Mix Example-Environmental Issues Questions in English

(D) Ahmed Khan,a plastic sack manufacturer in Bangalore,realized that plastic waste was a real problem.
He developed a fine powder of recycled modified plastic called polyblend.
In collaboration with the $R$.$V$. College of Engineering and the Bangalore City Corporation,he proved that the mixture of polyblend and bitumen (dammar) could be used to lay roads.
This method enhances the water-repellent properties of the roads and helps in the disposal of plastic waste.

(B) Ahmed Khan,a plastic sack manufacturer in Bangalore,developed a fine powder of recycled modified plastic called polyblend. When this polyblend is mixed with bitumen (asphalt) and used for road construction,it enhances the water-repellent properties of the bitumen and increases the road's life by a factor of $3$. This process also helps in managing plastic waste effectively.

(D) Polyblend is a fine powder of recycled modified plastic.
It is mixed with bitumen to lay roads.
This mixture,when used for road construction,enhances the water-repellent properties of the bitumen and helps in the disposal of waste plastic.
Therefore,both bitumen and plastic waste are used in the process.

(A) Ahmed Khan,a plastic sack manufacturer in Bangalore,developed a fine powder of recycled modified plastic called polyblend.
He collaborated with the $R$.$V$. College of Engineering and the Bangalore City Corporation to use this mixture with bitumen for road laying.
Before this initiative,ragpickers were paid $0.40$ rupees per kilogram for plastic waste.
Due to the increased demand for plastic waste created by Ahmed Khan's project,the ragpickers started receiving $6$ rupees per kilogram.
Therefore,$P = 0.40$ and $Q = 6$.

(D) Ahmed Khan,a plastic sack manufacturer in Bangalore,developed a polyblend,a fine powder of recycled modified plastic.
This mixture is mixed with bitumen that is used to lay roads.
In collaboration with the $R$.$V$. College of Engineering and the Bangalore City Corporation,Ahmed Khan proved that blends of polyblend and bitumen,when used to lay roads,enhanced the bitumen's water-repellent properties and helped to increase road life by a factor of three.
By the year $2002$,more than $40$ kilometers of road in Bangalore have been laid using this method.

(D) Integrated organic farming is a cyclical,zero-waste procedure where waste products from one process are cycled as nutrients for other processes. This allows for maximum utilization of resources and increases the efficiency of agricultural production while minimizing environmental impact.

(B) Ramesh Chandra Dagar,a farmer in Sonipat,Haryana,is a pioneer of integrated organic farming.
He successfully implemented a cyclical,zero-waste procedure where waste products from one process are used as nutrients for other processes.
His integrated organic farming system includes:
$I-$ Bee-keeping
$II-$ Dairy management
$III-$ Water harvesting
$IV-$ Composting
He completely avoided the use of chemical fertilizers $(V)$ and chemical pesticides $(VI)$ to maintain soil health and environmental sustainability.
Therefore,the correct processes are $I, II, III,$ and $IV$.

(D) Ramesh Chandra Dagar,a farmer in Sonipat,Haryana,integrated various agricultural practices such as bee-keeping,dairy management,water harvesting,composting,and agriculture in a chain process. This approach is known as integrated organic farming. He formed the Haryana Kisan Kalyan Club to share information and help other farmers adopt these sustainable practices. The club currently has a membership of $5000$ farmers.

(C) greenhouse is a structure with walls and a roof made mainly of transparent material, such as glass, in which plants requiring regulated climatic conditions are grown.
In colder regions or during the $Winter$ season, the greenhouse traps solar radiation (heat) inside, creating a warmer environment suitable for plant growth when the external temperature is too low for survival or optimal development.

(A) According to the $NCERT$ textbook for Environmental Issues,of the solar radiation that reaches the Earth,approximately $1/4$ is reflected by clouds and gases,and another $1/4$ is absorbed by them. Thus,$P = 1/4$ and $Q = 1/4$.

(A) Global warming is primarily caused by the increase in greenhouse gases like $CO_2$ in the atmosphere.
$I-$ Reducing the use of fossil fuels decreases $CO_2$ emissions,which helps control global warming.
$II-$ Improving energy efficiency reduces the total energy demand,thereby lowering fuel consumption and emissions.
$III-$ Deforestation increases $CO_2$ levels because trees act as carbon sinks; therefore,this does not control global warming.
$IV-$ Afforestation (planting trees) helps absorb $CO_2$ from the atmosphere,which helps control global warming.
$V-$ Increasing human population growth leads to higher resource consumption and increased emissions,which worsens global warming.
Therefore,the steps that help control global warming are $I, II,$ and $IV$.

(A) Desertification is the process by which fertile land becomes desert,typically as a result of drought,deforestation,or inappropriate agriculture. Internationally,it is recognized that desertification is a major problem nowadays,primarily due to $A$ (Poor irrigation practices). Poor irrigation practices lead to waterlogging and soil salinity,which degrade the land and eventually turn it into a desert.

(D) Desertification is the degradation of land in arid,semi-arid,and dry sub-humid areas,primarily caused by human activities and climatic variations.
Human activities that contribute to desertification include:
$1$. Over-cultivation: Exhausts the soil nutrients,making the land barren.
$2$. Unrestricted grazing: Leads to the removal of vegetation cover,causing soil erosion.
$3$. Deforestation: Destroys the natural protective cover of the soil.
$4$. Poor irrigation practices: Leads to waterlogging and soil salinity,which makes the land unsuitable for agriculture.
Therefore,all the mentioned activities are responsible for desertification.

(C) According to the $NCERT$ textbook for Class $12$ Biology (Chapter: Environmental Issues),at the beginning of the $20^{th}$ century,forests covered about $30 \%$ of the land in India.
By the end of the $20^{th}$ century,the forest cover had reduced to $21.54 \%$.
Therefore,the correct values for $P$ and $Q$ are $30 \%$ and $21.54 \%$ respectively.

(B) Jhum cultivation,also known as slash-and-burn agriculture,is a traditional farming practice where a patch of forest land is cleared by cutting down trees and burning the plant remains. The ash is used as fertilizer,and the land is then used for farming. This practice is widely prevalent in the $North-eastern$ states of India.

(A) The $Amrita Devi Bishnoi Wildlife Protection Award$ is specifically instituted by the Government of India for individuals or communities from rural areas that have shown extraordinary courage and dedication in protecting wildlife. This award is in memory of $Amrita Devi Bishnoi$, who sacrificed her life along with $363$ other people for the protection of $Khejri$ trees in $Khejarli$ village of Rajasthan.

(B) The Government of India introduced the concept of Joint Forest Management $(JFM)$ in the $1980$s.
This initiative was launched to involve local communities in the management and protection of forests.
Under this arrangement,the local communities get benefits from forest products in return for their services in forest protection and management.

(A) The $Chipko$ movement was a non-violent social and ecological movement by rural villagers,particularly women,in India.
It began in the early $1970s$ in the Garhwal Himalayas region of Uttarakhand.
The movement involved people hugging trees to prevent them from being cut down by commercial loggers,thereby protecting the forest ecosystem.

(C) Algal blooms are caused by the excessive growth of planktonic algae due to nutrient enrichment (eutrophication).
These blooms impart a distinct colour to the water bodies and cause deterioration of water quality.
They also lead to fish mortality and can be toxic to human beings and animals.
Therefore,the statement that algal blooms improve water quality and promote fisheries is incorrect.

(C) Biomagnification is defined as the increase in the concentration of a toxicant at successive trophic levels.
$A$ large amount of nutrients in water promotes the growth of algal blooms,which leads to oxygen depletion and increases fish mortality.
Eutrophication is the natural aging of a lake by nutrient enrichment of its water.

(C) The toll-free helpline number $1926$ was launched by the Maharashtra Forest Department.
This initiative is specifically designed to provide information and assistance regarding tree plantation,forest protection,and to create mass awareness about environmental conservation among the public.

(C) Statement $I$ is correct because algal blooms are caused by the excessive growth of planktonic algae,which impart a distinct color to the water bodies.
Statement $II$ is incorrect because bloom-forming algae are toxic not only to fishes but also to human beings and other animals,as they release potent toxins into the water,leading to the deterioration of water quality.

(B) $24$-hour toll-free helpline number $1926$,known as 'Hello Forest',has been established by the Maharashtra government to provide information and support regarding tree plantation,forest protection,and to promote mass awareness about environmental conservation.

(C) According to the data provided by $NEERI$ (National Environmental Engineering Research Institute),the air quality monitoring reports indicate that Kolkata has the highest levels of $SO_2$ (sulphur dioxide) and New Delhi has the highest levels of $SPM$ (suspended particulate matter) in the air.
Therefore,the correct sequence is sulphur dioxide and suspended particulate matter.