Case Study Shradha Sharma is a senior civil servant in the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. She has been working for the past 20 years and has a reputation for being honest, competent, and impartial. Her department has been tasked with granting environmental clearances to a large corporation that wants to build a new factory in a forest area. Shradha Sharma knows that the project could have serious environmental impacts, including deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and pollution. She also knows that the corporation has a history of flouting environmental norms and regulations in other parts of the country. Shradha Sharma is under intense pressure from the corporation to grant the clearance, as it would create thousands of jobs and bring in large investments. On the other hand, she is also under pressure from environmental activists and NGOs who are urging her to reject the clearance, citing the potential environmental and social costs. Shradha Sharma is facing dilemma between her duty as a public servant to promote development and create jobs, and her duty to protect the environment and safeguard the interests of the local communities. She has to decide whether to grant or reject the environmental clearance, and her decision will have far-reaching consequences. Q. What factors should Ms. Sharma consider in making her decision? What are the possible solutions to this ethical dilemma, and what are the trade-offs involved in each solution?

Case Study: You are the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of a flood-affected district. Thousands of people have been displaced in the recent floods. The state government has sent an emergency relief fund that is significantly lower than what is required. You are instructed to distribute it “based on urgency and vulnerability.” However, you face the following situation: 1. Village A is politically influential. The local MLA pressures you to allot a major share of relief funds there. He hints that “future cooperation” will depend on your decision. 2. Village B is severely affected, but it has poor road connectivity. Delivering aid there will take extra time and resources. 3. Village C has fewer casualties but houses a large migrant labour population that lacks documents required for official relief distribution. 4. Your field staff privately suggests that you divert some funds for logistics (vehicles, fuel, meals). Official guidelines prohibit this, but without these expenses, delivery to remote areas will be delayed. 5. The media is reporting that the administration is “slow and careless,” adding further pressure. You must decide how to allocate the limited resources fairly, efficiently, and ethically, while handling political pressure, administrative constraints, and humanitarian concerns. Question: Q1. Identify the major ethical issues involved in this situation. Q2. As the SDM, outline the options available to you. Evaluate each option using ethical principles. Q3. What would be your final course of action? Justify your decision with proper reasoning, referencing ethical theories and principles of public service.

Case Study You are the newly appointed Principal of a prestigious government school in a small town.The school desperately needs upgrades – the science labs are outdated, the computer room has only a few working machines, and the library needs expansion. You had invited a local politician to the school for the 15th of August celebrations, during which he announced his intention to make a significant donation. However, in a private meeting afterward, he also insisted that the renovation contract and purchase of equipment be awarded to a company owned by one of his relatives. However, the company is known for supplying substandard materials. The donation would cover all these improvements and more, potentially transforming educational opportunities for the students.Some teachers and parents are opposed to accepting these funds under such conditions, while others argue that the students' needs should come first. Your decision will impact the school's future, its reputation, and the education of hundreds of students. 1. What are the key stakeholders in this situation? 2. What are the ethical dilemmas involved in this situation? 3. What decision will you make regarding the donation, and what is your rationale behind it?

Case Study Suppose you are the Superintendent of Police in a district. The state has experienced an increase in communal riots in the past few months. A recent incident occurred in a small village. Mud houses were set on fire. Geeta and her daughter Roopa, who was three and a half years old, fled the village after violence broke out. Once they reached a nearby village, they were attacked by a group of people. Geeta and her daughter were brutally raped and murdered, and the local police have refused to register the case as two police stations are bordered by the area where the bodies were found. Locals from the village and relatives of the deceased are protesting and accusing the police of negligence and demanding the arrest of the offender with strong political backing. However, your senior calls you and asks you to conceal and distort the truth. (a) Identify the stakeholders and various dimensions of the crisis involved in the issue. (b) What would be the course of action taken by you to manage the situation as a Superintendent of Police? Identify measures that can be taken to prevent rapes

Case Study India hosts a number of migratory bird species every year who fly here either in search of feeding ground or to escape freezing winters of their natural habitat. At a major bird nesting lake in India, thousands of birds have died in a mysterious way. The deadly lake is surrounded by mining areas and possibly due to the discharge of effluents from the mining process, the lake got polluted. The junior manager working in the same mining area happens to discover the cause of the death of the birds. He is perturbed and discusses this with his colleagues who ask him to keep silent as this may cost him his job. He cannot risk losing his job as he is the sole breadwinner of his family and has to take care of his ailing parents and siblings. At first, he thinks that if his colleagues are quiet, why should he stick out his neck. But his conscience pricks him to do something to save the lake and the birds who depend upon it. He decides to take the matter to his senior. (a) What arguments can he advance to show that whatever is being done by the mining industry is not morally right? (b) What course of action should he adopt in case his senior refuses to entertain his complaint and why?

Case Study Ashok, an IAS officer posted as the District Magistrate in a riverine district, has been facing mounting challenges due to rampant illegal sand mining along the riverbanks. Despite a ban during the monsoon season and strict environmental regulations, sand extraction continues unabated, driven by a nexus between local contractors, transporters, and influential political figures. The illegal mining has caused severe environmental degradation, including riverbank erosion, falling groundwater levels, and damage to aquatic ecosystems. It has also led to frequent road accidents due to the overloading of trucks and the loss of government revenue. Ashok’s administration has conducted several raids, seized vehicles, and filed FIRs, but the operations have met with strong resistance. Local miners, backed by political patrons, have staged protests accusing the administration of “anti-development” actions. Some officers in his team have received threats, and a few have even hinted that confronting the sand mafia could cost them their safety or postings. Meanwhile, honest junior officers look up to Ashok for moral leadership, while local media and environmental activists demand tougher action and transparency. The state government, citing the importance of construction material for infrastructure projects, has asked Ashok to “avoid confrontation” and maintain law and order. However, environmental damage continues, and the judiciary has recently sought a report on compliance with mining regulations. Questions: A. What are the ethical dilemmas faced by Ashok in this situation? B. Evaluate the options available to him and their possible consequences. C. Suggest the most appropriate course of action for Ashok based on environmental ethics and administrative accountability. D. Propose long-term systemic reforms to curb illegal sand mining while balancing development and environmental protection.

Case Study You are posted as a District Magistrate. You come to know about a situation in the village under your jurisdiction where the population is suffering from Anaemia. An initiative was taken to provide fortified rice to villagers in order to provide nutrition to them but villagers deny to eat them as they have the misconception of the rice being the plastic rice. On the other hand, the village is also influenced by the Leftist movement and you get to know that Naxalites are using this public perception for their own benefit, making it more difficult for the government to reach the people. An alternate initiative was taken by providing iron tablets to people but it created another misconception among villagers that these tablets lead to more weight of babies in pregnant mothers leading to delivery complications. Thus, it also ended in failure. (a) What are the various issues involved in the above case study? (b) How will you change the perception of the people in the backdrop of the spread of misinformation by the Naxalites?