Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
Why this question:
The article captures the water crisis currently that is prevailing in India. It points to the alarming crisis that may soon become a catastrophe.
Demand of the question:
The answer must discuss the underlying causes for such a crisis and analyse as to what needs to be done.
Directive word:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction
Start with few facts explaining the water crisis situation in the country. India has only 4% of the planet’s fresh-water for 16% of its population.
Body
One can have the following points in the answer:
Economic Growth: A good transportation system is an important selling point to communities that desire to attract development that provides for employment and growth of a city. If transport costs due to congestion increase, goods and services produced within that city tend to increase in costs thus losing competitiveness in international markets. Efficient transportation access is therefore a very important consideration as it has a direct impact on sound and sustainable economic growth and productivity. The cost of congestion in the Western Province of Sri Lanka is over Rs 20,000 million per year (around 2 percent of Regional GDP). This includes the cost of productive time and wastage of fuel.
Quality-of-Life: To some people, congested highways are a symptom of deteriorating quality-of-life-in a community. The amount of time that is spent on commuting to and from work is also in reality, time that is taken away from social interactions or pursuit of activities that have a personal value and satisfaction.
Explain the crisis situation first, draw a map of India to depict the water crisis situation across the country.
Explain the root cause of such situation – falling Groundwater levels, India is the world’s biggest groundwater extractor, All manner of structures have encroached upon lakes and rivers with impunity, while industrial waste and sewage inflows render various water bodies toxic. The problem is compounded by the large-scale adoption of thermocol and plastic plates and glasses even in the countryside, the stuff of non-biodegradable waste that ends up killing rural pools of water that have traditionally served entire villages etc.
Discuss what needs to be done to prevent the situation turning into a popular catastrophe.
Conclusion
Conclude with suggesting solutions, increased water harvesting techniques, scientific interventions for conservation of water is the need of the hour.
