Q. Sunil is a young civil servant and has a reputation for his competence, integrity, dedication and relentness pursuit of difficult and onerous jobs.
Considering his profile, he was picked up by his bosses to handle a very challenging and sensitive assignment. He was posted in a tribal dominated district notorious for illegal sand mining. Excavating sand from river belt and transporting through trucks and selling them in black market was rampant. This illegal sand mining mafia was operating with the support of local functionaries and tribal musclemen who in turn were bribing selected poor tribals and had kept the tribals under fear and intimidation.
Sunil being a sharp and energetic officer immediately grasped the ground realities and the modus operandi followed by the mafia through their devious and dubious mechanism. On making inquiries, he gathered that some of their own office employees are in hand and glove with them and have developed close unholy nexus. Sunil initiated stringent action against them and started conducting raids on their illegal operations of movement of trucks filled with sand. The mafia got rattled as not many officers in the past had taken such steps against the mafia. Some of the office employees who were allegedly close to mafia informed them that the officer is determined to clean up the mafia’s illegal sand mining operations in that the district and may cause them irrepairable damage.
The mafia turned hostile and launched counter-offensive. The tribal musclemen and mafia srted threatening him with dire consequences. His family (wife and old mother) were stalked and were under virtual surveillance and thus causing mental torture, agony and stress to all of them. The matter assumed serious proportions when a muscleman came to his office and threatened him to stop raids, etc., otherwise, his fate will not be different than some of his predecessors (ten years back one officer was killed by the mafia).
o Identify the different options available to Sunil in attending to this situation.
o Critically evaluate each of the options listed by you.
o Which of the above, do you think, would be the most appropriate for Sunil to adopt and why?
Question from UPSC Mains 2021 GS4 Paper
Model Answer:
Options Available to Sunil:
Sunil, a competent civil servant, faces a critical ethical dilemma in his fight against illegal sand mining. The situation has escalated to threats against him and his family, requiring careful consideration of his options.
Available options and their evaluation:
1. Continue stringent action despite threats
• Upholds integrity and duty as a civil servant
• May lead to significant disruption of illegal activities
• Risks personal and family safety
• Could inspire other officers and boost public trust
2. Seek transfer to another district
• Ensures personal and family safety
• Avoids direct confrontation with the mafia
• May be seen as abandoning responsibility
• Allows illegal activities to continue unchecked
3. Compromise with the mafia
• Reduces immediate personal risk
• Severely compromises ethical standards and integrity
• Perpetuates corruption and illegal activities
• Could lead to legal consequences if exposed
4. Build a coalition and seek support from higher authorities
• Increases chances of success against the mafia
• Distributes risk and responsibility
• Demonstrates leadership and strategic thinking
• May face bureaucratic hurdles or delays
Critical evaluation:
• Continuing stringent action shows courage but may be unsustainable long-term.
• Seeking transfer prioritizes safety but fails to address the core issue.
• Compromising is the least ethical option and goes against Sunil’s values.
• Building a coalition balances ethics, safety, and effectiveness.
Each option has trade-offs between personal safety, ethical integrity, and long-term impact. For instance, continuing raids (e.g., “Operation Clean Sand”) might yield short-term results but could endanger Sunil’s family. Compromising (e.g., accepting bribes) would ensure safety but betray public trust.
The most appropriate option for Sunil is to build a coalition and seek support from higher authorities. This approach:
• Aligns with his ethical principles and duty
• Enhances the chance of long-term success against the mafia
• Provides a degree of protection through official channels
• Demonstrates strategic leadership and problem-solving skills
Conclusion: By building a coalition, Sunil can effectively combat illegal mining while mitigating personal risks and upholding his ethical standards.
