Towards Water Wisdom : Limits, Justice, Harmony

Contents: Preface. Preamble: Understanding Water: i. Understanding the crisis: 1. Water crisis: the mainstream view. 2. The water scene in India. 3. Water governance. 4. The question of \'politicisation\'. 5. Re-examining past thinking. 6. The question of \'demand\'. 7. Crisis of crises? 8. Crisis of understanding. 9. Apotheosis of fallacy: ILR Project. 10. Supply-side conundrum. ii. Understanding conflicts: river water disputes: 11. Indus treaty: a re-examination. 12. Differences over Baglihar. 13. The Cauvery dispute: continuing Impasse. 14. The Punjab water Imbroglio. 15. River water disputes: some reflections. iii. Conflicts of other kinds: 16. Narmada: abandoning the displaced. 17. Profit versus life. 18. Privatisation, markets. iv. Making sense of laws and policies: 19. Legal inadequacies and perplexities. 20. Policies: Muddled or worse? 21. Transforming the laws: a constitutional declaration on water? 22. Transforming the laws: a national water law? v. Taking note of others\' thinking: 23. Issues and concerns in the neighbourhood. 24. Some international formulations: a critique. 25. A parenthesis on different view. vi. Drawing the threads together: 26. Some glimmers of hope. 27. Towards wisdom on water. 28. The larger framework: new thinking for a changing world. Epilogue: Appendix: List of author\'s writings drawn upon. References and select bibliography. Index.

"Towards Water Wisdom: Limits, Justice, Harmony makes a fervent plea for an urgent and radical transformation of our thinking on water. The author redefines the projected water crisis as one of mismanagement rather than scarcity, and calls for a more equitable, harmonious and sustainable management of the resource.

Water-related conflicts are also discussed, including the Indus Treaty, the differences over Baglihar, the Cauvery and Ravi-Beas disputes, and rehabilitation problems in the Narmada Valley. The author questions the idea of property rights in water and argues that the fundamental or human right to water must take precedence over contractual and economic rights. The inadequacies of India\'s water laws and policies are examined and a case made for a constitutional declaration on water and a national water law.

Finally, the author widens the perspective and draws attention to a changing world that makes a change in our thinking imperative." (jacket)