health.
● Carbon Dioxide Emission: The process of deep ploughing can release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Since carbon dioxide contributes to climate change, this is an environmental concern associated with the practice. (hence, option 3 is incorrect; it does not assist in carbon sequestration).

Answer. A
Explanation:
Statements I and II are correct and statement II explains statement I: Denitrification is the microbial process of reducing nitrate and nitrite to gaseous forms of nitrogen, principally nitrous oxide and nitrogen. It is assisted by the anaerobic bacteria such as Bacillus, Pseudomonas, etc.
Denitrification is undesirable from the agricultural point of view because it is an important source of Nitrogen loss from agricultural soils besides being a major source of the greenhouse gas N2O and a loss of N2 otherwise available for the growth of plants. This loss of plant-available N can lead to yield depression and a decline of quality (e.g., the protein content) of the harvested products.
Denitrification losses and N2O emission may also be decreased by avoiding the application of fertilizers and manure during wet conditions, especially nitrate-containing fertilizers.