UPSC Prelims 2022 CSAT Paper II · Q73 of 78 Comprehension medium

Passage

Passage—2 How best can the problems of floods and droughts be addressed so that the losses are minimal and the system becomes resilient? In this context, one important point that needs to be noted is that India gets 'too much' water (about 75% of annual precipitation) during 120 days (June to September) and 'too little' for the remaining 245 days. This skewed water availability has to be managed and regulated for its consumption throughout the year.

Which one of the following best reflects the practical, rational and lasting solution?

  1. (a) Constructing huge concrete storage tanks and canals across the country
  2. (b) Changing the cropping patterns and farming practices
  3. (c) Interlinking of rivers across the country
  4. (d) Buffer stocking of water through dams and recharging aquifers ✓ UPSC's answer

Why the answer is (d)

• The passage highlights that India receives 75% of its annual precipitation in just 120 days (June-September), creating a severe temporal mismatch in water availability.

• A practical and lasting solution must address this skewed distribution by capturing excess water during the monsoon and storing it for the remaining 245 days.

• Option (d) proposes 'buffer stocking' via dams and aquifer recharging, which directly manages the surplus water to ensure year-round consumption and resilience.

• This approach minimizes losses by preventing runoff and drought, aligning with the need to regulate water availability throughout the year.

• Therefore, the key option (d) is the correct answer as it offers a rational, sustainable method to balance the seasonal water imbalance.

Why the other options are wrong

(a) Constructing huge concrete storage tanks and canals across the country
Constructing huge concrete storage tanks and canals is environmentally damaging, costly, and does not effectively address the temporal mismatch of water availability as efficiently as aquifer recharging.
(b) Changing the cropping patterns and farming practices
Changing cropping patterns and farming practices helps in water conservation but does not directly solve the fundamental problem of skewed water availability and storage required for year-round consumption.
(c) Interlinking of rivers across the country
Interlinking of rivers is a massive, complex, and often ecologically disruptive project that is not considered a practical or immediate rational solution for managing seasonal water distribution.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2022, held on 5 June 2022. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.

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