Consider the following statements : 1. 36% of India's districts are classified as "overexploited" or "critical" by the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA). 2. CGWA was formed under the Environment (Protection) Act. 3. India has the largest area under groundwater irrigation in the world. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A
1 only
B
2 and 3 only
Correct Answer
C
2 only
D
1 and 3 only
Explanation
Option (b) is correct because the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) was established under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and India possesses the world's largest area under groundwater irrigation, surpassing both China and the USA. Statement 1 is incorrect and often misleading because, according to official assessments, only about 22% of assessment units (17% overexploited and 5% critical) fall into these categories, significantly lower than the 36% cited. The core concept being tested is the institutional governance of natural resources and the scale of India's reliance on groundwater for agriculture.
Environment - Water ResourcesGroundwater Depletion & Management in IndiaGroundwaterCentral Ground Water Authority (CGWA)Environment (Protection) Act, 1986overexploitedcriticalgroundwater irrigationIndia