The Inequalities Governing Delhi’s Water Services

Migration to Delhi from neighbouring states is changing the social dimensions of the city. Economically and socially marginalized communities often live in unauthorized or illegal colonies and slums, where provision of public services, especially water, is irregular, inadequate, and of unacceptable quality. Communities living in legally sanctioned colonies, tend to be wealthier, socially more powerful and to enjoy better services. In this asymmetric scenario, underprivileged and marginalized people struggle every day to obtain water for their daily needs. They end up having to violate laws and give in to corruption to survive.

This WIN Brief explores the plight of these people, reflecting on the malady of many urban cities today. About half of the world’s population will live in cities by the year 2030, according to the UN. Inequality and corruption are likely to blight the water sector in these cities as it does in Delhi. Understanding the risks better and exploring the dynamics of integrity in urban water today is an essential step to find solutions for more equitable and effective service for all. […]

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Further Reading (Reference List)

Bansal, Anumeha (2012): Private Water Tankers: A Legitimate Solution to Delhi’s Water Woes? Centre for Civil Society

Central Vigilance Commission (2010): National Anti-Corruption Strategy

Chand, Vikram K. (2006): Reinventing Public Service delivery in India. Selected case studies. Washington, DC, New Delhi, Thousand Oaks: World Bank; Sage Publications.

Comptroller and Auditor General of India (2013): Thematic Audit of Water Management in Delhi. Delhi.

Delhi Urban Art Commission (2014): Aya Nagar Urban Development. Planned Development of Unauthorised Colonies.

Government of NCT of Delhi (2012): Statistical Abstract of Delhi 2012. Directorate of Economics & Statistics.

Jagmohan (2005): Soul and Structure of Governance in India. New Delhi: Allied Publishers.

Kumar, Sanjay (2013): Changing Electoral Politics in Delhi. From Caste to Class.

Narain, Sunita; Pandey, Pratap (2012): Excreta Matters. State of India’s Environment: a Citizens’ Report 7. New Delhi: Centre for Science and Environment (State of India’s environment: Citizens’ Report, 7).

Pandey, Archana (2014): Human Rights in Relation to Water in India. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science, Vol. 19, Issue 3.

Panickar, Meena (2007): State Responsibility in the Drinking Water Sector. An Overview of the Indian Scenario. International Environmental Law Research Centre. Switzerland.

Paul, Samuel (2003): New Mechanism for Public Accountability. The Indian Experience.

Robert, Putnam (2001): Social Capital: Measurement and Consequences. In Canadian Journal of Policy Research.

Savic, Dragan; Bertoni, Juan Carlos; Marino A. Miguel; Savenije Hubert H.G (Eds.) (2005): Sustainable Water Management Solutions for Large Cities. The proceedings of the International Symposium on Sustainable Water Management for Large Cities (S2), held during the Seventh Scientific Assembly of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS) at Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, 3-9 April, 2005. International Symposium on Sustainable Water Management for Large Cities. Wallingford, Oxfordshire, UK: IAHS (IAHS publication, no. 293).

Singh, R.B; Singh, Anju (2005): Integrated Water Management in India: The case of Delhi Mega City. In Dragan Savic, Juan Carlos Bertoni, Marino A. Miguel, Savenije Hubert H.G (Eds.): Sustainable Water Management Solutions for Large Cities. The proceedings of the International Symposium on Sustainable Water Management for Large Cities (S2), held during the Seventh Scientific Assembly of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS) at Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, 3-9 April, 2005. Wallingford, Oxfordshire, UK: IAHS (IAHS publication, no. 293), pp. 98–110.

Singh, M.R, Upadhyay V, Mittal A.K (2005): Urban Water Tariff Structure and Cost Recovery Opportunities in India. In Water Science & Technology 52 (12), pp. 43-51.

Srinivas M.N (1969): India: Social Structure. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.

Transparency International (2008): Global Corruption Report 2008. Corruption in the Water Sector (©2008). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (Global Corruption Report, 2008).

Transparency International India (2005): India Corruption Study to Improve Governance. Transparency International India.

UN Water (2006): Water, A Shared Responsibility. Chapter 2: The Challenges of Water Governance. With assistance of Charles Darwin. Paris, France, New York: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO); Berghahn Books (United Nations World Water Development Report, 2).

UN Water (2009): Water in a Changing World. Case Study Volume. Paris: UNESCO Publ. [u.a.] (The @United Nations World Water Development Report, 3).

United Nations (1987): Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future.

United Nations (2014): World Urbanisation Prospects. The 2014 revision. New York.

Uslaner, Eric M. (2009): Corruption. In Gert Tinggaard Svendsen, Svendsen, Gunnar Lind Haase (Eds.): Handbook of Social Capital. The Troika of Sociology, Political Science, and Economics. Cheltenham, Glos, UK, Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar (Elgar original reference), pp. 127–142.

Vittal N (2007): Roots of Effective Governance. Hyderabad, India: Lefai University Press.

Water and Sanitation Program (2005): Engaging with Citizens to Improve Services.

Wing Chi, Hui (2013): Combating Corruption. The Hong Kong Experience 6, pp. 240–256.

Winkler, Inga T. (2012): The Human Right to Water: Significance, Legal Status and Implications for Water Allocation. Oxford, Portland, Or: Hart Pub.

Yaffa Truelove (2007): On the Verge of Water Crisis? State Discourses and the Production of Water Inequality in Delhi, India.

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