2017 · GS Paper 4 · Q13 · 20 marks
A building permitted for three floors, while being extended illegally to 6 floors by a builder, collapses. As a consequence, a number of innocent labourers including women and children died. These labourers are migrants of different places. The government immediately announced cash relief to the aggrieved families and arrested the builder. Give reasons for such incidents taking place across the country. Suggest measures to prevent their occurrence.
In short
Illegal-floor collapses stem from builder greed, bribed inspectors, fee-based regularisation and invisible migrant workers, and need prevention rather than relief. Third-party structural certification under the National Building Code 2016, RERA defect liability, drone checks and personal liability of certifying officials are the key fixes.
Model answer
Ghissu Editorial · Verified 4 Oct 2026 · 290 words
Greed over life
Illegal floors raise profit on an unchanged structure, and workers pay first, as when an under-construction tower at Moulivakkam, Chennai (2014) killed 61.
Regulatory capture
Bribed inspectors look away, as with the illegal Mumbra building in Thane that collapsed in 2013 killing over 70.
Moral hazard
Fee-based regularisation makes violation cheaper than compliance, while builder, engineer and inspector each blame another.
Invisible workers
A 2025 CAG audit of Uttar Pradesh found only half of 1.44 crore registered construction workers had renewed by March 2022, leaving half without welfare cover.
Binding standards
Enforce the National Building Code 2016 with third-party structural certification, and RERA 2016 [scheme] liability for structural defects.
Technology over discretion
Use online approvals with geotagged and drone checks of every floor, building integrity into the system.
Personal accountability
Make certifying inspectors and engineers criminally liable, and end blanket regularisation.
Protect workers
Register every migrant on e-Shram (2021) [scheme] and the welfare boards, with insurance; the Supreme Court in 2018 rebuked states for unspent welfare cess [case].
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This chapter in the exam
Regulatory and Quasi-Judicial Dilemmas4 questions
Asked in 4 of 14 sittings since 2013
- 2022You are appointed as an officer heading the section in Environment Pollution Control Board to ensure compliance and its follow-up. In that region, there were large number of small and medium industries which had been granted clearance. You learnt that these industries provide employment to many migrant workers. Most of the industrial units have got environmental clearance certificate in their possession. The environmental clearance seeks to curb industries and projects that supposedly hamper environment and living species in the region. But in practice, most of these units remain to be polluting units in several ways like air, water and soil pollution. As such, local people encountered persistent health problems. It was confirmed that majority of the industries were violating environmental compliance. You issued notice to all the industrial units to apply for fresh environmental clearance certificate from the competent authority. However, your action met with hostile response from a section of the industrial units, other vested interest persons and a section of the local politicians. The workers also became very hostile to you as they felt that your action would lead to the closure of these industrial units, and the resultant unemployment will lead to insecurity and uncertainty in their livelihood. Many owners of the industries approached you with the plea that you should not initiate harsh action as it would compel them to close their units, and cause huge financial loss, shortage of their products in the market. These would obviously add to the sufferings of the labourers and the consumers alike. The labour union also sent you representation requesting against the closure of the units. You simultaneously started receiving threats from unknown corners. You however received supports from some of your colleagues, who advised you to act freely to ensure environmental compliance. Local NGOs also came to your support and they demanded the closure of the polluting units immediately. (a) What are the options available to you under the given situation? (b) Critically examine the options listed by you. (c) What type of mechanism would you suggest to ensure environmental compliance? (d) What are the ethical dilemmas you faced in exercising your option?
- 2018Dr. X is a leading medical practitioner in a city. He has set up a charitable trust through which he plans to establish a super-specialty hospital in the city to cater to the medical needs of all sections of the society. Incidentally, that part of the State had been neglected over the years. The proposed hospital would be a boon for the region. You are heading the tax investigation agency of that region. During an inspection of the doctor's clinic, your office has found out some major irregularities. A few of them are substantial which had resulted in considerable withholding of tax that should be paid by him now. The doctor is cooperative. He undertakes to pay the tax immediately. However, there are certain other deficiencies in his tax compliance which are purely technical in nature. If these technical defaults are pursued by the agency, considerable time and energy of the doctor will be diverted to issues which are not so serious, urgent or even helpful to the tax collection process. Further, in all probability, it will hamper the prospects of the hospital coming up. There are two options before you: (i) Taking a broader view, ensure substantial tax compliance and ignore defaults that are merely technical in nature. (ii) Pursue the matter strictly and proceed on all fronts, whether substantial or merely technical. As the head of the tax agency, which course of action will you opt for and why?
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Question from the official UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2017 paper. Answer written by Ghissu's engine and checked against our editorial standards. Found an error? Tell us and we correct it within 48 hours.