General Studies 2024 GS Paper IV 20 marks 250 words Compulsory Discuss

Q11

With the summer heat being exceptionally severe this year, the district has been facing severe water shortage. The District Collector has been mobilizing his subordinate officials to conserve the remaining water reserves for preventing the district from plunging into acute drinking water crisis. Along with an awareness campaign for conserving water, strict measures have been taken for stopping the over-exploitation of ground-water. Vigilance teams have been deployed to tour the villages and find the farmers who are drawing water from deep borewells or from the river reservoir for irrigation. The farmers are agitated by such action. A delegation of farmers meets the District Collector with their issues and complains that while they are not being allowed to irrigate their crops, big industries located near the river are drawing huge amounts of water through deep borewells for their industrial processes. The farmers allege that their administration is anti-farmer and corrupt, being bribed by the industry. The district needs to placate the farmers as they are threatening to go on a prolonged protest. At the same time, the District Collector has to deal with the water crisis. The industry cannot be closed as this would result in a large number of workers being unemployed. (a) Discuss all options available to the District Collector as a District Magistrate. (b) What suitable actions can be taken in view of mutually compatible interests of the stakeholders ? (c) What are the potential administrative and ethical dilemmas for the District Collector ?

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

इस वर्ष असाधारण रूप से भीषण गर्मी होने के कारण, जिले को पानी की घोर कमी का सामना करना पड़ रहा है। जिला कलेक्टर जिले को गंभीर पेयजल संकट से उबारने हेतु शेष जल भंडार को संरक्षित करने के लिए अपने अधीनस्थ अधिकारियों को सक्रिय कर रहे हैं। जल संरक्षण के लिए जागरूकता अभियान के साथ-साथ भू-जल के अत्यधिक दोहन को रोकने के लिए सख्त कदम उठाए गए हैं। गाँवों का दौरा करने हेतु सतर्कता दल तैनात किए गए हैं। सिंचाई के लिए गहरे बोरवेल अथवा नदी जलाशय से पानी खींचने वाले किसानों की शिनाख्त की जा रही है। ऐसी कार्रवाई से किसान आक्रोश में आ जाते हैं। किसानों का एक प्रतिनिधिमंडल अपने मुद्दों को लेकर जिला कलेक्टर से मिलता है और शिकायत करता है कि जहाँ उन्हें अपनी फसल की सिंचाई की अनुमति नहीं दी जा रही है, वहीं नदी के पास स्थित बड़े उद्योग अपनी औद्योगिक प्रक्रियाओं के लिए गहरे बोरवेल के माध्यम से भारी मात्रा में पानी खींच रहे हैं। किसानों का आरोप है कि उनका प्रशासन किसान विरोधी और भ्रष्ट है, जिसे उद्योग द्वारा रिश्वत दी जा रही है। जिलों को, किसानों को शांत करने की ज़रूरत है क्योंकि वे लंबे समय तक विरोध प्रदर्शन करने की धमकी दे रहे हैं। वहीं जिला कलेक्टर को जल संकट से निपटना भी होगा। उद्योग को बंद नहीं किया जा सकता क्योंकि इससे बड़ी संख्या में श्रमिक बेरोज़गार हो जाएँगे। (a) एक जिला मजिस्ट्रेट के रूप में जिला कलेक्टर के लिए उपलब्ध सभी विकल्पों पर चर्चा कीजिए। (b) हितधारकों के परस्पर अनुकूल हितों को ध्यान में रखते हुए कौन-सी उचित कार्रवाइयाँ की जा सकती हैं ? (c) जिला कलेक्टर के लिए संभावित प्रशासनिक और नैतिक दुविधाएँ क्या हैं ?

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Directive word: Discuss

This question asks you to discuss. The directive word signals the depth of analysis expected, the structure of your answer, and the weight of evidence you must bring.

See our UPSC directive words guide for a full breakdown of how to respond to each command word.

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

The directive 'discuss' requires presenting all options and viewpoints with balanced reasoning. Structure: Brief context-setting (20 words) → Part (a): Enumerate DM's legal/administrative options under CrPC, IPC, and Disaster Management Act (100 words) → Part (b): Propose stakeholder-compatible solutions like rotational water allocation, treated wastewater for industry, and crop diversification incentives (80 words) → Part (c): Identify dilemmas—public duty vs. political pressure, short-term relief vs. long-term sustainability, equity vs. economic growth (40 words) → Conclusion emphasizing Gandhian trusteeship and sustainable water governance (10 words).

Key points expected

  • Part (a): Options under Section 144 CrPC (prohibitory orders), Section 133 CrPC (public nuisance), Essential Services Maintenance Act, Disaster Management Act powers, and negotiated settlement through district-level water committees
  • Part (a): Administrative measures—rationing, pricing mechanisms, sealing illegal borewells under CGWA guidelines, and invoking Section 188 IPC for disobedience
  • Part (b): Mutually compatible actions—treated industrial effluent recycling, crop insurance for farmers switching to less water-intensive crops, staggered industrial operations, and transparent water audit with public disclosure
  • Part (b): Institutional mechanisms—revival of traditional water bodies under Jal Shakti Abhiyan, participatory groundwater management inspired by Pani Panchayat model (Maharashtra) or Sukhomajri model (Haryana)
  • Part (c): Administrative dilemmas—rule of law vs. mass agitation, confidentiality of industrial negotiations vs. right to information, and career risk vs. public interest
  • Part (c): Ethical dilemmas—utilitarian calculus (greatest good) vs. Rawlsian justice (protecting worst-off), fiduciary duty to farmers vs. contractual obligations to industry, and personal integrity vs. political expediency

Evaluation rubric

DimensionWeightMax marksExcellentAveragePoor
Demand-directive understanding20%4Correctly interprets 'discuss' for (a) as presenting multiple options with pros/cons, 'suitable actions' for (b) as practical stakeholder-balancing measures, and 'dilemmas' for (c) as tension-laden value conflicts; maintains distinct treatment of all three sub-parts without conflationAddresses all three parts but treats (a) as mere listing without evaluation, (b) as generic suggestions without stakeholder compatibility analysis, or (c) as routine challenges without ethical depthMisreads directive—treats (a) as single recommendation, (b) as favouring one stakeholder, or (c) as purely administrative without ethical dimension; or omits one sub-part entirely
Content depth & accuracy20%4Demonstrates precise knowledge of DM's statutory powers (CrPC Sections 133, 144), CGWA regulations on groundwater extraction, National Water Policy 2012 principles, and cites specific conflict-resolution models; accurately distinguishes administrative from ethical dilemmasMentions general powers without specific sections, refers to 'strict action' without legal basis, or conflates administrative and ethical dilemmas; shows awareness of water scarcity but lacks regulatory specificityRelies on vague assertions ('take strong action'), invents non-existent powers, or demonstrates fundamental misunderstanding of DM's role; confuses this with police or judicial functions
Structure & flow20%4Clear tripartite structure with explicit sub-headings (a), (b), (c); logical progression from legal options → practical solutions → value tensions; smooth transitions between stakeholder perspectives; conclusion synthesizes all parts into coherent governance approachAddresses all parts but with uneven weighting (e.g., 60% on (a), skimpy (c)) or merged treatment; some organisation but lacks explicit sub-part demarcation; conclusion merely summarisesDisorganised narrative mixing all parts; no clear paragraphing; abrupt shifts between farmers, industry, and ethics without connective logic; missing conclusion or tacked-on ending
Examples / case-law / data20%4Cites relevant precedents—Plachimada Coca-Cola case (Kerala HC on groundwater rights), Indian Council for Enviro-Legal Action v. Union of India (polluter pays), Tamil Nadu's Cauvery crisis management, or Rajasthan's Mukhya Mantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan; references constitutional provisions (Article 21, 47, 51A(g))Mentions one generic example (e.g., 'Gujjar agitation in Rajasthan') without specifics, or cites only constitutional values without case-law; examples loosely connected to water governanceNo examples or irrelevant ones (e.g., unrelated land acquisition protests); factual errors in cited cases; or purely theoretical treatment without grounding in Indian administrative/constitutional context
Conclusion & analytical edge20%4Conclusion transcends immediate crisis to propose systemic reform—water budgeting, aquifer mapping, or climate-adaptive agriculture; demonstrates 'analytical edge' by critiquing utilitarian solutions, proposing Amartya Sen's capability approach, or invoking Gandhi's trusteeship for natural resources; ends with actionable insight for DMBalanced but conventional conclusion urging 'cooperation' or 'dialogue'; some attempt at broader perspective but remains descriptive; no critical evaluation of proposed solutions' limitationsNo conclusion or abrupt ending; purely partisan stance (pro-farmer or pro-industry); or naive prescription ('everyone should compromise') without recognising structural power asymmetries and governance deficits

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