Monday, February 4, 2013

“Water market is a big threat to India”

The man who has been fighting to save water in India speaks out on his passion and vision...

Rajendra Singh, better known as ‘Waterman’ is a Ramon Magsaysay Award winner for Community Leadership. He has undertaken extensive water conservation efforts in drought-prone eastern Rajasthan. Rajendra Singh runs a non-governmental organisation named ‘Tarun Bharat Sangh (TBS)’ since 1985, which has built more than 4,500 earthen check dams to collect rainwater in Rajasthan. Talking with B. S. Narayana Swamy, he told that de-centralisation in the village is a good answer for water problems.

B&E: Is privatisation of water supply, in any form, favourable for developing nations like India and its people?
RS: Privatisation of water supply is nothing but controlling the community and there by controlling their life. The one who is really sensible shouldn’t even think about privatisation of essential natural resources like water. Having water is a basic right of a human being and any government should not deny that. We have a democratically elected government and fulfilling the need of drinking water is a constitutional duty of the government. Water is ‘jeev jal’ without which one cannot lead the life and selling the control of ‘jeev jal’ to private hands is really dangerous. Those who have money can purchase water but what about the 70% of our population, who is only hand to mouth? That’s why I warn that new water market is a big threat to India.

B&E: In states like Karnataka government is planning to introduce PPP (Public Private Partnership) for water supply and in fact in many cities it has implanted the pilot project of the same and claiming success. Is PPP best idea for better service?
RS: Privatisation of water supply in any form is unacceptable. They are using a beautiful word called PPP, but it’s nothing but ‘Jhoota Khel’ (wrong play). They are selling the ownership of our natural resource to private industries in the name of PPP. If they monopolise with our resources then the common people would have no choice for their living. For private players, life is not a priority, their priority is money and they work for money only.

B&E: In mega cities like Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai... demand for drinking water is increasing and governments are hardly trying to meet the demands. What are your suggestions for better management of water?
RS: Communitisation is one good solution. Presently we have a system which is anti-community. So de-centralisation in the village model is a good answer to this so called water problem. If our leaders, who are adorning the seat of power, tried thinking sincerely for a good answer they may find many. But they always think about getting the power and retaining it for the next five years. They come to power by assuring the innocent people of providing them with 24 hours water supply; but once they come to the power they start thinking 24 hours only about how to retain their power. To reach the rising demand for water in mega cities like Delhi and Bangalore the leaders should have far sight; which is lacking in our politicians. Most of them are not eligible to run a government.


Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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