Total Questions : 1
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Ms. Deepti is the District Magistrate of a coastal district that has been struck by a severe cyclone accompanied by flooding. Large parts of rural areas are submerged, electricity and communication lines are disrupted, and thousands of families have been displaced. Initial assessments indicate extensive damage to kutcha houses, fishing equipment, and standing crops.
The State Disaster Response Force and district administration have limited relief materials, temporary shelters, food packets, drinking water, and medical teams—which are insufficient to meet immediate demand. The most affected areas are remote villages inhabited largely by marginal fishermen and tribal communities.
At the same time, an influential urban locality, which has suffered comparatively less damage, is exerting political and media pressure for immediate restoration of services and compensation. Local elected representatives demand that relief camps be set up in visible urban centres to “maintain public confidence.”
Further, allegations emerge that local officials are prioritising relief distribution to politically connected groups, while genuine victims in remote villages remain unattended. Social media posts showing distressed families are going viral, increasing public outrage and scrutiny of the administration.
Ms. Deepti must make urgent decisions on allocation of scarce resources, relief prioritisation, and corrective action, while maintaining transparency, equity, and public trust under extreme time pressure.
Questions
1. What are the ethical issues involved in this case?
2. What options are available to Ms. Deepti? Examine the merits and demerits of each.
3. What should be the most ethical course of action for Ms. Deepti? Justify your answer in the context of disaster ethics, constitutional values, and administrative responsibility.
GS Paper 4 Case Studies
