HPAS 2024 Environment & Geography Topic-Wise Solutions
Gir National Park was established in the year:
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In Japan, a cyclone is called as:
The correct answer is (B) Typhoon. Tropical cyclones are intense circular storms that originate over warm tropical oceans. While the meteorological phenomenon is exactly the same, they are given different names depending on the ocean basin in which they form. In the Northwestern Pacific Ocean (which includes Japan, China, Taiwan, and the Philippines), they are known as Typhoons.
| Regional Name | Ocean Basin / Affected Region |
|---|---|
| Typhoon | Northwest Pacific Ocean (Japan, China, Philippines) |
| Hurricane | North Atlantic Ocean & Northeast Pacific (USA, Caribbean, Mexico) |
| Cyclone | Indian Ocean & South Pacific (India, Bangladesh, East Africa) |
| Willy-Willy | Western and Northern Australia (Historical/Colloquial term) |
- (A) Hurricane: Used exclusively for storms forming in the Atlantic and Northeast Pacific (affecting the Americas).
- (C) Willy-Willy: This is a highly-tested exam term! It is the traditional/colloquial name for tropical cyclones off the coast of Australia. (Note: Modern Australian meteorologists generally just use the term “cyclone”, but State PSCs still love testing the historical term).
- (D) Whirlpool: This is a swirling body of water produced by the meeting of opposing currents. It is an oceanographic phenomenon, not an atmospheric storm.
Do not confuse tropical cyclones with Tornadoes. Cyclones form over warm ocean waters, cover hundreds of kilometers, and last for days. Tornadoes (twisters) form over land, are extremely localized (a few hundred meters wide), and usually last only minutes. The USA experiences the most tornadoes in the world (Tornado Alley).
Given below are two statements:
Statement I: Directorate of Forest Education is located at Agartala.
Statement II: Tropical Forestry Research Institute is located at Jabalpur.
In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:
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Given below are two statements:
Statement I: Teak is the dominant species in vast saline regions of India.
Statement II: Babul vegetation pertains to tropical evergreen rain forests.
In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:
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Arrange the following National Parks of India from East to West:
(1) Corbett National Park
(2) Kanger Ghati National Park
(3) Rohla National Park
(4) Valvadore National Park.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below :
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Arrange the following Institutes of India from North to South:
(1) National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources
(2) National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources
(3) National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources
(4) National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below :
The correct North-to-South sequence perfectly aligns with the numerical order provided in the question: (1) → (2) → (3) → (4). To solve this, you need to know the headquarters of these major ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) bureaus and visualize their latitudinal positions.
| Order (North to South) | Institute / Bureau | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Furthest North) | National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR) | Karnal, Haryana (Approx. 29.7° N) |
| 2 | National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) | New Delhi (Approx. 28.6° N) |
| 3 | National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR) | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (Approx. 26.8° N) |
| 4 (Furthest South) | National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources (NBAIR) | Bengaluru, Karnataka (Approx. 13.0° N) |
Karnal is an absolute powerhouse for agricultural and animal research in India. For overlapping state exams like the HCS, always remember that Karnal hosts not just the NBAGR, but also the world-renowned National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), the Central Soil Salinity Research Institute (CSSRI), and the Directorate of Wheat Research. Knowing these state-specific institutional hubs is a massive advantage.
ICAR operates exactly six national bureaus. To ensure you are covered for any future matching questions, here are the final two:
- National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning (NBSS&LUP): Located centrally in Nagpur, Maharashtra.
- National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms (NBAIM): Located in Mau, Uttar Pradesh.
Consider the following statements:
(1) Travancore agrobiodiversity Hot spot pertain to Rajasthan.
(2) Konkan agrobiodiversity Hot spot is in Maharashtra and Goa.
(3) National Herbarium of cultivated plants is at New Delhi.
(4) Triveni agrobiodiversity Hot spot pertain to Assam.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
The correct answer is (B) because only statements (2) and (3) are factually correct. The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPV&FRA) of India officially recognizes 22 Agrobiodiversity Hotspots across the country to protect native agricultural species and traditional farming knowledge.
| Statement | Status | Correction / Fact |
|---|---|---|
| (1) Travancore pertains to Rajasthan | False | The historic region of Travancore is located in Kerala, not Rajasthan. The agrobiodiversity hotspot for Rajasthan is designated as the “Arid Western” or “Thar” region. |
| (2) Konkan is in Maharashtra and Goa | True | The Konkan Coast agrobiodiversity hotspot runs exactly along the western coast covering Maharashtra and Goa. It is famous for native fruit genetic resources like mangoes (Alphonso), cashew, and kokum. |
| (3) National Herbarium is at New Delhi | True | The National Herbarium of Cultivated Plants (NHCP) is housed within the ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) headquarters in New Delhi. |
| (4) Triveni pertains to Assam | False | There is no official “Triveni” agrobiodiversity hotspot. Assam actually falls under the Brahmaputra Valley and Barak Valley agrobiodiversity hotspots. (Note: “Triveni” is a popular high-yielding rice variety developed in Kerala, used here by examiners as a geographical distractor). |
While the renowned Botanical Survey of India (BSI) operates the massive Central National Herbarium in Kolkata (which deals with wild flora), the NHCP in New Delhi was specifically established to preserve the genetic heritage of India’s agricultural crops, wild relatives of crops, and economic plants.
Match List I with List II:
List I (Ramsar Site):
(a) Rudrasagar lake
(b) Harike lake
(c) Deepor Beel lake
(d) Vembanand wetland
List II (Name of State):
(i) Punjab
(ii) Assam
(iii) Tripura
(iv) Kerala
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