Aravalli Issue

QUESTION 01

"Conservation of the Aravallis is not merely an environmental issue but a governance challenge.” Comment on the statement with reference to inter-state coordination, urban expansion, and economic pressures.

Question Understanding – Finding Information

Precise Syllabus Mapping: Environmental Conservation. (GS Paper – III)

Marks and words limit:

  • The marks-oriented approach to answering (10-mark, 150-word) questions in the question is to use Bullet Points (one idea per bullet point), Brainstorming, or a combination of both.
  • The way to score good marks in questions worth (15 marks. 250 words) is to use the Heading and Subheading method while writing your answers.

 

Directive words:

  • Comment → explain the statement, agree with it using arguments, and show why governance is central, not just ecology.

 

Focal points of the questions:

  • Inter-state coordination
  • Urban expansion
  • Economic pressures

Dos & Don’ts

Do for Maximum Marks

  • Use terms like Directly address all three dimensions mentioned
  • Maintain a balanced, analytical tone
  • Link environment with institutions and policy
  • Use tables/flowcharts if time permits
  • End with a governance-oriented solution

Don’t do these Common Mistakes

  • Don’t treat it as a purely environmental essay
  • Don’t ignore economic drivers
  • Don’t over-legalise (court judgments overload)
  • Don’t be emotional or activist in tone
  • Don’t skip a clear conclusion

Download Complete Answer Blueprint

  • ✔ Question Understanding: Finding Information
  • ✔ Answer Writing Structure
  • ✔ Dos & Don’ts
  • ✔ Notes-Oriented Content for Writing Answers
📄 Click Here to Download Complete Answer Blueprint

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QUESTION 02 (CASE STUDY)

You are the District Magistrate (DM) of a mining-intensive district in the Aravalli region. A recent Supreme Court ruling has adopted a technical definition: only landforms above 100 metres are considered "protected Aravallis." This has effectively excluded 90% of the local hills from statutory protection, opening them up for a massive "New City" real estate project and stone crushing units.

The state government is eager to fast-track these projects to boost local employment and state revenue. However, local environmentalists and tribal communities are protesting, claiming the "100-metre rule" ignores the ecological reality that even smaller hillocks act as groundwater recharge zones and barriers against the Thar Desert. Reports suggest that if these hills are mined, the National Capital Region (NCR) will face a severe water crisis and increased desertification within a decade.

Questions:

1.Identify the ethical issues involved in the "redefinition" of natural boundaries.

2.  As the DM, how will you balance the state's developmental pressure with your duty as a "Trustee" of the environment?

3. Evaluate the relevance of the Precautionary Principle and Intergenerational Justice in this context.

Question Understanding – Finding Information

Precise Syllabus Mapping: Case Study on Current Aravalli Issue (GS Paper – IV)

 

Case study writing five step approach:

1. Introduce the Contextualizing the Dilemma: Briefly summarize the scenario. Instead of just repeating the question, identify the Core Ethical Conflict.

 

2. Stakeholder Analysis: List all parties affected, directly or indirectly.

    • Direct Stakeholders: You (the Officer), the Government, the affected local community.
    • Indirect Stakeholders: Future generations, the environment (voiceless stakeholder), and the credibility of the institution.

 

3. Identification of Ethical Dilemmas: Explicitly name the values at play. Use “vs.” to show the dilemma.

 

4. Evaluation of Options: Present 3–4 courses of action. For each, provide a brief merit and demerit.

 

5. Final Course of Action & Justification: Provide a multi-stage, practical solution. Immediate Steps, Long-term Steps and Justification.

 

Decision Maker and his/her role:

  • District Magistrate: Constitutional authority, moral agent, environmental trustee, development facilitator.

 

Focal points of the questions:

  • Legal technical compliance vs ecological reality
  • Short-term economic gains vs long-term environmental & social costs
  • State pressure vs public trust doctrine

 

Key Stakeholders:

  • State government
  • Local communities (tribal groups)
  • Environmentalists
  • Future generations
  • NCR population (external stakeholders)

 

Dos & Don’ts

Do for Maximum Marks

  • Use recent trends, not Cold War-era Non-Alignment alone
  • Use ethical terminology (trusteeship, justice, prudence)
  • Show balanced decision-making
  • Link ethics to administrative action
  • Be realistic, not heroic
  • Align actions with constitutional values

 

Don’t do these Common Mistakes

  • Don’t defy Supreme Court outright
  • Don’t sound activist or emotional
  • Don’t ignore employment concerns
  • Don’t give vague moral preaching
  • Don’t skip stakeholder perspective

Download Complete Answer Blueprint

  • ✔ Question Understanding: Finding Information
  • ✔ Answer Writing Structure
  • ✔ Dos & Don’ts
  • ✔ Notes-Oriented Content for Writing Answers
📄 Click Here to Download Complete Answer Blueprint

Need Personal Guidance?

Struggling to write high-scoring UPSC Mains answers for 10-mark (150 words) or 15-mark (250 words) questions?

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Mains Practice
Author: Mains Practice