Sentences of a paragraph are given below in jumbled order. Arrange the sentences in the correct order to form a meaningful and coherent paragraph.
A. However, when areas in Leh began to experience water shortages, life didn’t grind to a halt.
B. Ladakh is a cold desert with a low average annual rainfall.
C. Thus, glaciers have been the main source of water for the people.
D. This was because Chewang Norphel, a retired civil engineer, came up with the idea of artificial glaciers.

The correct order of the sentences to form a coherent paragraph is BCAD.

Let's analyze the logical connection between the sentences step-by-step:
1. Sentence B ("Ladakh is a cold desert with a low average annual rainfall.") introduces the topic and sets the context by describing the geography and climate of Ladakh. Therefore, it serves as the most logical opening sentence.
2. Sentence C ("Thus, glaciers have been the main source of water for the people.") starts with the transition word "Thus," which indicates a consequence or result. It directly connects to Sentence B, explaining that because rainfall is low, the people must rely on glaciers as their main source of water. This forms the logical pair B-C.
3. Sentence A ("However, when areas in Leh began to experience water shortages, life didn’t grind to a halt.") introduces a complicating situation using the contrast connector "However." It points out that despite water shortages in Leh, daily life managed to continue.
4. Sentence D ("This was because Chewang Norphel, a retired civil engineer, came up with the idea of artificial glaciers.") explains the reason behind the statement in Sentence A. The pronoun "This" in "This was because" refers to the fact that life did not grind to a halt, linking it directly to the innovative solution of artificial glaciers. This forms the logical pair A-D.

Combining these connections in sequence gives us B-C-A-D, which creates a meaningful, chronological, and coherent paragraph.