Ethanol Plant Faces Pollution Row, May Exit Rajasthan Amid Protests

सही उत्तर: B

Statement 1 is correct. The National Policy on Biofuels, 2018, expanded the scope of raw materials for ethanol production to include damaged food grains unfit for human consumption, surplus rice, and maize. Statement 2 is correct. Ethanol blending helps reduce crude oil imports, enhances energy security, and is seen as a cleaner fuel option, reducing tailpipe emissions and thus improving air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Statement 3 is incorrect. Ethanol production from sugarcane (both juice and molasses) is generally considered highly water-intensive due to the significant water requirements for sugarcane cultivation itself, as well as for processing. While different feedstocks have varying water footprints, sugarcane-based ethanol is often criticized for its high water demand, especially in water-stressed regions. Maize or rice-based ethanol also requires water but the overall water footprint comparison is complex and depends on agricultural practices and processing technologies.

सही उत्तर: B

Statement 1 is incorrect. Public hearing is a mandatory component for many projects but not for *all* industrial projects. The EIA Notification specifies categories of projects that are exempt from public hearings (e.g., certain expansion projects, projects in industrial estates, small-scale industries, and projects in border areas). Statement 2 is correct. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) was established under the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010, and has the jurisdiction to hear all civil cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources, including reviewing environmental clearances. Statement 3 is incorrect. While the 'Polluter Pays Principle' is a fundamental principle of environmental law in India, upheld by the Supreme Court, it is not *explicitly incorporated* as a direct step within the EIA *process* itself. EIA primarily focuses on predicting and mitigating potential impacts *before* a project is approved. The 'Polluter Pays Principle' comes into play more directly when environmental damage has already occurred, holding the polluter accountable for remediation costs.

सही उत्तर: B

Statement 1 is incorrect. The 'Right to a healthy environment' is not *explicitly* mentioned in Article 21. However, the Supreme Court of India has *interpreted* Article 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty) to include the right to a healthy and pollution-free environment as an integral part of the right to life. Statement 2 is correct. The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, was indeed the legislation that provided for the establishment of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) to prevent and control water pollution. Statement 3 is correct. The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, was enacted in the wake of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy and is a comprehensive umbrella legislation empowering the Central Government to take all necessary measures for protecting and improving the quality of the environment and preventing, controlling, and abating environmental pollution.