Shankar IAS Test: Institutions and Measures - UPSC MCQ

Following legislations are under the adjudication of NGT-

• Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
• Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
• Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
• The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991
• Forest Conservation Act, 1980
• Biological Diversity Act, 2002.

• As per EPR, the producers, importers and brand owners who introduce the plastic carry bags, pouches, packaging or E-waste etc in the market need to establish a collect back system for the plastic waste or E-waste generated due to their products.
• Collecting back waste will improve its reuse/ recycle Hazardous waste means any waste, which because of characteristics, such as physical, chemical, biological, reactive, toxic, flammable, explosive or corrosive, causes danger to health, or environment.

Statement 1 and 4 are incorrect: 

• Dumping of a city or town waste for landfilling, discarding ash, or any other waste from thermal power stations, and mining of sand, rocks and other substrate materials constitute non-permissive activities.

• The Wildlife Protection act came into effect in 1972. The primary purpose of enacting this was to maintain ecological processes and life-supporting systems to preserve biodiversity and to ensure continuous use of species i.e., protection and conservation of wildlife.
• The major provisions of this act are: Strengthening management and protection of infrastructure of National parks and sanctuaries. Hence statement 3 is correct.
• Hence statement 2 is not correct. Special care and captive breeding programmes for highly endangered species (e.g. Gharial, Estuarine Crocodile) of wildlife. Protection to some endangered plants like Beddome Cycad, Blue Vanda, Ladies Slipper Orchid, Pitcher Plant, etc. is also provided under the Act.
• It provides for legal powers to officers and punishment to offenders. Hence statement 1 is correct. Research and Development: The Act defines the wildlife-related terminology and provides a comprehensive list of endangered wildlife species. Development of selected Ex-situ conservation areas, like Zoological and Botanical Gardens.

• Environmental Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) is a Supreme Court mandated body tasked with taking various measures to tackle air pollution in the National Capital Region.
• It was notified in 1998 by the Environment Ministry under Environment Protection Act, 1986. Its mandate is to protect and improve the quality of the environment and prevent and control environmental pollution in the National Capital Region.
• It is also mandated to enforce the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in NCR as per the pollution levels. In November 2017, EPCA had enforced several measures, including a ban on brick kilns, closure of Badarpur thermal power plant, hot mix plants and stone crushers, and construction activities in NCR.

AWBI is a statutory advisory body established in 1962 under Section 4 of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. THE NATIONAL BIODIVERSITY AUTHORITY (NBA) – CHENNAI.

• The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) was established in 2003 to implement India’s Biological Diversity Act (2002).
• The NBA is a Statutory, Autonomous Body and it performs a facilitative, regulatory and advisory function for the Government of India on issues of conservation, sustainable use of biological resources and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of biological resources.

• The Ministry of Environment and Forests has been implementing the National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) since 2001 for conservation and management of polluted and degraded lakes in urban and semi-urban areas.
• Objective: to restore and conserve the urban and semi-urban lakes of the country degraded due to wastewater discharge into the lake and other unique freshwater ecosystems, through an integrated ecosystem approach.

Central Zoo Authority:

• The amendment made to the Wild Life (Protection) Act in 1991 added a new chapter dealing with zoos to the Act and allowed for the Central Government to constitute an authority known as the Central Zoo Authority to oversee the functioning and development of zoos in the country.

The following are the functions of the Central Zoo Authority as specified in the Act: 

• To specify the minimum standards for housing, upkeep and veterinary care of animals kept in a zoo.
• To evaluate and assess the functioning of zoos concerning the standards or the norms as are prescribed.
• To recognize and derecognize zoos.
• To identify endangered species of wild animals for purposes of captive breeding and assigning responsibility in this regard to a zoo.
• To coordinate the acquisition, exchange and loaning of animals for breeding purposes.

National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA):

• NGRBA was constituted in February 2009 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
• The NGRBA is a planning, financing, monitoring and coordinating body of the centre and the states.
• The objective of the NGRBA is to ensure effective abatement of pollution and conservation of the river Ganga by adopting a river basin approach for comprehensive planning and management.

Wildlife Trust Of India: NGO founded: 1998.

• Aim: To conserve nature, especially endangered species and threatened habitats, in partnership with communities and governments.
• The Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) is committed to the protection of India’s wildlife; it achieves this by working in partnership with local communities and governments on a range of projects, from species rehabilitation to the prevention of the illegal wildlife trade.