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Topic 224 · Environment, Climate & Biodiversity

Disappearing lakes and the public trust doctrine

10 MCQs · tap an option to check it · All answers

Revise the 12 points first Book 1 RATNA
  1. Core Trigger: A CAG audit released on 31 March 2026 found 518 of 697 lakes recorded in 1967 in Jammu and Kashmir vanished or shrunk.
  2. Key Finding: 315 lakes disappeared and 203 shrank, losing 2,851.26 hectares in all.
  3. Released By: Accountant General (Audit) Tsewang Tharchin released the report.
  4. Key Term: Under the public trust doctrine the State holds lakes, rivers and forests as trustee for the public, not owner.
  5. Data: Only six lakes, including Dal and Wular, had conservation programmes; the other 691 had none.
  6. Stakeholders: Of 315 vanished lakes, 235 were under Revenue and Agriculture Departments, 80 under Forest.
  7. India Link: India had 99 Ramsar sites by April 2026, up from 26 in 2014.
  8. Headquarters: The CAG, the constitutional auditor under Article 148, is based in New Delhi.
  9. Founded: The NPCA was formed in 2013 by merging the wetlands and lake conservation programmes.
  10. Landmark: M.C. Mehta v Kamal Nath (1996) made the doctrine law; Swachh Association (7 October 2025) extended it to man-made waterbodies.
  11. Articles: Article 21 covers a healthy environment; Article 48A directs protection; Article 51A(g) makes it a duty.
  12. Doctrine: Futala Lake was held not a wetland under Rule 2(1)(g), Wetlands Rules 2017, so the appeal failed.
Question 1 of 10

A CAG audit of 31 March 2026 found how many of 697 lakes recorded in Jammu and Kashmir in 1967 vanished or shrunk?

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Answer: (C) 518

Core Trigger: A CAG audit released on 31 March 2026 found 518 of 697 lakes recorded in 1967 in Jammu and Kashmir vanished or shrunk.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 224, point 1

Question 2 of 10

The vanished and shrunk lakes lost how much area in all?

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Answer: (A) 2,851.26 hectares

Key Finding: 315 lakes disappeared and 203 shrank, losing 2,851.26 hectares in all.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 224, point 2

Question 3 of 10

Who released the CAG report as Accountant General (Audit)?

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Answer: (D) Tsewang Tharchin

Released By: Accountant General (Audit) Tsewang Tharchin released the report.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 224, point 3

Question 4 of 10

Under the public trust doctrine, in what capacity does the State hold lakes, rivers and forests?

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Answer: (D) As trustee for the public

Key Term: Under the public trust doctrine the State holds lakes, rivers and forests as trustee for the public, not owner.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 224, point 4

Question 5 of 10

Only how many of the 697 lakes had conservation programmes, including Dal and Wular?

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Answer: (B) Six

Data: Only six lakes, including Dal and Wular, had conservation programmes; the other 691 had none.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 224, point 5

Question 6 of 10

Consider: 1) Of the 315 vanished lakes, 235 were under the Forest Department. 2) The other 80 were under the Revenue and Agriculture Departments. Which is/are correct?

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Answer: (D) Neither

Stakeholders: Of 315 vanished lakes, 235 were under Revenue and Agriculture Departments, 80 under Forest.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 224, point 6

Question 7 of 10

The CAG, the constitutional auditor under Article 148, is based in which city?

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Answer: (B) New Delhi

Headquarters: The CAG, the constitutional auditor under Article 148, is based in New Delhi.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 224, point 8

Question 8 of 10

The NPCA was formed by merging wetlands and lake conservation programmes in which year?

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Answer: (D) 2013

Founded: The NPCA was formed in 2013 by merging the wetlands and lake conservation programmes.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 224, point 9

Question 9 of 10

Which 1996 case made the public trust doctrine law in India?

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Answer: (D) M.C. Mehta v Kamal Nath

Landmark: M.C. Mehta v Kamal Nath (1996) made the doctrine law; Swachh Association (7 October 2025) extended it to man-made waterbodies.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 224, point 10

Question 10 of 10

Consider: 1) Article 48A directs protection of the environment. 2) Article 51A(g) is a Directive Principle binding the State. Which is/are correct?

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Answer: (A) Only 1

Articles: Article 21 covers a healthy environment; Article 48A directs protection; Article 51A(g) makes it a duty.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 224, point 11

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