A landslide occurred in the middle of the night on 20th July. 2023 in a remote mountain hamlet, approximately 60 kilometers from Uttarkashi. The landslide was caused by torrential rains and has resulted in large-scale destruction of property and life. You, as District Magistrate of that area, have rushed to the spot with a team of doctors, NGOs, media and police along with numerous support staff to oversee the rescue operations. A man came running to you with a request for urgent medical help for his pregnant wife who is in labour and in loosing blood. You directed your medical team to examine his wife. They return and convey to you that this woman needs blood transfusion immediately. Upon enquiry, you come to know that a few blood collection bags and blood group test kits are available in the ambulance accompanying your team. Few people of your team have already volunteered to donate blood. Being a physician who has graduated from AIIMS, you know that blood for transfusion needs to be procured only through a recognized blood bank. Your team members are divided on this issue; some favour transfusing, while some others oppose it. The doctors in the team are ready to facilitate the delivery provided they are not penalised for transfusion. Now you are in a dilemma. Your professional training emphasizes on prioritising service to humanity and saving lives of individuals.(a) What are the ethical issues involved in this case?(b) Evaluate the options available to you, being District Magistrate of the area.
What the examiner wants
In this Disaster Response Ethics — Landslide case (A landslide occurred in the middle of the night on 20th July. 2023 in a remote mountain hamlet,…), separate facts/constraints from the value conflict and resolve the explicit asks in order: What are the ethical issues involved in this case; then Evaluate the options available to you, being District Magistrate of the area.. Defend the preferred option against realistic alternatives.
Demand-wise check
- 1What are the ethical issues involved in this case?≈95 words
- 2Evaluate the options available to you, being District Magistrate of the area≈95 words
Open in about 30 words and close in about 30.
Answer plan
Where marks usually go
- Over-writing ‘What are the ethical issues involved in this case’ while reducing ‘Evaluate the options available to you, being District Magistrate of the area.’ to a token paragraph
- Naming values without testing each feasible option for legality, affected stakeholders, consequences, implementation risk and reversibility
Value addition
- Disaster Response Ethics — Landslide: stakeholder map beside a 4-column option matrix — option | legality/ethics | consequences | mitigation
→ Draw it in the body, next to the point it supports.
Verified value additions
These are verified official-source additions selected for this exact PYQ. Use only the point that strengthens your argument.
Next: plan for one minute, write it in 14 minutes, then get it checked.