Question 29: Consider the following statements with respect to Interpol:

1. Red Notice is to seek the location of a person wanted by a judicial jurisdiction.
2. Black Notice is to seek information on unidentified bodies.
3. A service called I-24/7 is operated by the Interpol which is a Global Police Communications System that provides a common platform for the member countries’ police organizations to share sensitive and urgent police information with each other.

Which of the following statements is/are true?

1. 1 and 2
2. 2 and 3
3. 1 and 3
4. 1, 2, and 3

Correct Answer: D

Explanation

The notices are:

• Red Notice- To seek the location/arrest of a person wanted by a judicial jurisdiction or an international tribunal with a view to his/her extradition.
• Green Notice- To warn about a person’s criminal activities if that person is considered to be a possible threat to public safety.
• Blue Notice- To locate, identify or obtain information on a person of interest in a criminal investigation.
• Yellow Notice-To locate a missing person or to identify a person unable to identify himself/herself.
• Black Notice- To seek information on unidentified bodies.
• Orange Notice- To warn of an event, a person, an object or a process representing an imminent threat and danger to persons or property.
• Purple Notice- To provide information on modus operandi, procedures, objects, devices, or hiding places used by criminals.
• Interpol UNSC Special Notice- To inform Interpol’s members that an individual or an entity is subject to UN sanctions.

A service called I-24/7 is operated by the Interpol which is a Global Police Communications System that provides a common platform for the member countries’ police organizations to share sensitive and urgent police information with each other. It links law enforcement agencies of the member countries.

Question 30: Consider the following statements with respect to green crackers:

1. Green crackers do not cause any pollution.
2. Green crackers are permitted only in cities and towns where air quality is moderate or poor.
3. STAR is the safe thermite cracker, which does not comprise potassium nitrate and Sulphur.

Which of the following statements is/are true?

1. 3 only
2. 2 and 3
3. 1 only
4. 2 only

Correct Answer: B

Explanation

• Both green crackers and traditional crackers cause pollution and people should refrain from using either. However, the only difference is that green crackers cause 30 per cent less air pollution as compared to traditional ones. Green crackers reduce emissions substantially and absorb dust and don’t contain hazardous elements like barium nitrate.
• According to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), green crackers are permitted only in cities and towns where air quality is moderate or poor. There is reduction in emission of sound as well in green crackers.
• Green crackers – SWAS, SAFAL and STAR: the crackers developed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). SWAS, that is “safe water releaser” should have a small water pocket/droplet which get released when burst, in the form of vapour.
• SWAS is safe water releaser, which suppresses the dust released by releasing water vapour in the air. It does not comprise potassium nitrate and Sulphur and the particulate dust released will reduce approximately by 30 per cent.
• Similarly, STAR is the safe thermite cracker, which does not comprise potassium nitrate and Sulphur, emits reduced particulate matter disposal and reduced sound SAFAL is safe minimal aluminium which has minimum usage of Aluminium, and used magnesium instead. It ensures reduction in sound in comparison to traditional crackers.
• The white color emitted through crackers is aluminium, magnesium and titanium, while the orange colour is carbon or iron. Similarly, yellow agents are sodium compounds while blue and red are copper compounds and strontium carbonates. The green agent is barium mono chloride salts or barium nitrate or barium chlorate.

Question 31: Consider the following statements:

1. In India, Green GDP is growing faster than traditional GDP.
2. United Nations first proposed idea of green GDP in 1993.

Which of the following statements is/are true?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. 1 and 2 only
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer: C

Explanation

• As per recent RBI paper, Green GDP is growing faster (6.34% and 6.71% in the 2000s and 2010s) than traditional GDP (6.27% and 61%, respectively), as India took measures to cut carbon emissions, improve resource use efficiency and boost clean energy capacity.
• Trend had been opposite in past three decades of 20th century, implying growth in that period was more damaging to environment.
• United Nations first proposed idea of green GDP in 1993.

Question 32: Consider the following statements:

1. The environmental Kuznets curve is a hypothesized relationship between various indicators of environmental degradation and inequality.
2. As per the Kuznets curve, as an economy develops, market forces first increase and then decrease economic inequality.

Which of the following statements is/are true?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. 1 and 2 only
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer: B

Explanation

• The environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) is a hypothesized relationship between various indicators of environmental degradation and per capita income. In the early stages of economic growth, pollution emissions increase and environmental quality declines, but beyond some level of per capita income (which will vary for different indicators) the trend reverses, so that at high income levels, economic growth leads to environmental This implies that environmental impacts or emissions per capita are an inverted U-shaped function of per capita income.
• The Kuznets curve expresses a hypothesis advanced by economist Simon Kuznets in the 1950s and 1960s. According to this hypothesis, as an economy develops, market forces first increase and then decrease economic inequality. The Kuznets curve appeared to be consistent with experience at the time it was proposed. However, since the 1960s, inequality has risen in the US and other developed countries.