Q. Which one among the following industries is the maximum consumer of water in India? (UPSC Prelims 2013)
Answer: Thermal power
Notes: The correct answer is [D] Thermal power. In the industrial sector of India, the thermal power industry is by far the most water-intensive, accounting for approximately 80% to 88% of the total industrial water consumption. The primary reason is the requirement for massive quantities of water for cooling purposes.

• Steam Generation: Water is heated to create high-pressure steam that rotates turbines to generate electricity.
• Condensation: After passing through the turbines, the steam must be cooled back into liquid water so it can be reused in the boiler. This cooling process—often handled by cooling towers or "once-through" cooling systems—results in significant water loss through evaporation.

Analysis of Other Industries:While the other options are also significant water consumers, they operate on a much smaller scale compared to power generation:

• Paper and Pulp [B]: Known for high water intensity per unit of production (used for pulping, bleaching, and washing), but its cumulative consumption is lower than thermal power.
• Textiles [C]: Consumes water primarily in the dyeing and finishing stages.
• Engineering [A]: Generally has the lowest water footprint among the four, as its processes are more focused on assembly, machining, and fabrication rather than chemical or thermal processing.