UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Supreme Court goes beyond Deepavali AQI, flags vehicular emissions polluting Delhi air

Q1. With reference to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Being a statutory rather than a constitutional body, CAQM's directions restricting vehicle entry have no legal force unless ratified by the legislature of each State whose vehicles are affected.
  2. The parent law gives the Commission a remit beyond the National Capital Region itself, extending to adjoining areas of neighbouring States.
  3. CAQM's directions can regulate the entry into Delhi of vehicles that are registered with the transport authorities of other States.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q2. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. The Commission for Air Quality Management has allowed commercial goods vehicles registered outside Delhi to enter Delhi only if they are BS-VI, CNG, LNG or electric.
  2. The Commission for Air Quality Management is a division of the Central Pollution Control Board and issues its directions using the Board's powers under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
  • A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
  • B. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
  • C. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Q3. With reference to the constitutional provisions on protection of the environment, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Article 48A directs the State to endeavour to protect and improve the environment, but by itself this provision cannot be enforced by any court.
  2. Article 51A(g) places the duty to protect and improve the natural environment on the State alone, not on individual citizens.
  3. Being a Fundamental Right, Article 48A can be directly enforced through a writ petition under Article 32.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 2 only
  • D. 1 and 3 only

Q4. With reference to vehicular emissions and urban air quality, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Because vehicular emissions continue throughout the year, they add to background pollution even in periods without festivals or crop-residue burning.
  2. Ground-level ozone is a secondary pollutant, so curbing vehicle exhaust can lower ozone even though vehicles do not emit ozone directly.
  3. Within a shared airshed, a city can meet air-quality standards solely by controlling the emission sources inside its own municipal limits.
  • A. 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 1 and 2 only

Q5. With reference to India's vehicle scrapping framework, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A Certificate of Deposit issued on scrapping an old vehicle allows the owner a concession in motor vehicle tax on a new vehicle registered against it.
  2. Because motor vehicle tax is levied by the States, how much the scrapping-linked tax concession actually benefits owners depends on State notification and implementation.
  3. Scrapping under the framework is done only by the Regional Transport Offices themselves, so authorised facilities run by other entities have no role.
  • A. 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 1 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3