UPSC Mains 2019 GS4 Q7 — Disaster Management Ethics
You are heading the rescue operations in an area affected by severe natural calamity. Thousands of people are rendered homeless and deprived of food, drinking water and other basic amenities. Rescue work has been disrupted by heavy rainfall and damage to supply routes. The local people are seething with anger against the delayed limited rescue operations. When your team reaches the affected area, the people there heckle and even assault some of the team members. One of your team members is even severely injured. Faced with this crisis, some team members plead with you to call off the operations fearing threats to their life. In such trying circumstances, what will be your response ? Examine the qualities of a public servant which will be required to manage the situation. (250 words)
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- Examine
- Scope keywords
- rescue operationsdelayed limited rescue operationsseething with angerheckle and even assaultcall off the operationsqualities of a public servant
- Implicit sub-parts
- Immediate tactical steps to secure the safety of the team without retreating from the site.
- Communication strategy to pacify the angry victims and rebuild trust in the administration.
- The ethical dilemma: balancing the 'duty of care' towards subordinates vs. the 'service to humanity' for the victims.
- Long-term logistical adjustments to resume the supply chain despite the rainfall.
- Common pitfalls
- Suggesting a retreat or calling for police force to suppress the victims, which ignores the 'natural calamity' context.
- Focusing too much on the injury of the team member without addressing the starvation of the thousands.
- Listing generic qualities like 'honesty' instead of situational ones like 'emotional intelligence' or 'fortitude'.
- Failing to provide a concrete 'Response' section before moving into the 'Qualities' section.
- Dimensions required
- Administrative EfficiencyCrisis ManagementEmotional IntelligenceProfessional EthicsLeadership and Team Morale
- Marks allocation hint
Allocate approximately 100 words to the immediate 'Response' which should be a step-by-step action plan. The remaining 150 words should be used to examine specific qualities, linking each quality directly to the events described in the case study (e.g., relating 'Persuasion' to the heckling mob).
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