Question 1

The Aravalli mountains are confined entirely within the borders of Rajasthan.

Accepted Answer

The Aravalli range spans approximately 670 to 700 km across four administrative regions: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

Question 2

The Aravalli Green Wall is a physical, continuous barricade built to stop desert sand.

Accepted Answer

It is a 5-km wide ecological buffer consisting of native, climate-resilient trees (like Khejri, Banyan, and Dhau) and restored water bodies that acts as a natural windbreak.

Question 3

Consider the following statements regarding the Aravalli Green Wall Project:
1. It aims to establish a continuous green buffer across the states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.
2. The initiative is a vital component of India's commitment under the UNCCD to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030.
3. The financing of the project exclusively relies on international climate funds, entirely bypassing domestic schemes like MGNREGA.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

(a) Only one — Statement 1 is incorrect because the project spans Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat (it does not include Punjab). Statement 2 is correct; it directly helps India achieve its UNCCD COP-14 goal of restoring 26 million hectares by 2030. Statement 3 is incorrect; the project explicitly integrates existing domestic funding streams like MGNREGA, CAMPA, and the Green India Mission rather than relying exclusively on international funds.

Question 4

Match the environmental initiatives/terms (List I) with their corresponding contexts (List II):
List I:
A. Aravalli Green Wall
B. Great Green Wall
C. UNCCD COP-14
D. Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam

List II:
1. Africa's Sahel region initiative to stop Sahara expansion
2. New Delhi Declaration on land restoration
3. Restoring a 6.45 million-hectare landscape across four Indian states/UTs
4. Community-driven afforestation campaign linked to ecological restoration

Select the correct code:

Accepted Answer

(a) A-3, B-1, C-2, D-4 — The Aravalli Green Wall targets landscape restoration across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi (A-3). The Great Green Wall is an 8,000 km initiative in Africa's Sahel region (B-1). UNCCD COP-14 was held in New Delhi, resulting in the New Delhi Declaration (C-2). 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' is the community tree-planting campaign heavily integrated into the new Action Plan (D-4).

Question 5

Assertion (A): The degradation of the Aravalli range poses a severe ecological threat to the National Capital Region (NCR) and the Indo-Gangetic plains.
Reason (R): Deforestation and excessive mining in the Aravallis have compromised the mountain range's ability to act as a windbreak, allowing sand-laden winds from the Thar Desert to advance eastward.
Select the correct answer:

Accepted Answer

(a) Both A and R are correct and R is the correct explanation of A. — The Aravalli mountains naturally act as a physical and climatic barrier against the Thar Desert. Their degradation directly removes this crucial natural windbreak (Reason), which causes increased desertification, dust storms, and ecological vulnerability in the NCR and fertile plains (Assertion). Thus, the Reason is factually correct and directly explains the Assertion.

Action Plan for Aravalli Landscape Restoration Unveiled

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