Environment & Ecology MCQs

Urbanization in the Himalayas leads to infrastructure development, deforestation, and increased human activity, resulting in habitat fragmentation, loss of biodiversity, and destabilization of slopes, making them more prone to landslides and other natural disasters.

Mangroves thrive in saline or brackish water environments and are not a source of freshwater for large-scale agricultural irrigation. Their primary benefits include coastal protection, carbon sequestration, and providing habitat for marine life.

The MISHTI scheme leverages existing programs like MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme), CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) Fund, and other sources to achieve its mangrove restoration goals, ensuring efficient resource utilization.

The MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes) scheme was announced in the Union Budget 2023-24 to restore and conserve mangroves along India's coastline and salt pans, promoting sustainable livelihoods. It remains a key initiative in 2026.

The Hindu Kush Himalayan region is known as the 'Third Pole' because it contains the largest volume of ice outside the polar regions.

Initially, melting glaciers increase river flow, but as the ice mass shrinks, the long-term result is a significant reduction in water availability, leading to water scarcity.

The UN and IPCC reports consistently highlight that human-induced climate change is the primary cause of the rapid retreat of Himalayan glaciers.

The mission guidelines specify that each Amrit Sarovar should have a pondage area of at least 1 acre.

The Ministry of Rural Development is the nodal ministry for the implementation of the Mission Amrit Sarovar in coordination with other ministries.

The Amrit Sarovar mission aims to develop and rejuvenate 75 water bodies in each district of India to ensure water conservation and community participation.