Shaping the contours of groundwater governance in India

Abstract

a b s t r a c tStudy region: India. Study focus: India's groundwater dependence and the crises of depletion and contamination of groundwater resources require the development of a robust groundwater dependence framework. Understanding the challenges of developing a groundwater governance framework for regions of extensive groundwater development versus relatively less-developed areas of groundwater development is important. The groundwater typology is a function both, the hydrogeological aspects of groundwater and the socio-economic milieu that defines dependency on groundwater resource, which is significant across users and uses in India. An interdisciplinary perspective is important while managing groundwater resources in India and helping establish groundwater governance. New hydrological insights for the region: Participatory forms of groundwater management, using 'aquifer-based, common pool resource' approaches have begun to find their way into the practices and policies dealing with groundwater in India. Participation at all levels is important in management decisions as well as in the development of a governance framework, knowing that groundwater development in India has been 'atomistic' in nature. Developing a regulatory framework that is supportive of 'protection' of the resource as well as 'good practices of participatory groundwater management' is essential in groundwater governance. Interdisciplinary 'science' must form the medium of promoting both groundwater management and governance instead of using it in the largely business-as-usual approach to groundwater resource management that remains 'infrastructure' based, 'supply-side'.

Groundwater systems of the Indian Sub-Continent

“…The first article by Kulkarni et al (2015) highlights the requirement of development of a robust groundwater governance framework for a highly groundwater-dependent country like India. The authors describe the groundwater typology of an area as a combined function of hydrogeological aspects and socio-economic influences that defines dependency on groundwater resources.…”

Comparative statistical analysis of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects of uranium in groundwater samples from different regions of Punjab, India

“…48% of the urban share is derived from groundwater (Kulkarni, 2015). Due to potential hazards attributed to use of uranium enriched water, the interest in study of uranium in groundwater has increased tremendously.…”

Isolating the impacts of anthropogenic water use within the hydrological regime of north India

“…While in many locations within the IGB water is plentiful, resources are vulnerable to social and environmental change; for example, from variations in climate or in the water use practices of stakeholders (Burney and Ramanathan, ; Mukherji, ; Shah, ). A lack of adequate governance allows land owners to abstract as much water as individual finances allow (Shah et al, ; Kulkarni et al, ). In some parts of the IGB, energy is free for irrigators, placing even more pressure on water resources (Briscoe and Malik, ; Shah et al, ).…”