UPSC Prelims 2020 CSAT Paper II · Q65 of 80 Comprehension medium

Passage

Passage—4 Many people understand the connection between solid waste management and health in terms of the consequences of unattended heaps of dry garbage which become home for flies and other vermin. However, there is another aspect that is not well-understood, that is, what happens when unscientific solid waste management combines with poor drainage and dumping of untreated sewage into drains which are meant to carry storm water during rains. The result is choked drains which are full of stagnant water breeding mosquitoes, resulting in the spread of water-borne diseases.

In the context of India, which one of the following statements best reflects the critical message of the passage?

  1. (a) In India, the drainage networks are not separate for sewerage and storm water.
  2. (b) Urban local bodies do not have enough resources and legislative authority to deal with the problems of waste management.
  3. (c) Solid waste management should be integrated with the maintenance of drainage and sewerage networks. ✓ UPSC's answer
  4. (d) Bad management of solid waste and sewerage systems by our municipalities is the reason for drinking water shortages in our cities.

Why the answer is (c)

• The passage highlights that unscientific solid waste management, when combined with poor drainage and untreated sewage, leads to choked drains and stagnant water. This combination creates breeding grounds for mosquitoes and spreads water-borne diseases. The core argument is that these two systems (waste and drainage) interact negatively when managed separately or poorly. Therefore, the critical message is that solid waste management must be integrated with the maintenance of drainage and sewerage networks to prevent these health hazards. Option (c) directly captures this need for an integrated approach to address the combined problem described in the text.

Why the other options are wrong

(a) In India, the drainage networks are not separate for sewerage and storm water.
The passage mentions that untreated sewage is dumped into drains meant for storm water, but it does not state that the physical networks themselves are not separate; rather, it focuses on the management failure.
(b) Urban local bodies do not have enough resources and legislative authority to deal with…
The text does not discuss the resource constraints or legislative authority of urban local bodies; it focuses on the operational consequences of unscientific management practices.
(d) Bad management of solid waste and sewerage systems by our municipalities is the reason…
The passage explicitly states that the result is the spread of water-borne diseases and mosquito breeding, not drinking water shortages.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2020, held on 4 October 2020. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.

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