A remote hill district has many perennial streams, but supplying power there through the grid is very costly. Which pair of strategies of sustainable development suits it best?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Mini-hydel plants and photovoltaic cells
Two facts decide this. Mini-hydel plants use the energy of perennial streams and make power for local use. Photovoltaic cells suit remote areas where grid power is not possible or very costly.
Option (1) Mini-hydel plants and photovoltaic cells — Correct. Both strategies fit the district.
Option (2) A large hydroelectric project and photovoltaic cells — Incorrect. Photovoltaic cells fit, but a large hydroelectric project inundates forests and interferes with the natural flow of water. Mini-hydel plants use the same streams for local power without such harm.
Option (3) CNG in public transport and gobar gas plants — Incorrect. These provide fuel for vehicles and homes. They do not solve the need for electricity here.
Option (4) Wind mills and gobar gas plants — Incorrect. Wind mills need areas where the speed of wind is usually high, and nothing says so here. Gobar gas plants give a fuel, not electricity for the grid-starved area.
NCERT (2026-27): “7.5 Strategies for Sustainable Development … Now, with the help of photovoltaic cells, solar energy can be converted into electricity. These cells use special kind of materials to capture solar energy and then convert the energy into electricity. This technology is extremely useful for remote areas and for places where supply of power through grid or power lines is either not possible or proves very costly. This technique is also totally free from pollution. …” “Mini-hydel Plants: In mountainous regions, streams can be found almost everywhere. A large percentage of such streams are perennial. Mini-hydel plants use the energy of such streams to move small turbines. The turbines generate electricity which can be used locally. Such power plants are more or less environment-friendly as they do not change the land use pattern in areas where they are located; they generate enough power to meet local demands. This means that they can also do away with the need for large scale transmission towers and cables and avoid transmission loss.” “… Hydroelectric projects inundate forests and interfere with the natural flow of water in catchment areas and the river basins. …” |