Comprehension : Comprehension

Q 17 / 466

UPSC CSE Prelims 2026

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the items that follow. Your answers should be based solely on the passage.
Passage: The key source of the battle for clean skies and clear lungs is the fuel we burn - from household Chulhas to the thermal power plants. In most cases, it is biomass or coal. The Supreme Court banned the use of pet coke - the dirtiest of such fuels. The Delhi Government banned the use of coal, which was later extended to the entire National Capital Region. It was also agreed that the thermal power plants would clean up or shut down. Action on this has been patchy to say the least. The lesson from the transition to CNG is that people need alternatives for a ban to be effective. When diesel buses were stopped, CNG supply had to be assured. It also had to be feasible in terms of cost. The Supreme Court agreed that fiscal measures were needed to keep clean fuel cheaper than dirty fuel. Now even as coal is banned, the price of natural gas makes industry uncompetitive.
Which of the following statements is/are correct?
  1. Thermal power stations in Delhi were required to summarily shut down.
  2. CNG supplies had to be assured once diesel vehicles were prohibited from plying.
  3. The Supreme Court banned the use of coal across the National Capital Region.
Select the answer using the code given below.

EXPLANATION

The correct option is (c) - 2 only.

[as per provisional answerkey]

Why this is correct

The passage explicitly states: "The lesson from the transition to CNG is that people need alternatives for a ban to be effective. When diesel buses were stopped, CNG supply had to be assured." This directly validates Statement 2, confirming that the availability of the alternative fuel (CNG) was a prerequisite for the effectiveness of the ban on diesel vehicles. The passage emphasizes that for any ban to work, the alternative must be both available and cost-effective.

Why the other options are incorrect

  • Statement 1 - Thermal power stations in Delhi were required to summarily shut down: This is incorrect because the passage states it was agreed that plants would "clean up or shut down," providing an alternative to closure. Furthermore, it notes that action on this has been "patchy," implying they were not summarily (immediately/completely) shut down.
  • Statement 3 - The Supreme Court banned the use of coal across the National Capital Region: This is a factual inaccuracy based on the text. The passage states the "Supreme Court banned the use of pet coke," while the "Delhi Government banned the use of coal," which was later extended to the NCR. The ban on coal is attributed to the Government, not the Supreme Court.
  • Options (a), (b), and (d): These options are incorrect because they include Statement 1 or Statement 3, both of which contain factual distortions or misattributions based on the specific details provided in the passage.

Key Concept

Critical reading and attribution: Distinguishing between different authorities (Supreme Court vs. Government) and specific conditions (clean up vs. shut down) mentioned in a text.