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Consider the following statements about the impact of the Green Revolution?
1. Due to excessive and uncontrolled use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides have degraded the environment by increasing pollution levels in land, water and air.
2. In India it is more due to deforestation and extension of cultivation in ecologically fragile areas.
Which of these statements is/are correct?
  • a)
    1 Only
  • b)
    2 Only
  • c)
    Both 1 and 2
  • d)
    Neither 1 nor 2
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
Most Upvoted Answer
Consider the following statements about the impact of the Green Revol...
  • Environmental degradation: Due to excessive and uncontrolled use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides have degraded the environment by increasing pollution levels in land, water and air.
  • In India, it is more due to deforestation and extension of cultivation in ecologically fragile areas
Community Answer
Consider the following statements about the impact of the Green Revol...
The correct answer is option 'C', which means both statements 1 and 2 are correct.

Statement 1: Due to excessive and uncontrolled use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, the environment has been degraded by increasing pollution levels in land, water, and air.

The Green Revolution, which started in the mid-20th century, aimed to increase agricultural productivity through the use of high-yielding crop varieties, irrigation, and the extensive use of chemical inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. While the Green Revolution brought significant increases in food production and helped alleviate hunger in many parts of the world, it also had negative impacts on the environment.

- Increased pollution levels: The use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides has led to the accumulation of harmful pollutants in the environment. Excessive use of fertilizers has caused nutrient imbalances in soil and water bodies, leading to eutrophication and the degradation of aquatic ecosystems. Pesticides and herbicides, when used in large quantities, can contaminate soil, water, and air, posing risks to human health and the environment.

- Land degradation: The use of chemical inputs has contributed to soil degradation and erosion. Continuous and excessive use of fertilizers can lead to nutrient imbalances, soil acidification, and decreased soil fertility. Pesticides and herbicides can also harm beneficial soil organisms, disrupting the natural processes that maintain soil health.

- Water pollution: The runoff of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides from agricultural fields can contaminate water bodies, affecting aquatic ecosystems and water quality. This pollution can have adverse effects on aquatic organisms, including fish and other wildlife, as well as human populations that rely on these water sources for drinking water and other purposes.

- Air pollution: The use of chemical inputs in agriculture can also contribute to air pollution. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from pesticides and fertilizers can contribute to the formation of smog and air pollution. In addition, the burning of crop residues, which is a common practice in some areas, releases pollutants such as particulate matter and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Statement 2: In India, the impact of the Green Revolution is also due to deforestation and the extension of cultivation in ecologically fragile areas.

- Deforestation: The expansion of agricultural land to meet the growing demands for food has resulted in widespread deforestation in India. Forests are often cleared to make way for agricultural fields, leading to the loss of biodiversity and disruption of ecosystems. Deforestation also contributes to climate change by releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and reducing the capacity of forests to absorb greenhouse gases.

- Cultivation in ecologically fragile areas: The Green Revolution in India focused on the cultivation of high-yielding crop varieties in areas with favorable agro-climatic conditions. However, in some cases, cultivation was extended to ecologically fragile areas such as hilly regions and areas with poor soil quality. This expansion of agriculture in such areas can result in soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, and increased vulnerability to natural disasters such as landslides and floods.

In conclusion, both statements are correct. The excessive and uncontrolled use of chemical inputs in the Green Revolution has led to environmental degradation, including increased pollution levels in land, water, and air. Additionally, in India, the impact of the Green Revolution is also seen in deforestation and the extension of cultivation in ecologically fragile areas.
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Passage -1The law in many parts of the world increasingly restricts the discharge of agricultural slurry into watercourses. The simplest and often the most economically sound practice returns the material to the land as semisolid manure or as sprayed slurry. This dilutes its concentration in the environment to what might have occurred III a more primitive and sustainable type of agriculture and converts pollutant into fertilizer. Soil microorganisms decompose the organic components of sewage and slurry and most of the mineral nutrients become available to be absorbed again by the vegetation.The excess input of nutrients, both nitrogen and phosphorus - based, from agricultural runoff (and human sewag e) has caused many healthy oligotrophic lakes (low nutrient concentrations, low plant productivity with abundant water weeds, and clear water) to change to eutrophic condition where high nutrient inputs lead to high phytoplankton productivity (sometimes dominated by bloomforming toxic species). This makes the water turbid, eliminates large plants and, in the worst situations, leads to anoxia and fish kills; so called cultural eutrophication. Thus, important ecosystem services are lost, including the provisioning service of wild-caught fish and the cultural services associated with recreation.The process of cultural eutrophication of lakes has been understood for some time. But only recently did scientists notice huge dead zones in the oceans near river outlets, particularly those draining large catchment areas such as the Mississippi in North America and the Yangtze in China. The nutrient-enriched water flows through streams, rivers and lakes, and eventually to the estuary and ocean where the ecological impact may be huge, killing virtually all invertebrates and fish in areas up to 70,000 km2 in extent. More than 150 sea areas worldwide are now regularly starved of oxygen as a result of decomposition of algal blooms, fuelled particularly by nitrogen from agricultural runoff of fertilizers and sewage from large cities. Oceanic dead zones are typically associated withindustrialized nations and usually lie off- countries that subsidize their agriculture, encouraging farmers to increase productivity and use more fertilizer.Q.What is the central theme of this passage?

Passage -1The law in many parts of the world increasingly restricts the discharge of agricultural slurry into watercourses. The simplest and often the most economically sound practice returns the material to the land as semisolid manure or as sprayed slurry. This dilutes its concentration in the environment to what might have occurred III a more primitive and sustainable type of agriculture and converts pollutant into fertilizer. Soil microorganisms decompose the organic components of sewage and slurry and most of the mineral nutrients become available to be absorbed again by the vegetation.The excess input of nutrients, both nitrogen and phosphorus - based, from agricultural runoff (and human sewag e) has caused many healthy oligotrophic lakes (low nutrient concentrations, low plant productivity with abundant water weeds, and clear water) to change to eutrophic condition where high nutrient inputs lead to high phytoplankton productivity (sometimes dominated by bloomforming toxic species). This makes the water turbid, eliminates large plants and, in the worst situations, leads to anoxia and fish kills; so called cultural eutrophication. Thus, important ecosystem services are lost, including the provisioning service of wild-caught fish and the cultural services associated with recreation.The process of cultural eutrophication of lakes has been understood for some time. But only recently did scientists notice huge dead zones in the oceans near river outlets, particularly those draining large catchment areas such as the Mississippi in North America and the Yangtze in China. The nutrient-enriched water flows through streams, rivers and lakes, and eventually to the estuary and ocean where the ecological impact may be huge, killing virtually all invertebrates and fish in areas up to 70,000 km2 in extent. More than 150 sea areas worldwide are now regularly starved of oxygen as a result of decomposition of algal blooms, fuelled particularly by nitrogen from agricultural runoff of fertilizers and sewage from large cities. Oceanic dead zones are typically associated withindustrialized nations and usually lie off- countries that subsidize their agriculture, encouraging farmers to increase productivity and use more fertilizer.Q.According to the passage, what are the effects of indiscriminate use of fertilizers?1. Addition of pollutants to the soil and water.2. Destruction decomposer of microorganisms in soil.3. Nutrient enrichment of water bodies.4. Creation of algal blooms.

Passage -1The law in many parts of the world increasingly restricts the discharge of agricultural slurry into watercourses. The simplest and often the most economically sound practice returns the material to the land as semisolid manure or as sprayed slurry. This dilutes its concentration in the environment to what might have occurred III a more primitive and sustainable type of agriculture and converts pollutant into fertilizer. Soil microorganisms decompose the organic components of sewage and slurry and most of the mineral nutrients become available to be absorbed again by the vegetation.The excess input of nutrients, both nitrogen and phosphorus - based, from agricultural runoff (and human sewag e) has caused many healthy oligotrophic lakes (low nutrient concentrations, low plant productivity with abundant water weeds, and clear water) to change to eutrophic condition where high nutrient inputs lead to high phytoplankton productivity (sometimes dominated by bloomforming toxic species). This makes the water turbid, eliminates large plants and, in the worst situations, leads to anoxia and fish kills; so called cultural eutrophication. Thus, important ecosystem services are lost, including the provisioning service of wild-caught fish and the cultural services associated with recreation.The process of cultural eutrophication of lakes has been understood for some time. But only recently did scientists notice huge dead zones in the oceans near river outlets, particularly those draining large catchment areas such as the Mississippi in North America and the Yangtze in China. The nutrient-enriched water flows through streams, rivers and lakes, and eventually to the estuary and ocean where the ecological impact may be huge, killing virtually all invertebrates and fish in areas up to 70,000 km2 in extent. More than 150 sea areas worldwide are now regularly starved of oxygen as a result of decomposition of algal blooms, fuelled particularly by nitrogen from agricultural runoff of fertilizers and sewage from large cities. Oceanic dead zones are typically associated withindustrialized nations and usually lie off- countries that subsidize their agriculture, encouraging farmers to increase productivity and use more fertilizer.Q.The passage refers to the conversion of pollutant to fertilizer. What is pollutant and what is fertilizer in this context?

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Consider the following statements about the impact of the Green Revolution? 1. Due to excessive and uncontrolled use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides have degraded the environment by increasing pollution levels in land, water and air.2. In India it is more due to deforestation and extension of cultivation in ecologically fragile areas.Which of these statements is/are correct?a) 1 Onlyb) 2 Onlyc) Both 1 and 2d) Neither 1 nor 2Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
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Consider the following statements about the impact of the Green Revolution? 1. Due to excessive and uncontrolled use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides have degraded the environment by increasing pollution levels in land, water and air.2. In India it is more due to deforestation and extension of cultivation in ecologically fragile areas.Which of these statements is/are correct?a) 1 Onlyb) 2 Onlyc) Both 1 and 2d) Neither 1 nor 2Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? for UPSC 2025 is part of UPSC preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the UPSC exam syllabus. Information about Consider the following statements about the impact of the Green Revolution? 1. Due to excessive and uncontrolled use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides have degraded the environment by increasing pollution levels in land, water and air.2. In India it is more due to deforestation and extension of cultivation in ecologically fragile areas.Which of these statements is/are correct?a) 1 Onlyb) 2 Onlyc) Both 1 and 2d) Neither 1 nor 2Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for UPSC 2025 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for Consider the following statements about the impact of the Green Revolution? 1. Due to excessive and uncontrolled use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides have degraded the environment by increasing pollution levels in land, water and air.2. In India it is more due to deforestation and extension of cultivation in ecologically fragile areas.Which of these statements is/are correct?a) 1 Onlyb) 2 Onlyc) Both 1 and 2d) Neither 1 nor 2Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?.
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