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Ch 9 Public Facilities
Page No: 118
Excercises
1. Why do you think there are so few cases of private water supply in the world?
Answer
There are very few cases of private water supply in the world because water is an essential amenity.
Water supply is a public facility that every government must provide to all citizens of a State. In cases
where water supply was placed in the hands of private companies, the prices of water rose, making it
unaffordable to the masses. This resulted in riots, protests and violent demonstrations in countries like
Bolivia. Hence, it has been deemed best that the government must handle water supply services.
2. Do you think water in Chennai is available to and affordable by all? Discuss.
Answer
Water in Chennai is not available to and affordable by all. Availability of a good, regular water supply is
proportionate to the level of income one earns, in this city. Senior government officials in areas like Anna
Nagar can get a whole water tanker arranged for themselves; most areas like Mylapore get water once in
two days; in Madipakkam, people buy bottled water for drinking purposes but the situation is the worst in
slums. Here, water supply runs for barely an hour everyday from a single tap serving over thirty families
for all their water needs.
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?
Answer
The sale of water by farmers to water dealers in Chennai is affecting the local people in various ways:
→ The water they are taking away is for irrigation of agriculture. Because of this exploitation irrigation
and so, agriculture is bound to suffer.
→ This water is also for general supply and drinking purpose of the villagers. → As a result of the heavy
exploitation of water, the ground water levels dropped drastically in these areas.
Yes, the local people can object to such heavy exploitation of ground water since it is a public facility or
nature’s gift on which everyone has equal right and so nobody can sell or take away exclusively.
www.ncrtsolutions.in or www.ncrtsolutions.com
Ch 9 Public Facilities
Page No: 118
Excercises
1. Why do you think there are so few cases of private water supply in the world?
Answer
There are very few cases of private water supply in the world because water is an essential amenity.
Water supply is a public facility that every government must provide to all citizens of a State. In cases
where water supply was placed in the hands of private companies, the prices of water rose, making it
unaffordable to the masses. This resulted in riots, protests and violent demonstrations in countries like
Bolivia. Hence, it has been deemed best that the government must handle water supply services.
2. Do you think water in Chennai is available to and affordable by all? Discuss.
Answer
Water in Chennai is not available to and affordable by all. Availability of a good, regular water supply is
proportionate to the level of income one earns, in this city. Senior government officials in areas like Anna
Nagar can get a whole water tanker arranged for themselves; most areas like Mylapore get water once in
two days; in Madipakkam, people buy bottled water for drinking purposes but the situation is the worst in
slums. Here, water supply runs for barely an hour everyday from a single tap serving over thirty families
for all their water needs.
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?
Answer
The sale of water by farmers to water dealers in Chennai is affecting the local people in various ways:
→ The water they are taking away is for irrigation of agriculture. Because of this exploitation irrigation
and so, agriculture is bound to suffer.
→ This water is also for general supply and drinking purpose of the villagers. → As a result of the heavy
exploitation of water, the ground water levels dropped drastically in these areas.
Yes, the local people can object to such heavy exploitation of ground water since it is a public facility or
nature’s gift on which everyone has equal right and so nobody can sell or take away exclusively.
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