1st Edition
Globalization of Water Governance in South Asia
Globalization has significantly redefined the nature of governance in the water sector. Non-state actors—multilateral and transnational donor agencies and corporations, non-government organizations, markets, and civil society at large—are assuming a bigger role in public policy-making for water resource management. New discourses on neoliberalism, integrated water resource management (IWRM), public–private partnerships, privatization, and gender equity have come to influence water governance.
Drawing upon detailed case studies from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan, this volume shows the implications of these new global paradigms for water allocation and management practices, institutions and governance structures in South Asia. It suggests that, despite claims to the contrary, they have done little to further human well-being, reduce gender disparity, or improve accountability and transparency in the system. Steering away from blueprint approaches, it argues for a more nuanced and contextual understanding of water management challenges, based on local knowledge and initiatives. This book will be useful to those interested in political economy and water governance, natural resource management, environmental studies, development studies, and public administration, as well as to water professionals, policy-makers and civil society activists.
List of Tables. List of Figures. List of Maps. List of Abbreviations. Foreword Dipak Gyawali. Acknowledgments. Introduction: The Globalization of Governance: Transforming Water Management in South Asia Vishal Narain, Chanda Gurung Goodrich, Jayati Chourey and Anjal Prakash Part I: IWRM, Well-being and Gender 1. Gender, Water and Well-being Seema Kulkarni 2. Women, Water, Caste and Gender: The Rhetoric of Reform in India’s Drinking Water Sector Deepa Joshi 3. Demand-Driven Approach vis-a-vis Marginalized Communities: A Situation Analysis Based on Participatory Approaches in Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Programs in Sri Lanka N. I. Wickremasinghe 4. IWRM, Well-being and Gender: A Perspective from Bhutan Gongsar Karma Chhopel Part II: State, Markets and Civil Society: Changing Configurations in Water Management 5. Changing Configurations around the State in Water Resource Management in Relation to Multiple Stakeholders’ Participation in South Asia: Possibilities and Challenges E. R. N Gunawardena 6. Resource Management at Local Level: "Platform" Approach for Integration Dhruba Raj Pant and Khem Raj Sharma 7. Accessibility of Urban Poor to Safe Water Supply: A Case of a Small Town Water Supply Scheme in Nepal Prakash Gaudel 8. Small-scale Community Water Supply System as an Alternative to Privatized Water Supply: An Experience from Kathmandu Hari Krishna Shrestha 9. Need for Reforming the Reform: Incompatibility and Usurpation of Water Sector Reforms in the Indian State of Maharashtra Sachin Warghade and Subodh Wagle 10. Understanding Emerging Independent Regulatory Frameworks: Lessons for Reforming Karnataka’s Water Governance Divya Badami Rao and Srinivas Badiger Part III: Urbanization and Water: Emerging Conflicts, Responses and Challenges for Governance 11. Urbanization and Water: A Conundrum and Source of Conflict? Vishal Narain 12. Contextualizing Rural–Urban Water Conflicts: Bio-physical and Socio-institutional Issues of Domestic Water Scarcity Shrinivas Badiger, Smitha Gopalakrishnan and Iswara Gouda Patil 13. Urban–Rural Water Nexus: The Case of Gujarat R. Parthasarathy and Soumini Raja 14. Water Management in Rapidly Urbanizing Kathmandu Valley: Balancing Structural Linkages among Water, Society and Settlement Bijaya Shreshtha and Sushmita Shrestha 15. Private Water Tanker Operators in Kathmandu: Analysis of Water Services and Regulatory Provisions Dibesh Shrestha and Ashutosh Shukla 16. Evaluation of Institutional Arrangements for Governance of Rivers Surrounding Dhaka City M. Shahjahan Mondal, Mashfiqus Salehin and Hamidul Huq 17. Sustainable Urban Water Supply and Sanitation: A Case from Kandy, Sri Lanka Sunil Thrikawala, E. R. N Gunawardena and L. H. P. Gunaratne. About the Editors. Notes on Contributors. Index
Biography
Vishal Narain is Associate Professor, Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon, India.
Chanda Gurung Goodrich is Principal Scientist, Empower Women, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad, India.
Jayati Chourey is Assistant Professor, Symbiosis Institute of International Business, Symbiosis International University, Pune, India.
Anjal Prakash is Executive Director, South Asia Consortium for Interdisciplinary Water Resources Studies (SaciWATERs), Hyderabad, India.
