Environment · X-Factor Notes
Pollution revision notes for UPPCS Prelims.
40 revision facts
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Anthropogenic Pollution | Pollution caused or modified by human activities. Extreme urbanization and industrialization are harmful to the environment, ecology, and biodiversity conservation. | UPPCS (Pre) 2005, 2019, (Mains) 2002 |
| Biodegradable Pollutants | Pollutants that can be broken down into harmless substances by microorganisms. Examples include sewage, domestic waste, urine, and faecal matter (Uttarakhand P.C.S. Pre 2010, | UPPCS Pre 2014, UPPSC Pre-2022). |
| Bioindicators | Lichens are well-known bioindicators for air pollution, especially Sulphur dioxide (SO2) pollution. | UPPCS (Pre) 2019, 2021 |
| Eucalyptus | Known as Environmental Evil/Hazard because it absorbs too much inland water and decreases the water table where it is planted. | UPPCS Mains 2011, UPPCS Pre 2005, UPPSC Pre-2022). |
| Bioremediation | The process of eliminating toxic pollutants from the environment by using microorganisms. Pollutants containing heavy metals (like cadmium and lead) cannot be readily and completely treated by this process (I.A.S. Pre 2017). | I.A.S. (Pre) 2017 |
| Green Muffler | A control measure for Noise pollution achieved by planting 4-5 rows of green plants near noisy places like roadsides and industrial areas. | UPPCS (Pre) 2014 |
| Greenwashing | The practice of making false promises or misleading claims about the environmental benefit of a product or company practice. | U.P. P.C.S. (Mains) 2017 |
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Pollutant/Phenomenon | Source/Effect | UPPCS/Exam Year |
| Carbon Monoxide (CO) | Produced due to incomplete combustion in motor vehicles and cigarettes. It is the main pollutant in vehicle exhaust. It displaces oxygen in the blood more rapidly than CO2 and can lead to death. | UPPCS (Pre) 2013 |
| Lead (Pb) | The most toxic metal pollutant released by the combustion of petrol (used as an anti-knocking agent) . Sources still include smelting units and paints. | UPPCS (Mains) 2009, I.A.S. (Pre) 2012 |
| Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) | An air pollutant gas released by burning fossil fuels. It is responsible for acid rain. SO2 gas from the Mathura Oil Refinery is responsible for the corrosion of the Taj Mahal. | UPPCS (Mains) 2011, U.P.U.D.A./L.D.A. (Pre) 2002 |
| Acid Rain | Caused by air pollution from Nitrous oxide (NO) and Sulphur dioxide (SO2). Components include Nitric acid (HNO3) and Sulphuric acid (H2SO4). Norway is the country most affected. | UPPCS (Pre) 2013, 2000 |
| Fly Ash | A byproduct generated when coal is burnt at thermal power plants. | (UPPCS Mains 2004, UPPCS Pre 2021). |
| Delhi Air Pollution (Winter) | The high pollution level is due to cold air being relatively heavy and not rising high, causing pollutants to form a layer above the surface (Inversion). | U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2004 |
| Air Quality Index (AQI) | India’s AQI (Air Quality Index) is based on 8 major pollutants: PM10, PM2.5, NO2, CO, O3, SO2, NH3, and Pb | I.A.S. (Pre) 2016 |
| Bhopal Gas Tragedy | Occurred on December 3, 1984. The gas leaked was Methyl Isocyanate (M.I.C.) | UPPCS (Pre) 2008 |
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Pollutant/Phenomenon | Description and Relevance | UPPCS/Exam Year |
| Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) | An indication of pollution in the aquatic environment. High BOD indicates water contaminated by sewage. | UPPCS (Pre) 2007 |
| Ganga Pollution | BOD is maximum in the Ganga River between Kanpur and Allahabad. | UPPCS (Spl) (Mains) 2008 |
| Eutrophication | A form of water pollution that involves nutrient enrichment (e.g., from fertilizers or sewage), leading to dense plant/algae growth which depletes dissolved oxygen. | UPPCS (Pre) 2019, (Mains) 2013 |
| Arsenic Contamination | The problem of arsenic contamination of drinking water is maximum in West Bengal and highest in Kolkata. | UPPCS (Pre) 2005, 2015 |
| Water Purification | Chlorine gas is used for the primary stage of purification to deactivate bacteria. UV radiation systems also purify water without chemicals. | UPPCS (Pre) 2013 |
| Ganga Action Plan (GAP) | Launched in 1985. | |
| Yamuna Action Plan (YAP) | Formally launched in 1993 . | UPPCS (Mains) 2016 |
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Act/Body | Year Enacted/Established | Focus/Relevance |
| Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act | 1974 | Prevention and control of water pollution. |
| Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act | 1981 | Prevention, control, and abatement of air pollution. |
| Environment (Protection) Act | 1986 | Protection and improvement of the environment. Empowers Central Government to lay down standards for emission or discharge of environmental pollutants. |
| Eco-mark Scheme | 1991 | Eco-labelling scheme to encourage consumers to buy environment-friendly products. Drugs and antibiotics are not notified under this scheme |
| NEERI | 1958 (as CPHERI) | National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) is situated in Nagpur. |
| National Green Tribunal (NGT) | October 2010 | Established for effective disposal of cases related to environmental protection. Enacted in consonance with the Right to a healthy environment (Article 21). |
| National Clean Air Programme | January 2019 | Aims for 20-30% reduction in Particulate Matter (PM10 & PM 2.5) concentrations by 2024 (base year 2017). |
| UNEP Headquarters | Located in Nairobi, Kenya | |
| World Environment Day | Celebrated on June 5th. | |
| UN Decade on Biodiversity | 2011–2020 |
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Vultures Extinction | The rapid decline in vulture population is due to the overuse of the anti-inflammatory drug Diclofenac Sodium/Diclofenac administered to cattle | UPPCS Spl Mains 2008. |
| Nanoparticles | They pose a hazard because they can accumulate in the environment, contaminate water and soil, enter food chains, and trigger the production of free radicals | I.A.S. Pre 2014 |
| Wild Ass Sanctuary | Located in the Rann of Kachchh, Gujarat | U.P.P.C.S Pre 2010 |
| Coral Bleaching | Most significantly caused by Global warming (increase in temperature and acidity of the sea. Catastrophic coral bleaching in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands was caused by an increase of 20C temperature in the Indian Ocean. | UPPCS Pre Re-Exam 2015, UPPSC Pre-2024 |
| Green Army | Australia launched the Green Army for environmental conservation, recruiting youngsters aged 17–24 years old. | — |
