Correct Option (C)
The passage highlights a critical, often overlooked, aspect of solid waste management: its direct interplay with drainage and sewerage systems. It details how unscientific solid waste management, when combined with poor drainage and the dumping of untreated sewage into stormwater drains, leads to blockages. These choked drains result in stagnant water, which becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes and contributes to the spread of water-borne diseases. Therefore, the central message is the necessity of an integrated approach, where solid waste management is not treated in isolation but is intrinsically linked with the maintenance of drainage and sewerage networks to mitigate these cascading health risks.
Incorrect Options:
Option (A) is incorrect because while India's drainage networks may often be combined for sewerage and storm water, the passage's primary focus is on the consequences of mismanagement within such systems, specifically the choking caused by solid waste and untreated sewage, rather than solely on the design of the networks themselves.
Option (B) is incorrect as the passage does not delve into the administrative, financial resources, or legislative authority of urban local bodies. Its emphasis is on the operational and systemic integration required for effective waste and drainage management, irrespective of the bodies responsible.
Option (D) is incorrect because the passage explicitly links the described problems to "stagnant water breeding mosquitoes, resulting in the spread of water-borne diseases." It focuses on disease transmission and public health hazards related to sanitation, not on drinking water shortages in cities.