Question

Two statements are given below. They are Assertion and Reason (R). Read both the statements carefully and choose the correct option :
Assertion : ‘The agriculturally rich states of Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh are facing the crisis of groundwater depletion.’
Reason (R) : ‘More groundwater is utilised for irrigation than water-table recharge.’

• A. Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R) is correct reason of (A).
• B. Both (A) and (R) are correct, but (R) is not the correct reason of (A).
• C. (A) is not correct, but (R) is correct.
• D. (A) is correct, but (R) is not correct.

Hint:

When studying groundwater depletion, focus on the impact of irrigation practices in agricultural regions, as they are often the primary cause of over-extraction of groundwater.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Assertion (A): The states of Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh are indeed facing a crisis of groundwater depletion, largely due to the excessive extraction of groundwater for irrigation purposes, which is critical in these agriculturally intensive regions.
Reason (R): It is true that more groundwater is utilized for irrigation than water-table recharge. This overuse of groundwater for irrigation purposes, especially in regions with extensive agricultural activities, is leading to a rapid decline in the water table, contributing to the groundwater depletion crisis.
Hence, both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are correct, and the reason provided in (R) correctly explains the assertion in (A).