2019 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2019 · GS Paper I

Question 58: Environment and Ecology

Consider the following statements : The Environment Protection Act, 1986 empowers the Government of India to

  1. 1.state the requirement of public participation in the process of environmental protection, and the procedure and manner in which it is sought
  2. 2.lay down the standards for emission or discharge of environmental pollutants from various sources

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a1 only
b2 only
cBoth 1 and 2
dNeither 1 nor 2

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (b).

Only statement 2 is correct. The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 empowers the Central Government to take measures to protect and improve the environment, including laying down standards for emission or discharge of pollutants from various sources. The Act itself contains no express power to prescribe public participation and its procedure; the public hearing requirement in environmental clearance comes from the EIA Notification, 2006, which is subordinate legislation.

  • 1. The Act has no express power on public participation; the EIA Notification has the public hearing.
  • 2. The Act empowers the Centre to lay down standards for emissions and discharges.

How you could have got this

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

    What you needed to know: The Act has no express power on public participation; the EIA Notification has the public hearing.

  2. Then, if you were sure statement 2 is correct, (d) goes: it leaves 2 out.

    What you needed to know: The Act empowers the Centre to lay down standards for emissions and discharges.

Only (b) is left. This one needs every statement.

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) Public participation is not an express power under the Act.
  • (b) Correct: laying down emission and discharge standards is a power under the Act.
  • (c) Statement 1 is not an express power under the Act.
  • (d) Statement 2 is an express power, so this fails.

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.