Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

Water scarcity means the lack of access to safe, usable freshwater — it is not always caused by low rainfall. It can result from over-exploitation, growing population, pollution, or unequal access.

Shillong's case illustrates this clearly. Cherrapunji and Mawsynram, just 55 km away, receive the world's highest rainfall, yet Shillong faces acute water shortage. This is because high rainfall alone does not ensure water availability or accessibility to people. Due to this, nearly every household in Shillong has adopted rooftop rainwater harvesting, which meets 15–25% of their water needs.

Thus, water scarcity is more about management and distribution than mere precipitation.

Source: Chapter 3 — Water Resources, Rainwater Harvesting section

---

• Examiners expect you to define water scarcity correctly (not just "less water") and link it to causes beyond rainfall.
• The Shillong–Cherrapunji contrast is directly from the textbook — always cite the 55 km distance and the rooftop harvesting detail for full marks.
• Avoid vague phrases like "water is important." Be specific: over-exploitation, unequal access, pollution are the key causes the textbook lists.
• 3 marks = definition + cause(s) + example — one clear point per mark.