Q1. Regarding the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), which of the following statements is correct?
A. It is a legally binding framework with statutory financial penalties for cities that fail to meet the targeted reduction of pollutants.
B. The programme aims to achieve a 20% to 30% reduction in Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5) concentrations by 2024, using 2017 as the base year.
C. It is a decentralized program funded entirely by the respective State Governments without any financial assistance from the Union Budget.
D. The primary focus of the program is restricted only to tackling industrial and vehicular emissions, completely excluding rural and agricultural pollution.
Q2. The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is a set of emergency measures implemented to prevent further deterioration of air quality. In the National Capital Region (NCR), which statutory body is responsible for implementing GRAP?
A. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
B. Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA)
C. Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM)
D. National Green Tribunal (NGT)
Q3. Under the Fly Ash Utilisation notifications issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, which of the following mandates applies to coal or lignite-based thermal power plants?
A. Power plants are mandated to achieve 100% fly ash utilization and must bear the cost of transportation of fly ash to users within a specified radius.
B. Power plants are only required to utilize 50% of the fly ash generated, while the remainder can be dumped in designated eco-friendly landfills.
C. The responsibility to dispose of fly ash lies entirely with the end-users, with no financial or logistical obligation on the thermal power plants.
D. Fly Ash Utilization Rules exempt captive power plants of private industries, applying only to large state-owned power generation entities.
Q4. With reference to the E-Waste (Management) Rules, which of the following institutional mechanisms has been introduced to ensure compliance, accountability, and traceability in India?
A. Establishment of decentralized, state-level municipal committees to manually manage and recycle all e-waste without central oversight.
B. Mandatory tax exemptions for citizens who return their electronic appliances directly to the government.
C. A completely voluntary compliance model for electronic manufacturers with no mandatory collection or recycling targets.
D. A digitalized Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework where producers are required to register, achieve collection targets, and trade EPR certificates.
Q5. The Namami Gange Programme is an integrated conservation mission approved as a flagship programme to accomplish the twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution, and conservation and rejuvenation of the National River Ganga. Consider the implementation structure and funding of this program. Which of the following statements best describes the funding pattern and execution framework?
A. It is entirely funded by the World Bank, with the respective state governments bearing no financial responsibility.
B. It is a 100% centrally funded scheme, implemented by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) at the national level and State Programme Management Groups (SPMGs) at the state level.
C. It follows a 50:50 matching funding pattern between the Central Government and the respective state governments across all its components.
D. The implementation and maintenance of all assets, including Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), are carried out exclusively by the Indian Army’s Ecological Task Force.