UPSC Prelims 2026 Environment Revision — Day 5: Ecology, Protected Areas & Conventions

Time needed: 3–4 hours  |  High-yield rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (10–22 questions per paper in recent years)

Protected Areas — Key Numbers (Verified May 2026)

Prelims trap: India has 99 Ramsar sites (as of April 2026), not 75 or 80. TN has the most.

Prelims trap: Similipal became 107th National Park (not 106th) in April 2025.

Tiger Population & Project Tiger

• Project Tiger launched: April 1, 1973 — Jim Corbett NP, under PM Indira Gandhi; started with 9 reserves
• NTCA (National Tiger Conservation Authority) — established 2006 under Wildlife Protection Amendment Act
• Tiger population: 3,682 (range: 3,167–3,925) — All India Tiger Estimation 2022 (released 2023)
• 24% increase over 2018 count (2,967); India holds ~75% of world's wild tiger population
• State with most tigers: Madhya Pradesh (785); followed by Karnataka (563), Uttarakhand (560)
• Tiger reserves with most tigers: Corbett, Bandipur, Nagarhole, Bandhavgarh, Sundarbans

Forest Cover — ISFR 2023

Prelims trap: India's National Forest Policy 1988 targets 33% of geographical area under forest/tree cover — India has NOT yet achieved this (currently 25.17% combined).

Key Environmental Laws of India — Detailed

Prelims trap: CPCB was established under the Water Act 1974 — NOT under EPA 1986. EPA 1986 is the umbrella law but came later.

Prelims trap: NGT Act was passed in 2010 and the tribunal became operational on October 18, 2010. It is India's first — and the world's third — specialised environmental tribunal.

Prelims trap: The Wildlife Protection Act 2022 amendment reduced schedules from 6 to 4. The new Schedule IV covers CITES-listed species (aligning India's domestic law with international trade obligations).

Prelims trap: The Forest Conservation Act 1980 was renamed (not repealed and replaced) by the 2023 amendment to "Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980."

Key International Environmental Conventions

Prelims trap: Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions are sometimes called the "BRS Conventions" — they share a common secretariat and hold back-to-back COPs. India has ratified all three.

Prelims trap: Rotterdam Convention covers Prior Informed Consent (PIC) for hazardous chemicals trade — different from Basel (hazardous waste). Distinguish clearly: Basel = waste, Rotterdam = chemicals/pesticides trade, Stockholm = POPs (elimination/restriction).

Prelims trap: Kigali Amendment (2016) targets HFCs — these do NOT deplete ozone (they replaced CFCs for that purpose) but have very high global warming potential (GWP). India ratified Kigali in September 2021.

Ozone Layer & Montreal Protocol — Key Facts

Ozone Layer Basics

• Location: Stratosphere — mainly concentrated at 15–35 km altitude
• Function: Absorbs UV-B radiation which causes skin cancer, cataracts, crop damage, and harm to marine ecosystems
• "Good ozone" (stratosphere) vs "Bad ozone" (troposphere — ground-level ozone = smog component, a health hazard)

How CFCs Destroy Ozone

• CFC (chlorofluorocarbon): Used in refrigerants, aerosol propellants, foam blowing agents; long-lived (50–100 years)
• UV radiation breaks apart CFCs in the upper stratosphere, releasing chlorine (Cl) atoms
• Each Cl atom destroys approximately 100,000 ozone molecules through a catalytic chain reaction
• Chlorine is then regenerated and continues destroying ozone — it is not consumed in the reaction

Antarctic Ozone Hole

• Largest ozone depletion occurs over Antarctica, primarily in September–October (southern spring)
• Caused by Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PSCs) — form in extreme cold (-80°C) of Antarctic winter; provide surfaces that accelerate chlorine-mediated ozone destruction when spring UV arrives
• Not caused by higher CFC concentrations — CFCs are well-mixed globally; PSC chemistry makes Antarctica uniquely vulnerable
• 2025 ozone hole: 5th smallest since 1992 (NOAA-NASA), showing gradual recovery due to Montreal Protocol

Montreal Protocol & Kigali Amendment — Key Dates

Prelims trap: World Ozone Day = September 16 — the date Montreal Protocol was signed in 1987 (NOT the Vienna Convention).

Prelims trap: HFCs are NOT ozone-depleting — they were introduced as replacements for CFCs precisely because they do not harm the ozone layer. However, HFCs are potent greenhouse gases (GWP up to thousands of times CO₂), which is why the Kigali Amendment targets them.

Prelims trap: The Montreal Protocol is the only UN treaty ratified by every country on Earth (198 parties = 197 states + EU).

Biodiversity — Key Laws & Agreements

CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)

Prelims trap: Appendix III listings can be done unilaterally by any CITES party; Appendix I and II require CoP decision (all parties).

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

• Adopted: 1992 (Rio Earth Summit); Entered into force: 1993
• 3 objectives: Conservation of biodiversity; sustainable use; fair and equitable sharing of benefits
• Cartagena Protocol: adopted January 29, 2000 — on biosafety; Living Modified Organisms (LMOs/GMOs); entered into force September 11, 2003
• Nagoya Protocol: adopted October 29, 2010 (Nagoya, Japan) — on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) from genetic resources; entered into force October 12, 2014; UPSC trap: cite 2010 as the year (adoption year is standard reference)
• Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF): Adopted at CBD COP15 (December 2022, Kunming-Montreal); "30×30 target" — protect 30% of land and oceans by 2030

Ramsar Convention

• Official name: Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat
• Signed: 1971 at Ramsar, Iran; Entered into force: 1975
• India's 1st Ramsar sites: Chilika Lake + Keoladeo Ghana (both designated October 1, 1981); India ratified convention: 1982
• Montreux Record: Indian sites on it — Keoladeo Ghana, Loktak Lake (concerning conservation status)

UNESCO Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme

• Launched: 1971 by UNESCO — an intergovernmental scientific programme
• Purpose: Promote science-based improvement of relationships between people and their environments; reconcile conservation with sustainable use
• Outcome: Designation as UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR)
• Three-zone structure of every Biosphere Reserve:
  • Core Zone: Strictly protected; minimal human disturbance; biodiversity conservation; research only
  • Buffer Zone: Surrounds core; limited research, education, tourism permitted
  • Transition Zone (Cooperation Zone): Human settlements, farming, sustainable activities allowed
• Criteria for MAB recognition: Significant biodiversity or unique/rare ecosystems; representative of a major biome; opportunities for scientific research and monitoring; adequate size to fulfil conservation and sustainable development functions
• India: 18 nationally notified Biosphere Reserves; 13 recognized by UNESCO WNBR (13th: Cold Desert, HP — September 2025)

Prelims trap: India has 18 national Biosphere Reserves but only 13 UNESCO-recognized ones. Both numbers are tested. The 13th UNESCO recognition (Cold Desert, HP) happened in September 2025.

Climate Change Agreements

India's Updated NDC (2022):

• Reduce emissions intensity of GDP by 45% from 2005 levels by 2030
• Achieve 50% of cumulative electric capacity from non-fossil fuels by 2030
• Create additional carbon sink of 2.5–3 billion tonnes CO₂ equivalent through forest/tree cover by 2030

India has already achieved: 50% non-fossil installed capacity (June 2025, 5 years ahead of NDC target)

Renewable Energy Numbers (Verified)

Record: FY2025-26 saw 45 GW solar added in a single year — highest ever.

Pollution & Environmental Laws

Wildlife Protection Act 1972 — Schedule Details

The WPA 1972 has 6 Schedules — each provides a different level of protection:

Prelims trap: Schedule I provides absolute protection — the highest penalty applies. Schedule V is the opposite — these animals (vermin) can be killed freely. Schedule VI uniquely covers plant species (the only schedule for plants).

Prelims trap: The WPA was significantly amended in 2006 (established NTCA) and 2022 (to align with CITES, added new species).

Species — Critically Endangered in India

Prelims trap: Gangetic River Dolphin is Endangered (EN) — NOT Critically Endangered. It is India's National Aquatic Animal.

Prelims trap: Indian Rhinoceros (one-horned) is Vulnerable (VU) — NOT endangered (population recovered to ~4,000 in Kaziranga area).

More Key Species — IUCN Status

Prelims trap: The Indian Wolf is Vulnerable (IUCN 2025) — but listed as Endangered under India's WPA. Different classification systems — IUCN global vs India's domestic law — don't always match.

Prelims trap: Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary (Odisha) is the world's largest Olive Ridley sea turtle rookery and India's first marine sanctuary.

Important Reports & Indices

Air Pollution — Key Standards & Bodies

CPCB and Air Quality Standards

• CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board): Established under Section 3 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 — NOT under EPA 1986. Operates under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). Mandated to deal with air, water, and noise pollution. Issues National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).
• NAAQS: First issued 1982; last significantly revised November 18, 2009. Currently covers 12 pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, NO₂, SO₂, CO, O₃, NH₃, Pb, benzene, arsenic, nickel, benzo(a)pyrene).
• Key NAAQS limits (annual mean): PM2.5 = 40 μg/m³; PM10 = 60 μg/m³

India's Air Quality Index (AQI) — 6 Categories

• 8 Pollutants measured: PM2.5, PM10, NO₂, SO₂, CO, O₃, NH₃ (ammonia), Pb (lead)
• Introduced: 2014 by CPCB under MoEFCC; minimum 3 pollutants needed for composite AQI; one must be PM2.5 or PM10
• PM2.5 vs PM10: PM2.5 = fine particles ≤2.5 micrometres — deep lung penetration, most harmful; PM10 = coarse particles ≤10 micrometres

National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)

• Launched: January 2019 by MoEFCC
• Cities covered: 131 non-attainment cities across 24 States/UTs (non-attainment = cities that did not meet NAAQS)
• Target: Originally 20–30% reduction in PM₁₀ concentrations by 2024; revised to 40% reduction in PM₁₀ or meeting PM₁₀ NAAQS by 2025–26 (from 2017 baseline)
• Challenge: As of 2026, only 23 cities achieved 40% reduction; most cities unlikely to meet the revised target

GRAP — Graded Response Action Plan (Delhi-NCR)

• Implemented by: CAQM (Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas)
• CAQM: Established via Ordinance in 2020; became a statutory body under the CAQM Act, 2021 (enacted April 13, 2021); replaced the EPCA (Environment Pollution Prevention and Control Authority), which was a non-statutory body set up by the Supreme Court in 1998

Prelims trap: CPCB is under Environment Ministry (MoEFCC) — NOT the Water Ministry. It was established under the Water Act 1974, but functions under MoEFCC now.

Prelims trap: NCAP was launched in January 2019. Target revised to 40% PM₁₀ reduction by 2025–26 from 2017 baseline. The original 20–30% target was interim.

Prelims trap: CAQM (not EPCA) is the current statutory body for Delhi-NCR air quality. CAQM became a statutory body via an Act of Parliament in 2021 (first established by ordinance in 2020). EPCA lacked statutory backing.

Water Pollution & Rivers

Namami Gange Programme

• Nodal body: National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) under Ministry of Jal Shakti
• Namami Gange: Flagship integrated conservation mission; approved June 2014; launched May 2015; budget ₹20,000 crore
• Objectives: Abatement of pollution; conservation; rejuvenation of the Ganga; sewage treatment plants (STPs); river surface cleaning; riverfront development; biodiversity conservation; afforestation on banks
• Scale: 346+ projects sanctioned; multiple STPs constructed across Ganga basin cities

Ganga Action Plans — Historical Context

Water Pollution — Key Concepts

• BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand): Measure of organic pollution; the amount of dissolved oxygen consumed by biological processes in water; higher BOD = more polluted; dissolved oxygen (DO) drops
• CPCB River Classification: 5 categories based on DO, BOD, total coliforms:
  • Category A: Suitable for drinking after conventional treatment
  • Category B: Outdoor bathing (organised)
  • Category C: Drinking after advanced treatment
  • Category D: Wildlife and fisheries
  • Category E: Irrigation, industrial cooling (most degraded)
• Yamuna's most polluted stretch: Delhi (approximately 22 km from Wazirabad to Okhla carries approximately 80% of Yamuna's total pollution load); Delhi has 52 drains discharging directly into the Yamuna

Prelims trap: Namami Gange ≠ Ganga Action Plan. Namami Gange launched 2015 with ₹20,000 crore; GAP I launched 1985 by Rajiv Gandhi government. NMCG is the nodal implementing body under Ministry of Jal Shakti (not Environment Ministry).

Prelims trap: BOD and DO have an inverse relationship — higher BOD = lower dissolved oxygen = more polluted water.

Biodiversity Hotspots in India — Detailed

India has 4 of the 36 global biodiversity hotspots (as defined by Conservation International):

India's biodiversity by numbers:

• ~6–7% of world's plant species
• ~6.4% of world's mammal species
• ~12% of world's bird species
• ~6.2% of world's amphibian species

Prelims trap: India has 4 biodiversity hotspots — not 2 or 3. A common error is omitting Sundaland (because India's portion is only the Nicobar Islands) or treating Western Ghats and Sri Lanka as two separate hotspots — they are one combined hotspot.

Prelims trap: Hoolock Gibbon (found in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh) is India's only ape — found in the Indo-Burma hotspot. The Western Ghats hotspot is famous for amphibians and endemic plants (not gibbons).

Climate Change — India's NDC and Panchamrit Targets

Panchamrit — India's 5 Climate Targets (COP26, Glasgow, November 2021)

PM Modi announced India's Panchamrit (5 nectars/elements) at COP26, November 2021:

India's Updated NDC (formally submitted 2022) also includes:

• Additional carbon sink of 2.5–3 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent through forest and tree cover by 2030

LiFE Mission (Lifestyle for Environment)

• Launched: PM Modi at COP26, November 2021
• Concept: Promotes pro-planet individual behaviour — "Pro-Planet People" (P3)
• Philosophy: Counters western throw-away consumerism model; mindful and deliberate utilisation of resources; drawing on India's tradition of living in harmony with nature

India's actual 2025–26 performance:

• Non-fossil installed capacity crossed 50% milestone in June 2025 (5 years ahead of 2030 NDC target)
• Total installed capacity crossed 500 GW in September 2025
• India ranked 3rd globally in renewable energy capacity (behind USA and China)
• Solar capacity: ~150 GW (March 2026); FY2025-26 added 45 GW solar — highest-ever single-year addition

Prelims trap: India's Net Zero target is 2070 — NOT 2050 (UK, EU) or 2060 (China). India has been consistent on this.

Prelims trap: Panchamrit = 5 elements (not 4, not 6). The 4th element (emissions intensity -45%) was upgraded from 33–35% to 45% in the Updated NDC (2022) — this upgrade is frequently tested.

Prelims trap: LiFE was launched at COP26 (2021) — not at a domestic event. "Pro-Planet People" (P3) is the tagline.

Prelims trap: The carbon sink target (2.5–3 billion tonnes CO₂ eq) is part of the Updated NDC 2022 — not the same as the 5 Panchamrit elements, though it is part of India's overall climate commitment.

National Missions on Environment (NAPCC — 2008)

Launched: June 30, 2008 by the Government of India — 8 National Missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC):

Prelims trap: NAPCC has 8 missions — not 7 or 9. All launched June 30, 2008.

Prelims trap: The Solar Mission is formally named Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM). Its initial 2022 target was 20,000 MW (later revised upward drastically to 100 GW by Union Budget 2015 — India achieved ~150 GW solar by March 2026).

Prelims trap: The PAT (Perform Achieve Trade) scheme falls under the National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency (NMEEE) — NOT the Solar Mission. It uses market-based mechanisms to reduce specific energy consumption in energy-intensive industries.

Important National Parks — Location by State

Prelims trap: Gir Forest (Gujarat) is the world's only habitat of the Asiatic Lion — not African lion. Asiatic lions are on Schedule I of WPA and CITES Appendix I.

Prelims trap: Hemis NP (Ladakh) is India's largest National Park by area — not Kaziranga or Sundarbans.

Coral Reefs in India

India has four major coral reef regions — all are fringing reefs except Lakshadweep which are atolls:

Prelims trap: Lakshadweep corals are atolls (coral islands built on submarine ridges) — DIFFERENT from fringing or barrier reefs. All other Indian coral reefs are fringing reefs.

Prelims trap: Gulf of Kutch corals are among the world's most northerly coral reefs — an unusual geographic fact frequently tested.

Agricultural Revolutions in India

Prelims trap: Green Revolution was most successful in Punjab, Haryana, and western UP — NOT across all of India. It also led to ecological problems: depleted groundwater, soil degradation, monoculture.

Prelims trap: M.S. Swaminathan is credited as "Father of Green Revolution in India" — but Norman Borlaug is "Father of Green Revolution globally" (Nobel Prize 1970).

Prelims trap: Operation Flood (White Revolution) ran three phases: 1970–80, 1981–85, 1985–96 — it is the world's largest dairy development programme.

Important International Environmental Days

Prelims trap: World Wildlife Day = March 3 — the same date CITES was signed in 1973. This connection is frequently tested.

Prelims trap: World Ozone Day = September 16 — the date the Montreal Protocol was signed in 1987, NOT the Vienna Convention.

2025–26 Current Affairs: Environment & Ecology

Protected Areas — New Additions (2025–26)

Prelims trap: India's 99th Ramsar site is Shekha Jheel Bird Sanctuary (Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh), designated on April 22, 2026 (Earth Day). UP has 12 sites — second only to Tamil Nadu (20).

Prelims trap: The 13th UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is Cold Desert (Himachal Pradesh), designated in September 2025. India has 18 nationally notified BRs but only 13 have UNESCO recognition — both numbers are tested.

Climate — COP30 Belém, Brazil (November 2025)

Prelims trap: COP30 was held in Belém, Brazil (not Belem, Bonn, or Dubai). COP29 was in Baku, Azerbaijan (2024); COP28 was in Dubai, UAE (2023). The NCQG (New Collective Quantified Goal) of $300 billion/year was agreed at COP29 (Baku).

Renewable Energy Milestones (2025–26)

Prelims trap: India achieved 50% installed capacity from non-fossil sources in June 2025 — the NDC target was set for 2030. India met it 5 years early. The 500 GW total installed capacity milestone was crossed in September 2025.

Green Hydrogen & New Environmental Policies

Prelims trap: The National Green Hydrogen Mission has a total outlay of ₹19,744 crore, of which the SIGHT programme is ₹17,490 crore — the single largest component. Launched January 2023; target: 5 million tonnes green hydrogen/year by 2030.

IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025

Prelims trap: The IUCN World Conservation Congress (2025) was held in Abu Dhabi, UAE — not to be confused with the CBD COP (under UNFCCC/CBD). IUCN Congress is held every 4 years; it is NOT a UN body — IUCN is an international NGO/union of member organisations.

Prelims trap: World Environment Day = June 5 — observed since 1974 and run by UNEP. The host country changes every year; theme also changes annually.

Ecology Basics — Frequently Tested Concepts

Lindemann's 10% Energy Law (1942)

• Proposed by: Raymond Lindemann in his paper "The Trophic-Dynamic Aspect of Ecology" (1942)
• Law: Only about 10% of energy at one trophic level is transferred to the next trophic level; the remaining ~90% is lost as heat (respiration), undigested matter, and metabolic processes
• Example: 1,000 kcal of plant energy → 100 kcal (herbivores) → 10 kcal (primary carnivores) → 1 kcal (secondary carnivores)
• Implication: Food chains rarely exceed 4–5 trophic levels (energy becomes negligible beyond that)
• Also called: Law of Trophic Efficiency / Ecological Efficiency

Food chain vs food web:

• Food chain: Linear sequence of energy transfer (grass → deer → tiger)
• Food web: Interconnected network of food chains; more realistic; provides stability (if one species disappears, energy can flow through alternative paths)

Ecological Pyramids — Key Distinction

Prelims trap: The pyramid of energy is always upright — it can NEVER be inverted. Pyramids of numbers and biomass CAN be inverted. The classic inverted biomass example is aquatic/marine ecosystems (phytoplankton vs zooplankton).

Prelims trap: Lindemann proposed the 10% law in 1942 — not 1954 or 1960. The year is tested directly in MCQs.

Biogeochemical Cycles — Tested Steps

Nitrogen Cycle (UPSC 5–7 PYQs on this):

Prelims trap: Rhizobium fixes nitrogen only in legume root nodules (symbiotic); Azotobacter is free-living in soil. Nitrosomonas does Step 1 of nitrification (ammonia → nitrite); Nitrobacter does Step 2 (nitrite → nitrate). Pseudomonas is the key denitrifying bacterium — returns N₂ to atmosphere.

Carbon Cycle — Key Processes:

• Photosynthesis: CO₂ + H₂O → glucose + O₂ (fixes atmospheric carbon into organic matter)
• Respiration (all organisms): Glucose + O₂ → CO₂ + H₂O (returns carbon to atmosphere)
• Decomposition: Decomposers break organic matter → releases CO₂ back to atmosphere
• Combustion: Burning fossil fuels + biomass → rapid release of stored carbon as CO₂
• Oceans as carbon sink: ~25–30% of anthropogenic CO₂ absorbed by oceans → causes ocean acidification

Ecological Succession

• Pioneer species: First colonisers; tolerant of harsh conditions; modify the habitat (build soil); eventually replaced by more competitive species
• Climax community: Relatively stable end-state of succession; species composition in equilibrium with local climate; site-specific
• Seral community / Sere: Each intermediate stage of succession before climax is called a seral stage

Keystone Species, Edge Effect, Ecotone

• Keystone species: Species whose impact on the ecosystem is disproportionately large relative to its abundance; removal causes dramatic restructuring of the ecosystem. Example: Sea otters control sea urchin populations (which would otherwise overgraze kelp forests); Indian tigress in a tiger reserve; elephants as ecosystem engineers
• Edge effect: The area where two different ecosystems or habitats meet (ecotone) tends to have higher species diversity and population density than either adjacent ecosystem. This is the "edge effect" — more resources, structural variety, and more niches available at boundaries
• Ecotone: A transition zone or boundary between two different ecosystems. Examples: mangrove forests (between terrestrial and marine), scrubland between grassland and forest, riverbanks, wetland edges. Ecotones are important corridors for wildlife movement

Prelims trap: An ecotone is NOT a hotspot by definition, but the edge effect means ecotones often have high biodiversity. The ecotone between forest and grassland may have both forest and grassland species plus specialist edge species.

• Carrying Capacity (K): Maximum population size that an environment can sustainably support given available resources; populations oscillate around K in nature
• r-strategists vs K-strategists:

Protected Areas — Nuances and Differences

National Park vs Wildlife Sanctuary vs Conservation Reserve vs Community Reserve

Prelims trap: Only a National Park boundary change requires an Act of the State Legislature — not a Wildlife Sanctuary. A Sanctuary can be altered by notification. This is a key constitutional distinction.

Prelims trap: Conservation Reserves are set up on government-owned uninhabited land used by communities for subsistence — the land is NOT privately owned. Community Reserves are on private or community-owned land where owners voluntarily agree to conserve.

Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH) vs Buffer Zone

• Legal basis: Section 38V of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 (inserted by 2006 amendment)
• Critical Tiger Habitat (Core area): Inviolate area — no human activity; identified by Expert Committee; notified by State Government; based on scientific criteria that such areas must remain disturbance-free for tiger conservation
• Buffer Zone: Peripheral area surrounding the CTH; allows co-existence of wildlife and human activity; recognises livelihood, developmental, social, and cultural rights of local people; lesser degree of habitat protection
• Distinction from Biosphere Reserve zones: CTH/buffer are tiger reserve zones under WPA; Biosphere Reserve core/buffer/transition zones are UNESCO MAB designations — different legal framework

Prelims trap: CTH is defined under WPA Section 38V — a 2006 amendment. It is the core of a Tiger Reserve, not the entire reserve. The State Government notifies it, NOT the Central Government or NTCA. NTCA only recommends; state notifies.