UPSC Mains 2024 GS3 Q7 — Environmental pollution
Industrial pollution of river water is a significant environmetal issues in India. Discuss the various mitigation measures to deal with this problem and also the government's initiatives in this regard. (Answer in 150 words) 10
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- Discuss
- Scope keywords
- Industrial pollutionriver watersignificant environmetal issuesmitigation measuresgovernment's initiatives
- Implicit sub-parts
- Briefly identify the primary industrial pollutants/sectors responsible (ZLD, heavy metals, effluents).
- Categorize mitigation measures into technological, regulatory, and community-based solutions.
- Critically assess why existing initiatives have or haven't worked to show depth of discussion.
- Common pitfalls
- Writing a general essay on water pollution instead of focusing specifically on the 'Industrial' aspect.
- Failing to mention the 'Zero Liquid Discharge' (ZLD) concept which is central to industrial water policy.
- Listing general schemes like Namami Gange without specifying the industrial components like CETPs (Common Effluent Treatment Plants).
- Omitting the regulatory role of the CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board) and the 'Polluter Pays Principle'.
- Dimensions required
- Regulatory and LegalTechnological/InfrastructureEconomic/FinancialEnvironmental/Ecological
- Marks allocation hint
Spend 20 words on the gravity of industrial discharge in rivers. Allocate 60 words to 'mitigation measures' focusing on technological and policy shifts. Use the remaining 70 words to list specific government initiatives like NGRBA, OCEMS, and EBM, ensuring you link them back to industrial outcomes.
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