The threat perception of scarcity and unjust distribution of water-a finite, pre-eminent natural resource-has made its relationship with conflict. It is an area of continued interest and debate in both the policy literature and popular press at the international level. In India too, the states are in conflict with each other on a variety of issues over sharing of inter-state river waters.
The Prime Minister has unveiled the National Action Plan for Climate Change on 30-06-2008 wherein eight missions including National Water Mission were launched. This Report is formed for the Sub-committee on Policy and Institutional Framework as established by the High Level Steering Committee of the National Water Mission headed by Secretary (Water Resources).
The major objectives of this policy are to: adopt integrated and multi-sectoral approach for planning, development and management of water resources; consider micro watersheds as the basic unit for the conservation and optimal utilization of water resources for achieving resources sustainability; integrate the problems and prospects of water resource systems by considering river basin as the basic unit; emphasize the importance of comprehensive watershed conservation and management plan, water quality management plan, long-term sub-basin and river basin operation and monitoring plan and state
The National Water Development Agency (NWDA) was set up in 1982 as an autonomous society under Ministry of Water Resources to give concrete shape to these proposals by carrying out the detailed studies, surveys and investigation work and to prepare feasibility reports of the links under the National Perspective Plan.
In 1998, Karnataka agreed to abide by the conditions imposed by the Union Water Resources Ministry if Tamil Nadu withdrew its objections to Cauvery water being used to augment supply to Bangalore, according to the minutes of a meeting convened by the Union Secretary (Water Resources) and attended by officers of the Cauvery basin States on drinking water supply schemes of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu on June 29, 1998.
Actor Rajnikanth on Friday blasted senior political leaders of Karnataka for politicising the Hogenakal row, and called on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to nip the issue in the bud lest it went theRajnikanth Cauvery way. The entire Tamil film industry, including artistes of Kannada origin, observed a token fast here to condemn attacks on theatres screening Tamil films and Tamil institutions in Karnataka, over the water project.
Friday fury over the controversial Hogenakal project had a filmi twist. The stars literally came down to the streets, as artistes attached to the Kannada film industry converged to protest under the banner of the Karnataka Chalanachitra Udhyama Sangha. The stars and their fans had a common cause to fight for. Demonstrating outside Bangalore's Town Hall, they voiced their demand in unison: The Union government had to intervene and stop the Hogenakal project lest it triggered water scarcity across Karnataka.
Governance of Water: Institutional Alternatives and Political Economy is a timely, relevant book that makes a case for reforming water governance in India through not only re-orientating policy priorities and approaches, but also restructuring the institutional framework away from the state and village dichotomy.
Water conflicts in India have now percolated to every level. They are aggravated by the relative paucity of frameworks, policies and mechanisms to govern the use of water resources. This book brings together an impressive sixty-three case studies summarized status of the conflicts, the issues involved and their current position and gives us a glimpse into the million revolts that are brewing around water.
