According to the National Water Supply and Sanitation Programme, which of the following falls into the category of a 'Problem village'?

Appeared in: Haryana CHO - 2022

Explanation

The National Water Supply and Sanitation Programme defines a 'Problem Village' based on issues of water accessibility and quality.
One of the primary criteria for this classification is poor water quality, which includes excess salinity.
Excess salinity makes water non-potable and can lead to health issues, thus qualifying the village for governmental intervention.

Option A: A water source within 1 km is considered accessible. The criterion for a 'problem village' is a distance of more than 1.6 km to the nearest safe water source.
Option B: A water source at a depth of 5 meters is easily accessible. The problem criterion is a depth of more than 15 meters.
Option D: Less iron content is desirable and indicates safe drinking water. The criterion for a problem village is the presence of excess iron, which is a contaminant.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Criteria for 'Problem Village' under the National Water Supply and Sanitation Programme as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Identifying 'Problem Villages' is a crucial public health function for community health nurses to prevent waterborne diseases like cholera, typhoid, and fluorosis.
Nurses can advocate for these villages to be included in programs like the Jal Jeevan Mission to ensure access to safe and adequate drinking water.
What if? If a village has a water source 1 km away (meeting the distance criteria) but it is contaminated with cholera, it would still be classified as a 'Problem Village' based on the biological contamination criterion, which often takes precedence for immediate health risks.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key term in the question: 'Problem village'.
Recall the specific definition and criteria set by the National Water Supply and Sanitation Programme.
The criteria relate to distance, depth, and quality of the water source.
Evaluate each option against these official criteria.
Option A (distance < 1.6 km) and Option B (depth < 15 m) describe accessible water, so they are incorrect.
Option D describes safe water (less iron), while the criterion is for unsafe water (excess iron).

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Criteria for 'Problem Village' under the National Water Supply and Sanitation Programme
Stem keywords: National Water Supply and Sanitation Programme, Problem village
Lead-in keywords: which of the following
Negative lead-in flag: false

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E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart C (pp 404-604 of 604) p. 168-170

Practise the full Haryana CHO - 2022

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.