The 2019 Codex
Questions 31 to 40 (Set A)
Recently, there was a growing awareness in our country about the importance of Himalayan nettle (Girardinia diversifolia) because it is found to be a sustainable source of
The Secret Whisper
Official Key: (d) textile fibre
The Himalayan Nettle (locally known as Kharik or Allo) grows abundantly in the wild across the Himalayan region. Despite its stinging hairs, the stem contains incredible bast fibres that are long, strong, and highly durable. Local communities have used it for generations to weave ropes, bags, and rough clothing. Recently, it has gained immense global attention as a sustainable, eco-friendly alternative textile fibre for high-end fashion, providing a crucial livelihood source for mountain communities.
Route: [REALM 226: Useful Plants & Eco Botany]The Sting to Silk
The Eye in the Sky
For the measurement/estimation of which of the following are satellite images/remote sensing data used?
1. Chlorophyll content in the vegetation of a specific location
2. Greenhouse gas emissions from rice paddies of a specific location
3. Land surface temperatures of a specific location
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Official Key: (d) 1, 2 and 3
Modern remote sensing uses different bands of the electromagnetic spectrum.
1: Satellites use Near-Infrared (NIR) and Red light bands to calculate the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), perfectly estimating chlorophyll and plant health.
2: Specialized spectrometers on satellites (like the Tropomi instrument on Sentinel-5P) can detect the specific spectral signatures of Methane (CH4) emitting from localized areas like rice paddies or oil fields.
3: Thermal infrared sensors directly measure the heat radiating from the Earth, easily mapping Land Surface Temperature (LST).
Route: [REALM 358: Satellite Comms & Remote Sensing]Consider the following States:
1. Chhattisgarh
2. Madhya Pradesh
3. Maharashtra
4. Odisha
With reference to the States mentioned above, in terms of percentage of forest cover to the total area of State, which one of the following is the correct ascending order?
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Official Key: (c) 3-2-4-1
This question relies on the India State of Forest Report (ISFR). The trap is confusing "Total Forest Area" with "Percentage of Forest Cover". While Madhya Pradesh has the largest total *area* of forest, its geographical size dilutes the *percentage*.
Ascending order (% of state geographical area):
3. Maharashtra (~16.5%)
2. Madhya Pradesh (~25.1%)
4. Odisha (~33.0%)
1. Chhattisgarh (~41.1%)
The Forest Canopy
Fire in the Ice
Which of the following statements are correct about the deposits of 'methane hydrate'?
1. Global warming might trigger the release of methane gas from these deposits.
2. Large deposits of 'methane hydrate' are found in Arctic Tundra and under the seafloor.
3. Methane in atmosphere oxidizes to carbon dioxide after a decade or two.
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Official Key: (d) 1, 2 and 3
Methane Hydrates (or "Fiery Ice") are solid cage-like structures of water ice that trap methane molecules inside. They form under extremely cold temperatures and high pressure.
Statement 1 & 2 are True: They are predominantly found trapped in the deep ocean floors and the Arctic permafrost (Tundra). If global warming melts this ice, massive amounts of trapped methane will be released into the atmosphere, creating a catastrophic feedback loop.
Statement 3 is True: While methane is roughly 25-80 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than CO2, it has a much shorter atmospheric lifespan. It reacts with hydroxyl radicals (OH) in the air and oxidizes into CO2 and water vapor within about 10 to 12 years.
Route: [REALM 96: Ocean Deposits] & [REALM 207: Climate Change Basics]Consider the following:
Which of the above are released into atmosphere due to the burning of crop/biomass residue?
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Official Key: (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Stubble burning in places like Punjab/Haryana is a massive ecological issue. When biomass burns, it directly emits Carbon Monoxide (incomplete combustion), Methane, and Sulphur Dioxide (from sulfur present in the plants).
The trick is Ozone. While ground-level ozone is not emitted *directly* out of the fire, the burning releases huge amounts of Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). In the presence of sunlight, these instantly react to form Ozone. In atmospheric chemistry and UPSC logic, burning biomass is considered a primary driver for the "release/creation" of these ozone levels.
Route: [REALM 149: Waste Burning & Open Burning]The Toxic Harvest
The Mediterranean Basin
Consider the following pairs:
| Sea | Bordering Country |
|---|---|
| 1. Adriatic Sea | Albania |
| 2. Black Sea | Croatia |
| 3. Caspian Sea | Kazakhstan |
| 4. Mediterranean Sea | Morocco |
| 5. Red Sea | Syria |
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Official Key: (b) 1, 3 and 4 only
Classic map-pointing logic:
1. True: The Adriatic Sea sits between Italy and the Balkan peninsula (bordering Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, and Albania).
2. False: Croatia borders the Adriatic Sea, NOT the Black Sea. (Black sea = Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, Georgia).
3. True: Caspian Sea borders Kazakhstan, Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan (TARIK).
4. True: Morocco borders both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
5. False: Syria borders the Mediterranean Sea, NOT the Red Sea. Red Sea borders Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, Yemen.
Route: [REALM 71 TO 76: Contemporary Master Atlas]Among the following, which one is the largest exporter of rice in the world in the last five years?
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Official Key: (b) India
While China is the world's largest producer of rice, they also consume almost all of it (and often have to import more). When it comes to exports, India has dominated the global market for several years (especially since 2012 when a ban on non-basmati rice exports was lifted), exporting massive quantities of both Basmati and non-Basmati rice. Thailand and Vietnam usually fight for second and third place.
Route: [REALM 187: Agricultural Exports] & [REALM 40: Rice Geography]The Grain Fleet
The Ice Veins
Consider the following pairs:
| Glacier | River |
|---|---|
| 1. Bandarpunch | Yamuna |
| 2. Bara Shigri | Chenab |
| 3. Milam | Mandakini |
| 4. Siachen | Nubra |
| 5. Zemu | Manas |
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Official Key: (a) 1, 2 and 4
1 is True: The Yamunotri glacier is located on the slopes of the Bandarpunch massif.
2 is True: Bara Shigri is the largest glacier in Himachal Pradesh and feeds the Chandra river (which joins Bhaga to form the Chenab).
3 is False: The Milam glacier is the source of the Gori Ganga river (Kumaon, Uttarakhand). The Mandakini river originates from the Chorabari glacier near Kedarnath.
4 is True: The melting waters of the Siachen glacier feed the Nubra river in Ladakh.
5 is False: The Zemu glacier (Sikkim) is the primary source of the Teesta river, not the Manas river (which originates in Bhutan).
Route: [REALM 15: Himalayan Drainage] & [REALM 53: Glaciers]In India, the use of carbofuran, methyl parathion, phorate and triazophos is viewed with apprehension. These chemicals are used as
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Official Key: (a) pesticides in agriculture
These complex chemical names belong to a highly toxic class of organophosphate and carbamate pesticides. They are known neurotoxins. Over the last few years, due to numerous instances of farmers getting poisoned while spraying them, as well as extreme environmental toxicity (killing bees and birds), the Indian government and international bodies (like the Anupam Varma Committee) have moved to ban or heavily restrict their use in agriculture.
Route: [REALM 216: Pesticides & Environment] & [REALM 53: Agrochemicals]The Toxic Spray
The Wetland Boundary
Consider the following statements:
1. Under Ramsar Convention, it is mandatory on the part of the Government of India to protect and conserve all the wetlands in the territory of India.
2. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 were framed by the Government of India based on the recommendations of Ramsar Convention.
3. The Wetlands Rules, 2010 also encompass the drainage area or catchment regions of the wetlands as determined by the authority.
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Official Key: (c) 3 only
Statement 1 is False: "All the wetlands" is an extreme trap. The Ramsar Convention encourages the wise use of all wetlands, but it only legally binds governments to specifically protect designated Ramsar Sites (Wetlands of International Importance), not every single puddle or pond in the country.
Statement 2 is False: The Wetlands Rules 2010 (now superseded by 2017 rules) were framed under the statutory provisions of India's own Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, not directly based on the "recommendations of the Ramsar Convention."
Statement 3 is True: The 2010 rules were actually stricter than the 2017 rules in some ways. They explicitly included the "zone of influence"—meaning the drainage area or catchment basin of the wetland—under protection, preventing industries from setting up right on the edge of the watershed and polluting the lake.
Route: [REALM 56: Ramsar Convention] & [REALM 60: Wetland Conservation]