Read the passage and answer the questions that follow. Given the precarious…
2023
Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.
Given the precarious condition of its ground and surface water resources (rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, and reservoirs), India could be a water-scarce country in the next 40 years. With 1,486 cubic meters (~1.5 million litres) of water available per person, per annum, India falls in the water-stressed category. A dip below 1,000 cubic meters per person, per annum will push it into the water-scarce category.
The manner of water consumption also compounds the problem. Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) statistics show the indiscriminate use of ground water turned 4% of the total 7,089 assessed units in the country critical in 2022 while 14% were assessed as over-exploited. The situation was worse in 2017 when 17% of the units were over-exploited. Various recharge and conservation efforts have borne fruit but the number of such units remains high in states like Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
In India, 87% of groundwater is extracted for irrigation and experts say excess withdrawal round the year may be the biggest reason for depletion, as the recharge primarily happens in the monsoon. On the other hand, encroachment of water bodies and the discharge of untreated wastewater into rivers and streams have reduced the surface water resources.
Which of the following states have been found to have a high number of over-exploited units of groundwater?
A. Rajasthan and Delhi
B. Punjab & Haryana
C. Uttar Pradesh
D. Tamil Nadu & Karnataka
E. Madhya Pradesh
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer: B. A, B & D only — ConceptLiteral-comprehension questions are answered from statements explicitly present in the passage, not from outside knowledge. In a combination question,…
- A.
A, B, C & D only
- B.
A, B & D only
- C.
B, C, D & E only
- D.
A, B, C, D, E
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Concept
Literal-comprehension questions are answered from statements explicitly present in the passage, not from outside knowledge.
In a combination question, test each labelled statement separately and retain only the supported labels.
Application
The passage names six places with many over-exploited groundwater units: Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.
Statement A pairs Rajasthan with Delhi; both names occur in that list.
Statement B pairs Punjab with Haryana; both names occur in that list.
Statement C names Uttar Pradesh; that name does not occur in the passage's list.
Statement D pairs Tamil Nadu with Karnataka; both names occur in that list.
Statement E names Madhya Pradesh; that name does not occur in the passage's list.
Contrast
“A, B, C & D only” adds statement C, which names Uttar Pradesh.
“B, C, D & E only” omits statement A and adds statements C and E.
“A, B, C, D, E” includes statements C and E in addition to A, B, and D.
Cross-check
A direct name check leaves Rajasthan, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka in the passage, while Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh remain outside the cited list. This independently reproduces the set A, B, and D.
Result
Therefore the supported statement set is A, B, and D, so the answer value is “A, B & D only.”