Environment – GK Questions

Nanoparticles' unique properties raise concerns about toxicity, bioaccumulation, and long-term ecological impacts, requiring careful risk assessment and regulation.

The Planetary Boundaries framework identifies critical Earth system processes like climate change, biodiversity integrity, nitrogen/phosphorus cycles, and land-use change that must remain within safe limits.

Environmental contamination with antibiotics selects for resistant bacteria, which can transfer resistance genes to pathogens, posing a global public health threat.

Microplastics from degraded plastics, microbeads, and fibers accumulate in ecosystems, are ingested by organisms, and pose risks to wildlife and human health.

These stationary lift nets, introduced centuries ago, allow selective fishing with minimal bycatch and are an example of traditional sustainable fishing technology.

Van Panchayats are village-level institutions that manage local forests for sustainable use of fodder, fuelwood, and minor forest produce, recognized under state law.

Farmers traditionally use neem, turmeric, and other botanicals as natural pesticides for stored grains, reducing chemical use and preserving seed viability.

The Phad system in north Maharashtra diverts river water through canals to irrigate fields in a rotational manner, managed by local water user groups.

Traditional farmers use crop rotation and fallow periods to restore soil nutrients naturally, reducing dependence on chemical fertilizers.

Kuhls are gravity-fed channels that divert water from rivers to fields, managed collectively by villages, representing sustainable traditional water governance.

The Zabo system of Nagaland integrates water conservation, forestry, and agriculture by channeling rainwater from hilltops to terraced fields and ponds.

Sacred groves, called Kavu in Kerala, Devrai in Maharashtra, and Sarna in Jharkhand, serve as biodiversity refuges and preserve traditional conservation ethics.

Founded by Guru Jambheshwar in the 15th century, Bishnois follow 29 principles including strict conservation of flora and fauna, exemplified by the Khejarli sacrifice.

The Apatani wet rice cultivation system, recognized by FAO as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS), sustainably integrates fish farming with paddy fields.

The Supreme Court restricted mining in the ecologically sensitive Aravalli hills of Haryana and Rajasthan to prevent deforestation, soil erosion, and water depletion.

This case addressed groundwater contamination by chemical units in Bichhri, Rajasthan, and reinforced the Polluter Pays Principle for remediation costs.

In Subhash Kumar (1991) and multiple M.C. Mehta cases, the Supreme Court interpreted Article 21 to include the right to pollution-free air and water as fundamental to life.

The Supreme Court restricted intensive shrimp farming in coastal ecologically sensitive areas, emphasizing the need to balance economic activities with environmental protection.

In this 2005 case, the Supreme Court laid down comprehensive guidelines regulating the manufacture, sale, and use of firecrackers to control noise and air pollution.

The Supreme Court ordered industries in the Taj Trapezium Zone to switch to cleaner fuels or relocate, and mandated use of CNG for vehicles to prevent acid rain damage to the monument.