Answer: (C)

Explanation: Recently National Green Tribunal has sought a report on removal of invasive mussel species from Ennore-Pulicat wetland of Tamil Nadu. ‘Mytella strigata’ is an invasive South American mussel species. Mytella strigata is referred locally as ‘kaaka aazhi’. It is wiping out the locally prevalent and commercially valuable yellow clams (manja matti) and green mussels (pachai aazhi). It has spread over the riverbed, preventing prawns from grazing or burying themselves in the sediment. Because of the invasive mussels, the river bottom is suffocated with one foot-deep sludge of black, foul-smelling slimy excreta. Kaaka Aazhi is not an alien species as it has an entry in the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (WPA). ‘Unionidae’ is the largest family of freshwater mussels that is found mostly in USA. The National Green Tribunal do not have jurisdiction over the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. Hence, all statements are correct.

Answer: (C)

Explanation: Watermeal (Wolffia spp.) is a small aquatic plant known for its extremely rapid growth and its ability to produce a significant amount of oxygen through photosynthesis. Unlike some other plants, Watermeal is rootless and stemless, and it floats on the surface of water. It is not the largest flowering plant in the world and is not primarily found in deserts. Hence, option (c) is correct.

Answer: (A)

Explanation:

• Hezbollah is a Shia militia-cum-political party in Lebanon. Hezbollah and Israel have fought two wars before. They have been observing a tenuous ceasefire for 14 years. Hence, pair 1 is incorrectly matched.
• Hamas is the largest Palestinian militant Islamist group and one of the two major political parties in the region. Currently, it governs more than two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Hence, pair 2 is correctly matched.
• The Kurdistan Workers’ Party or PKK is a Kurdish militant political organization and armed guerrilla movement which historically operated throughout Kurdistan but is now primarily based in the mountainous Kurdish-majority regions of southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq. Hence, pair 3 is correctly matched.

Answer: (B)

Explanation: The recent flood situation in Sikkim was due to Glacier Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) that was triggered by the South Lhonak Glacier. The South Lhonak glacier is located in northern part of the Sikkim. It is one of the fastest retreating glaciers. The glacier receded nearly 2 km in for the past 46 years (1962 to 2008). It further retreated by 400m (approximately) from 2008 to 2019. There are an estimated 7,500 glaciers in the Himalayas which have caused Glacier Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF), have been associated with major disasters through the years. Sikkim, comprising 0.5 % of India's landmass, has 84 glaciers, the largest number as compared to any other state or union territory. Hence, option (b) is correct.

Answer: (B)

Explanation:

• Sounding rockets are not designed to achieve orbit around Earth. Instead, they follow a suborbital trajectory, reaching altitudes that may range from tens to hundreds of miles above the Earth's surface. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Sounding rockets carry scientific instruments and experiments, known as payloads, into space. These payloads are carefully designed to collect data on factors such as atmospheric conditions, cosmic rays, radiation, and electromagnetic phenomena. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• Sounding rocket flights are relatively short-lived, typically lasting a few minutes. This limited duration allows researchers to gather data during specific phases of a mission, such as during a solar eclipse or in the ionosphere. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.