G.L.

Bajaj Institute of Management & Research

Approved by A.I.C.T.E., Ministry of HRD, Govt. of India
Plot No. 2, Knowledge Park-III,
Greater Noida

PGDM BATCH-2021-2023

HUMAN VALUES AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

ASSIGNMENT

SUBMITTED BY: SUBMITTED TO:

Pranay Udawat BHAVNA BHARDWAJ
GM21107
 A fresh engineering graduate gets a job in a prestigious chemical industry. She likes the
work. The salary is also good. However, after a few months, she accidentally discovers that
highly toxic waste is being secretly discharged into a river nearby. This is causing health
problems to the villagers downstream who depend on the river for their water needs. She is
perturbed and mentions her concern to her colleagues who have been with the company for
longer periods. They advise her to keep quiet as anyone who mentions the topic is summarily
dismissed. She cannot risk losing her job as she is the sole breadwinner for her family and has to
support her ailing parents and siblings. At first, she thinks that if her seniors are keeping quiet,
why she should stick out her neck.? But her conscience pricks her to do something to save the
river and the people who depend upon it. At heart, she feels that the advice of silence given by
her friends is not correct though she cannot give reasons for it. She thinks you are a wise person
and seeks your advice. 

Questions for Discussion 

Question 1: What arguments can you advance to show her that keeping quiet is not morally
right?

Ans: - Discharging toxic waste in a river which is a source of drinking water for villagers will
injure their health. But the villagers are unaware of it since the poisonous effluents are
discharged secretively. When she knows that an act is harming innocent people, it becomes her
moral duty to alert the villagers.

If one becomes cognizant of all illegality, especially within an organization one is working, it
becomes her legal duty to inform the authorities. Otherwise, one will be colluding, though not
directly, in an illegal act.

At a minimum, the villagers have to be tipped off so that they can at least take preventive steps to
protect their health.

Question 2: What course of action would you advise her to adopt and why?

Ans: - As she can't stand to lose her employment, she needs to proceed circumspectly and by
implication. She can request that a dependable colleague approach nearby specialists to test the
stream water quality. He/she shouldn't carry her name into the matter. As a proportion of
plentiful mindfulness, he/she may thusly demand someone else or a gathering to move toward
experts for testing the stream water quality. To remain behind the scenes, she shouldn't sign any
applications or fill in any structures.

She can likewise carefully see whether the residents are experiencing any water contamination-
related infections. The neighborhood PHC can be cautioned by outsiders about the wellspring of
contamination. PHC will get the water tried. Specialists will drive the organization to quit
unloading harmful material.