Consider the following statements: Statement-I: Many chewing gums found in the market are considered a source of environmental pollution. Statement-II: Many chewing gums contain plastic as gum base. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Statement-I: Correct. Discarded chewing gum is a form of litter and persists in the environment, so it is treated as a source of environmental pollution.
Statement-II: Correct. Many modern chewing gums use synthetic polymer-based gum base, i.e., plastic-like materials.
Link: Statement-II explains Statement-I because the plastic/synthetic gum base makes chewing gum non-biodegradable and persistent in the environment.
Therefore: (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I.