2019 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2019 · GS Paper I

Question 40: Environment and Ecology

Consider the following statements :

  1. 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. 2.The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 were framed by the Government of India based on the recommendations of Ramsar Convention.
  3. 3.The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 also encompass the drainage area or catchment regions of the wetlands as determined by the authority.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a1 and 2 only
b2 and 3 only
c3 only
d1, 2 and 3

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (c).

Only statement 3 is correct. Ramsar requires a country to list suitable sites and promote the wise use of wetlands, but it does not make it mandatory to protect every wetland in the country. The Wetlands Rules, 2010 were framed by the Government of India under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and not as a result of Ramsar recommendations. The Rules do cover the zone of direct influence of a wetland, its drainage area or catchment region as determined by the authority.

  • 1. Ramsar does not make it mandatory to protect all wetlands.
  • 2. The Rules were framed under the Environment Protection Act, not on Ramsar's recommendation.
  • 3. The Rules include the drainage area or catchment as determined by the authority.

How you could have got this

  1. If you were sure statement 2 is not correct, (a), (b) and (d) go: each of them includes 2.

    What you needed to know: The Rules were framed under the Environment Protection Act, not on Ramsar's recommendation.

Only (c) is left. You didn’t need statements 1 or 3.

Which options go is worked out from UPSC’s key and the options, not by a model.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Statements 1 and 2 are both false.
  • (b) Statement 2 is false: the Rules were not framed on Ramsar's recommendation.
  • (c) Correct: only statement 3 holds.
  • (d) Statements 1 and 2 are false.

Worth knowing: The 2010 Rules have since been replaced by the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017.

Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2019, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.