Daily RC and Vocabulary 2nd January 2026

The water divide

The quality of piped water supply must be checked at delivery point

An indicator of public health is the well-being of the poorer sections of the people. Health, education, infrastructure, clean air and clean water all fall under basic needs, and various institutions should be busy working round the clock to improve lives. On most of these counts, however, India appears to be falling short, with the latest being the tragedy unfolding in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. At least four people, including a baby (official toll; unofficial is 14), have lost their lives after drinking municipality-supplied water, with more than 2,000 people falling ill. Over 200 people are in hospital and 32 are in the ICU. It is a development steeped in irony because Indore has been voted India’s cleanest city for several years in a row for its exemplary waste segregation and management practice among other cleanliness measures it undertook. As has become the unfortunate norm after every mishap, the blame game began swiftly with authorities pinning it on tardy progress on installing a fresh supply line. A committee is to investigate the issue, but things should not have been allowed to precipitate such a deathly crisis in the first place. This is the second instance of a water issue in the State in the past two months. In November, students at the Vellore Institute of Technology campus near Bhopal vehemently protested against contaminated water supply after many of them began contracting jaundice.

It is a shame that despite progress under the Swachh Bharat Mission and Jal Jeevan Mission, water woes continue. The National Family Health Survey data show that despite a rural-urban divide, 96% of households use an improved source of drinking water. A municipal supply is always considered to be a safe and “improved source”, and if checks and balances were in place, the authorities at Indore would have spotted the contamination and let people know of the dangers. Giving access to water is meaningless unless the quality of the supply is assured. There needs to be better enforcement of water guidelines and other environmental laws at all levels. Air pollution is already wreaking havoc on citizens’ health; unsafe drinking water should not be added to the list. The incidents in Madhya Pradesh should be taken as a wake-up call for India’s water management. With a population that is close to 147 crore, India’s water-borne disease burden is also high. All States should immediately check water supply sources for chemical and sewage contaminants. Old infrastructure including pipes must be repaired or replaced. There should be strict enforcement of policy and monitoring of practice along with awareness campaigns. Indore and many more cities in India have to clean up their act, or risk more deaths.

📘 Top 10 Difficult Vocabulary from the Editorial – “The Water Divide”

1. Precipitate
Meaning: To cause something (usually bad) to happen suddenly.
Example: Poor oversight precipitated a major public health crisis in Indore.

2. Steeped (in irony)
Meaning: Filled or saturated with a particular quality.
Example: The incident was steeped in irony as it occurred in India’s cleanest city.

3. Tardy
Meaning: Slow or delayed; not prompt.
Example: Tardy progress in installing a new pipeline was blamed for contamination.

4. Vehemently
Meaning: With strong feeling or force.
Example: Students vehemently protested against the contaminated water supply.

5. Unfolding
Meaning: Gradually developing or becoming known.
Example: The tragedy unfolding in Indore exposed systemic failures.

6. Woes
Meaning: Serious problems or troubles.
Example: Despite reforms, India’s water woes continue.

7. Assured
Meaning: Guaranteed with confidence.
Example: Access to water is meaningless unless its quality is assured.

8. Wreaking havoc
Meaning: Causing widespread damage or disruption.
Example: Air pollution is already wreaking havoc on public health.

9. Burden
Meaning: A heavy load or serious responsibility/problem.
Example: India has a high burden of water-borne diseases.

10. Wake-up call
Meaning: An event that alerts people to a serious problem.
Example: The Madhya Pradesh incidents should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers.

📖 High-Level RC MCQs (Based on the Editorial: “The Water Divide”)

Q1.

The editorial uses the example of Indore primarily to highlight:
A. The failure of cleanliness rankings to capture ground realities
B. The success of waste segregation as a model for other cities
C. The inevitability of urban public health crises
D. The lack of financial resources with urban local bodies

Q2.

Which of the following best captures the author’s central argument?
A. India’s water infrastructure is inadequate due to rapid urbanisation
B. Municipal water supply should be privatised to ensure quality
C. Access to water is insufficient unless its quality is ensured
D. Rural areas face greater water challenges than urban areas

Q3.

The reference to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data serves to:
A. Demonstrate the success of recent water-related government schemes
B. Show the irrelevance of statistical data in public health policy
C. Highlight the gap between official indicators and lived reality
D. Prove that urban areas are safer than rural areas in water access

Q4.

The phrase “steeped in irony” in the context of Indore implies that:
A. The city’s achievements are exaggerated by authorities
B. Cleanliness rankings failed due to political interference
C. A city known for cleanliness suffered from unsafe drinking water
D. The tragedy was unavoidable despite best efforts

Q5.

Which of the following can be inferred from the editorial regarding governance?
A. Environmental laws in India are excessive and impractical
B. Institutional response to crises is largely reactive rather than preventive
C. Committees are the most effective tools for policy correction
D. Urban governance performs better than rural governance

Q6.

The author’s mention of air pollution alongside unsafe drinking water suggests that:
A. Air pollution is a more serious threat than water contamination
B. Environmental problems in India are largely interconnected
C. Water pollution is a recent phenomenon compared to air pollution
D. Citizens are indifferent to environmental health risks

Q7.

Which of the following assumptions underlies the editorial’s criticism of authorities?
A. Citizens are fully aware of water quality standards
B. Municipal supply is inherently unsafe
C. Timely monitoring could prevent most water contamination crises
D. Private water suppliers are more efficient than public ones

Q8.

The editorial’s tone can best be described as:
A. Optimistic and reformist
B. Neutral and descriptive
C. Alarmist but speculative
D. Critical and cautionary

Q9.

According to the editorial, which of the following is not suggested as a corrective step?
A. Immediate checking of water supply sources
B. Replacement of old infrastructure
C. Public awareness campaigns
D. Complete overhaul of cleanliness ranking mechanisms

Q10.

The phrase “clean up their act” as used in the editorial most nearly means:
A. Improve sanitation drives
B. Rectify systemic failures and enforce accountability
C. Increase budgetary allocation to urban bodies
D. Strengthen waste segregation practices

✅ Answers & Explanations

Q1. A
Indore is cited to show that symbolic cleanliness rankings do not guarantee basic public health outcomes like safe water.

Q2. C
The core argument is that providing access without ensuring quality defeats the purpose of water supply.

Q3. C
NFHS data is used to expose the mismatch between official “improved source” indicators and actual water safety.

Q4. C
The irony lies in unsafe drinking water in a city celebrated for cleanliness.

Q5. B
The editorial criticises authorities for acting only after crises instead of preventing them through monitoring.

Q6. B
By juxtaposing air and water pollution, the author highlights compounded and interconnected environmental health risks.

Q7. C
The criticism rests on the assumption that proper checks at delivery points could have averted the tragedy.

Q8. D
The tone is critical of governance failures and cautionary about future risks.

Q9. D
The editorial does not call for scrapping cleanliness rankings, but for better enforcement and monitoring.

Q10. B
“Clean up their act” is used metaphorically to demand accountability and systemic correction, not literal cleanliness.