NCERT book Class 8 Social Science Public Facilities

 Page 1


Social and Political Life
84
Unit Five
2024-25
Page 2


Social and Political Life
84
Unit Five
2024-25
85
Teacher’s Note
This unit discusses the role of the government in providing public facilities as well as in implementing
laws that apply to market, factory and  the working conditions of people. The aim is to allow
students to understand the ways in which this role of the government is linked to concerns addressed
in our Fundamental Rights. It is this link to rights that provides a connection to similar issues
raised in earlier chapters. Also the discussion in the Class VI and VII textbooks on livelihoods and
markets respectively can also be used to provide a context for discussions in Chapter 8.
Chapter 7 uses water as the primary example to discuss public facilities. It is important that the
student understand quite clearly what is meant by the idea of public facilities and why the
government needs to play a crucial role in their provision and, therefore, take overall responsibility.
The idea of equity, or the equal availability, affordability and quality of water for all, is one of the
key issues related to public facilities that the chapter highlights. In the classroom discussion, it is
crucial to separate the discussion on the importance of the government’s role in providing public
facilities from their current unequal provision. This means that the fact that persons currently get
different amounts of water should not be viewed as a reason for the government not being able to
provide public facilities.
Chapter 8 discusses the central role of the government in regulating economic activities. This is
largely done through laws and the chapter focuses on the importance of implementing existing
laws as well as making new laws to protect the rights of workers, consumers and producers in the
market. The Bhopal gas tragedy is discussed as an example of the lax enforcement of the laws. It
is quite likely that students might have not heard of this tragedy and it would be helpful to have
them research this and perhaps create a wallpaper or skit on this for the entire school. The websites
indicated at the end of the book could be used for additional reference material. The Bhopal gas
tragedy also marked the moment in which ‘environmental’ issues became intrinsically linked to
laws on the economy and the chapter briefly discusses this as well. The idea of accountability of
the manufacturer as well as the government to the workers and the citizens at large is one of the
key ideas underlying this chapter.
Economic Presence
of the Government
2024-25
Page 3


Social and Political Life
84
Unit Five
2024-25
85
Teacher’s Note
This unit discusses the role of the government in providing public facilities as well as in implementing
laws that apply to market, factory and  the working conditions of people. The aim is to allow
students to understand the ways in which this role of the government is linked to concerns addressed
in our Fundamental Rights. It is this link to rights that provides a connection to similar issues
raised in earlier chapters. Also the discussion in the Class VI and VII textbooks on livelihoods and
markets respectively can also be used to provide a context for discussions in Chapter 8.
Chapter 7 uses water as the primary example to discuss public facilities. It is important that the
student understand quite clearly what is meant by the idea of public facilities and why the
government needs to play a crucial role in their provision and, therefore, take overall responsibility.
The idea of equity, or the equal availability, affordability and quality of water for all, is one of the
key issues related to public facilities that the chapter highlights. In the classroom discussion, it is
crucial to separate the discussion on the importance of the government’s role in providing public
facilities from their current unequal provision. This means that the fact that persons currently get
different amounts of water should not be viewed as a reason for the government not being able to
provide public facilities.
Chapter 8 discusses the central role of the government in regulating economic activities. This is
largely done through laws and the chapter focuses on the importance of implementing existing
laws as well as making new laws to protect the rights of workers, consumers and producers in the
market. The Bhopal gas tragedy is discussed as an example of the lax enforcement of the laws. It
is quite likely that students might have not heard of this tragedy and it would be helpful to have
them research this and perhaps create a wallpaper or skit on this for the entire school. The websites
indicated at the end of the book could be used for additional reference material. The Bhopal gas
tragedy also marked the moment in which ‘environmental’ issues became intrinsically linked to
laws on the economy and the chapter briefly discusses this as well. The idea of accountability of
the manufacturer as well as the government to the workers and the citizens at large is one of the
key ideas underlying this chapter.
Economic Presence
of the Government
2024-25
Social and Political Life
86
Chapter 7
ANNA NAGAR
Amu and Kumar are
travelling through
Chennai in a bus. As
they go round the city,
they observe the water
facilities available in
different parts of
Chennai...
SAIDAPET
Ramagopal
Padma
Public Facilities
2024-25
Page 4


Social and Political Life
84
Unit Five
2024-25
85
Teacher’s Note
This unit discusses the role of the government in providing public facilities as well as in implementing
laws that apply to market, factory and  the working conditions of people. The aim is to allow
students to understand the ways in which this role of the government is linked to concerns addressed
in our Fundamental Rights. It is this link to rights that provides a connection to similar issues
raised in earlier chapters. Also the discussion in the Class VI and VII textbooks on livelihoods and
markets respectively can also be used to provide a context for discussions in Chapter 8.
Chapter 7 uses water as the primary example to discuss public facilities. It is important that the
student understand quite clearly what is meant by the idea of public facilities and why the
government needs to play a crucial role in their provision and, therefore, take overall responsibility.
The idea of equity, or the equal availability, affordability and quality of water for all, is one of the
key issues related to public facilities that the chapter highlights. In the classroom discussion, it is
crucial to separate the discussion on the importance of the government’s role in providing public
facilities from their current unequal provision. This means that the fact that persons currently get
different amounts of water should not be viewed as a reason for the government not being able to
provide public facilities.
Chapter 8 discusses the central role of the government in regulating economic activities. This is
largely done through laws and the chapter focuses on the importance of implementing existing
laws as well as making new laws to protect the rights of workers, consumers and producers in the
market. The Bhopal gas tragedy is discussed as an example of the lax enforcement of the laws. It
is quite likely that students might have not heard of this tragedy and it would be helpful to have
them research this and perhaps create a wallpaper or skit on this for the entire school. The websites
indicated at the end of the book could be used for additional reference material. The Bhopal gas
tragedy also marked the moment in which ‘environmental’ issues became intrinsically linked to
laws on the economy and the chapter briefly discusses this as well. The idea of accountability of
the manufacturer as well as the government to the workers and the citizens at large is one of the
key ideas underlying this chapter.
Economic Presence
of the Government
2024-25
Social and Political Life
86
Chapter 7
ANNA NAGAR
Amu and Kumar are
travelling through
Chennai in a bus. As
they go round the city,
they observe the water
facilities available in
different parts of
Chennai...
SAIDAPET
Ramagopal
Padma
Public Facilities
2024-25
87
Public Facilities
MYLAPORE
Subramanian
MADIPAKKAM
Siva
2024-25
Page 5


Social and Political Life
84
Unit Five
2024-25
85
Teacher’s Note
This unit discusses the role of the government in providing public facilities as well as in implementing
laws that apply to market, factory and  the working conditions of people. The aim is to allow
students to understand the ways in which this role of the government is linked to concerns addressed
in our Fundamental Rights. It is this link to rights that provides a connection to similar issues
raised in earlier chapters. Also the discussion in the Class VI and VII textbooks on livelihoods and
markets respectively can also be used to provide a context for discussions in Chapter 8.
Chapter 7 uses water as the primary example to discuss public facilities. It is important that the
student understand quite clearly what is meant by the idea of public facilities and why the
government needs to play a crucial role in their provision and, therefore, take overall responsibility.
The idea of equity, or the equal availability, affordability and quality of water for all, is one of the
key issues related to public facilities that the chapter highlights. In the classroom discussion, it is
crucial to separate the discussion on the importance of the government’s role in providing public
facilities from their current unequal provision. This means that the fact that persons currently get
different amounts of water should not be viewed as a reason for the government not being able to
provide public facilities.
Chapter 8 discusses the central role of the government in regulating economic activities. This is
largely done through laws and the chapter focuses on the importance of implementing existing
laws as well as making new laws to protect the rights of workers, consumers and producers in the
market. The Bhopal gas tragedy is discussed as an example of the lax enforcement of the laws. It
is quite likely that students might have not heard of this tragedy and it would be helpful to have
them research this and perhaps create a wallpaper or skit on this for the entire school. The websites
indicated at the end of the book could be used for additional reference material. The Bhopal gas
tragedy also marked the moment in which ‘environmental’ issues became intrinsically linked to
laws on the economy and the chapter briefly discusses this as well. The idea of accountability of
the manufacturer as well as the government to the workers and the citizens at large is one of the
key ideas underlying this chapter.
Economic Presence
of the Government
2024-25
Social and Political Life
86
Chapter 7
ANNA NAGAR
Amu and Kumar are
travelling through
Chennai in a bus. As
they go round the city,
they observe the water
facilities available in
different parts of
Chennai...
SAIDAPET
Ramagopal
Padma
Public Facilities
2024-25
87
Public Facilities
MYLAPORE
Subramanian
MADIPAKKAM
Siva
2024-25
Social and Political Life
88
Water and the People of Chennai
Senior government officials like Mr Ramagopal live
in Anna Nagar, Chennai. This area looks lush and
green with lawns maintained by a generous spraying
of water. Bungalows here have tap water for major
part of the day. On days when the water supply is
inadequate, Mr Ramagopal speaks to a senior official
whom he knows in the municipal water board and a
water tanker is easily arranged for his house.
Like most areas of the city, Subramanian’s apartments in
Mylapore suffers from water shortage. This area gets
municipal water once in two days. A private borewell meets
some of the residents’ water needs. Borewell water is,
however, brackish so the residents use it in their toilets
and for washing. For other uses, water is purchased from
tankers. Subramanian spends upto Rs 500-600 per month
on buying water from the tankers. For drinking water,
residents have installed water purification systems in their
homes.
Siva lives on rent on the first floor of a house in Madipakkam
and gets water once in four days. Shortage of water is one
major reason why Siva can’t bring his family to Chennai.
For drinking, Siva buys bottled water.
Padma works as a domestic help in Saidapet and lives in
the nearby slum. She pays a rent of Rs 650 for the hutment,
which has neither a bathroom nor a tap connection. For 30
such hutments there is a common tap at one corner, in which
water comes from a borewell for 20 minutes twice daily. A
family gets to fill a maximum of three buckets within this
time. The same water is used for washing and drinking. In
summer, the flow becomes a trickle, so that one family gets
water only at the cost of another. People have to wait long
hours for water tankers.
1. You have seen the four
situations illustrated above.
Based on these, what
impression do you get of the
water situation in Chennai?
2. Pick out the various sources
of water for household use
from the description alongside.
3. What, in your view, is similar,
and what is different in
Subramanian’s and Padma’s
experiences.
4.  Write a paragraph
describing the water supply
situation in your area.
5. Why does water flow in a
trickle in summer in most places
in India? Find out.
Discuss: Is there a general
shortage of water for everyone
in Chennai? Can you think of
two reasons why different
people get varying amounts of
water?
2024-25