Read the following passage and answer the item that follows. Your answer to this item should be based on the…
Read the following passage and answer the item that follows. Your answer to this item should be based on the passage only.
Passage:
A study conducted on the impacts of climate change over the Cauvery basin of Tamil Nadu using regional climate models showed an increasing trend for maximum and minimum temperatures, and a decrease in the number of rainy days. These climatic shifts will have an impact on the hydrological cycles in the region, lead to more run-off and less recharge, and affect the groundwater tables. Further, there has been an increase in the frequency of droughts in the State. This has driven farmers to increase dependency on groundwater resources to secure their crops.
Which one of the following statements best reflects the crux of the passage given above?
Development of regional climate models helps in choosing climate-smart agricultural practices.
Heavy dependence on groundwater resources can be reduced by adopting dry-land cropping systems.
Climate changes increase the criticality of water resources while simultaneously threatening it.
Climate changes cause the farmers to adopt unsustainable livelihoods and risky coping strategies.
Solution
The passage shows that climatic shifts increase run-off, reduce recharge and affect groundwater tables, while droughts force farmers to depend more on groundwater. So climate changes increase the criticality of water resources while simultaneously threatening them. Option (c) is the crux. Options (a), (b) and (d) are not the central message.