XAT 2018 — Decision Making Question 16
Answer the following question based on the information given below.
Three persons, A, B and C, lived on an island hill. A lived on the top of the island hill, B occupied the middle portion of the hill and C occupied the bottom of the hill. The top of the hill received good rainfall, the main source of water in the hill, though this portion of the hill had few trees. The middle of the hill however was lush with trees offering timber. The bottom of the hill had a good amount of stones and sand. A, B and C assessed their wealth in terms of ownership of timber, water, stones and sand available in the island hill only. During heavy rains, stones and sand from the top and middle portion of the hill rolled over to the bottom. When the rains stopped, both A and B claimed that some stones rolled down from their lands to the land occupied by C. They wanted the stones back. But C argued that rolling down of stones is a natural process. All three approached a wise man for the settlement of the ownership dispute.
Which of the following is the best option available for the wise man?
Answer & solution
- A
Award ownership of stones to A.
- B
Permit A to build a dam so that B and C are deprived of water.
- C
Award ownership of stones to C, as stones rolled down naturally.
Award equal rights to all three over all the resources.
- E
Award A, ownership of water and C, ownership of stones.
A and B are claiming ownership over a natural resource that flows into C’s jurisdiction. If they are compensated for this, it would only be a fair and equitable distribution if C is also allowed equal access to the resources available in A and B’s jurisdiction. Thus, equal rights to all three over all resources would be the best way to resolve the dispute.
Hence, the correct answer is option 4.