UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Courts now justify environment degradation: former SC judge

Q1. At the Anil Agarwal Dialogue 2026, former Supreme Court judge Justice Deepak Gupta criticised the National Green Tribunal's handling of the Great Nicobar Island project. Under which one of the following statutes was the National Green Tribunal established?

  • A. The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
  • B. The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980
  • C. The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010
  • D. The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972

Q2. With reference to the High-Powered Committee constituted by the National Green Tribunal to re-examine the environmental clearance granted to the Great Nicobar Island Project — whose report was submitted to the NGT in a sealed cover in October 2025 — consider the following as members of the committee: 1. Chief Secretary, Andaman & Nicobar Administration 2. Botanical Survey of India 3. Director, Wildlife Institute of India 4. Central Pollution Control Board Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Chief Secretary, Andaman & Nicobar Administration
  2. Botanical Survey of India
  3. Director, Wildlife Institute of India
  4. Central Pollution Control Board
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q3. With reference to the exemptions and permissible activities introduced by the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023 — relevant to Justice Deepak Gupta's critique at AAD 2026 of weakened ecological scrutiny — consider the following: 1. Forest land located within 100 km of international borders required for national security projects is exempt from prior Central Government approval. 2. Roadside amenities up to 0.10 hectare on public roads providing access to a habitation are exempt. 3. Government-owned zoos and eco-tourism facilities are listed as permissible non-forest activities. 4. Commercial extraction of timber by private parties on notified forest land is included as a permissible activity. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

  1. Forest land located within 100 km of international borders required for national security projects is exempt from prior Central Government approval.
  2. Roadside amenities up to 0.10 hectare on public roads providing access to a habitation are exempt.
  3. Government-owned zoos and eco-tourism facilities are listed as permissible non-forest activities.
  4. Commercial extraction of timber by private parties on notified forest land is included as a permissible activity.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 4 only
  • D. 1 and 4 only

Q4. Who chairs the High-Powered Committee constituted by the National Green Tribunal to re-examine the environmental clearance granted to the Great Nicobar Island Project — the committee whose report was submitted to the NGT in a sealed cover in October 2025?

  • A. Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Chairperson, National Green Tribunal
  • B. Leena Nandan, former Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
  • C. Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science and Environment
  • D. Ashok Lavasa, former Election Commissioner of India