Large dams and environmental trade offs – UGC NET Question

Statements A, B and D are correct because they present both benefits and concerns related to large dams along with the need for due process. A notes potential advantages like irrigation and flood control, B recognises social and environmental costs such as displacement and submergence and D stresses the role of EIA and public hearings. Statement C is incorrect as dams alter river flows, sediment transport and aquatic habitats, affecting ecosystems and fisheries. Hence the correct combination is A, B and D only.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because, although A and B are correct, it ignores D. Without acknowledging EIA and public hearings, the option fails to present the governance dimension of dam decisions, making it incomplete.

Option B:
Option B is correct as it combines all the true statements about the multifaceted impacts of large dams. It acknowledges benefits, costs and procedural safeguards while properly excluding C, which wrongly claims an absence of ecological impacts. This balanced view aligns with the unit’s treatment of the topic.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it includes B, C and D and accepts C as correct. Statement C denies ecological impacts that are widely documented in environmental studies, so its inclusion invalidates the combination despite the presence of B and D.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect as it groups A, C and D and leaves out B. It again accepts C, the incorrect statement, and neglects the important issue of displacement and land submergence discussed in B. Therefore, it cannot be chosen.