Evolving approaches to water governance: Insights from a panel of experts
The issue of water governance has long been a critical concern in India, especially with the increasing strain on resources due to climate change and population growth. A recent dialogue at the Commons Convening 2024, co-organised by the Foundation for Ecological Security (FES) and its partners United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Common Ground, Landstack, and Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) Mumbai brought together a panel of experts from government and civil society to discuss the evolving landscape of water management, particularly focussing on community engagement and policy shifts.
The panel included experts like Bishwadeep Ghose, Managing Trustee of Water for People; K J Joy, Senior Fellow at the Society for Participating Ecosystem Management (SOPPECOM); Pratul Saxena, Project Director of Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABY); and Shraman Jha, CEO of Hindustan Unilever Foundation.
The session moderated by Anuj Sharma, CEO of Arghyam explored multiple aspects of water governance, particularly the recognition of water as a shared resource and the critical role of community stewardship in sustainable management. The discussions delved into innovative initiatives for water governance, emerging challenges, and potential pathways for strengthening the management of water as a common resource.
Shifting perceptions of water governance
The dialogue highlighted the shifting perception of water in rural communities, from being viewed as a personal resource to being recognised as a collective, shared one. This shift is being driven by the growing impact of climate-induced water scarcity and a deeper awareness of the long-term consequences of unsustainable water use.
Pratul Saxena of Atal Bhujal Yojana noted this shift in thinking, particularly concerning groundwater. He explained, "There is a shift in focus from viewing water as a source to recognising it as a resource, particularly in the context of groundwater. Additionally, the approach is transitioning from government-led initiatives to community-supported efforts, combining scientific knowledge with local community insights." This idea is supported by various programs like the Atal Bhujal Yojana, which emphasises community participation in sustainable water resource management.
Shraman Jha further emphasised the growing understanding of water as a shared resource. "In water-stressed communities, there is a growing shift from viewing water as a personal resource to recognising it as a shared, collective resource," Jha noted, reflecting the increasing awareness around sustainable water use.
The role of policy and investment in water management
The panelists acknowledged that the focus on water management has intensified in recent years, driven by significant policy interventions and large-scale investments. Bishwadeep Ghose pointed to major initiatives like the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABY) as critical factors in raising awareness and catalysing action on water governance. However, Ghose cautioned that while awareness is essential, it does not automatically translate into better governance.
Two key developments were highlighted: the 2017 Draft Groundwater Model Bill and the "shared value proposition". The 2017 Draft Bill represents a significant shift by separating water from land rights, acknowledging groundwater as a public trust to be used equitably by the people. However, the practical implementation of this "shared value proposition" remains unclear and lacks the necessary buy-in from stakeholders.
Anuj Sharma and Bishwadeep Ghose also discussed how collaboration between civil society organisations (CSOs) and the government has evolved. "A decade ago, CSOs and the government operated in isolation, but now policies emphasise the importance of collaboration between the two," they noted. This shift in policy focus highlights the need for effective partnerships to scale community-driven water governance solutions.
Water as a commons and Sustainable Development Goals
K J Joy provided a compelling perspective on water as a commons, emphasising its relevance to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6, which focuses on water and sanitation. He advocated for a collective, inclusive approach to water governance, recognising water as a shared resource that belongs to everyone. Joy argued that water should be managed by communities rather than treated as a commodity controlled by a select few.
Joy raised important questions about property and tenure relationships, noting that water exists under different property regimes—surface water is often treated as public property, smaller water bodies as community-owned, and groundwater as private property. He highlighted the challenge of reconciling these diverse property regimes, pointing to the 2017 Draft Groundwater Bill as a rare example of policy taking a commons-based approach.
Despite the rhetoric of approaches like Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), Joy argued that water governance in India still operates in silos. For instance, the absence of village-level water user associations hampers community-based management. This gap, he stressed, is a missed opportunity for decentralized water governance at the grassroots level.
The shifting focus of water development: From watersheds to quick fixes
While Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) has been instrumental in developing water conservation infrastructure, watershed development programs have gradually fallen out of mainstream national development agendas. Instead, quick-fix solutions like riverbed widening, as seen in Maharashtra’s Jalyukt Shivar scheme, have emerged. Such solutions often disrupt natural river ecosystems and cause long-term harm, underscoring the need for sustainable alternatives.
The conversation also touched upon the use of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds in water-related interventions. While CSR contributions can provide much-needed resources, they can also lead to maladaptation, where short-term solutions to water challenges create larger problems down the line. There was a growing concern that NGOs and civil society organisations, driven by funding pressures, are increasingly adopting state-like approaches rather than challenging the status quo and proposing innovative solutions.
Community-driven models of success
The panel discussed successful examples of community-driven water governance, such as Hivre Bazar, where local regulations restrict borewell usage to preserve drinking water and promote non-water-intensive crops. These models showcase how sustainable water use can be achieved through community ownership and regulation. Nonetheless, larger governance mechanisms still need to catch up to these grassroots innovations, particularly in terms of regulating broader water usage.
Policy recommendations and future directions
The dialogue called for a shift away from short-term, mission-mode projects and towards a long-term vision of decentralised water governance. It advocated for the establishment of institutions nested at the basin or sub-basin level, in line with IWRM principles. Translating this vision to scale, however, remains a significant challenge. One of the panelists suggested that it will likely require a techno-managerial approach to implement larger water governance projects.
The panelists also emphasised the need for regulations such as restrictions on borewell drilling for irrigation when drinking water borewells exist as well as of moratoriums on new borewells. They stressed that these measures could only be effectively implemented within a decentralised governance model, where decision-making is adapted to local contexts.
The panel also highlighted the growing involvement of women in community water management, particularly in regions like Kerala and tribal areas of West Bengal. This trend aligns with the broader push towards gender equality in water governance, as recognised in SDG 5.
The meeting offered valuable insights into the complex landscape of water governance in India, with participants agreeing on the need for multi-faceted approaches that combine government policies, community involvement, and technological solutions. Moving forward, water governance strategies must prioritise community ownership, decentralised management, and innovative solutions to address the urgent water challenges posed by climate change and resource scarcity.