Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
The Madras High Court observed that no one has the right to pollute water bodies in the name of religion, while expressing concern over the dumping of ritual materials into the Thamirabarani River in Tamil Nadu. The Thamirabarani (Tamraparni/Porunai) River is a rare perennial river that flows entirely within Tamil Nadu. It originates from Agastyarkoodam Peak in the Pothigai Hills of the Western Ghats and drains into the Gulf of Mannar near Thoothukudi (Tuticorin). The river derives its name from the Tamil word “Thamiram” (copper), as its water has a reddish tinge due to traces of copper.

Notes:
The West Bengal Government recently decided to reduce the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary from 5 km to 1 km. The sanctuary is located in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. It lies in the foothills of the Himalayas, between the Teesta and Mahananda rivers. It was primarily created to protect the Indian Bison (Gaur) and the Royal Bengal Tiger. Its vegetation ranges from riverine forests to dense mixed wet forests.

Notes:
A 29-year-old man was found dead inside Raimona National Park in Kokrajhar district, Assam, with his family alleging that he was shot by forest guards. Raimona National Park is located in the Himalayan foothills of Assam. It was declared a National Park in 2021 and was earlier proposed as part of the Ripu–Chirang Wildlife Sanctuary. The park is an important habitat for Asian elephants, gaur (Indian bison), and the endangered golden langur. It is bounded by the Sankosh River (west), Saralbhanga River (north & east), and Ripu Reserve Forest (south).

Notes:
The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) disbursed ₹8.22 crore under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism for the use of Indian rice varieties. The funds were received from M/s Pioneer Overseas Corporation for developing hybrid rice seeds using Indian rice (Oryza sativa). Uttar Pradesh received the highest allocation of over ₹73 lakh. NBA is a statutory body established under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

Notes:
Sonai-Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Sonitpur district of Assam, at the foothills of the Great Himalayan Range. The sanctuary is bordered by the Gabhoru and Panchnoi rivers, Rowta Reserve Forest, and Kameng Reserve Forest of Arunachal Pradesh. It has four perennial rivers—Dolsiri, Gabharu, Gelgeli and Belsiri—along with wetlands locally known as “bheels. Assam Environment and Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah inaugurated the newly constructed Kalamati Wildlife Range Office at the sanctuary.

Notes:
Pteris madhusoodananii, a newly discovered fern species, was found in the Kolli Hills of Tamil Nadu’s Eastern Ghats. Due to its extremely restricted distribution, it has been classified as Critically Endangered. The species was identified using morphological study, scanning electron microscopy and DNA sequencing. It is currently known from only two sites covering about 8 sq km. Major threats include road construction, logging and conversion of forests into farmland. It was named after botanist Dr P. V. Madhusoodanan.

Notes:
Archaeologists from the Trichy Circle of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have identified the probable remains of an ancient water-management structure in the Kollidam River, near Lalgudi, Tamil Nadu. Kollidam River, historically known as Coleroon, is the northern and major distributary of the Cauvery River in Tamil Nadu. It branches from the Cauvery near Srirangam and flows for about 150 km before entering the Bay of Bengal. The river acts as an important flood-control channel, carrying surplus monsoon and floodwater away from the Cauvery delta.

Notes:
A Kutch-based non-profit has undertaken the plantation of two native Guggal species—Khara Guggal (Commiphora wightii) and Mitha Guggal (Commiphora stocksiana)—across five villages of Kutch, Gujarat. The initiative aims to restore native biodiversity, conserve medicinal plant heritage and strengthen community grazing lands (Gaucharlands). Mitha Guggal (Commiphora stocksiana) is particularly significant because it has a restricted distribution in Kutch. It is native to India, Arabia and Pakistan and is found in India mainly in the arid, rocky regions of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. The plant is adapted to arid and semi-arid climates and is tolerant of poor, drought-prone and saline soils.

Notes:
Botanists Birina Bhuyan and Selim Mehmud have discovered a new perennial herb species named Ophiorrhiza assamensis in Kamrup Metropolitan district, Assam. The plant belongs to the Rubiaceae family, commonly known as the coffee family, and the Ophiorrhiza genus. It is a small shade-loving herb with large ribbed leaves and clusters of small white flowers. Species of the Ophiorrhiza genus are known for producing camptothecin, a compound used in anti-cancer medicines. Ophiorrhiza assamensis has been provisionally assessed as Data Deficient (DD) under IUCN guidelines because of its highly localised population and threats from local development.

Notes:
A recent study warned that Myristica Swamps are on the cusp of extinction, highlighting the need for urgent conservation. They are freshwater swamps dominated by evergreen trees of the Myristicaceae family. They are considered living fossils because of the primitive characteristics of Myristica plants, with genetic diversity dating back around 500 million years. These forests have trees with large protruding roots growing in soil that remains waterlogged throughout the year. In India, Myristica Swamps are mainly found in the Western Ghats, with smaller occurrences in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.