Who chaired the 27th meeting of the G.B. Pant Society of Himalayan Environment and Development held in New Delhi in October 2026?
- A.The Union Minister for Jal Shakti
- B.The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change
- C.The Union Minister for Earth Sciences
- D.The Union Minister for Tribal Affairs
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, who chaired the meeting in New Delhi and released four publications of the institute there. The society works on the environment and development of the Himalaya and falls within his ministry's charge, which is why the other options are wrong. The Jal Shakti Minister handles water resources, river development and sanitation, not this society. The Minister for Earth Sciences looks after ocean and atmospheric science bodies, and although Himalayan glaciers are studied by scientists under many ministries, this meeting was not his. The Tribal Affairs Minister deals with the welfare of tribal communities, and while the minister at this meeting did speak about the livelihoods of native villagers, he did so in the context of biodiversity conservation. Senior officials of the environment ministry, including its Secretary Shri Narendra Bhooshan and Director General (Forests) Shri Santosh Tewari, attended the meeting.
Read the full article: Bhupender Yadav Chairs 27th G.B. Pant Society Meeting
Practice Questions
How many publications of the institute were released at the 27th meeting of the G.B. Pant Society of Himalayan Environment and Development?
- A.Two
- B.Three
- C.Four
- D.Six
Show answer
The volumes released at the meeting deal with biodiversity and its conservation practices in the Bhagirathi Eco-sensitive Zone, with the Gangotri Glaciated System, with e-PBR governance for the Indian Himalayan Region, and with the Ramsar wetlands of the Indian Himalayan Region.
Read the full explanation →By which year does the policy framework discussed at the meeting seek to balance ecological security with sustainable socio-economic growth in the Indian Himalayan Region?
- A.2030
- B.2035
- C.2040
- D.2047
Show answer
The minister told the meeting that there has been a concerted focus on a policy framework which holds ecological security together with sustainable socio-economic growth in the Indian Himalayan Region by that year, which is the hundredth year of independence and the horizon the government uses for its long-term goals.
Read the full explanation →By how much did the BOD load in the Ganga basin fall between 2017 and 2025?
- A.21.24%
- B.39%
- C.72.46%
- D.65%
Show answer
The review reports that the BOD load in the Ganga basin came down from 26 TPD in 2017 to 7.16 TPD in 2025, which works out to a reduction of 72.46%.
Read the full explanation →Which organisation acts as the national regulatory authority for the annual inspection of grossly polluting industries?
- A.National Mission for Clean Ganga
- B.Central Pollution Control Board
- C.Central Ground Water Board
- D.National Green Tribunal
Show answer
The annual inspection mechanism for grossly polluting industries in the Ganga basin began in 2017 with the support of the Central Pollution Control Board, described in the review as the national regulatory authority for this work.
Read the full explanation →How many grossly polluting industries were assessed in the 2025 inspection cycle under Namami Gange?
- A.1,296
- B.2,407
- C.3,703
- D.3,154
Show answer
The 2025 inspection cycle covered 3,703 grossly polluting industries in all, spread over 113 districts in six states and one Union Territory, with the potential to discharge into 46 tributaries and sub-tributaries of the Ganga and Yamuna.
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