Water Resources — Questions & Answers

Sample questions from Water Resources

1. Q1. In the western Himalayas, what are the traditional diversion channels built by mountain communities for agricultural irrigation called?

   • A.'Tankas'
   • B.'Johads'
   • C.'Khadins'
   • D.'Guls' or 'kuls'✓
   Solution

   D is correct because the NCERT textbook states: 'In hill and mountainous regions, people built diversion channels like the ‘guls’ or ‘kuls’ of the Western Himalayas for agriculture.' Mistake B names traditional earthen check-dams of Rajasthan. Mistake C refers to rain-fed storage structures built across farm fields in Jaisalmer. Mistake A refers to underground household rainwater storage cisterns in arid Rajasthan.

2. Q2. A river valley project submerges an unusually large forest area relative to the irrigation land it creates, and also displaces a large tribal population without adequate rehabilitation. Which criticism of multi-purpose projects does this best illustrate?

   • A.Excessive electricity generation costs
   • B.Poor benefit-to-social/ecological-cost ratio✓
   • C.Overproduction of hydel power beyond demand
   • D.Excess drinking water supply to nearby cities
   Solution

   A key critique of large dams is that the social costs (displacement without rehabilitation) and ecological costs (submerged forest, biodiversity loss) can outweigh the actual irrigation/power benefits gained — exactly the imbalance described here.

3. Q3. What percentage of the world's total freshwater resources is found in India, and what percentage of the world's population must this proportion support?

   • A.India has 18 per cent of freshwater resources and supports 4 per cent of global population.
   • B.India has 2.4 per cent of freshwater resources and supports 16 per cent of global population.
   • C.India has 10 per cent of freshwater resources and supports 20 per cent of global population.
   • D.India has approximately 4 per cent of the world's freshwater resources and supports nearly 18 per cent of the world's population.✓
   Solution

   D is correct because the NCERT text records that India receives nearly 4 per cent of the global precipitation / freshwater resources and ranks 133 in the world in terms of water availability per person per annum, while supporting nearly 18 per cent of the world's population. Mistake A completely reverses the two percentages. Mistake C confuses freshwater figures with the threatened flora/mammal figures from Chapter 2. Mistake B confuses freshwater share with India's geographical surface area share (2.4%).

4. Q4. Which of the following best explains why multi-purpose projects can trigger inter-state water disputes in India?

   • A.Rivers flow across state boundaries and states compete for a shared, limited water resource✓
   • B.All rivers in India originate and end within a single state
   • C.Groundwater cannot be shared between states under the Constitution
   • D.States are not permitted to build any dams at all
   Solution

   Since most large rivers cross multiple state boundaries, water-sharing agreements for a dam's reservoir often become contentious as each state seeks a larger share for its own irrigation, power and drinking-water needs.

5. Q5. Which one of the following statements is not an argument in favour of multi-purpose river projects? (a) Multi-purpose projects bring water to those areas which suffer from water scarcity. (b) Multi-purpose projects by regulating water flow helps to control floods. (c) Multi-purpose projects lead to large scale displacements and loss of livelihood. (d) Multi-purpose projects generate electricity for our industries and our homes.

   • A.Multi-purpose projects bring water to those areas which suffer from water scarcity.
   • B.Multi-purpose projects by regulating water flow helps to control floods.
   • C.Multi-purpose projects lead to large scale displacements and loss of livelihood.✓
   • D.Multi-purpose projects generate electricity for our industries and our homes.
   Solution

   Bringing water to scarce areas, flood control, and electricity generation are all cited benefits of multi-purpose projects, whereas large-scale displacement and loss of livelihood is a criticism/disadvantage of such projects, not an argument in their favour — option (c).

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