Identify the problems of rural settlements in developing countries carefully:
(A) Most house designs are typically deficient in proper ventilation
(B) Water borne diseases tend to be a common problem
(C) Adequate supply of potable water to rural settlements
(D) Shortage of toilet and garbage disposal facilities
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → (A), (B) and (D) only
Rural settlements in developing countries are large in number but poorly equipped with infrastructure. Their main problems are poor houses, poor water supply and poor sanitation.
(A) Most house designs are typically deficient in proper ventilation — Correct. Village houses of mud, wood and thatch are often built without proper ventilation, and many keep the animal shed and fodder store inside the house.
(B) Water borne diseases tend to be a common problem — Correct. Without clean drinking water, water borne diseases such as cholera and jaundice are common in villages.
(C) Adequate supply of potable water to rural settlements — Incorrect. The supply of water to villages in developing countries is not adequate. People in mountainous and arid areas walk long distances to fetch drinking water. An adequate supply would be a solution, not a problem. NTA changed “not adequate” to “Adequate”, and a true line became false. Read every word before you mark the answer.
(D) Shortage of toilet and garbage disposal facilities — Correct. The general absence of toilets and garbage disposal causes health related problems in villages.
Note: This question is taken from the pre-rationalised NCERT book. The latest edition (2026-27) does not have this part. An extract of the pre-rationalised NCERT book is given below for the benefit of students.
Pre-rationalised NCERT: “Problems of Rural Settlements … Supply of water to rural settlements in developing countries is not adequate. People in villages, particularly in mountainous and arid areas have to walk long distances to fetch drinking water. Water borne diseases such as cholera and jaundice tend to be a common problem. The countries of South Asia face conditions of drought and flood very often. Crop cultivation sequences, in the absence of irrigation, also suffer.” “The general absence of toilet and garbage disposal facilities cause health related problems.” “The design and use of building materials of houses vary from one ecological region to another. The houses made up of mud, wood and thatch, remain susceptible to damage during heavy rains and floods, and require proper maintenance every year. Most house designs are typically deficient in proper ventilation.” |