Urban poverty and environment risks – UGC NET Question

Statements A and C are correct because informal settlements are frequently located in environmentally risky areas and suffer from poor housing and inadequate services, increasing health risks. Statement B is incorrect as service provision in informal settlements is often inadequate or absent, not uniformly adequate. Statement D is wrong because urban poor communities can and do participate in planning processes when given opportunities. Thus, the combination containing A and C only represents the set of correct statements.

Option A:
Option A is correct because it includes both true statements (A and C) and excludes the false statements (B and D). It correctly captures exposure of informal settlements to hazards and higher environmental health risks due to poor housing and inadequate services.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect as it adds statement B to A and C, thereby treating B as true. In reality, B misrepresents the situation by suggesting that all informal settlements have adequate services, which contradicts evidence of widespread deficits in water, sanitation and waste management. Including this false statement invalidates the combination.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it selects B and D only. Both B and D are false: service access is not uniformly adequate, and communities can contribute meaningfully to environmental decision-making. By excluding the true statements A and C, this option is completely misaligned with the reality of urban poverty and environment linkages.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it combines A, C and D. While A and C are true, D is false as it denies the agency and potential role of urban poor in planning. A correct combination must exclude statement D.