- A. Arbitrary curbs on vehicles to reduce pollution are difficult to implement.
- B. Knee-jerk reactions cannot but an evidence-based approach will be more effective.
- C. A heavy penalty should be enforced on those driving without periodic pollution tests.
- D. In the absence of laws to deal with the problem of pollution, the administration tends to make arbitrary decisions.
Answer: B
Explanation
The passage critiques ‘drastic actions’ and ‘arbitrary bans’ as ineffective, noting that ‘Even then the air is not clean.’ It provides examples of such measures being disproportionate or lacking scientific basis. The concluding sentence explicitly states, ‘What is needed is the scientific and reliable information about the source of pollutants on a continuing basis and the technologies that will work to reduce pollution from them.’ This clearly implies that impulsive, non-scientific measures (knee-jerk reactions) are ineffective, and a data-driven, evidence-based approach is essential for effective pollution control. Options A, C, and D are not the central implication; the passage focuses on the *quality* and *basis* of policy decisions, not their implementation difficulty, specific penalties, or absence of laws.