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Water needs in urban India have increased on an unmatched scale over the years. Consequently the demand for water has outpaced its supply. A consensus has evolved that the current water development and management practices are highly unsustainable. Several research studies point out that the problem of scarcity of drinking water in urban areas is not due to its shortage, but due to the absence of principles of water governance, proper mechanism for conservation, efficient distribution and effective use and management of the vital resource. Unless significant changes are made in the governance approach of this sector, there will be major crisis which affects development in general. Over a period of time it is seen that planning for water resource and its development in India is increasingly viewed as a techno-managerial and bureaucratic exercise. Water governing institutions are often headed by generalist bureaucrats or engineers. In such an arrangement, what follows is planning without social concern and mostly based on demand management such as fixing tariffs, full cost-recovery and so on. Moreover, this approach of water resource management is non-participatory and the role of stake holders and community members are overlooked both in the implementation and decision-making process. Consequently the crisis of access to safe drinking water in India has deepened. Therefore significant changes in the focus and approach to governance are required to make water supply in urban areas sustainable.

Keywords

Drinking Water, Water Governance, Urban Areas

Introduction

In the last few years there has been a global shifttowards cities, where an increasing number of people stated living in urban areas. Those in the rural areas increasingly are dependent on the urban for their living. This is one of the clearest of indication where the world is heading towards in the years to come. As one of the newly industrializing economy and rapidly urbanizing country, in the next couple of decades the urban population in India will surpass its rural. India has been known largely for its rural population and agrarian economy of about 70%. But the scenario is rapidly changing giving way to an urbanizing India. In this context it becomes imperative to look into the capacity of cities and towns to meet the future challenges. One of the most challenging areas, this...

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