The more we look at it, the more we realize the importance of information about
availability and use of water for forming a holistic idea before we start promising
and distributing the resource. Importance of unbiased data on all these aspects
becomes an essential part of governance and management. States have a prime
focus on development and bringing improvements in their asset base for better
coverage. At times, this desire may not result into a balanced development covering
all political entities sharing the same resource. In such contexts, it is necessary to
know the actual state of affairs at the ground level. Data, therefore, has a large role
to play in quantifying the priorities and stresses that these may be undergoing. For
effective governance at every level, one has to look into data collection, processing
and analyses capabilities for a better future.
India is a diverse country as far as geostrategic context is concerned. Many river
basins also cross our national boundaries, and India finds itself in the roles of an
upper, middle and lower riparian country. This requires a fair amount of
hydro-diplomacy while dealing with the neighbours. At this level, the dialogue
becomes more complex as other areas of economy, socio-political setup and
strategic relationships also have to be heeded.
India has been somewhat fortunate in having good relations with some of its
immediate neighbours. For instance, with Bhutan, it has been able to devise a
‘win-win’ situation in terms of hydropower generation and mutual economic
prosperity. India also has to share disasters like cyclones and floods with some
neighbours. Mutual sharing of disaster warning and management exercises provides
with ample opportunities to build cooperation and collaboration.
Internally, the water governance regime is distributed between states with federalism playing an important part. The interstate basins too provide a great challenge in governance. The political boundaries versus basin boundaries and water
availability to various political units are a cause of great political and social turmoil
in many parts of the country. Capacities also vary between the co-basin states.
Commonly, the availability of resource and potential to use are quite often
located in different states and regions. Negotiations regarding financing the
developments and compensation towards sacrificing some of the lands required for
water projects have been important issues that need to be resolved. Water governance at Union level requires an in-depth assessment and quantification of the
problems at hand, while at state level, governance should comprise willingness to
negotiate in a sound and rational manner for an optimum solution rather than taking
an exclusivist approach generated out of a sense of sovereignty. The states with
lower capacities in financial and expertise terms may need to be helped for
matching up with their better placed counterparts. This remains true for development initiatives as well as disasters like floods and droughts.
Issues pertaining to water management cannot always be made to fully fit into a
framework of legalities. There is a fair amount of give-and-take while keeping in
view the essential principles of science and technology. Resolving the differences is
an exercise in which the scientific solutions supported by the legal base are
important. Herein lies the role of governance, especially at the Union level, where
Introduction
xi
availability and use of water for forming a holistic idea before we start promising
and distributing the resource. Importance of unbiased data on all these aspects
becomes an essential part of governance and management. States have a prime
focus on development and bringing improvements in their asset base for better
coverage. At times, this desire may not result into a balanced development covering
all political entities sharing the same resource. In such contexts, it is necessary to
know the actual state of affairs at the ground level. Data, therefore, has a large role
to play in quantifying the priorities and stresses that these may be undergoing. For
effective governance at every level, one has to look into data collection, processing
and analyses capabilities for a better future.
India is a diverse country as far as geostrategic context is concerned. Many river
basins also cross our national boundaries, and India finds itself in the roles of an
upper, middle and lower riparian country. This requires a fair amount of
hydro-diplomacy while dealing with the neighbours. At this level, the dialogue
becomes more complex as other areas of economy, socio-political setup and
strategic relationships also have to be heeded.
India has been somewhat fortunate in having good relations with some of its
immediate neighbours. For instance, with Bhutan, it has been able to devise a
‘win-win’ situation in terms of hydropower generation and mutual economic
prosperity. India also has to share disasters like cyclones and floods with some
neighbours. Mutual sharing of disaster warning and management exercises provides
with ample opportunities to build cooperation and collaboration.
Internally, the water governance regime is distributed between states with federalism playing an important part. The interstate basins too provide a great challenge in governance. The political boundaries versus basin boundaries and water
availability to various political units are a cause of great political and social turmoil
in many parts of the country. Capacities also vary between the co-basin states.
Commonly, the availability of resource and potential to use are quite often
located in different states and regions. Negotiations regarding financing the
developments and compensation towards sacrificing some of the lands required for
water projects have been important issues that need to be resolved. Water governance at Union level requires an in-depth assessment and quantification of the
problems at hand, while at state level, governance should comprise willingness to
negotiate in a sound and rational manner for an optimum solution rather than taking
an exclusivist approach generated out of a sense of sovereignty. The states with
lower capacities in financial and expertise terms may need to be helped for
matching up with their better placed counterparts. This remains true for development initiatives as well as disasters like floods and droughts.
Issues pertaining to water management cannot always be made to fully fit into a
framework of legalities. There is a fair amount of give-and-take while keeping in
view the essential principles of science and technology. Resolving the differences is
an exercise in which the scientific solutions supported by the legal base are
important. Herein lies the role of governance, especially at the Union level, where
Introduction
xi