1st Edition
Water Governance and Civil Society Responses in South Asia
This book addresses paradigm shifts in water policy and governance, and examines the role of civil society organizations in influencing public policy, while focusing on social equity and democratic participation. It illustrates a range of interesting developments in policy formulation, donor–state nexus, and interventions by civil society and voluntary organizations. The collection of articles provides a comprehensive and current narrative of the state–society relations in South Asia under neoliberal governance reforms, their implications and key responses with regard to water policies. Using case studies, it closely investigates the impact, effectiveness, drawbacks and challenges faced by voluntary organizations and social movements working at various levels in the water sector. The work will interest researchers and students of development studies, environmental studies, natural resource management, water governance, and public administration, as also water sector professionals, policymakers, civil society activists and governmental and non-governmental organizations.
Foreword Peter P. Mollinga. Acknowledgments. Introduction: Paradigm Shifts in Water Governance and Civil Society Responses in South Asia: A Review N. C. Narayanan, S. Parasuraman and Rajindra Ariyabandu 1. The State, Civil Society and Challenges to Democratic Governance in South Asia Mahfuzul H. Chowdhury Part I: NGOs in Collaborative Advocacy 2. Watershed Development Policies and Programs in India: Scope and Constraints of Civil Society Action K. J. Joy 3. How an NGO Works the State and Why it Succeeds: A Case Study from Central India Vasudha Chhotray Part II: Foreign Assistance and Water Governance 4. Water Provision and Modernity: The Consequence of Foreign Aid in Nepal Sudhindra Sharma 5. Foreign Assistance, Dependence and Debt: Sanitation Case Study, Kandy, Sri Lanka Sunil Thrikawala and N. C. Narayanan 6. Institutional Changes, Public Provision and Drinking Water Supply in Kerala N. C. Narayanan and S. Mohammed Irshad Part III: NGOs in Policy Influence 7. Water Policy Development in a Multi-party System of Governance: A Case Study of Sri Lanka Rajindra Ariyabandu 8. Water Rights in Civil Society and Governance: The Sri Lankan Experience Ruana Rajepakse 9. "Flood Action Plan" and NGO Protests in Bangladesh: An Assessment Hamidul Huq Part IV: Social Movements in Water Governance 10. The Water Rights Movement in South Maharashtra, India Suhas Paranjape and Seema Kulkarni 11. Lessons from Plachimada: From Anti-Coca-Cola Agitation to Democratization of Water C. R. Bijoy.
Biography
N. C. Narayanan is Associate Professor in Centre for Technology Alternatives for Rural Areas, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India.
S. Parasuraman is Director, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India.
Rajindra Ariyabandu is a development researcher with a special interest in water resources management and community development.
