NHPC’s own 2024 paper recorded gas fires in Teesta-VI tunnels before fatal blast

* Statement 1 is incorrect: The Mundra Thermal Power Plant employs a closed-cycle induced draft circulating cooling water system that utilises seawater. Seawater is drawn from the Gulf of Kutch through robust glass reinforced pipes of significant diameter. In addition, purified seawater from a reverse osmosis plant is utilised by various supplementary systems. * Statement 2 is incorrect:  According to recent research by WRI (World Resources Institute), 40 percent of India's thermal power plants are situated in regions experiencing significant water stress. This poses a challenge as these plants rely on water for cooling purposes. The scarcity of water is already causing disruptions in electricity generation in these areas, with 14 out of India's 20 largest thermal utilities having experienced at least one shutdown between 2013 and 2016 due to water shortages. * Statement 3 is incorrect:  India has a total of 269 Thermal Power Plants, with 138 of them being owned by the public sector and the remaining 131 owned by the private sector.

* 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 Polar Code is an international maritime regulation that sets safety and environmental standards for shipping in polar waters. International maritime regulation, the Polar Code, is adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for the safety and security of shipping. The code specifically addresses the unique challenges and risks associated with navigation in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. The code establishes mandatory requirements for aspects like ship design, construction, equipment, operational procedures, crew training, and pollution prevention to ensure safe and environmentally sound navigation in polar waters.

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 Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations guides its global work through a strategic framework aimed at supporting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The core organizing principle of this framework is the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems to achieve the "Four Betters". The "Four Betters" are officially defined as:
1. Better Production: Ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns.
2. Better Nutrition: Ending hunger, achieving food security, and improving access to healthy diets.
3. Better Environment: Protecting, restoring, and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
4. Better Life: Promoting inclusive economic growth and reducing inequalities, leaving no one behind. The Blue Transformation is a specific FAO vision and programmatic priority area that aims to secure and maximize the contribution of aquatic food systems (fisheries and aquaculture) to achieve these overarching "Four Betters". Options A, C, and D are incorrect because they include fabricated pillars such as "better ocean", "better coral reefs", "better estuaries", or "better mangrove vegetation", which are not part of the FAO's official strategic framework. Therefore, Option B is the correct answer.

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.

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Environment Protection Act (EPA), 1986 recognizes the importance of public participation in environmental decision-making. However, it does not explicitly define the procedure for public participation in environmental governance, such as public hearings or consultations. These provisions were later formalized through subsequent rules and notifications, such as the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006, which mandates public hearings for certain projects. Statement 2 is correct: The EPA, of 1986 empowers the Central Government to Lay down environmental quality standards for air, water, and soil, Regulate emissions and discharges of pollutants from industries and other sources, Restrict hazardous substances and their handling, Take emergency measures to prevent environmental disasters.

* Statement 1 is correct. According to the United Nations World Water Development Report 2022, with an estimated 251 km3 annual withdrawal from an estimated 20 million wells and tube wells, India is the world's greatest groundwater user. This accounts for more than a quarter of the total groundwater extracted internationally. * Statement 2 is incorrect. India uses about 89% of this groundwater for irrigation. Major share of total groundwater extracted by India is utilised for irrigation purposes and not for drinking and sanitation purposes.

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.

Statement 1 is correct: Agenda 21 is a comprehensive global action plan adopted at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the Rio Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992. It provides a framework for achieving sustainable development by integrating environmental protection, social equity, and economic growth at global, national, and local levels. Statement 2 is incorrect: The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), held in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2002, reviewed and reaffirmed the commitments made under Agenda 21 but did not introduce it. Instead, the summit focused on assessing progress, strengthening implementation, and launching new initiatives, including the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI).

Statement 1 is correct: The article states the project is in Sikkim. Statement 2 is incorrect: The project was originally developed by Lanco Teesta Hydropower Limited and later acquired by NHPC. Statement 3 is correct: The article mentions the project's tunnels pass through young, fractured Himalayan rock in Seismic Zone IV.

The article explicitly states that the explosion was 'suspected to be from release of methane' and that 'flammable gas... suspected to be from release of methane' had been encountered repeatedly.

Statement 1 is correct: The article mentions 'The Teesta-VI project received its initial Environmental Clearance on September 21, 2006.' Statement 2 is correct: The article states 'Forest clearances were accorded between 2008-2021.' Statement 3 is correct: The article notes the paper was 'presented at EUROENGEO 2024'.