PARLIAMENT QUESTION: Earthquake Risk in Kangra-Chamba-Dharamsala Belt

Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has been constituted under Section 3 (3) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to regulate and control development and management of groundwater resources in the country. Central Water Commission (CWC) - Established in 1945, the CWC is a technical organization under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. It focuses on water resource planning, development, and management in India, but its legal basis comes from other central government acts. Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) - While it works in close collaboration with the CGWA, the CGWB is a subordinate organization under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, established in 1970. It functions as the technical arm of the CGWA, providing hydrogeological data and technical expertise. National Water Development Agency (NWDA) - This autonomous agency, established in 1982 under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, operates under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. It focuses on resolving interstate water resource disputes, conducting feasibility studies for water resource development projects, and planning water transfer and linking projects.

* The R2 Code of Practices is a tool available for promoting the adoption of environmentally responsible practices in the electronics recycling industry. * R2 stands for Responsible Recycling.
The Code of Practices outlines a set of standards that electronics recyclers should follow to ensure responsible handling of electronic waste.

Statement 1 is Correct: The National Institute for Research and Application of Natural Resources to Transform, Adapt and Build Resilience (NIRANTAR) is a collaborative platform under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). Ecosystem Survey & Analysis is one of its four thematic verticals, and its lead institute is the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Kolkata. Statement 2 is Incorrect: The Research and Management of Ecosystem Service vertical is led by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun, not the Central Zoo Authority (CZA). The CZA is merely a participating institute under this vertical. Statement 3 is Correct: The Capacity Development Support vertical focuses on research, education, and capacity building. The lead institute for this vertical is the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal. Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

The Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR) is a disclosure framework introduced by SEBI to promote transparency in a company’s non-financial performance, particularly in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) areas. ❌ Statement I: Incorrect
* SEBI, not the RBI, mandates the submission of BRSR.
* It applies to the top 1,000 listed companies by market capitalization. ✅ Statement II: Correct
* BRSR disclosures are mostly non-financial and focus on areas like environment, social responsibility, and governance.

✅ A. The European Union:
The Nature Restoration Law (NRL) is an EU legislative initiative adopted in 2024. It sets binding targets to restore ecosystems, fight climate change, and protect biodiversity across EU member states. ❌ B. The World Bank:
An international financial institution providing loans and grants; it does not enact laws like the NRL. ❌ C. OECD:
An organization promoting economic cooperation and policy coordination; it does not enact binding environmental laws such as the NRL. ❌ D. FAO:
A UN agency focused on hunger and agriculture; it does not enact regional laws like the NRL.

* Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 mandate the segregation of waste into three categories - biodegradables, dry recyclables (plastic, paper, metal, etc.), and domestic hazardous waste (diapers, napkins, etc.). * The SWM Rules, 2016 apply not just to urban areas but also to urban local bodies, notified areas, census towns, all industrial townships, special economic zones, State and Central government organisations, places of pilgrimage, religious and historical importance. * There is no restriction on moving waste from one district to another. Waste generators can transport waste as needed for disposal, treatment, or processing. * Waste processing facilities will have to be set up by all local bodies having a population of 1 million or more within two years. * For census towns with a population below 1 million or all local bodies having a population of 0.5 million or more, common, or stand-alone sanitary landfills will have to be set up in three years. * Also, common, or regional sanitary landfills to be set up by all local bodies and census towns with a population under 0.5 million will have to be completed in three years.

The Climate Action Tracker (CAT) is an independent scientific analysis that tracks government climate action and measures it against the globally agreed Paris Agreement aim of holding warming well below 2C, and pursuing efforts to limit warming to 1.5C. A collaboration of two organisations, Climate Analytics and NewClimate Institute, the CAT has been providing this independent analysis to policymakers since 2009. CAT quantifies and evaluates climate change mitigation targets, policies, and actions. It also aggregates country action to the global level, determining likely temperature increases during the 21st century using the MAGICC climate model. CAT further develops sectoral analysis to illustrate the required pathways for meeting the global temperature goals.

The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) is the apex body constituted in the Ministry of Environment and Forests under Rules for Manufacture, Use, Import, Export and Storage of Hazardous Microorganisms/Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells 1989, under the Environment Protection Act, 1986. - The GEAC is responsible for the appraisal of proposals involving the release of genetically engineered organisms and products into the environment including experimental field trials.

At COP28, India chose not to sign the “Declaration on Climate and Health,” and this decision can be understood by analyzing the nature of the declaration and India’s concerns. ✅ Statement I: Correct. India did not sign the COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health, unlike over 120 other countries. ❌ Statement II: Incorrect. The declaration is not legally binding; it is a voluntary political commitment. Signing it does not legally mandate countries to decarbonize their health sectors immediately. ✅Statement III: Correct. India’s concern is that rapid decarbonization of its health sector could compromise the resilience and accessibility of healthcare services, given current developmental challenges and resource constraints. Therefore, only Statement III correctly explains Statement I, while Statement II is factually wrong about the binding nature of the declaration.

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in E-waste Management Rules, 2011 Makes producers of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) responsible for the collection and channelization of e-waste after its end-of-life. This promotes responsible production and encourages proper e-waste disposal. EPR in Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 Extends the EPR principle to plastic waste. Producers, importers, and brand owners are accountable for managing plastic packaging waste after consumption.