Previous Year Question

Among the options given in this question, Hydro-electricity is the appropriate choice from the viewpoint of sustainable development because it is a renewable energy source based on the natural water cycle and does not require combustion of fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum or natural gas for electricity generation.

The Ministry of Power, Government of India, has also described hydropower as a renewable, non-polluting and environment-friendly source of energy. In 2019, the Government of India also declared Large Hydropower Projects above 25 MW as a Renewable Energy Source.

For option elimination, coal and mineral oil and gas are fossil fuels; they are finite resources and their combustion produces greenhouse gases and other pollutants. Atomic energy may have low operational carbon emissions, but its fuel is not renewable and radioactive-waste management presents separate challenges.

An important conceptual point is that Hydropower does not mean zero environmental impact. Large dams may involve land submergence, ecosystem alteration and population displacement. Therefore, modern hydro projects also require environmental appraisal and sustainable development planning; CEA's Hydro Planning Division explicitly includes sustainable hydro power development among its functions.