UGC NET People, Development and Environment Syllabus

What is BOD and what does a high BOD indicate?

Biochemical Oxygen Demand — the amount of dissolved oxygen needed by microbes to decompose organic matter in water. High BOD indicates heavy organic pollution and low water quality.

What is eutrophication?

Excessive enrichment of water bodies with nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus), causing algal blooms, oxygen depletion, and death of aquatic life.

What is the unit used to measure noise (sound) levels, and the safe limit for residential areas in India (daytime)?

Decibel (dB). In India the permissible noise limit for residential areas is 55 dB (day) and 45 dB (night).

List the main sources of soil pollution.

Excessive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, industrial waste, improper disposal of solid waste, mining, oil spills, and acid rain.

What are the main causes of water pollution?

Sewage and domestic waste, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff (fertilizers/pesticides), oil spills, thermal discharge, and improper solid waste disposal.

What is solid waste management (SWM)?

The systematic collection, transport, processing, treatment, recycling, and disposal of solid waste to minimize its impact on health and the environment.

What are the '3 Rs' of waste management?

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. (Sometimes extended to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover.)

What is e-waste?

Electronic waste — discarded electrical and electronic devices (computers, mobiles, TVs, appliances) containing hazardous materials like lead, mercury, cadmium, and recoverable metals.

Name three hazardous substances commonly found in e-waste.

Lead, mercury, cadmium (also chromium, brominated flame retardants, and arsenic).

What is composting?

A biological process of decomposing organic (biodegradable) waste by microorganisms into nutrient-rich humus/manure used as a soil conditioner.

What is the difference between biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste?

Biodegradable waste can be broken down by microorganisms (food, paper, plant matter); non-biodegradable waste cannot and persists (plastics, glass, metals, e-waste).

What is incineration as a waste disposal method?

Controlled burning of solid waste at high temperatures to reduce volume and generate energy; it can release toxic gases and dioxins if not managed properly.

What is sanitary landfill?

An engineered method of disposing solid waste on land by spreading, compacting, and covering with soil, with liners and systems to control leachate and landfill gas.

Which pollutant causes 'blue baby syndrome' (methemoglobinemia)?

Nitrates in drinking water, which reduce the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity in infants.

What disease is associated with chronic exposure to lead?

Lead poisoning (plumbism) — causing neurological damage, anaemia, kidney damage, and developmental problems in children.

Which disease is caused by mercury poisoning, famously from industrial water contamination?

Minamata disease — neurological disorder from methylmercury poisoning (first identified in Minamata, Japan).

Which disease results from cadmium pollution?

Itai-Itai disease — causing softening of bones and kidney failure (first reported in Japan).

Which air pollutant binds to haemoglobin and reduces oxygen transport in blood?

Carbon monoxide (CO) — it forms carboxyhaemoglobin, reducing oxygen-carrying capacity.

What health effects are linked to fine particulate matter (PM2.5)?

Respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, asthma, bronchitis, reduced lung function, and increased risk of lung cancer and premature death.

What is a carbon footprint?

The total amount of greenhouse gases (mainly CO2) emitted directly or indirectly by an individual, organization, event, or product, usually expressed in tonnes of CO2-equivalent.

How can an individual reduce their carbon footprint?

Use public transport/cycling, conserve energy, use renewable energy, reduce-reuse-recycle, eat less meat, avoid air travel, and minimize consumption of resource-intensive goods.

What is the Air Quality Index (AQI) and its categories in India?

A numerical scale (0-500) indicating air quality: Good (0-50), Satisfactory (51-100), Moderate (101-200), Poor (201-300), Very Poor (301-400), and Severe (401-500).

What body sets National Ambient Air Quality Standards in India?

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

What is the difference between natural and anthropogenic (man-made) hazards?

Natural hazards arise from natural processes (earthquakes, floods, cyclones, volcanoes); anthropogenic hazards result from human activity (industrial accidents, oil spills, nuclear accidents, deforestation).

Give examples of anthropogenic (human-induced) hazards.

Industrial accidents (Bhopal gas tragedy), nuclear disasters (Chernobyl, Fukushima), oil spills, chemical leaks, fires, and pollution-related disasters.

What is the difference between a hazard and a disaster?

A hazard is a potential threat or dangerous event; a disaster is the actual occurrence causing serious disruption, loss of life, and damage exceeding a community's coping capacity.

What are mitigation strategies in disaster management?

Measures taken to reduce or eliminate the impact of hazards before they occur — e.g., land-use planning, early warning systems, hazard-resistant construction, afforestation, and public awareness.

What are the main phases of the disaster management cycle?

Mitigation, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery (sometimes also prevention and rehabilitation).

What does disaster preparedness involve?

Planning and readiness activities before a disaster — early warning systems, evacuation plans, training, mock drills, stockpiling supplies, and public education to enable effective response.

Which is the apex body for disaster management in India and under which Act?

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), headed by the Prime Minister, established under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.