Economic and Political Weekly

This paper in the Economic and Political Weekly presents the contours of an alternative water policy document by Ramaswamy R Iyer. It sets forth for consideration a broad national perspective on the nature of water and on its prudent, wise, sustainable, equitable and harmonious use. The Ministry of Water Resources is at present engaged in revising the National Water Policy 2002. Iyer is of the opinion that instead of trying to make changes in the 2002 Policy, the Ministry should put it aside and draft a new policy, starting from first principles.

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This article by Philippe Cullet in the Economic and Political Weekly discusses the central government policy for drinking water supply in rural areas. It examines its evolution from the 1970s onwards and focuses, in particular, on the reforms of the past decade, looking more specifically at the Swajaldhara Guidelines. These reforms are of capital importance because they seek to completely change the rural drinking water supply policy framework.

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This paper published in the Economic and Political Weekly highlights the present groundwater situation in the country and warns that groundwater quantity as well as quality are the two major problems that the country has been facing.

The rate of withdrawal of groundwater has reached “unsafe” levels in 31% of the districts, covering 33% of the land area and 35% of the population. The situation has dramatically worsened within a short span of nine years, between the assessments done in 1995 and 2004.Read More

Taking the quantitative and qualitative aspects together, data indicates that a total of 347 districts (59% of all districts in India) are vulnerable in terms of safe drinking water in India. This is a matter of serious concern, requiring a new approach.

This article published in the Economic and Political Weekly begins by arguing that India’s annually renewable water resources are finite and are subject to uncertain climatic variability and that these resources need to be systematically monitored and managed to meet the needs of a diverse society.Read More

India will thus benefit from a unifying national water policy that combines scientific knowledge of India’s water resource systems with the nation’s democratic ideals so as to achieve an equitable sharing of this vital resource among all segments of society.