TEXT QUESTIONS :
1. Why do you think there are so few cases of private water supply in the world ?
Ans:
i) Private companies operate throughout the world for profit . To supply water at an affordable rate, pure and clean it’s not affordable and much profitable .
ii) The private companies will have to maintain the pipes, water tanks, water tankers, and cleanliness and even bear the expenses of running an anti-Malaria or dengue campaign if they take up the responsibility .
iii) Consumers, government departments and agencies can file cases or suits against companies not supplying proper water facilities .
2. Do you think water in Chennai is available and affordable by all ? Discuss .
Ans: No, water in Chennai is not available and affordable by all .
i) Areas like Anna Nagar, in Chennai are posh but even they have shortage of water supply from time to time. But the senior government officers phone the municipal water board and water tankers are easily arranged by them .
ii) Like most areas of the city, Subramaniam’s apartment in Mylapore suffers from water shortage. The area gets municipal water once in two days .
iii) In slum areas for 30 hutments there is a common tap in one corner in which water comes from a bore well for 20 minutes twice daily. A family gets to fill a maximum of three buckets within this time .
3. How is the sale of water by farmers to water dealers in Chennai affecting the local people ? Do you think local people can object to such exploitation of ground water ? Can the government do anything in this regard ?
Ans:
i) Private companies or water dealers pay farmers of nearby towns of Chennai such as Palur, Karungizni and other villages an advance for the right to exploit water resources on their land . These companies provide water to cities .
ii) The sale of water by farmers to water dealers Chennai affects the local people . The level of groundwater gets lower and lower every day .
iii) This is water taken away not just from agriculture but also from drinking water supply of the villages . Low level of ground water reduces water supply and it also increases the water cost for taking it out from the earth .
4. Why are most of the private hospitals and private schools located in major cities and not in towns or rural areas ?
Ans:
i) Most of the private hospital and private schools are located in major cities and not in towns or rural areas because many basic facilities are available to them in major cities . As such there are a sufficient number of male and female teachers , employees , well trained staff which is located in big cities .
ii) All major cities can provide hostel facilities to the school boys and girls , along with transportation, communications , roads, public transport , libraries , tuition centres , sports facilities etc .
iii) Private hospital are also located in big cities because they can get doctors, nurses , medicines , machinery equipment ,water supply , sanitation and educational facilities .
5. Do you think the distribution of public facilities in our country is adequate and fair ? Give an example of your own to explain .
Ans:
i) No, the distribution of public facilities in our country is not adequate and fair . In majority of places there are pucca houses but in village area most of people are living in kuchha houses . This is not fair in the bigger democratic country of the world .
ii) Most of the villages don’t have good roads , proper schools , hospitals,good sanitation conditions , proper supply of water and electricity .
For example: It has been seen in our village that there is inadequate supply of electricity. Every Wednesday electricity is cut for entire day causing problem in smooth flow of household activities . Even in rural areas of Goa we do not have proper hospital, only government schools with lack of infrastructure, no proper water and transportation facility in Valpoi village of Goa .
6. Take some of the public facilities in your area , such as water ,electricity , etc . Is there scope to improve these ? What in your opinion should be done ? Complete the table .
Is it available? |
How can it be improved ? |
| Water | |
| Electricity | |
| Roads | |
| Public transport |
Ans:
| Is it available? | How can it be improved | |
| 1. Water | Tap water is available for 4 hours. | Period of water supply should be increased and water supply should be in a day time rather than in night. |
| 2. Electricity | Available with power failure. | More electricity should be generated with less cut off. |
| 3. Roads | In poor condition. | Roads in some places are filled with potholes and are narrow causing accidents. Every year roads should be maintained and broadened. |
| 4. Public transport | Not satisfactory. | For distance area travel buses are not available in proper time so more buses must be introduced. |
7. Are the above public facilities shared equally by all the people in your area ? Elaborate .
Ans: No, all the public facilities are not shared equally by all the people in the area . Nearly 15-20 percent of people live below poverty line . They do not get pure drinking water .
Rich families afford can purchase scaled pure water cans of well-known companies . They have water connection and also storage facilities .
Nearly 40-50 percent of middle class people depend on the water supply of the municipality or panchayat . They call private water supplies whenever required .
8. Data on some of the public facilities are collected as part of the Census . Discuss with your teacher when and how the census is conducted .
Ans: The census is conducted after every 10 years . The last census was taken in 2011 . Census data provides detailed and complete data on some public facilities . This data helps to compare socio-economic status of different people,classes,communities , regions and even of genders .
We can get a picture of countries development at urban and rural areas .
9. Private educational institutions -schools , colleges , universities , technical and vocational training institutes are coming up in our country in a big way . On the other hand, educational institutes run by the government are becoming relatively less important . What do you think would be the impact of this ? Discuss .
Ans:
i) Both government and private schools are found in our country . But private schools are taking major stake by providing various facilities and infrastructure .
ii) Education will be more costly. The common people will not afford for very costly books , fees , stationery , transport, etc .
iii) There will be inequality in Indian society. Our ideals in the preamble of the constitution that is social , economic , justice will be setback .