QUESTION 5(a)
GS4
10 marks
Suppose the Government of India is thinking of constructing a dam in a mountain valley bound by forests and inhabited by ethnic communities. What rational policy should it resort to in dealing with unforeseen contingencies?
WRITE IN
7 min
150 words
What the examiner wants
Suggest a rational policy for building a dam in a forested valley with ethnic communities, ready for unforeseen contingencies.
Suggest policyAnswer exactly what the question asks.
Demand-wise check
- 1Before: gram sabha consent (PESA, FRA), social and environmental impact assessment, cumulative and seismic studies, alternatives≈30 words
- 2Rehabilitation: land for land, livelihood, cultural continuity, R&R before submergence≈30 words
- 3Contingencies: dam safety plans, flood and landslide early warning, grievance cell, adaptive management, insurance and reserve fund≈30 words
- 4Ethics: consent, justice for displaced, intergenerational equity≈30 words
Open in about 20 words and close in about 20.
Answer plan
StakeholdersPrior safeguardsR&RContingency planningMonitoringConclusion
Where marks usually go
- Ignoring the 'unforeseen contingencies' part
- Only rehabilitation, no consent process
Draw this
- Flowchart: consent → assessments → R&R → construction → monitoring → contingency response
Value addition
- CaseOrissa Mining Corporation v MoEF (2013, Niyamgiri): gram sabhas must decide on religious and cultural rights under FRA.Supreme Court, 2013
- LawThe Dam Safety Act, 2021 requires emergency action plans and periodic safety reviews for specified dams.Parliament, 2021
- LawRFCTLARR Act, 2013 requires a Social Impact Assessment and consent rules for acquisition.Parliament, 2013
Mapped topper copies
Reviewed public-source references related to this PYQ. Same-syllabus references are labelled separately.
- G Sanjana · AIR 55 · Page 3 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Vidushi Singh · AIR 13 · Page 5 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 23 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 3 ↗Same syllabus reference
Links open original public sources. MainsBuddy does not host these answer sheets.
Next: plan for one minute, write it in 7 minutes, then get it checked.