Previous Year Question

The Nokrek Biosphere Reserve is located in the Garo Hills of Meghalaya, India. It forms part of the Tura Range of the Meghalaya Plateau. The Nokrek region is known for its rich biodiversity, tropical forests, and rare plant species. Nokrek Peak is the highest peak of the Garo Hills, with an elevation of approximately 1,412 metres.

Nokrek was designated a Biosphere Reserve by the Government of India in 1988. It covers an area of approximately 820 square kilometres. In 2009, UNESCO included it in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. The region supports wild citrus species, particularly Citrus indica, which are important for genetic diversity and plant conservation.

The actual locations of the other Biosphere Reserves mentioned in the options are different. Similipal is located in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, not Assam. Dihang-Dibang is located in Arunachal Pradesh, not Sikkim. Similarly, Agasthyamalai is situated in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, in the southern part of the Western Ghats, not Karnataka.

The objective of a Biosphere Reserve is to conserve biodiversity, protect ecosystems, and promote the sustainable use of natural resources. Such reserves generally consist of three major zones—Core Zone, Buffer Zone, and Transition Zone. Nokrek is an important example of this conservation framework. Among the four given pairs, only Nokrek and Meghalaya are correctly matched.