Question

Paheli gave the following ill effects of the practice of burning dried leaves and other plant parts. (i) Burning degrades the soil. (ii) Burning produces harmful gases/fumes. (iii) Precious raw materials to obtain manure at a low cost are lost. (iv) Lot of heat is generated unnecessarily. The correct reasons why we should not burn leaves are

• A. i, ii and iv only
• B. i, ii, iii and iv
• C. ii and iii only
• D. ii, iii and iv only.

Answer 1

The correct option is C

ii and iii only

The correct option is C.

Explanation of the correct option:

1. By burning dried leaves, smoke is released along with some gases.
2. The smoke released by burning leaves may contain hazardous chemicals like carbon monoxide, which binds with the hemoglobin to form carboxyhemoglobin and reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood as well as lungs.
3. It can also irritate your eyes, nose, and throat.
4. The leaves can be used as a raw material for making manure or organic fertilizer. But burnt leaves cannot be used hence, raw material is lost for manure.

Explanation of the incorrect option:

Option A:

1. Burning leaves doesn't degrade the soil.
2. The heat released due to burning is not excess to cause any harm.

Option B:

1. The burning of leaves releases harmful gases, or the leaves would have been used as organic fertilizer.
2. But the other statements are not true.

Option D:

1. The heat released is not that enough to harm.
2. So statement (iv) is incorrect.

Final answer: The correct reasons why we should not burn leaves are burning produces harmful gases/fumes and precious raw materials to obtain manure at a low cost are lost.