Practice MCQs
Question 1
Consider the following statements regarding urban water supply and sanitation in India:
1. The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act mandates Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to provide water supply and sanitation services.
2. The Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) focuses on improving water supply, sewerage, and septage management in selected cities.
3. The Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban) aims to provide universal coverage of functional household tap connections in all statutory towns.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct: Water supply and sanitation are listed as functions of Municipalities under the Twelfth Schedule (Entries 5 and 6) of the Constitution, as per the 74th Amendment Act.
Statement 2 is correct: AMRUT, launched in 2015, is a flagship mission focused on improving urban infrastructure, including water supply, sewerage, and septage management, in 500 cities.
Statement 3 is correct: Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban) was launched in 2021 with the objective of providing universal coverage of functional household tap connections in all 4,378 statutory towns, along with liquid waste management.
Question 2
In the context of public health challenges arising from contaminated drinking water in urban areas, which of the following statements is correct?
- The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) sets mandatory standards for drinking water quality, which are primarily enforced by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
- Contamination of drinking water primarily leads to vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue, rather than water-borne diseases.
- The right to safe drinking water has been implicitly recognized as an integral part of the Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution by the Supreme Court of India.
- The National Health Mission (NHM) focuses exclusively on curative care and does not encompass preventive health aspects related to water sanitation and hygiene (WASH).
Explanation: Option A is incorrect. While BIS sets standards for drinking water (IS 10500), these are generally recommendatory for public water supply, and their enforcement falls under state public health engineering departments and municipal bodies, not primarily the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Option B is incorrect. Contamination of drinking water primarily leads to water-borne diseases like cholera, typhoid, dysentery, hepatitis A, and giardiasis, not vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue.
Option C is correct. The Supreme Court of India, through various judgments (e.g., Subhash Kumar v. State of Bihar, 1991), has interpreted the Right to Life under Article 21 to include the right to a healthy environment, which encompasses the right to safe drinking water.
Option D is incorrect. The National Health Mission (NHM) has a strong focus on preventive and promotive healthcare, including Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) interventions, as these are crucial determinants of public health.
Question 3
Which of the following is NOT a significant challenge faced by Indian cities in ensuring efficient and safe urban water and sanitation infrastructure?
- Inadequate capital investment and reliance on aging, dilapidated infrastructure.
- Lack of inter-agency coordination between water supply, sewerage, and road construction departments.
- Absence of a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework governing urban water and sanitation services.
- Insufficient capacity for operation and maintenance (O&M) of existing water and sewerage networks.
Explanation: Options A, B, and D represent significant challenges. Indian cities often suffer from underinvestment in new infrastructure, leading to reliance on old, leaky pipes (A). Poor coordination between various municipal departments (water, sewerage, roads) is a common issue, leading to damages during roadworks or lack of integrated planning (B). Many ULBs lack the technical and financial capacity for proper O&M, leading to frequent breakdowns and inefficiencies (D).
Option C is NOT correct. While implementation and enforcement might be weak, India does have a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework. This includes the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; Environmental Protection Act, 1986; various state municipal acts, and policies like the National Urban Sanitation Policy. The challenge is often in effective implementation and enforcement, rather than a complete absence of a framework.
Previous Year Questions
PYQ 1 - UPSC Prelims 2024 2024
Consider the following statements regarding urban water and sanitation infrastructure in India:
1. The Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) aims to ensure universal coverage of water supply and sewerage services in selected cities.
2. The Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) primarily focuses on achieving open defecation free (ODF) status and scientific solid waste management.
3. Contamination of drinking water by sewage is often a result of aging infrastructure, poor maintenance, and inadequate separation of water and sewer lines.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Explanation: All three statements are correct. AMRUT focuses on urban infrastructure including water supply and sewerage. Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) addresses sanitation and waste management. Contamination due to infrastructure failure is a well-known issue in urban areas.
PYQ 2 - UPSC Mains 2024 2024
The recent tragedy in Indore, where sewage contaminated drinking water, highlights critical failures in urban infrastructure management. Discuss the multifaceted challenges faced by Indian cities in ensuring safe drinking water and effective sanitation, and suggest measures for building resilient urban water and sewage systems. (250 words)
PYQ 3 - SSC CGL 2023 2023
Which of the following diseases is most likely to spread due to the contamination of drinking water by sewage?
- (a) Malaria
- (b) Dengue
- (c) Cholera
- (d) Tuberculosis
Explanation: Cholera is a severe diarrheal disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, typically spread through contaminated water or food. Malaria and Dengue are mosquito-borne, and Tuberculosis is an airborne bacterial infection.
PYQ 4 - SSC CHSL 2023 2023
The Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme was launched with the objective of improving urban infrastructure. Which of the following is NOT a primary focus area of AMRUT?
- (a) Water Supply
- (b) Sewerage and Septage Management
- (c) Urban Transport
- (d) Rural Electrification
Explanation: AMRUT focuses on urban infrastructure like water supply, sewerage, urban transport, storm water drainage, and green spaces. Rural Electrification is not part of its mandate.
PYQ 5 - SSC CGL 2023 2023
In the context of public health, what does 'potable water' refer to?
- (a) Water suitable for industrial use
- (b) Water suitable for agricultural irrigation
- (c) Water safe to drink
- (d) Water found in pots
Explanation: Potable water is water that is safe to drink or to use for food preparation. It is also known as drinking water.
PYQ 6 - IBPS PO 2023 2023
The recent incident of drinking water contamination in Indore highlights the need for robust urban infrastructure. Which of the following government initiatives primarily aims at improving urban infrastructure, including water supply and sanitation?
- (a) Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)
- (b) Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY)
- (c) National Rural Health Mission (NRHM)
- (d) Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)
Explanation: AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) is a flagship scheme focused on improving urban infrastructure, including water supply, sewerage, and urban transport. PMAY is for housing, NRHM for rural health, and MGNREGA for rural employment.
PYQ 7 - SBI PO 2023 2023
What is the primary reason for the spread of diseases like cholera and typhoid in areas where drinking water gets contaminated by sewage?
- (a) Airborne pathogens
- (b) Vector-borne transmission
- (c) Fecal-oral route transmission
- (d) Genetic predisposition
Explanation: Cholera and typhoid are typically spread through the fecal-oral route, meaning the pathogens are ingested through contaminated food or water, often due to sewage mixing with drinking water sources.
PYQ 8 - IBPS Clerk 2023 2023
The Indore tragedy underscores the importance of public health infrastructure. Which of the following bodies is primarily responsible for urban sanitation and water supply in most Indian cities?
- (a) State Health Department
- (b) Central Public Works Department (CPWD)
- (c) Municipal Corporation/Urban Local Body
- (d) National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)
Explanation: Municipal Corporations or Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) are primarily responsible for providing and maintaining basic civic amenities like water supply, sanitation, and waste management in urban areas.
PYQ 9 - CDS 2023 2023
Which of the following statements correctly describes the term 'cross-contamination' in the context of water supply systems?
- (a) Mixing of water from two different clean sources.
- (b) Transfer of pollutants from a contaminated source to a clean water supply.
- (c) Purification of water using multiple filtration methods.
- (d) Recycling of wastewater for non-potable uses.
Explanation: Cross-contamination in water systems specifically refers to the undesirable transfer of contaminants (like sewage) from one source to a potable water supply, often due to faulty connections or damaged pipes.
PYQ 10 - CDS 2023 2023
Consider the following diseases:
1. Typhoid
2. Hepatitis A
3. Giardiasis
4. Malaria
Which of the above are primarily water-borne diseases that can result from sewage contamination?
- (a) 1, 2 and 3 only
- (b) 2, 3 and 4 only
- (c) 1 and 4 only
- (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Explanation: Typhoid, Hepatitis A, and Giardiasis are all well-known water-borne diseases often spread through fecal contamination of water. Malaria is a vector-borne disease spread by mosquitoes, not directly water-borne.
PYQ 11 - CDS 2023 2023
The 'Jal Jeevan Mission' aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections by 2024 to all households in rural India. Which of the following ministries is the nodal ministry for the implementation of this mission?
- (a) Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
- (b) Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
- (c) Ministry of Jal Shakti
- (d) Ministry of Rural Development
Explanation: The Ministry of Jal Shakti is the nodal ministry for the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission, which focuses on providing safe drinking water in rural areas.