WATER

WATER

Water and civilization are indissociable. The earliest civilization arose in the great river valleys of Euphrates, the Nile, the Indus and Yangtze, when the transition could be made from substance farming to agriculture surplus. Today, the future of the world’s water supplies depends on the civilized approach requires scientific and natural temperaments. We have to examine the human interference in water cycle; which disrupted the whole global mechanism of natural water cycle and commercialization of water interest of market forces – multilateral finance Institutions etc. have given a high speed to the human interference.

The communities for whom access to water was very simple, it just depended on the distance from the water resources – rivers, springs, and ponds etc. But in the course of development - emergence of nation state, technologies etc. now all these forces control over the water.

Now a day, the scarcity of water is debated globally. Human civilization can find within itself the resources to respond successfully to this global challenge. In this century, total world demand of water has increased seven fold. It compares with a three-fold increase in world population over the same period.
Dealing with uncertainty and risk is part of human condition. This is why, while daring without knowledge is risky, knowledge without daring is fruitless. Daring, caring and sharing are among the human parameters within which solutions to the water crises will found. We have to minimize the differences between to and access to water for everyone – otherwise the peace and survival would be very tough.

There are two different approaches one is ‘water resources management’ and second is ‘water resource development. The word management in this sector has been given by World Bank through E.S.D., Rio and Dublin conferences. The World Bank is one of the major actors in the global water sector, be it in terms of financial aid or in term of general policy – making in the developing countries. In the 1990s it tried integrate three concerns – environmental, internal World Bank reforms and economic globalization – into the concept of ‘water resource management’ which replaced the concept of ‘water resource development’ and focus on water as basic necessity and essential resource that should be provided to all. Instead, the World Bank argued that in order to promote environmentally and economically sustainable development , water resources have to be ‘ managed’. To facilitate this, water has to be treated as an economic good, a concept first articulated in the 4th Dublin principles.

The solution according to World Bank was to reform a country’s institutional and legal environment.
· Water as an ‘economic good’ not ‘natural resource’.
· Privatization and redefining the role of the state in public utilities.
· Decentralization and participation.
· Legal and institutional reforms.
There are the World Bank’s principles for addressing the world‘s water problem.

In these circumstances and given directions by the World Bank many governments across the world are in the process of reforming their water laws, policies and declarations. This is a matter of serious concern that whom these changes will empower whether it will tighten the control over water by the TNCs and curtail the opportunity of the people to access to water.

We have to examine these changed policies and legislations and decide to examine and evaluate the policies, the role of world Bank, A.D.B., T.NCs , and nation state should be evaluated. Above all as far as the water issue is concern we have to identify the circumstances and forces which encourage more and more human interference in global natural mechanism of water cycle in the different times of human history.
Water issues should be understood in holistic way :
· What is water?
· Life and water.
· Natural mechanism of water cycle and human interference (Nature-human relation)
· Access to water comprises of human rights, dimensions, economic, environmental, social and cultural practices aspects. Current changes are seen as response to growing water scarcity as well as changes dominated by Neo-liberal emphasis on structural adjustment and governance reform.
· Effects and changes.
1. Water as an economic good not a natural resource.
2. Resource development v/s resource management.
3. Universalisation v/s privatization and commercialization.
4. Access to water and control over water. (Access to water changing scenario)

· Use and control.
(availability and uses)
· Forces behind the changes.
· Process behind the changes
· Effects on users
· Different interest of different users.
· If any common agenda on water is possible what should be its main components.

Throughout history, human beings have responded to the need to pool their efforts and share resources in the interests of larger security. Water, particular, has been one of the humanity’s historic learning grounds for community building, and we should see it as a potential source not a conflict. But an agreement that can serve as a paradigm for the constructive sharing of knowledge and resources essential for the transition from a culture of war to culture of peace. Moreover, the peace is only possible when we can make a general conscientious for the use and control over water and can declare striate Charter regarding the limits of human interference in global mechanism of nature and water cycle.

The water issue is vast and diverse in its implications, water is life and life is sharing, so let the water be a source of life not the source of profit. Let the water free to all, access to all; not should be controlled few multilateral institutions’ Agents, Nations, World Bank – A.D.B. and their touts.

The interests of water users like common people and industries and market – multilateral institutions, T.N.Cs can not be same. When there is clash among the interest of water users, how the peoples’ common agenda on water is possible.