Topic: 25:

Rajya Sabha today passed a bill that exempts land within [1] km of the country's borders from the purview
of conservation laws and permits setting up of zoos, safaris and eco-tourism facilities in forest areas. The
Upper House passed the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023 after a brief debate, though the
opposition had walked out over the ethnic violence in Manipur. The Bill was passed by Lok Sabha on July
26. During the debate, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said the Bill exempts certain types of
land such as forest land along a rail line or a public road maintained by the government and providing access
to a habitation, or to a rail and roadside amenity up to a maximum size of 0.10 hectares. Exempted forest
land includes land situated within (1) km of international borders, Line of Control and Line of Actual
Control, and proposed to be used for the construction of strategic linear projects for national security. The
Bill also exempts land up to 10 hectares proposed to be used for constructing security-related infrastructure,
land proposed to be used for defence-related projects or paramilitary forces' camp and public utility projects,
as specified by the Centre, not exceeding 5 hectares in a left-wing extremism-affected area.
Source: NDTV.com
1. Under the new Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill, the exempted forest land includes land
situated within km of international borders, Line of Control and Line of Actual Control as
redacted by
(1) in the passage?
A. 10 Km
B. 25 Km
C. 50 Km
D. 100
Km Answer: D
Sol: Exempted forest land includes land situated within 100 km of international borders, Line of Control and
Line of Actual Control, and proposed to be used for the construction of strategic linear projects for national
security.
2. Which of the following statements is incorrect regarding the new Bill?
A. The Bill broadens the scope of the Act by inserting a Preamble.
B. The Act's name was changed to Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980 to reflect
the potential of its provisions.
C. The Act, which was initially applied to notified forest land, was later extended to revenue forest
land and lands recorded as forest in government records.
D. None of these
Answer: D
Sol: All the statements are correct.
3. The Bill restricts the legislation's ambit only to areas recorded as forests on or after October .
A. 1978
B. 1980
C. 1982
D. 1984
Answer: B
Sol: The Bill restricts the legislation's ambit only to areas recorded as forests on or after October1980.
4. Which state has the largest forest cover in India?
A. Chhattisgarh
B. Odisha
C. Madhya Pradesh
D. Arunachal
Pradesh Answer: C
Sol: Area-wise Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country followed by Arunachal Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra.
5. Which of the following statements is incorrect regarding International Day of Forests?
A. The International Day of Forests, also known as World Forests Day, is celebrated each year on
March 21. The theme for 2023 is ‘Forests and Health.'
B. The history of the International Day of Forests can be traced back to 1971 when the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) established World Forestry Day.
C. In 2011, the United Nations declared the years 2011 to 2020 as the International Decade of
Forests. In 2012, the International Day of Forests was established.
D. None of these
Answer: D
Sol: All the statements are correct
6. National Green Tribunal was founded in which
year? A. 2008
B. 2010
C. 2013
D. 2015
Ans. B
Sol: National Green Tribunal deals with cases relating to the environment protection and conservation
of forest.
 It was set up in 2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010. The Tribunal is not bound by the
procedure laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but is guided by principles of natural
justice.
7. Which of the following statements is/are correct?
A. It is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
B. It was established in 2006 under Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.
C. It fosters accountability of Center-State in management of Tiger Reserves by providing a basis for
MoU with States within the federal structure.
 D. All of the
above Answer: D
Sol: All of the above statements are correct.
8. Which of the following was the theme of International Day of forests 2023?
A. Forests and Health
B. Denser Forests
C. Forests and Sustainable Production and Consumption in Future
D. Forests, Health and Wealth
9. Which year was declared as the International Year of Forests by
UNGA? A. 2009
B. 2010
C. 2011
D. 2013
10. International Day of Forests was observed for the first time in .
A. 2012
B. 2013
C. 2015
D. 2016
11. Recently, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) released the
India State of Forest Report-2021. It was published for the first time in which year?
A. 1987
B. 1989
C. 1993
D. 1995
12. According to the biennial India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021, percent of geographical
area of the country is under forest and tree cover?
A. 21.45%
B. 22.33 %
C. 24. 62%
D. 25.77%
13. Mangroves have shown an increase of 17 sq. km. India’s total mangrove cover is now 4,992 sq. km.
Which is the largest mangrove forest in the world?
A. Tishala Mangroves
B. Sundarbans
 C. Mara Mangroves
D. Guianan Mangroves
14. The Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change had issued the notification last year in
August announcing a ban on single-use plastic effective from .
A. 1st June 2022
B. 1st July 2022
C. 1st August 2022
D. 1st September 2022
15. Which of the following became the first country to ban thin plastic bags in 2002?
A. Sweden
B. Denmark
C. Bangladesh
D. Malaysia
Ans. C.

Answers: 8-15.
8. A
Sol: Every year, the international day of forests is recognized under a specific theme. This year, the
theme of World Forestry Day 2023 is "Forests and Health." The main aim of this theme is to make people
realize that healthy forests will bring healthy people.
9. C
10. B
11. A
Sol: The first survey was published in 1987, and ISFR 2021 is the 17th.
12. C
Sol. According to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021 report, India's total forest and tree cover
is now spread across 80.9 million hectares, which is 24.62% of the geographical area of the country.
13. B
14. Ans. B
Sol: India banned the use of ‘single-use plastic’ from July 1, 2022. The Ministry for Environment, Forest
and Climate Change had issued the notification last year in August announcing a ban on single-use plastic
effective from July 2022, items like Balloon sticks; Cigarette packs; Cutlery items including plates, cups,
glasses, forks, spoons, knives, trays.
15. Sol: Bangladesh is the first country in the world to implement a ban on thin plastic bags, after it was
found they played a key role in clogging drainage systems during disastrous flooding.

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