Answer: D

Explanation:

Recently, the Kolleru Lake in Eluru district of Vijayawada has dried up, revealing its barren state amidst a harsh summer. Kolleru Lake is a natural freshwater lake in Andhra Pradesh. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.

This lake is situated between the Krishna and Godavari river deltas. It is one of the largest freshwater lakes in India and the largest shallow freshwater lake in Asia, covering 308 square kilometers. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.

In 1999, the lake was designated a Wildlife Sanctuary under India's Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 and in 2002, the Ramsar Convention recognized the Kolleru Lake wetland as a Wetland of International Importance. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.

Answer: C

Explanation:

Recently, a study on Paliyar Tribals in Kodaikanal and Theni areas of Tamil Nadu found no government job placements for any of the 1,173 families in 36 villages. The State government is urged to promptly uplift Paliyar tribes and other Adivasi communities. The Paliyar tribe is one of several indigenous communities residing in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

Historically known by various names such as Paliyans, Pazhaiyarares and Panaiyars, they have inhabited the regions surrounding the Western Ghats. They are believed to be indigenous to the Palani hills, which are located near Kodaikanal. They speak Tamil and use the Tamil script for communication. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

They preserve water sources and only utilize resources according to their needs and use ethnomedicines obtained from plants for treatment. They offer prayers to the Vanadevadai in the interior forest and worship the god Karuppan by visiting a remote area of the forest with their families. They also do not burn dead bodies. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Answer: B

Explanation:

The Koothandavar festival of Koovagam in Tamil Nadu is an important celebration of transgender culture with rituals depicting marriage and widowhood. The Koothandavar festival is held annually in Koovagam, Tamil Nadu, during the Tamil month of Chithirai, which spans from mid-April to mid-May, covering duration of 18 days. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

Rooted in Tamil Mahabharata lore, the festival commemorates the sacrifice of Aravan, who offered himself for the victory of the Pandavas in war, eventually leading to Lord Krishna marrying Aravan in the form of Mohini. Transgender women participate in symbolic rituals, dressing as brides on the 17th day, where priests of the Koothandavar temple tie thaalis (sacred yellow threads) around their necks. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.

Answer: B

Explanation:

Catatumbo Lightning is a mesmerizing natural phenomenon observed over the Catatumbo River in Venezuela, primarily at the mouth where it meets Lake Maracaibo, the largest lake in Venezuela. It's also known as the Beacon of Maracaibo or the Everlasting Storm. Hence, statement I is correct.

The name "Catatumbo" comes from the Bari language and means "House of Thunder" This unique atmospheric occurrence involves almost continuous lightning strikes, creating a stunning spectacle. Catatumbo lightning is renowned for its frequency and duration, occurring for up to 160 nights in a year, with an average of 28 lightning strikes per minute at its peak. Hence, statement II is correct.

Here, statements I and II both are correct but statement-II is not the correct explanation for statement-I. Hence, option (b) is correct.

Answer: B

Explanation:

Recently, the Russian defence ministry revealed that its air defence forces shot down four US-produced long-range missiles over the Crimea peninsular, weapons known as Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) that Washington has shipped to Ukraine in recent weeks. The Crimean Peninsula is a peninsula in Eastern Europe that is located on the Black Sea's northern coast. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

It is almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, and is connected to mainland Ukraine by the Isthmus of Perekop. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.

The peninsula has historical and cultural ties to both Russia and Ukraine. In 1768, Catherine the Great of Russia captured Crimea to increase her nation's power in the East and it became part of the Russian Empire. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

In 1954, Crimea was transferred from the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic within the Soviet Union. After the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, Crimea became part of an independent Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine dispute ownership of the Crimean territory, but Crimea is currently under Russian administration. Hence, statement 4 is incorrect.