QUIZ – 2020: INSIGHTS STATIC , 6 July 2021 – Environment – INSIGHTSIAS

Solution: c)

Madhya Pradesh’s Panna National Park has been declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

• The UNESCO’s recognition cited PTR as a critical tiger habitat.

About Panna Tiger Reserve:

• The Panna tiger reserve is situated in the Vindhya mountain range in the northern part of Madhya Pradesh.
• Ken river (a tributary of the Yamuna River) flows through the reserve.
• The region is also famous for Panna diamond mining.
• Ken-Betwa river interlinking project will be located within the tiger reserve.

Solution: b)

Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Uttar Pradesh has bagged the first international award, TX2, among the 13 tiger ranging countries for having doubled the number of tigers in less than the stipulated time.

Solution: c)

What is Torrefaction?

• It is a thermal process used to produce high-grade solid biofuels from various streams of woody biomass or agro residues.
• The end product is a stable, homogeneous, high quality solid biofuel with far greater energy density and calorific value than the original feedstock, providing significant benefits in logistics, handling and storage, as well as opening up a wide range of potential uses.

How it works?

• Biomass torrefaction involves heating the biomass to temperatures between 250 and 300 degrees Celsius in a low-oxygen atmosphere.
• When biomass is heated at such temperatures, the moisture evaporates and various low-calorific components (volatiles) contained in the biomass are driven out.
• During this process the hemi-cellulose in the biomass decomposes, which transforms the biomass from a fibrous low-quality fuel into a product with excellent fuel characteristics.

Solution: a)

Fly ash is a major source of PM 2.5 (fine, respirable pollution particles) in summer. It becomes air borne, and gets transported to a radius of 10 to 20 kms. It can settle on water and other surfaces. Fly ash contains heavy metals from coal, a large amount of PM 2.5 and black carbon (BC).

Solution: d)

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.