VAJIRAM & RAVI

[Institute for IAS Examination]

MINI TEST (Section B) NO. 05

Time Allowed: One Hour Maximum Marks: 80

Answer the following in not more than 250 words each: Each Question carries 20 marks
(20marks x 4 = 80 marks)

1. In one of the districts of a frontier state, narcotics menace has been rampant. This
has resulted in money laundering, mushrooming of poppy farming, arms
smuggling and near stalling of education. The system is on the verge of collapse.
The situation has been further worsened by unconfirmed reports that local
politicians as well as some senior police officers are providing surreptitious
patronage to the drug mafia. At that point of time a woman police officer, known
for her skills in handling such situations is appointed as superintendent of police
to bring the situation to normalcy.

If you are the same police officer, identify the various dimensions of the crisis.
Based on your understanding, suggest measures to deal with the crisis.

2. You are appointed as an officer heading the section in the Environment Pollution
Control Board to ensure compliance and its follow-up. In that region, there were
a large number of small and medium industries which had been granted clearance.
You learnt that these industries provide employment to many migrant workers.
Most of the industrial units have got environmental clearance certificates in their
possession. The environmental clearance seeks to curb industries and projects
that supposedly hamper the environment and living species in the region. But in
practice most of these units remain to be polluting units in several ways like air,
water and soil pollution. As such, local people encountered persistent health
problems. It was confirmed that the majority of the industries were violating
environmental compliance. You issued notice to all the industrial units to apply for
a fresh environmental clearance certificate from the competent authority.
However, your action met with hostile response from a section of the industrial
units, other vested interest persons and a section of the local politicians. The
workers also became very hostile to you as they felt that your action would lead
to the closure of these industrial units, and the resultant unemployment will lead
to insecurity and uncertainty in their livelihood. Many owners of the industries
approached you with the plea that you should not initiate harsh action as it would
compel them to sell their units, and cause huge Financial loss, or shortage of their
products in the market. These would obviously add to the sufferings of the
laborers and the consumer alike. The labor union also sent you a representation
requesting against the closure of the units. You simultaneously started receiving
 threats from unknown corners. You however received support from some of your
colleagues, who advised you to act freely to ensure environmental compliance.
Local NGOs also came to your support and they demanded the closure of the
polluting units immediately
(a) What are the options available to you under the given situation?
(b) Critically examine the options listed by you.
(c) What type of mechanism would you suggest to ensure environmental
compliance?
(d) What are the ethical dilemmas you faced in exercising your option?

3. In recent times, there has been an increasing concern in India to develop effective
civil service ethics, code of conduct, transparency measures, ethics and integrity
systems and anti-corruption agencies. In view of this, there is a need being felt to
focus on three specific areas, which are directly relevant to the problems of
internalizing integrity and ethics in the civil services. These are as follows:
a) Anticipating specific threats to ethical standards and integrity in the civil
services,
b) Strengthening the ethical competence of civil servants and
c) Developing administrative processes and practices which promote ethical
values and integrity in civil services.
Suggest institutional measures to address the above three issues.

4. Honesty and uprightness are the hallmarks of a civil servant. Civil servants
possessing these qualities are considered as the backbone of any strong
organization. In line of duty, they take various decisions, at times some become
bonafide mistakes. As long as such decisions are not taken intentionally and do not
benefit personally, the officer cannot be said to be guilty. Though such decisions
may, at times, lead to unforeseen adverse consequences in the long-term.

In the recent past, a few instances have surfaced wherein civil servants have been
implicated for bonafide mistakes. They have often been prosecuted and even
imprisoned. The instances have greatly rattled the moral fibre of the civil servants.

How does this trend affect the functioning of the civil services? What measures
can be taken to ensure the honest civil servants are not implicated for the bonafide
mistakes on their part? Justify your answer.