Consider the following statements :
- 1.Coal ash contains arsenic, lead and mercury.
- 2.Coal-fired power plants release sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen into the environment.
- 3.High ash content is observed in Indian coal.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
Show answer
Answer: D. Statement 1 is correct: coal ash contains heavy metals like arsenic, lead and mercury. Statement 2 is correct: coal plants release sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Statement 3 is correct: Indian coal has high ash content, often 30-45%. So all three.
Watch for: Students sometimes doubt that ash contains toxic metals.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong because statements 2 and 3 are also correct.
- B. Wrong because coal ash does contain heavy metals.
- C. Wrong because statements 1 and 2 are also correct.
Source to check: Central Pollution Control Board reports on fly ash; Ministry of Coal (coal.nic.in), coal quality
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.