Civil Services Prelim Exam CSAT 2011 Paper II: What is all about?

? Log in as Premium User and take Mock 2011 Civil Services Preliminary Exam (CSAT) Paper I and II as per New Syllabus 1. Interpersonal Skills Including Communication Skills Interpersonal skills are the skills that a person uses to interact with other people. It is also sometimes called communication skills. Positive interpersonal skills increase the productivity of the organization since the numbers of conflicts are reduced. It also allows communication to be easy and comfortable. Some ways to improve interpersonal skills are:

Think positive and maintain good relationship. Do not criticize others or yourself and be patient. Develop the practice of listening; 80% listening and 20% talking is excellent. Be sensitive to others and treat others and their experience with respect. Praise and compliment the people and subordinates when they deserve it. Be cheerful and make the people smile. Do not complain and look for solutions. Treat your team members and colleagues as friends and not as strangers or subordinates.

Communication: Communication is the transfer of information from a sender to a receiver. Communication is generally understood as spoken or written words. But in reality, it is more than that. It is the sum total of directly or indirectly, unconsciously or consciously transmitted words, attitudes, feelings, actions, gestures and tones. A slight lift in the brow is often more expressive disapproval than hundreds of words put together. The importance of communication in administration can be judged from the following points:

Communication is required to disseminate the goals and the objectives of the organization. It helps the administration in arriving at vital decisions. Communication helps in planning and coordination. It is a tool of supervision and control. It is a basic tool for motivation and an increase in the morale of the employees. It bolsters the maintenance of good human relations in the organization.

Sample Questions

Q1. Communication is commonly cited as being at the root of practically all the problems in administration. Which among the following is the most important after-effects of poor communication. (a) Wrong decisions (b) Poor policy formulation (c) Isolation of the people at top (d) Goals of the organization not properly served. Q2. Communication is administration can be improved by: (a) Compulsory training of personnels. (b) Motivation of the work force. (c) Asking for the feedback. (d) Simplification of the language of communication. Q3. Important factor for communication is: (a) Communication should be in bold and assertive manner. (b) It should be authenticated. (c) It should be drafted by Senior officer himself. (d) Communication should have all the details. 2. Decision Making and Problem Solving No organization can be run without taking decisions. In every organization, decisions are made by persons and hence decision making in Govt. is a plural activity. One individual may have pronounced the decision, but many contribute to the process of reaching the decision. Seven factors have been thought to be important factors while taking the decisions.

Legal limitations Budget Mores (Conventions) Facts History Internal programme and Subordinates

Problems in decision making:

Involvement in routine Priority of the problem Bias

Bias is linked with:

Discretion Public Interest Strict adherence to rules may lead to red tape. Caste, class, community, religion, language, profession, region, pressure group etc.

Decision making is linked with leadership quality. According to Barnards theory, four leadership qualities in order of priority are:

Vitality and endurance Decisiveness Persuasiveness and Responsibility and intellectual capacity

Problem analysis must be done first, then the information gathered in that process may be used towards decisions making. Problem Analysis:

Problem must be precisely identified and described. Cause of the problem must be analyzed. Whether such type of problem occurred previously and what was the solution. People who were affected due to that problem can be approached for proper analysis.

Decision Making:

Objectives must be established first and placed in order of preference. Alternative actions must be developed. The alternative that is able to achieve all the objectives is the tentative decision. The tentative decision is evaluated for more possible consequences.

Decision making steps: 1st Step: Outline your goal and outcome. 2nd Step: Gather data. This will help the decision makers having actual evidence to help them come up with a solution.

3rd Step: Brainstorm to develop alternatives. Coming up with more than one solution enables you to see which one can actually work. 4th Step: List pros and cons of each alternative, with the help of which, you can eliminate the solutions that have more cons than pros, making your decision easier. 5th Step: Make the decision by picking the one that has many pros, and the one that everyone can agree with. 6th Step: Immediately take action. Once the decision is picked, you should implement it right away. 7th Step: Learn from and reflect on the decision making. This step allows you to gauge where you were right or wrong while implementing the decision. Sample Questions: Q1: Land is acquired under the Land Acquisition Act 1894, the law provides for a reasonable compensation to be paid to the land loser. The present system of payment of compensation has come under criticism. What is the best alternative? (a) Allocating a percentage of benefit to the development of area and to the individual who has been displaced. (b) Provision of equity participation in the project which has come in the acquired land. (c) Enactment of a new law with provision of peoples sustainable resettlement. (d) Principle of land leasing designed to keep revenue accruing to the affected people for a long period rather than to make only a one time compensation payment and dislocate them. Q2: In order to make the effective use of Acts regarding atrocities against S.C. & S.T. What is the most important step one can take as a D.M. of the Distt. ? (a) Printing and distribution of booklets in local languages highlighting the theme of combating atrocities against S.C./S.T. (b) Training of Police officers about the sensitivity of the issue and relating legal provision. (c) Review of cases which are pending for disposal so as to ensure award of exemplary punishment. (d) As majority of S.C. and S.T. population are wage labourers, the Minimum Wages Act be strictly enforced. 3. General Mental Ability

The other day, someone was asking me how IAS exam is changing from previous years. And how is this new version different from the previous versions. Most importantly, how should we prepare for this new avatar? I personally believe that this time, UPSC is forcing all its applicants for doing something which was always important but no one cared about it i.e. General Mental Abilities, Reasoning and command over English Language. If we look at last 5-6 years papers then we can easily realize that number of questions on these topics was always increasing but even then students never focused on these areas. And probably now, they have done something to ensure that each and every one start working on them. Talking particularly about General Mental Ability, it is something which is feared by all the IAS aspirants. But, in the current scenario, one needs to master the art of General Mental Ability for cracking any good competition. We get good number of questions on Mental Ability in exams of Public Sector, Bank PO, big B-School entrance and now in IAS as well. For mastering General Mental Ability, firstly we should know that what are the types of questions and what are the basics of the same. In mental ability, the prime thing which is being tested is your familiarity with the numbers. The commonly asked questions are the basics of Number Theory, basic Arithmetic, basic Algebraic formulas, Permutation and Combination and Probability. Now, if we look at these topics, all of us have read and practiced these topics in good length at high school level. But because of our habit and obligations of using calculator after that has forced us to forget all those basic concepts of arithmetic and has deviated us from the basics of mathematics. I am pretty sure that many of us who used to solve the same questions at tenth level will not be able to solve the same set of question now. Regarding how to improve this, there is a very basic thing that we were taught by our parents was practice makes a man perfect. This is very true about the Mental Ability at this stage. We just need to practice these basic concepts religiously to master these concepts. And believe me, there is no other way to success. In this article, we will discuss all the areas which are tested by General Mental Ability. Primarily, we will discuss about Number Theory. The concepts of Number Theory are the basic which we have studied in class 3rd to class 7th. This includes different types of number and most importantly prime-composite numbers and even-odd numbers. Other topic of number theory is LCM and HCF and their applications which mean one should not only know what is HCF-LCM but should also know how to use and in what type of questions, we should calculate them. Last but not the least; it includes divisibility rules, which means how can we identify that which number is divisible by 2, 3, 5, 8 and so on. These are the basics which are taught to everyone in our initial classes. But with time, we have forgotten all those basics. Next thing to discuss is Arithmetic which includes basics of percentage, profit-loss and discount, ratio proportion, time speed and distance and time and work. These topics form and most of the class tenth syllabus. And if I am not wrong, many of us used to cherish these topics and used to solve these topics with a good amount of ease. The reason for our success in solving these questions at that point of time was our practice to do these questions at that time.

Talking about Algebra, it includes some basic formulas, different types of progressions, quadratic equations and simultaneous equations. Again, we have studied these topics again and again from class 6th to class 10th. And we all know the basics of these topics. It is just that we need to practice these topics a bit more and need to revise all these topics once again. But if we can practice these questions then Algebra can easily be solved. And most important topic of General Mental Ability is Permutation and Combination and Probability. Talking about this particular topic, this is very interesting and conceptual where in most of the questions talk about the number of ways of doing some particular job or arranging certain number of things. And if we think about this topic, it can even check your ability to identify the different options and evaluation of the same. But again, it also requires some good clarity of the topic which can be earned only and only through practice and understanding of the basics. To sum up all, if we want to ensure a good score in mental ability and a better second paper of IAS this year then probably, we need to start practicing today and we need to clear all our basics and concepts. NCERT class sixth to tenth is the best books suited for these preparation. Last but not the least, practice as many sample papers as you can along with a proper feedback and doubt clearing of each and every paper. Sample Questions for General Mental Ability: Q1. A managing committee of 7 members is to be constituted from a group comprising 8 gentlemen and 5 ladies. What is the probability that the committee would comprise 2 ladies? (a) 10/249 (b) 56/429 (c) 392/429 (d) 140/429 Q2. One junior student is asked to divide half a number by 6 and the other half by 4 and then add the quantities. Instead of doing so, the student divides the given number by 5. If the answer is 4 short of the correct answer, then the actual number is? (a) 320 (b) 360 (c) 480 (d) 400

Q3. There are 6 tickets to the theater, four of which are for seats in the front row. 3 tickets are selected at random. What is the probability that two of them are for the front row? (a) 0.6 (b) 0.7 (c) 0.9 (d) 1/3 Q4. In how many ways 8 boys can be divided into two groups of 4 each? (a) 280 (b) 140 (c) 70 (d) 35 Q5. 128 players start in the mens singles at a tennis tournament, where this number reduces to half on every succeeding round. How many matches are played totally in the event? (a) 63 (b) 48 (c) 127 (d) 144 Q6. When a heap of pebbles is grouped in 32, 40 or 72 it is left with remainders of 10, 18 or 50 respectively. What is the minimum number of pebbles that the heap contains? (a) 1416 (b) 1418 (c) 1412 (d) 1420 Q7. A five digit number is formed by using 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 without repetition. What is the probability that this number will not be divisible by 4?

(a) 4/5 (b) 1/6 (c) 1/5 (d) None of the above Q8. In how many ways letters of the word MISSISSIPPI can be arranged such that all the vowels always remain together? (a) 28 (b) 56 (c) 84 (d) 112 Q9. How many 5 digit numbers are there which have 5 of the given digits: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. (a) 120 (b) 600 (c) 720 (d) None of the above Q10. A can run a circular track in 6 hours and B can run the same circular track in 8 hours. If both of them start running together from the same point in the same direction, then after how much time, they will meet for the first time? (a) 12 hours (b) 24 hours (c) 48 hours (d) None of the above Q11. A certain sum of money increases to 5 times in 5 years at certain rate of Simple Interest. At the same rate of simple interest the money will increase to 25 times in how many years? (a) 10 years

(b) 25 years (c) 30 years (d) None of the above Q12. What will be total number of terms in the expansion of (a+b+c)10? (a) 45 (b) 66 (c) 310 (d) 120 Q13. Sixteen thousand men die of AIDS every day. How many men die of AIDS every minute? (a) 11 (b) 9 (c) 7 (d) 5 Q14. A black and white photo contains 80% black and 20% white. Now if this photo is enlarged to double the size, then what percentage of the photo will be black? (a) 64% (b) 80% (c) 84% (d) None of the above Q15. You are selecting 10 numbers randomly out of the first 100 add numbers. Sum of these 10 odd numbers is A. How many different values of A are possible? (a) 100C10 (b) 1801 (c) 1800

(d) 901 Q16. The pages of a book are continuously numbered and it took 1200 digits (with repetitions) to write them. The number of pages in the book is: (a) 425 (b) 433 (c) 436 (d) None of these Q17. In how many ways 8 boys can be seated on 8 chairs put on a square table (2 chairs on all the 4 sides)? (a) 7! (b) 2 7! (c) 8! / 2 (d) None of the above Q18. If 38 people dig 38 trenches in 38 days, how long will 35 people take to dig 70 trenches? (a) 19 days (b) 35 days (c) 70 days (d) 76 days Q19. Pooja buys 7 pencils for Rs. 6 and sells them. What should be the price marked on a pencil, if she gives 10% discount on it so that after discount there is no loss or gain? (a) Re. 0.950 (b) Re. 0.935 (c) Re. 0.945 (d) Re. 0.855

Q20. Ramu went to market to buy 6 chairs and 3 tables and consumed all the money he had in the transaction. If he had to purchase 3 chairs and 6 tables then he would have been fallen short by 20%. Find the ratio of price of one chair and one table. (a) 3 : 4 (b) 1 : 2 (c) 2 : 5 (d) Cannot be determined 4. Basic Numeracy & Data Interpretation: One definition of numeracy is to use mathematics effectively to meet the general demands of life at home, in paid work, and for participation in community and civic life. Basic numeracy could be defined as being able to count and to calculate with numbers. Mathematics is the science that deals with numbers, quantities, shapes, patterns, measurements, concepts related to them and their numerous relationships. It includes arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, etc., where as quantitative techniques section in CSAT would be more of an application of the fundamental rules of mathematics in real life situations. The following illustration can help us understand the real facet of Quantitative techniques. Suppose you watch a light flashing every 2 seconds, and another light flashing every 3 seconds, how would you calculate when the two lights would flash together? For someone devoid of the basic weapons of mathematics, this would be a labyrinth. But is it really? To unravel this enigma all we need to do is use simple logic. Lets see how the first light flashes after an interval of every 2 seconds, this implies that it would flash at the intervals of 2, i.e., after 2 seconds, 4 seconds, 6 seconds, 8 seconds and so on. Likewise, the second light will flash after 3 seconds, 6 seconds, 9 seconds, and so on. We, thus, observe that the two flash together after every 6 seconds. Now this is a direct application of a very simple concept the LCM, i.e., Least Common Multiple (LCM of 2 & 3 is 6), a concept which all of us have studied in our junior school. Obviously, as a CSAT aspirant you shouldnt expect a direct question to calculate the LCM of 2 & 3. The questions would be application based, and therefore, be asked in a disguised manner. The real test is of ones analytical skill to fathom what is being asked. There are similar illustrations of most basic concepts, which we have studied till our Xth grade and these questions check our ability to apply the concepts, which we have learnt to real life situations. Preparation for CSAT will be an eye-opener for oneself. So many myths and prejudices about oneself just whisk away after a year-long preparation. One gets clarity about one self as to what he/she actually wants in life. So all it requires is smartness and aptitude.

Most of us tend to forget the concepts we have studied till Xth. So the real preparation starts with concept building. Once thorough with the concepts or the accuracy part; start practicing different type of questions on these topics. Questions in this section can be from the following topics: Arithmetic: Ratio & Proportion, Percentage, Profit & Loss, averages, Time Speed & Distance, HCF LCM, Simple Interest etc. Algebra: Quadratic Equation, Functions, Mensuration. Geometry: Triangles, Circles and Co ordinate Geometry. Other topics of Maths like permutation & combination, binomial equation etc. Numerical ability tests can be divided into tests of simple numeracy, where you are told which arithmetic operations to apply, and numerical reasoning tests where you are presented with some data and questions but the methods required to answer the questions are not specified. In all cases you need to prepare by practicing your mental arithmetic until you are both quick and confident. Your score in the simple speed tests will be very much influenced by your ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide quickly and accurately. Even though you will need to do fewer arithmetic operations in the reasoning tests, there is no point in working out how to arrive at the answer if you make a simple mistake when calculating it. You should make a habit of mentally estimating your answers as a way of checking them. Numerical Reasoning questions assess your ability to use numbers in a logical and rational way. The questions require a basic level of education in order to successfully complete and are therefore measuring numerical ability rather than educational achievement. The questions measure your understanding of such things as number series, numerical transformations, the relationships between numbers and your ability to perform numerical calculation. Data Interpretation: In these questions data is presented either in the form of a table or a bar chart or a pie-chart or a line graph or as a combination of one of these formats. Following each of these data presentations, there will be 4 to 6 questions. You are expected to answer the questions by interpreting the data given in the table or graph. The Data Interpretation section of C-SAT is probably closest in resemblance to the kind of problems one will be dealing in real life situations. It tests ones decision-making ability and speed using limited input. Start off with topical tests in the initial stage of preparation. This is the calculation intensive portion of the section. It consists of a myriad of graphs, charts and tables from which you will have to glean and analyze data. The key to cracking this area is to quickly identify the key pieces of data that you will require to work on the questions asked. Sometimes questions are formed to try and bewilder students with a large amount of data, most of it unnecessary. As a rule, the more the data presented, the easier the questions that follow, so

dont lose heart if you see a table with 10 columns occupying one whole page. On the other hand, several seemingly innocuous questions may trip you up. Another interesting feature of DI that you as a student can use to your advantage is that, usually, not all questions in a set are of equal difficulty. Specifically, most sets have a counting type of question (How many companies have profits more than x%, how many people have incomes less than Rs. Y etc.). Most of these questions can be solved without calculation but by close inspection of the data presented. These I would categorize as gift questions designed to test a students presence of mind, and should never be missed out on. There are other similarly easy questions in most sets, and you should practice identifying the level of difficulty of questions so you know immediately would ones to attempt and which to avoid. Information is provided that requires you to interpret it and then apply the appropriate logic to answer the questions. Sometimes the questions are designed to approximate the type of reasoning required in the workplace. These data interpretation questions will often use very specific illustrations, for example the question may present financial data or use information technology jargon. However, an understanding of these areas is not required to answer the question. Below are some figures for agricultural imports from January to May. Answer the following questions using the data provided. Q1. Which month showed the largest total decrease in imports over the previous month? (a) March (b) April (c) May (d) July Q2. What percentage of rice was imported in April? (a) 17% (b) 19% (c) 21% (d) 18% Q3. What was the total cost of wheat imports in the 5 month period? (a) 27,500 (b) 25,000

(c) 22,000 (d) 29,000 5. COMPREHENSION: Comprehension is the classic entry in CSAT syllabus as it is not to test your language skill, but to test your moral and ethical aptitude, understanding of government programmes and policies, social problems, ability to comprehend boring reports etc. However, language will play a bigger role in deciphering the hidden message of the text. Language is a very complex blend of nature. We have been brought up with a language usually our mother tongue and then we come across other language, dialects and versions of language as we grow in age, stature and maturity. A word can have innumerable connotations with respect to tone, context and reference, which impinge on comprehension and understanding infinitely. Comprehension is an element of your exposure to different type of usage the kind of books you read or whether reading even features in your scheme of things on a regular day. As an IAS aspirant you are expected to read, assimilate reason, draw inferences and apply your learning to different situations. As administrator you will have to read reports, infer, make strategies and plan. As the time you spend on these documents impacts the efficiency and productivity of your division, you must find a way to work speedily and clear the tasks as per requirements and not be the bottleneck where work comes to a standstill. You wonder how you can enhance your competence and reduce time spent, whether on deciphering reports, documents etc. the way to improve your reading comprehension is evidently making a habit of reading at least a few pages of editorials in daily newspapers such as the Hindu, the Economist or any other daily. Sift through them every day and watch your efficiency with paperwork improve exponentially. In oral communication, individuals face one another, through which they can perceive the communication better due to: Facial expression, Context, Body language, Physical tone, pitch and voice variation, Verbal emphasis etc. Comprehension, however, lacks the above aids and does not assist and the reader for an understanding have to go beyond the superficial aspect of mere words. Therefore, the reader has to learn to decipher the unspoken aspects such as the ideas, inferences, assumptions, opinions, etc to comprehend the passages real intent. The length and complexity of the passage also varies depending on the tests. To understand better we are giving few exercises: Exercise -1 Homo sapiens may not have been responsible for the five distinct spasms of extinctions in geological time that began an estimated 440 million years ago, but humans are centrally implicated in the ongoing sixth wave of severe biodiversity loss. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was drafted in 1992 to stem the decline. It entered into force a year later with the avowed aim of significantly reducing loss of species and even using them where compatible

to alleviate poverty. But nearly two decades later, the treaty has largely failed to meet its targets. There is now another opportunity available to make it work. The parties to the CBD are holding their 10th conference in the Japanese city of Nagoya and with sufficient political will they can reverse the tide of species losses. The member-countries have done well to acknowledge the allround disappointment that their renewed commitment, made in 2002 to reduce biodiversity loss, remains a dead letter. They are now challenged to deliver on their assurances and act more intelligently on climate change, habitat loss and degradation, excessive exploitation, spread of invasive alien species, and pollution, all of which affect plant and animal survival. What provides some hope is the persistence of a large amount of biological diversity. The key to conservation is to recognize the role of nature in providing ecosystem goods such as fodder, fibre, genetic resources, fresh water and services such as cleansing of air, nutrient flow, erosion prevention, flood control, pollination and disease regulation. That this economic dimension of nature is being increasingly accepted the world over is heartening. At the Nagoya conference, the Group of 77 and China have made the forward-looking suggestion that countries of the South should forge closer cooperation to protect biodiversity, and use financial resources available from developed-country partners. In particular, fast-developing Chinas focus on protecting 35 priority conservation areas making up 23 per cent of the country is extremely promising. India is also focused on growth, but it needs to do more for ecosystems facing the onslaught of poorly planned development. It must begin by showing genuine recognition of natures value. National development policy cannot afford t ignore the central role played by biodiversity. At the global level, the CBD has the opportunity once again to arrive at a consensus on sustainable use of plant diversity. Such an agreement will help local communities access and benefit from use of invaluable genetic resources. The ethical imperative to save the worlds species is to restrict consumption of all natural resources to a sustainable level and allow for natural renewal. Q1. Which of the following statements about the Convention on Biological Diversity is/are NOT correct? (i). (ii). (iii). It is not legally binding. The Convention entered into force on 29 December 1993. It covers the field of biotechnology.

(a) (i) only (b) (ii) only (c) (ii) and (iii) (d) (i), (ii) and (iii)

Now, the complexity of this section lies not in the passage alone (unfamiliar vocabulary etc) but also the manner in which the

questions and the options are framed. Therefore, no matter how simple the passage may appear to be, you might face a difficult situation, if the options have been framed in a complicated manner. Exercise-2 The first-ever census of Marine Life (CoML), a mammoth decade-long exercise involving more than 2,700 scientists from over 80 countries, has been successfully completed. The painstaking research has unearthed nearly 250,000 marine species of an estimated one million. About 6,000 new species have also been discovered. The landmark exercise marks a remarkable beginning in identifying and mapping the diversity, distribution, and abundance of marine organisms. Though long-distance migration of many predators like tuna and sharks was tracked, large areas of the oceans, mainly the Indian Ocean, have not been fully explored. While ten marine hotspots were identified, including one in the Indian Ocean, many biodiversity hotspots await detailed investigation. This is because the oceans cover 75 per cent of the earths surface, and investigating their surface and depths requires tremendous scientific expertise and huge investments. The good news is that even though the census has been completed, several national and regional initiatives started during the CoML programme will continue to operate with support from government and non-government agencies. Unlike other major projects such as the mapping of the human genome, the scope of this study is undefined. Thus the CoML provides an ideal platform for incorporating diverse inputs from future studies to help us understand the big picture. It will also serve as the baseline for evaluating the future impact of human intervention on sea animals. The CoML facilitated the use of diverse technologies on a large scale, technologies that are of continuing use. For instance, there are special sonar devices which allow us to see how marine life assemble in shoals and move both vertically and laterally over thousands of square kilometers. Thanks to the use of modern techniques, scientists were also able to have a glimpse of the hitherto unknown world of marine animals. One finding of the study which is a cause for concern is that the fate of many animals living in easily accessible habitats appears gloomy. Large fishes and marine mammals like sea turtles and tuna have declined by 90 per cent on an average due to over-fishing and/or pollution. Apart from being an invaluable source of food, the oceans produce 70 per cent of oxygen present in the atmosphere, and also absorb one-third of global carbon dioxide emissions. All these are warning signs that oceans, the lifeline for all things living on earth, may well turn into a watery grave if damage to marine life continues unabated. Q2. Which of the following is/are true about the first census of marine life published in 2010? (i). (ii). The Census used DNA bar-coding for the identification of marine life. Coastal species showed maximum diversity in the tropical Western Pacific.

(iii). The Census database still has no records of for more than 20 percent of the ocean volume.

(iv).

The census was an endeavour of scientists from USA and Japan only.

(a) (i) only (b) (i) and (ii) only (c) (i), (ii) and (iii) only (d) (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) Unlike mathematical and computational skills, comprehension is not a core component of any program/course. Nevertheless, The presence of comprehension is found in most aptitude tests. Any student, who is familiar with the section on comprehension in any aptitude test, will tell you the importance of active reading. You gradually realize that the emphasis is now linking new information to your previous knowledge base, having a mental dialogue with the text so as to ensure comprehension, questioning, critically evaluating the text etc. Exercise-3 News 1 Jaipur: The beauty of the Aravali-flanked Sariska Reserve may soon be a thing of the past, with the Rajasthan government granting 40 new mining leases in the eco-sensitive zone, something thatll leave the area pock-marked with quarries and pose a threat to an ambitious tiger reintroduction project. The government sanctioned the leases on Tuesday on the plea that the Aravali range, where stone mining had been sanctioned, is less than 100m in height, which is not considered a hill as per state government norms. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court banned quarrying for stone in the Aravalis of neighbouring Haryana, holding mining companies guilty of violating zoning laws and not filling up excavated craters. Later it said some mining may be allowed but only when the Haryana government adopts a mining policy based on an SC-appointed panels guidelines. While Rajasthan authorities have interpreted norms to their convenience to sanction fresh leases, mining could damage the ecology of the region and jeopardize survival of the big cats. Five tigers have already been relocated to Sariska from Ranthambore and forest officials plan to shift more in the coming months. Leases cornered by Haryana Cos: Reports suggest the new mining leases issued in the Aravalli flanked Sariska Reserve have gone to a few Haryana-based companies at villages like Jaisinghpura, Malana, Goverdhanpura,

Palpura and Jamwa Ramgarh, in the vicinity of Sariska sanctuary. On October 12, TOI had carried a report about illegal mining in these areas. This shows how powerful and manipulative the mining lobby is. Even if the justification the department of mines and geology and forests is giving is that the hills are less than 100m in height, they should know that there is no such classification by the Supreme Court. This is the departments own creation and a gross violation of Forest (Conservation) Act 1980, said Y K Singh Chauhan, conservator of forests, ministry of environment and forests. However, V S Singh, principal secretary, forests and environment, who heads the special committee on Aravalli notification in Alwar, says, These are all fresh case in Ramgarh area screened by a committee and dont have the Aravalli hills portion. Based on the state government 100 meter yardstick and complying with the Supreme Court and MoEF guidelines, these leases will have to follow environmental norms. He claimed new leases will not disturb forest areas and are not any water body. News 2 Mumbai: Miners have been getting away with murder without either refilling the toxic craters or afforesting dead mining sites as prescribed under the law and according to environmentalists, this is one of the reasons why leases for mining in dense green zones, such as the Western Ghats, should not be given the nod. The National Mineral Policy, 2008 rules that any abandoned mine should be made richer than what it was before through refilling the craters and afforestation. But most miners leave the dead mines in a state of decay. According to the data available with the Ministries and Indian Bureau of Mines, there are 297 abandoned mines across the country and most of them are yet to be rehabilitated. With such carelessness on the part of miners, environmentalists do not seem to be too happy about the state sanctioning 49 mining leases in the eco-sensitive Sindhudurg district, where three are already operational. When TOI visited Kalane village, where mining has been on for the past nine months, the hills around the place resemble a half-eaten cake and the landscape has been stripped of its green cover. A few hundred meters downhill, the Kalane river flows through the forest and provides water to the neighbouring Goa. It is anybodys guess what will happen when this hill is left like a dead crater and the river turns toxic, says D Stalin, project director of Vanashakti. People of the Kalane even have an example of the environment horror close at hand. A part of Redi mines, situated about 20 km from Kalane, was abandoned more than two decades ago after extraction of iron ore. But even after so many years, not a single sapling has taken root here. The once green hillocks, that overlooked the pristine Sawantwadi beach, have given way to two huge craters one of them being filled with murky water and the other has turned into a rocky, dry stretch, with just one casuarinas plant standing in the barren pit.

Given the large scale destruction of flora and fauna around, a zero mining policy should be advocated in the Western Ghats, said Sumaira Abdulali of Awaaz foundation who has written to the Union Minister of environment and forests Jairam Ramesh. Adds Claude Alvaris, an environmentalist from Goa, according to the agreement, all that miners have to do is deposit Rs. 25,000 per hectares and the amount is deducted it they do not comply with the rules. Mining firms make huge profits and the deposit amount is a pittance for them. Issues Involved:

Project Tiger Tiger Census Regulations e.g. Protected areas, Reserved areas etc. Desertification Environmental Degradation

MCQs Q1. Which of the following statements about the Forest (Conservation) Act is/are correct? i. It extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir. ii. non-forest purpose includes the clearing of any forest land for the cultivation of medicinal plants. iii. It came into force on the 25th October, 1982. iv. State governments can issue orders for the clearance of forests for the purpose of using it for reafforestation. (a) (i) and (ii) only (b) (i) and (iii) only (c) (ii) and (iii) only (d) (ii) and (iv) only Q2. Read the following statements: (i). (ii). Desertification has encroached upto the borders of New Delhi. Aravali foothills have high instances of deforestation for mining purposes.

(a) Both are true and (ii) is the correct explanation of (i).

(b) Both are true and (ii) is not the correct explanation of (i). (c) (i) is true and (ii) is false. (d) (i) is false and (ii) is true. Exercise-4 The earth receives short wave radiation from the sun, one-third of which is absorbed by the atmosphere, ocean, ice, land and living organisms. The energy absorbed from solar radiation is balanced, in the long term, by the outgoing radiation from the earth and atmosphere. While short wave radiation from the sun can easily pass through the atmosphere, the long wave radiation emitted by the warm surface of the earth is partially absorbed by trace gases in the atmosphere called greenhouse gases (GHGs). The main natural greenhouse gases are water vapour (H2O), Carbon Dioxide (CO2), and Methane (CH4). In absence of these gases the temperature of the Earth would have been 33C lower than it is today. In the late 1980s, scientists began to suggest that the earths energy flux was no longer in balance. Earths surface was getting warmer, affecting the elements of the climate system. The climate itself was changing. The problem is that human activity is making the blanket of gases thicker or enhancing the greenhouse effect. By 1995, research concluded that the main culprit was CO2 emissions, produced by the burning of fossil fuels (coal, gas, and oil) in factories and power stations, and cars. When we burn coal, oil, and natural gas, we spew huge amounts of CO2, into the earths atmosphere filling it up with large amounts of greenhouse gases, much more than what is okay. When we destroy forests, the carbon stored in the trees escape to the atmosphere. Other basic activities, such as raising cattle and planting rice, emit methane, nitrous oxide, and other greenhouse gases. If emissions continue to grow at current rates, it is almost certain that atmospheric level of CO2 will double from pre-industrial levels during 21st century. If no steps are taken to slow greenhouse gas emissions, it is quite possible that levels will triple by the year 2100. Poor developing nations, particularly small island nation states will be the worst hit. A 15-95 cm rise in sea level could turn these people into environmental refugees. Besides, poor countries are least prepared to face the wrath of floods and hurricanes. The lifestyles of future generations shall be compromised. Plants and animals around the world will be severely affected by changing weather patterns. Industrialized countries are mainly responsible for the mess. They owe their present prosperity to years of historical emissions that have accumulated in the atmosphere since the start of the industrial revolution and an extremely high level of current emissions. Developing countries,

mean while, have only recently set out on the path of industrialization, and their per capital emissions are still comparatively low, though increasing. In 1990, out of the 21 billion tones of emissions globally, 14 billion tones were emitted by rich developed countries, home to only one-fifth of worlds population. Of these 14 billion tones, the US alone contributed 5 billion tons of carbon. This is only 10 per cent of the US emissions (1,511 million tons) despite a population nearly four times over. Scientists cannot prove what they say will eventually happen, argue some. Responding to the threat is expected to be expensive, complicated, and difficult, they add. Yet, if the nations of the world wait for the perfect science, until the consequences and victims are clear, it will probably be too late to act. The issue is no longer whether or not climate change is a potentially serious problem. Rather, it is how the problem will develop and what its effects will be. The science will never be perfect when dealing with something as complicated as the planets climate system. But there is general agreement in scientific circles that climate change is indeed happening and that we have to act, and fast. 165 nations signed the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. It is one of the series of recent environmental agreements through which countries around the world are putting their head together to meet this challenge. Solving the problem of climatic change is going to be the biggest cooperative effort of nations and people around the world. Are we up to it? According to scientists, the only way to escape the disastrous consequences associated with climate change is to reduce emissions by 50-70 per cent below 1990 levels. The use of fossil fuels, hence carbon emissions are closely linked to economic growth and lifestyle. The richer you are the more you emit. So someone has to put limits to their emissions, hence the way they live. Someone has to stop driving fuel guzzling sports utility vehicle. But few are willing to change the way they live. The much awaited trip to the CoP-8 meeting finally came about on October 24, 2002. We headed straight to get our passes made. This barely took a few seconds, but out photogenic material! When they split into three groups, our group of CT reporters had to focus on the conference, and tried to interview the various delegates that were loitering around the main hall, however finally, all of us ended up doing exactly that! As we were scurrying around everywhere, we realized that this place had been really spruced up, beautiful art on the walls, and a giant sculpture outside hall five, where a conference was taking place between delegates from all countries, under the UN polices strict scrutiny, of course! All the floors were carpeted in a beige shade, and the escalators and staircases were squeaky clean. People are everywhere people from every possible nation, of every possible colour and creed,

and yet everyone was assembled in one hall to discuss this issue of global magnitude! Now it is over, it seems pretty overwhelming that this event was held right here, in apna New Delhi doesnt it? Q1. Large portion of Bangladesh will be submerged by the end of this century itself. Which is the direct reason of environmental refugee? 1. Frequently hit by Cyclone 2. Climate itself is changing 3. Melting of ice will lead to sea level change 4. Poor will migrate Answer: (a) 1, 2, 3 (b) 1, 3 (c) 1, 2 (d) 2, 3, 4 (e) None of the above Q2. The problem of environmental refuge for the poor countries is like ecological-timebomb. Why poor country will not be able to cope with any such crisis? 1. A 15-19 cm rise in sea level could give birth to the problem of environmental refuge 2. Appropriate alternate technologies are not sufficiently available 3. Industrialized countries are mainly responsible for the mess Answer: (a) 1,2, 3 (b) 1, 2 (c) None of the above Q3. What are the possible limitations of India in mitigating the global warming at present and in the immediate future?

1. Appropriate alternated technologies are not sufficiently available. 2. India cannot invest huge funds in research and development. 3. Many developed countries have already set up their polluting industries in India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Q4. Assertion : As we go up the atmosphere, temperature decreases. Reason : Atmosphere gets heated by long wave radiation.

Q5. Assertion : Developed countries follow more mechanized life style. Reason : Developed countries contribute more to the climate change.

Q6. Which of the following gases has the largest contribution in greenhouse effects? (a) CO2 (b) Methane (c) Ozone (d) Water vapour

Q7. Statement I: Greenhouse effects are necessary for supporting life. Statement II: Climate change can be controlled by sustainable development measures. (a) I is true, II is false (b) I is false, II is true (c) Both are true

(d) Both are false Log in as Premium User and take Mock 2011 Civil Services Preliminary Exam (CSAT) Paper I and II as per New Syllabus Dream Dare Win