Urbanisation

This study commissioned by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) evaluates the operation and maintenance of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) established under the centrally funded National River Action Plan. This study was commissioned recognizing the fact that discharge of untreated sewage occurs not only because of inadequate installed capacity of sewage plants, but also due to the inadequate maintenance of existing plants.Read More

The Rainwater Harvesting Policy (2006) for Karnataka state has evolved out of the need for conserving rainwater and providing facilities for rainwater harvesting, in the context of the growing rate of urbanisation in the state and the rapid depletion of groundwater resources, leading to a water crisis.

The objective of the urban rainwater harvesting policy is to ensure that the available water is put to best possible use in the state by encouraging involvement of  multiple level of stakeholders such  as government and private institutions as well as  citizens, in the appropriate management of rainwater.Read More

This report by Price Waterhouse Coopers India Limited for the Second Annual India Water Conference in April 2011 presents its view on urban water reforms for the next decade. India is still at an early stage of the urbanisation process and will witness exponential growth in many of its cities over the next few decades. By 2030 the urban population is expected to reach more than 590 million. This will put enormous pressure on all existing resources, especially water. Despite sufficient availability of raw water, many of its cities struggle to provide more than a few hours of water supply.

Improving water availability in the cities requires addressing complex policy, institutional and funding challenges. According to the report, the collective vision should be to provide good quality, reliable, affordable and continuous (24x7) water supply to residents. The core of the new approach will include instituting a new era of greater accountability and a performance-driven approach. Service delivery to urban poor has to be an integral part of this approach to bring about greater inclusiveness.

Recent experience with Public-Private-Partnerships (PPP) in urban water supply shows that with a customer focused approach and demonstration of clear benefits, there will be greater political and public acceptability of private participation. At the same time, fiscal framework at the local level has to be considerably strengthened before attempting wide scale replication of PPP. 

Read More

This policy document by the Department of Environment, Government of Kerala highlights the need for conservation of natural resources in the state of Kerala, in the context of increasing exploitation of resources and deterioration of the environment in the state.Read More

The policy aims at mainstreaming environmental concerns in all the developmental activities and  argues that the most secure basis for conservation is to ensure that people dependent on resources obtain better livelihoods from conservation, rather than degradation of resources.