Consider the following statements regarding environmental issues of India: Which of these statements are correct?

Answer: (b) 1, 2, 3 and 4

All four statements are true.

Statement by statement

1. ✓ CORRECT Gulf of Mannar became a biosphere reserve in 1989.

2. ✓ CORRECT GAP Phase II was merged into the National River Conservation Plan (1996).

3. ✓ CORRECT The NMNH ran non-formal education on environment and conservation (it was destroyed by fire in 2016).

4. ✓ CORRECT ENVIS (1982) was a network of centres sharing environmental information; it became EIACP in 2022.

The idea

Four separate facts about India’s environmental set-up, each a plain description. None has a catch.

Ganga Action Plan, 1985 → Phase II and other rivers added → Merged into the National River Conservation Plan, mid-1990s → Namami Gange, 2014: Ganga-specific; NRCP continues for other rivers

Elimination technique

All four are plain descriptive statements with no absolute word. Such statements are usually true in Environment PYQs, which points to all four.

Also know

The Gulf of Mannar was the first marine biosphere reserve of India (1989), known for the dugong and coral islands. ENVIS began in 1982 as a network of centres in institutions across India; it became EIACP in 2022. The National Museum of Natural History in New Delhi opened on 5 June 1978 and was destroyed in a fire in 2016; its regional museums continue.