Why is a plant called Prosopis juliflora often mentioned in news ?
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Answer: B. Prosopis juliflora (known as Seemai Karuvelam in Tamil Nadu) is an invasive tree that spreads fast, uses up groundwater and crowds out native plants. So it reduces biodiversity where it grows.
Watch for: It was in news through the Madras High Court case on removing it, linked to water loss and biodiversity.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong because it is not known for use in cosmetics.
- C. Wrong because its extract is not widely used for pesticides.
- D. Wrong because B correctly explains why it is in news.
Source to check: Botanical Survey of India / ENVIS Centre on Invasive Species; Madras High Court orders on removal of Seemai Karuvelam (2017)
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.