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Q1. Which water resource project provides and extends benefits to Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan?
Hirakud Dam Project
Sardar Sarovar Dam Project
Bhakra-Nangal Dam Project
Tehri Dam Project
Correct Option: (B) Sardar Sarovar Dam Project
The Sardar Sarovar Dam is a concrete gravity dam built on the Narmada river in Navagam near Kevadiya, Narmada District , Gujarat in India. Four Indian states, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, receive water and electricity supply from the dam.
Topic to focus: Important Dams in India
Q2. Which pair of extremely located Indian cities is connected by the East-West corridor?
SIlchar Porbandar
Mumbai Shillong
Nagpur Siliguri
Mumbai Kolkata
Correct Option: (A) Silchar – Porbandar
East-West Corridor is a 3,300 kilometres (2,100 mi) corridor via NH 27 (Porbandar–Rajkot-Samakhiali–Radhanpur–Kota–Jhansi–Kanpur-Lucknow–Ayodhya-Gorakhpur-Muzaffarpur–Darbhanga-Supaul-Purnia– Dalkhola-Kishanganj, Islampur–Sonapur- Ghoshpukur-Jalpaiguri Alipurduar- Bongaigaon – Nalbari Bijni–Guwahati–Nagaon–Dabaka–Silchar).
Topic to focus: Important Road, Rail & Infrastructure projects in India
Q33. The maximum number of individuals that can be supported by a given environment is called
Carrying capacity
Population size
Biotic potential
Environment Resistance
Correct Option: (A) Carrying capacity
The carrying capacity of an environment is the maximum population size of a biological species that can be sustained by that specific environment, given the food, habitat, water, and other resources available. The carrying capacity is defined as the environment’s maximal load, which in population ecology corresponds to the population equilibrium, when the number of deaths in a population equals the number of births (as well as immigration and emigration).
Topic to focus: Important Terminology in Ecology/Geography
Q34. Plants growing under direct sunlight are known as heliophytes. What do we call plants growing under shades?
Psammophytes
Sciophytes
Monocots
Dicots
Correct Option: (B) Sciophytes
Sciophytes are plants that last or thrive best at low light intensity. These plants have larger photosynthetic units than solar plants or heliophytes.
Sciophytes are shade-loving trees and plants. These plants have larger photosynthetic units than solar plants or heliophytes. Sciophytes are also known as photophobic plants and reach their saturation level in only 20% sunlight.
Shade-plants essentially follow strategies for the optimum use of available energy and energy conservation.
Topic to focus: Biodiversity – Plants/Animal types
Q35. Which among the following protocols/conventions is dedicated for protecting biodiversity from potential risks caused by Living Modified Organisms?
Cartagena Protocol
Nagoya Protocol
Bonn Convention
Vienna Convention
Correct Option: (A) Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.
The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety is a legally binding global protocol that seeks to contribute to ensuring the safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) created through modern biotechnology.
Topic to focus: Important Conventions/Conference related to Environment issues
Q36. Which among the following types is a non-material pollution?
Air pollution
Water pollution
Thermal pollution
Soil pollution
Correct Option: (C) Thermal Pollution.
The Non-material Pollutions are of following types:
(i) Radiation Pollution.
(ii) Noise Pollution.
(iii) Thermal Pollution.
Topic to focus: Pollution types
Q38. Match the following persons and their activities in the field of environmental conservation and development:
List 1: List 2
Medha Patkar 1. Centre for Science and Environment
M.S Swaminathan 2. Narmada Bachao Andolan
Anil Agarwal 3. Ornithology and Conservation
Salim Ali 4. Rice Research and Biodiversity conservation.
a:2, b:4, c:1, d:3
a:2, b:1, c:3, d:4
a:2, b:4, c:3, d:1
a:3, b:1, c:4, d:2
Correct Option: (A) a 2, b 4, c 1, d 3
Medha Patkar, (born December 1, 1954, Bombay [now Mumbai], Maharashtra state, India), Indian social activist known chiefly for her work with people displaced by the Narmada Valley Development Project (NVDP), a large-scale plan to dam the Narmada River and its tributaries in the Indian states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.
Founder Anil Agarwal – Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) is a not-for-profit public interest research and advocacy organisation based in New Delhi, India. Established in 1980, CSE works as a think tank on environment-development issues in India, poor planning, climate shifts devastating India’s Sundarbans and advocates for policy changes and better implementation of the already existing policies.
Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan (born 7 August 1925) is an Indian geneticist and administrator, known for his role in India’s Green Revolution. Swaminathan has been called the Father of Green Revolution in India for his role in introducing and further developing high-yielding varieties of wheat in India. He is the founder of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation.
Sálim Moizuddin Abdul Ali was an Indian ornithologist and naturalist. Sometimes referred to as the “Birdman of India”.
Topic to focus: Important Personalities related to Environment protection/conservation
Q39. All species of Lemur are endemic to
New Caledonia
Seychelles Islands
Galapagos Islands
Madagascar
Correct Option: (D) Madagascar
Lemurs are mammals of the order Primates, divided into 8 families and consisting of 15 genera and around 100 existing species. They are native only to the island of Madagascar.
Topic to focus: Species specific to regions
Q41. Among the marine ecosystems, the most species rich ecosystem is
Mangrove
Coral Reefs
Open Water
None of the Above
Correct Option: (B) Coral reefs
Topic to focus: Ecosytems
Q42. Biodiversity hotspots are among the richest and the most important ecosystems in the world. How many such hotspots are present in the world?
25
34
36
42
Correct Option: (C) 36
A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with significant levels of biodiversity that is threatened by human habitation.
To qualify as a biodiversity hotspot on Myers 2000 edition of the hotspot-map, a region must meet two strict criteria: it must contain at least 0.5% or 1,500 species of vascular plants as endemics, and it has to have lost at least 75% of its primary vegetation.[6] Around the world, 36 areas qualify under this definition.
Topic to focus: Biodiversity Hotspots & biodiversity conservation measures
Q57. The much-discussed Line of Actual Control is a disputed borderline between
India and China
China and Pakistan
India and Pakistan
China and Nepal
Correct Option: (A) India and China
Topic to focus: Important boundaries – Political Geography
Q58. The Paris Agreement of the UNFCCC is to limit the global warming well below
1 degree celsius
2 degree celsius
2.5 degree celsius
3 degree celsius
Correct Option: (B) 2 oC degree
The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196 Parties at COP 21 in Paris, on 12 December 2015 and entered into force on 4 November 2016. Its goal is to limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.
Topic to focus: Important Conventions/Conference related to Environment issues
Q61. Sittwe Port in Myanmar which is being financed by India, is a part of which project
Kaladan Multi-modal Transit Transport Project
Sagarmala Project
Prayagraj-Haldia Inland waterway project
Talcher-Dhamra Inland Waterway Project
Correct Option: (A) Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project
The Kaladan Road Project is a US$484 million project connecting the eastern Indian seaport of Kolkata with Sittwe seaport in Rakhine State, Myanmar by sea. In Myanmar, it will then link Sittwe seaport to Paletwa in Chin State via the Kaladan river boat route, and then from Paletwa by road to Mizoram state in Northeast India.
Topic to focus: Current Affairs Topics w.r.t. Geography
Q93. The largest landlocked country in the world is
Republic of Congo
Mongolia
Bolivia
Kazakhstan
Correct Option: (D) Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is the world’s largest landlocked country. A landlocked country is a country that has no direct access to the ocean.
Topic to focus: Countries/States facts
Q94. Find out which of the following pairs is/are correct:
Khamti: Arunachal Pradesh
Ao: Nagaland
Melacheri: Lakshadweep
Only 1
Only 2
1 and 2
All are correct
Correct Option: (D) All of the above
Topic to focus: States and native Tribes
Q95. Which country is the largest archipelago country in the world?
Philippines
Indonesia
Maldives
Malaysia
Correct Option: (B) Indonesia
Indonesia is made up of 17,508 islands of which about 6,000 islands inhabited by people. As the largest archipelago in the world, its territory covers an area of 1,919,440 square kilometers (735 355 square miles) and has one of the widest among the 16 countries in the world and is also the fourth most populous country with about 230 million inhabitants. The country has over 150 active volcanoes, including Krakatoa and Tambora.
Topic to focus: Countries/States facts
Q96. Which of the following rivers has the largest river basin in the Indian subcontinent?
Most of the Indus Basin lies in India and Pakistan, and only about 13 percent of its total catchment is in Tibet and Afghanistan.
So, Indus basin within Indian subcontinent = 10,13,985 Sq.km.
https://ncert.nic.in/ncerts/l/kegy103.pdf
The Indus System is one of the largest river basins of the world, covering an area of 11,65,000 sq. km (in India it is 321, 289 sq. km and a total length of 2,880
The Ganga basin extends over an area of 10,86,000km2.
The drainage area lying in India is 862,769 km2. 140,000 km2 (54,000 sq mi) in Nepal (13%), 46,000 km2 (18,000 sq mi) in Bangladesh (4%), and 33,000 km2 (13,000 sq mi) in China (3%)
Source: International Watercourses Law for the 21st Century: The Case of the River Ganges Basin Front Cover Sūryaprasāda Suvedī, Surya P. Subedi
So, Even if we deduct Basin area in China, 10,86,000-13000=10,73,000km2 in Indian subcontinent.
Topic to focus: Important Rivers
Q97. The boundary demarcation between India and Pakistan came into force on 17th August 1947. Which line divides the two countries?
Durand Line
Radcliffe Line
McMohan Line
Gilbert Line
Correct Option: (B) Radcliffe Line
The boundary demarcation line between India and Pakistan known as the Radcliffe Line came into force on 17 August 1947. The Radcliffe line is spread through the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat to the international border in Jammu in Jammu & Kashmir, dividing India and Pakistan into two different countries.
Topic to focus: Important boundaries – Political Geography
Q98. The islands of Seychelles are located in the
Arctic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Indian Ocean
Pacific Ocean
Correct Option: (C) Indian Ocean
Seychelles is located in the Somali Sea segment of the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar.
Topic to focus: Countries/States facts
Q100. According to the most authentic geographical studies, when did life begin on earth?
4.2 million years ago
4.6 billion years ago
3.8 million years ago
3.8 billion years ago
Correct Option: (D) 3.8 billion
Earth formed around 4.54 billion years ago. The earth’s oceans were formed within 500 million years from the formation of the earth. Sometime around 3,800 million years ago, life began to evolve.
Topic to focus: Earth’s physical geography
GEOGRAPHY Assam
Q4. Which among the following cities is known as the Tea City of India?
Darjeeling
Dibrugarh
Siliguri
Nainital
Correct Option: (B) Dibrugarh
Dibrugarh is the largest tea exporting town in India. Nestled on the banks of the river Brahmaputra, Dibrugarh is the entry point to the districts of Tinsukia, Dibrugarh and Jorhat which produce tea in abundance. Around 50% of the total tea produced in Assam come from these three districts. Dibrugarh is aptly called the ‘Tea City of India’. The town and its nearby places are a home to Oil and Timber industries. The aroma of the tea gardens and the mesmerizing views of the Himalayas make the town a must-see destination. Take a stroll in the tea gardens and sip one of the finest tea in the world. Take some packets of the tea back home. Every time you have this tea you will relive your memories of Dibrugarh. The town got its name from Dibarumukh. ‘Dibaru’ is the name of a river and ‘mukh’ means mouth.
Topic to focus: Economic Centers of Assam
Q22. The four districts under the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) are
Kokrajhar, Barpeta, Chirang and Baksa
Kokrajhar, Baksa, Chirang and Udalguri
Kokrajhar, Baksa, Sonitpur and Udalguri
Baksa, Chirang, Udalguri and Nalbari
Correct Option: (B) Kokrajhar, Baksa, Chirang and Udalguri
The BTC consists of four contiguous districts — Kokrajhar, Baksa, Udalguri and Chirang — carved out of seven existing districts — Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamrup, Darrang and Sonitpur — an area of 8970 km2 comprising various protected tribal belts and blocks in Assam. Its establishment was under theass Amended Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
Topic to focus: Political Geography of Assam
Q37. The two UNESCO World Heritage sites in Assam are
Nameri National Park and Dibru-Saikhowa National Park
Kaziranga National Park and Manas National Park
Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park and Hollongabar Gibbon WLS
Deepor Beel WLS and Dibru-Saikhowa National park
Correct Option: (B) Kaziranga NP and Manas NP
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India
India now has 35 sites, including 27 cultural properties, seven natural sites and one mixed site, notified as World Heritage Sites.
UNESCO World Heritage Natural Sites in India
28.
Kaziranga National Park (1985)
Assam
29
Manas Wild Life Sanctuary (1985)
Assam
30.
Keoladeo National Park (1985)
Rajasthan
31.
Sunderban National Park (1987)
West Bengal
32.
Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks (1988, 2005)
Uttarakhand
33.
Western Ghats (2012)
Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra,Tamil Nadu
34.
Great Himalayan National Park (2014)
Himachal Pradesh
35.
Khangchendzonga National Park (KNP) (2016)* [Mixed site]
Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area located in the state of Assam in India. This wildlife sanctuary covers 175 km2. It is located along the foothills of the Great Himalayan Range. The area was declared as a sanctuary in 1998.
Topic to focus: Biodiversity conservation in Assam – National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries etc.
Elephant is the largest terrestrial mammal of India .Elephant being wide ranging animal requires large areas. The requirement of food and water for elephants are very high and therefore their population can be supported only by forests that are under optimal conditions.
Indian elephants are mainly found in the central and southern Western Ghats, North-east India, eastern India and northern India and in some parts of southern peninsular India. It is included in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES). It occurs in 16 states in the country and is showing an increasing trend across its distributional range.
Asian elephants are confined to Indian Subcontinent, South East Asia and some Asian Islands – Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Malaysia. About 60% of the Asian elephant population is in India.
Environmental movement is a type of social movement for the conservation of the environment or for the improvement of the state policy especially inclined towards the environment.Many environmental movements have emerged in India. These movements have grown out of a series of independent responses to local issues in different places at different times.
Major Environmental Movements in India
Bishnoi Movement: This movement was started by sage Sombaji around 1700 AD against deforestation. After that Amrita Devi forwarded the movement.Around 363 people sacrificed their lives for the protection of their forests. When the king of this region came to know the protest and killing, he rushed to the village and apologized, and declared the region as a protected area. This movement was the first of its kind to have developed the strategy of hugging or embracing the trees for their protection spontaneously.
Narmada Bachao Andolan: This movement is against the Narmada River Valley Project. It has drawn upon a multiplicity of discourses for protests such as: displacement risks and resettlement provisions; environmental impact and sustainability issues; financial implications of the project; forceful evictions and violations of civil liberties; issues pertaining to river valley planning and management etc.
Chipko Movement: Itis one of the world-known environmental movements in India.This movement initiated by Shri Sunderlal Bahaguna to guard the trees on the Himalayan slopes. Sunderlal Bahaguna not only successfully resisted deforestation in several areas but also showed that community afforestation with indigenous species can be enormously successful. He enlightened the villagers by conveying the importance of trees in the environment which checks the erosion of soil, causes rains and provides pure air. The women of Advani village of Tehri-Garhwal tied the sacred thread around trunks of trees and they hugged the trees, hence it was called the ‘Chipko Movement’ or ‘hug the tree movement’.
Jungle Bachao Andolan: The tribal community of Singhbhum district of Jharkhand agitated against the forest policy of the Government in 1982. The Government wanted to replace the natural soil, forests with the high-priced teak. This movement was called by many environmentalists as “Greed Game Political Populism”. Later this movement spread to Jharkhand and Orissa.
Appiko Movement: It is one of the forest-based environmental movements in India. The movement took place in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka in the Western Ghats. Its main objectives were afforestation as well as development, conservation and proper utilization of forests in the best manner. The movement created awareness among the villagers throughout the Western Ghats about the ecological danger posed by the commercial and industrial interests to their forest which was the main source of sustenance.
Silent Valley Movement: Silent Valley Movement in Kerala was against the construction of a hydroelectric dam on the river Kunthipuzha under the Kudremukh project.
Tehri Dam Conflict: In recent years, it is one of the most publicized environmental movements in recent years. The major issues of the movement include- seismic sensitivity of the region, submergence of forest areas along with Tehri town etc.
These environmental movements were mainly against the ecological concerns such as greater exploitation of the already depleted natural resources, construction of big dams etc. However, along with these ecological concerns, there were also economic and identity issues associated with these environmental movements.
Some of the economic issues associated with environmental movements
The economy of subsistence was pitted against the economy of profit. Along with this issue of social inequality (villagers versus a government that represented commercial, capitalist interests), the Chipko Movement also raised the issue of ecological sustainability.
Villagers relied on the forest to get firewood, fodder and other daily necessities. The livelihood needs of poor villagers were put at stake against the government’s desire to generate revenues from selling timber. The need for infrastructural development attracted many foreign logging companies, who were eyeing the vast forest resources. This led to denying of villager’s control over these natural resources on which they relied for both food and fuel.
Widespread flooding of the villages and forest areas, which was attributed to the mismanagement due to commercial logging and construction of big dams, led to displacement of villagers thereby losing their means of livelihood.
Some of the identity issues associated with environmental movements
Environmental movement is a type of “social movement that involves an array of persons, groups and coalitions that observe a common interest in environmental protection and act to bring about changes in environmental policies and practices
The villagers valued the forest for their own sake and were of the view that their existence and identity is closely linked to the forest. They were able to perceive the link between their victimization and the denuding of mountain slopes by commercial interests.
Women, being solely in charge of cultivation, livestock and children, suffered the most due to floods and landslides.
Women were given no share in the decision-making process, public power and political activities like men. These movements provided them with the opportunity to raise their concerns and fight for their rights.
Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) released the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021, which provides information on forest cover, tree cover, mangrove cover, growing stock, carbon stock in India’s forests, forest fire monitoring, forest cover in tiger reserve areas, above ground estimates of biomass using SAR data & climate change hotspots in Indian forests.
As per the report, India has recorded an increase of 1,540 sq kms in its forest cover, reaching India’s total forest cover of 713,789 sq km or 21.71 per cent of the total geographical area of the country. India has set a target of bringing 33 percent of its geographical area under forest cover as envisaged in the National Forest Policy, 1988.
The Forest Survey of India defines “forest cover” as all land of one hectare or more of tree patches with canopy density of more than 10 per cent. This covers all land irrespective of legal ownership and land use.
Three categories of forests are surveyed – very dense forests (canopy density over 70%), moderately dense forests (40-70%) and open forests (10-40%). Scrubs (canopy density less than 10%) are also surveyed but not categorised as forests.
India’s total 7,13,789 sq km of forest cover comprises
Open forests have the biggest share in India’s forest cover, with 9.34% of the total geographical area (307,120 sq km). There is an increase of 2,612 sq km.
Very dense forests account for just 3.04% (99,779 sq km) of the total geographical area. There is an increase of 501 sq km.
Moderately dense forests account for 9.33% (3,06,890 sq km). There is loss of 1,582 sq km.
Key highlights of India State of Forest Report, 2021
ISFR 2021 has shown an increasing trend in forest cover overall, the trend is not uniform across all kinds of forests. Increase in forest cover has been observed in open forest followed by very dense forest.
The forest and tree cover of India is 80.9 million hectares which is 24.62 percent of the geographical area of the country. As compared to the assessment of 2019, there is an increase of 2,261 sq km in the total forest and tree cover of the country. Out of this, the increase in the forest cover has been observed as 1,540 sq km and that in tree cover it is 721 sq km.
Madhya Pradesh has the largest area covered under forest in the country followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra.
In terms of forest cover as percentage of total geographical area, the top five States are Mizoram (84.53%), Arunachal Pradesh (79.33%), Meghalaya (76.00%), Manipur (74.34%) and Nagaland (73.90%).
17 states/UT’s have above 33 percent of the geographical area under forest cover. Five states/UTs namely Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya have more than 75 percent forest cover.
Total carbon stock in the country’s forest is estimated to be 7,204 million tonnes and there is an increase of 79.4 million tonnes in the carbon stock of the country as compared to the last assessment of 2019. The annual increase in the carbon stock is 39.7 million tonnes.
By 2030, 45-64% of forests in India will experience the effects of climate change and rising temperatures, and forests in all states (except Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland) will be highly vulnerable climate hot spots. Ladakh is likely to be the most affected.
India’s forests are already showing shifting trends of vegetation types, such as Sikkim which has shown a shift in its vegetation pattern for 124 endemic species.
The assessment of the report is based on interpretation of LISS-III data from Indian Remote Sensing satellite data (Resourcesat-II) with a spatial resolution of 23.5 meters with the scale of interpretation 1:50,000 to monitor forest cover and forest cover changes at District, State and National level.
Mangroves coverage
India’s total mangrove cover is 4,992 sq km and an increase of 17 sq Km in mangrove cover as compared to the previous assessment of 2019.
Top three states showing mangrove cover increase are Odisha (8 sq km) followed by Maharashtra (4 sq km) and Karnataka (3 sq km).
Forest cover in Tiger reserves
In ISFR 2021, FSI has included a new chapter related to the assessment of forest cover in the Tiger Reserves, Corridors and Lion conservation area of India.
It has found that the forest cover in tiger corridors has increased by 37.15 sq km (0.32%) between 2011-2021, but decreased by 22.6 sq km (0.04%) in tiger reserves.
Buxa (West Bengal), Anamalai (Tamil Nadu) and Indravati reserves (Chhattisgarh) have shown an increase in forest cover.
The highest forest cover losses have been found in Kawal (Telangana), Bhadra (Karnataka) and the Sundarbans reserves (West Bengal).
Pakke Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh has the highest forest cover, at nearly 97%.
Some of the concerns
India is not adding dense forests. It is actually losing significant areas of natural forests with moderate tree cover. India has more ‘open forest’ i.e. forest cover with tree canopy density in the range of 10% to 40%.
1,582 sq km decline in moderately dense forests, or “natural forests”, in conjunction with an increase of 2,621 sq km in open forest areas – shows a degradation of forests in the country, with natural forests degrading to less dense open forests.
Scrub area has increased by 5,320 sq km, indicating the complete degradation of forests in these areas.
The Northeast states, which account for 7.98% of total geographical area but 23.75% of total forest cover, have shown an overall decline of 1,020 sq km in forest cover.
Forest loss in NE states: Mizoram (84.5% of its total geographical area is forests) or Arunachal Pradesh (79.3%), the two states have respectively lost 1.03% and 0.39% of their forest cover, while Manipur has lost 1.48 %, Meghalaya 0.43%, and Nagaland 1.88%.
In 2019-20, 1.2 lakh forest fire hotspots were detected by the SNPP_VIIRS sensor, which increased to 3.4 lakh in 2020-21. The highest numbers of fires were detected in Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
FACTFILE - India State of Forest Report (ISFR)
The biannual report is prepared by The Forest Survey of India (FSI), a body under MoEFCC, which conducts surveys and assessment of forest resources in the country.
The information given in the report will serve as an important tool to monitor the country’s forest resources and plan suitable scientific and policy interventions for its management. It will also serve as a useful source of information for the policy makers, planners, State Forest Departments, line agencies involved in various developmental works, academicians, civil society and others interested in natural resource conservation and management.
Published biennially, the India State of Forest Report, 2021 is an assessment of the forest and tree resources of the country. The first survey was published in 1987, and ISFR 2021 is the 17th.
The Northeast states account for 7.98% of total geographical area but 23.75% of total forest cover. North eastern states from the region have the highest percentage of forest cover w.r.t. total geographical area of the state. Mizoram (84.53%) > Arunachal Pradesh (79.33%) > Meghalaya (76.00%) > Manipur (74.34%) > Nagaland (73.90%).
As per India’s State of Forest Report 2021, the northeastern states viz. Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Sikkim have lost 1,020 square kilometres of forest during 2019-2021. The eight states account for 23.75 per cent of the country’s total forest cover.
Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh have respectively lost 1.03% and 0.39% of their forest cover, while Manipur has lost 1.48 %, Meghalaya 0.43%, and Nagaland 1.88%. Manipur recorded the largest loss in forest cover (249 sq kms), followed by Nagaland (235 sq kms) and Mizoram (186 sq kms). The decline in the Northeastern states has been attributed to a spate of natural calamities, particularly landslides and heavy rains, in the region as well as to anthropogenic activities such as shifting agriculture, pressure of developmental activities and felling of trees.
The northeastern states have been losing forest cover consistently and between 2011 and 2019, forest cover of six states, excluding Assam, had decreased by nearly 18 per cent between 2011 and 2019. The region lost nearly 25,012 sq. km of forest cover in the preceding decade.
Forests in all states (except Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland) will be highly vulnerable to climate hot spots. Ladakh (forest cover 0.1-0.2%) is likely to be the most affected.
States under North-Eastern Region showed the highest tendency of forest fire, and these states fall under extremely to very highly forest fire zones. States like Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, and Manipur in the North-Eastern Part of India exhibit the highest forest fire probability in terms of its frequency of event occurrence.
Special thematic information on forest cover such as hill, tribal districts, and north eastern region has also been given separately in the report.
FACTFILE – India State of Forest Report (ISFR)
The biannual report is prepared by The Forest Survey of India (FSI), a body under MoEFCC, which conducts surveys and assessment of forest resources in the country.
The India State of Forest Report 2021 is 17th such report in the series. In line with the Government of India’s vision of Digital India and the consequent need for integration of digital data sets, the Forest Survey of India has adopted the vector boundary layers of various administrative units upto districts developed by Survey of India along with digital open series topo sheets, bringing about full compatibility with the geographical areas as reported in Census, 2011.
The report contains information on forest cover, tree cover, mangrove cover, growing stock inside and outside the forest areas, carbon stock in India’s forests and forest cover in different patch size classes. Special thematic information on forest cover such as hill, tribal districts, and north eastern region has also been given separately in the report.
Forest Survey of India (FSI) has been assessing the forest and tree resources of our country on a biennial basis since 1987. The results of the assessment are published in its biennial report titled “India State of Forest Report (ISFR)”.
Assam is blessed with rich biodiversity of enormous wildlife of flora and fauna, that draws a lot of wildlife lovers to this state. Geographically located in the Eastern Hills of The Northern Himalayas and The Brahmaputra Plains, Assam has copious forests. With the tropical monsoon rainfall type of climate, the Assam state is one of the greenest states of the country.
Assam has 18 (Eighteen) Wildlife Sanctuaries (WS) in total and two more are proposed to be declared as Wildlife Sanctuaries. These protected area of Assam considered as one of the important wildlife areas for the protection of primate diversity and flora and fauna. Besides, Assam also has five National Parks.
It has an area of 6 square kilometre, located in Karbi Anglong district of Assam. One of the oldest Sanctuary containing Hot water spring and Waterfalls and surrounded by Nambor Sanctuary having 51 rare species of Orchid.
The Sanctuary is located on the southern bank of river Brahmaputra with an area of 70 sq. kms. in the district of Nagaon and is a part of Laokhowa -Burachapori eco-system. It provides ideal habitat for Rhinoceros and Wild Buffalo. It is situated 40 km downstream of the Kaziranga National Park and 30 km northwest of the Orang National Park on the other side of the river Brahmaputra.
Mammals: Elephant, Wild buffalo, Royal Bengal tiger, Indian Leopard, Hog deer, Barking deer, Leopard cat, Fishing cat, Civets, Lesser cat, Wild pig etc.
Bornadi Wildlife Sanctuary
A Sanctuary of only 26.22 sq. kms. area, situated on the foothills of Himalayas in in Udalguri district & Baksa District of Assam, bordering Bhutan in the north, is an ideal bhabar tract. The Sanctuary was established in 1980 especially for the protection and conservation of Hispid Hare (Caprolagus hispidus) and Pigmy Hog (Porcula salvania).
There are mammals such as the Golden Langur, clouded leopard, hoolock gibbon, Elephant, Gaur, Tiger, Leopard, Small Indian Civet, Jungle Cat, Chinese Pangolin, Porcupine, Himalayan Black Bear, Barking Deer, Pigmy Hog, Wild Pig, Hispid Hare etc.
With an area of 45.50 sq. kms., Chakrasila Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Dhubri district in the western Assam and is the second home of Golden Langur off the foothills of Himalaya.
Chakrashila Hill was first declared as reserve forest in 1966 and on 14 July 1994, it was recognized with the status of Wildlife sanctuary by the Government of Assam.
Mammals & Birds: Golden Langur, Rhesus Macaque, Leopard etc. There are also 273 species of Birds, 11 species of Reptiles, 14 species of Amphibians and 60 species of Fishes have been recorded so far.
Burachapori Wildlife Sanctuary
Located on the southern bank of river Brahmaputra in the Sonitpur district with an area of 44 sq. kms. The Sanctuary is a part of Laokhowa – Burachapori eco-system and comprises of a mosaic of wet alluvial grassland, riparian and semi-evergreen forests dotted by wetland and river system.
It is considered to be an ideal habitat for the Bengal florican. It is a paradise for many migratory birds.
Mammals: Tiger, Leopard, Wild Buffalo, Hog Deer, Wild Pigs etc. and occasional visit of herd of Elephants.
Birds: Bengal Florican, Swamp partridge(fancolin), Wood Cock, Water Hen, Parakeets etc.
Panidehing Wildlife Sanctuary
A rich wetland eco-system of 34 sq. kms. on the southern bank of river Brahmaputra in the Sibsagar district. This area was established as a Bird Sanctuary in August 1996 by the Government of Assam.
It is a paradise of migratory and resident birds, so far 165 species of Birds have been identified and recorded. It has high concentration of Geese and other Migratory birds. The common birds are Bar-headed Goose, Grey leg Goose, Spot billed Duck, Mallard, Gadwall, Wigeon, Gargany, Shoveller, Red crested Pochard, Common Pochard, Ferruginous Duck, Adjutant Stork, Lesser Adjutant Stork, Open bill Stork, White necked Stork etc.
Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary
It is a small Sanctuary of 20.98 sq. kms. in Jorhat district with semi-evergreen forests. The Sanctuary is named after the only Ape (Hoolock Gibbon) found in India.
The Sanctuary derives from a patch of forest once part of the Hollongapar Reserve Forest in the civil district of Jorhat in Assam, India. Set aside as a “Reserve Forest” (RF) on 27 August 1881, its forests used to extend to the foothills of the Patkai mountain range. The sanctuary was officially constituted and renamed in 1997.
This Sanctuary contains India’s only gibbons – the hoolock gibbons, and Northeastern India’s only nocturnal primate – the Bengal slow loris.
Birds: Indian Pied Horn Bill, Osprey, Hill Myna, Kalij pheasant etc.
Reptiles: Indian Python, Common Monitor Lizard, Indian Tent Turtle, Indian Cobra.
Pabitora Wildlife Sanctuary
Pobitora wildlife sanctuary is located on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra in Morigaon district. It was declared in 1987 and covers 38.85 km2, providing grassland and wetland habitat for the Indian rhinoceros.
The Sanctuary has the world’s highest density of One horned Rhinoceros. It is an Important Bird Area and home for more than 2000 migratory birds and various reptiles.
Mammals: It hosts Assam’s second largest population (102 rhinos in 2018). Other mammals occurring in the sanctuary are golden jackal, wild boar, feral water buffalo, Barking deer, Indian leopard, Leopard cat, Fishing cat, Wild pigs, Chinese pangolins, and rhesus macaque.
Birds: Altogether 375 species of both migratory and resident birds of 46 families have been recorded so far, with 14 listed in the Indian Red Data Book.
Reptiles: 27 species of reptiles have been recorded in the Sanctuary.
Under the Indian Rhino Vision 2020 (IRV 2020) , six rhinos were translocated from Pobitora and re-introduced into the Manas National Park between December 2010 and January 2011. Earlier, two rhinos were similarly translocated from Pobitora to Manas National Park in 2008.
Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary
The Sanctuary is located in the foothills of Himalaya in the Sonitpur district with an area of 220 sq. kms. and offers views of both scenic beauty and wildlife. This area was declared as a sanctuary in 1998.
White Winged Wood Duck, Hornbill, Pelican etc. and Python, Russell’s Viper etc. are found here.
Bherjan – Borajan – Padumoni Wildlife Sanctuary
Bherjan-Borajan-Padumoni Wildlife Sanctuary of 7.22 km2 area is located in Tinsukia district. The Sanctuary with 3 separate forest blocks viz. namely Bherjan, Borajan and Padumoni. This area is an ideal habitat for the Primate species.
Mammals: Some of the mammals found in the Sanctuary are Slow Loris, Assamese Macaque, Pig tailed Macaque, Rhesus Macaque, Capped Langur, Stump tailed Macaque and Hoolock Gibbon, besides few Leopards, Wild Pigs and Giant Flying Squirrel etc.
84 species of birds have been found including Osprey, Kingfisher, Indian Pied Hornbill, Lineated Barbet, Woodpecker, Drongo, Common Mynah, Bulbul, Magpie Robin, Wagtail and varieties of woodland birds.
East Karbi Anglong Wildlife Sanctuary
East Karbi Anglong Wildlife Sanctuary, with an area of 221.81 sq. kms. is an important component of the Karbi Anglong–Kaziranga landscape, rich in both floral & faunal diversity and is located in the Karbi Anglong Autonomous District Council. The forest area was declared a wildlife sanctuary on 27 July 2000 by the Assam Government.
High diversity of woodland birds and various reptiles like Python, Cobra, Monitor lizards, Hill tortoise etc. are found in abundance.
Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary
Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary, spreading 37 sq. kms. contiguous to Garampani WLS is located in Karbi Anglong Autonomous District Council. It harbours 51 rare species of Orchid.
High diversity of woodland birds and various reptiles like Python, Cobra, Monitor lizards etc. are found in abundance.
Marat Longri Wildlife Sanctuary
Marat Longri Wildlife Sanctuary, spreading 451.00 sq. kms. is located in Karbi Anglong Autonomous District Council. It is an important component of Dhansiri-Lungding Elephant Reserve.
High diversity of hilly and woodland birds. and reptiles like Banded Krait, Rock Python, Monitor Lizard, Brown Hill Tortoise etc.
Nambor – Doigrung Wildlife Sanctuary
Nambor – Doigrung Wildlife Sanctuary, declared as a Wildlife sanctuary in 2003, spreads in 97 sq. kms, is located in Golaghat district and is famous for Hot water springs and Gaur and Hoolock Gibbon.
The sanctuary along with Garampani Wildlife Sanctuary and Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary are a part of the Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong Elephant Reserve, which was declared on 17 April 2003.
Birds: White Winged Wood Duck, Great Pied Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, Adjutant Stork etc.
Amphibians & Reptiles: Tortoise, Monitor Lizard, Python etc.
Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary
The Sanctuary spreading in an area of 78.64 sq. kms. is located in the eastern fringe of Guwahati. 3 individual reserved forests viz. the Amchang reserve forest, South Amchang forest reserve and Khanapara reserve forest were combined in 2004 to form the sanctuary. This is known for hosting rare and endangered birds and animals, including the Chinese pangolin and Assamese Macaque.
Birds: Lesser Adjutant, Greater Adjutant, White-backed Vulture, Slender-billed Vulture, Khaleej Pheasant Green Imperial Pigeon, Lesser Pied Hornbill etc.
Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary
The Sanctuary with an area of 111 Sq. Kms. is located in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts, bordering Arunachal Pradesh. The Sanctuary is a part of the Dehing-Patkai Elephant Reserve.
Birds: Lesser Adjutant Stork, White Winged Wood duck, White-backed Vulture, Slender-billed Vulture, White cheeked Hill Partridge, Khaleej Pheasant, Grey Peacock-Pheasant, Rufus necked Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, Great Pied Hornbill, Beautiful Nuthatch, Black-browed Leaf Wabler etc.
Reptiles: Rock python, King cobra, Asian leaf turtle, Monitor Lizard etc.
Borail Wildlife Sanctuary
Borail Sanctuary covers an area of 326.24 sq. kms. in Cacharand Dima Hasao districts. It comprises of Tropical Moist Evergreen and Semi-Evergreen Forests of the North Cachar Reserve Forest and Borail Reserve Forest.
The Sanctuary area is home to a wide diversity of wildlife including Mammals like Chinese pangolin, Flying fox, Slow loris, Stump-tailed macaque, Assamese macaque, Rhesus macaque, Capped langur, Hoolock gibbon, Himalayan black bear, Yellow-throated marten, Hog –badger, Jungle cat, Leopard cat, Fishing cat, Marbled cat, Clouded leopard, Leopard, Wild pig, Sambar, Barking deer etc.
Birds like White-backed Vulture, Slender-billed Vulture, White cheeked Hill Partridge, Mountain Bamboo partridge, Khaleej Pheasant, Grey Peacock-Pheasant, Rufus necked Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, Great Pied Hornbill etc.
Reptiles including Rock python, King cobra, Brown hill tortoise, Asian leaf turtle, Monitor Lizard etc. are found here.
Deepar Beel Wildlife (Bird) Sanctuary
This wetland of 4.14 sq. kms area, located in the western boundary of Guwahati city, Deepar Beel Sanctuary is the only Ramsar Site in Assam.
Deepar Beel is a permanent freshwater lake, in a former channel of the Brahmaputra River. Ramsar Convention has listed the lake in November 2002, as a Ramsar Site for undertaking conservation measures on the basis of its biological and environmental importance.
Over 170 species of birds including kingfishers, fishing eagless and abundant varieties of ducks, have been listed in the Deepor Beel Bird Sanctuary. The major Avian species are Greater Adjutant Stork, Whistling Teal, Open Billed Stork, Shoveler, Pintail, Garganey and high concentration of Pheasant tail jacanas etc.
Guwahati Water bodies (Preservation and Conservation) Bill, 2008 has been passed with the objective of preserving the wetland, minimising the problem of waterlogging in the city and creating an eco-friendly atmosphere. The Government of Assam is planning to re-acquire land in the periphery of Deepor Beel, to undertake development projects, including water sports at the beel.
Additionally Two more Wildlife Sanctuary are proposed to be setup in Assam state.
The proposed Bordoibam Bilmukh Bird Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Dhemaji and Lakhimpur districts, the Bird Sanctuary covers an area of 11.25 sq. kms. and is a breeding ground of large Whistling Teal.
Birds : 24 species of Birds – Kingfishers, Large whistling Teal, Lesser Adjutant Stork, Spotted Dove, Pheasant tailed Jacana, Bronze winged Jacana, Indian River Tern, Black Headed Gull, White Wagtail, Black Headed Oriole, Purple Moorhen, Open bill Stork etc.
North Karbi Anglong Wildlife Sanctuary (Proposed)
The Sanctuary located in Karbi Anglong Autonomous District Council, is extremely important for the survival of Kaziranga N.P., as it is strategically located to the south of Kaziranga National Park and provides shelter to most of the animals of the park while migrating during annual floods.
Geography, Geography, Environment & Ecology are important sections in any General Studies papers, including APSC Prelims GS Paper. but the number of Qs are gradually decreasing. Analyzing the previous years Qs from these section can be very helpful to understand Focus Areas to study more extensively.
Q14. As per 2011 Census, which of the following States showed a negative decadal growth rate of population?
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