Each item describes a situation and is followed by four possible responses. Indicate the response you find most appropriate. Choose only one response for each item. The responses will be evaluated based on the level of appropriateness for the given situation You have been made responsible to hire boats at a short notice to be used (+2.5) for an area under flood. On seeing the price mentioned by the boat owners you found that the lowest price was approximately three times more than the approved rate of the Government. You would

In an emergency like a flood, the paramount priority is to save lives and provide immediate relief. A) reject the proposal and call for a fresh price: This would cause critical delays, which are unacceptable when lives are at stake in a flood situation. The "short notice" implies no time for re-negotiation. B) accept the lowest price: This ensures that the boats are secured immediately to address the emergency. While the price is exorbitant, the immediate need to save lives outweighs the financial consideration. The cost can be reported and justified later as an emergency expenditure. This prioritizes action and human lives. C) refer the matter to the Government and wait: Waiting for government approval would lead to significant delays, compounding the suffering in the flood-affected area. The situation demands immediate action, not bureaucratic process. D) threaten the boat owners about a possible cancellation of the licence: This aggressive approach could backfire, leading to further refusal or delay from the boat owners, worsening the emergency. While their profiteering is unethical, the immediate goal is cooperation to save lives, not confrontation. Therefore, accepting the lowest available price (even if high) is the most appropriate response as it ensures immediate action to save lives, which is the primary responsibility in an emergency.