Global Journal on Advances in Pure & Applied Sciences Issue 5 (2015) 24-34 Selected Paper of 2nd Global Conference on Energy, Soil, Water, Air and Environment (ESWAE-2014), 11 – 13 December 2014, Grand Midwest Tower and Hotel Conference Center, Dubai – United Arab Emirates Democratising Rivers: Local River Conflicts in Rajasthan Renu Sisodia *, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India. Suggested Citation: Sisodia, R. (2015). Democratising Rivers: Local River Conflicts in Rajasthan, Global Journal on Advances in Pure & Applied Sciences. [Online]. 05, pp 24-34. Available from: http://www.world-education- center.org/index.php/paas Received July 02, 2014; revised September 16, 2014; accepted November 13, 2014. Selection and peer review under responsibility of Prof. Dr. Haluk Soran, Near East University, Cyprus. ©2015 Academic World Education & Research Center. All rights reserved. Abstract This paper attempted to explore and explain the local level river water conflicts in the larger contex t of state - society relations. This study also covered causes of local level river water conflicts in the catchment area of Bandi and Arvari river of Rajasthan. The focus of the study was on the emergence of community driven, decentralised management of river water bodies and strategies used by local communities to protect and manage river water conflicts. The research is conducted through the process of designing a framework based on essential theoretical and practical findings supported by primary and secondary data. Two in depth case study is conducted to understand the phenomenon in depth. The first field site is Bandi River of Pali district, which is about the struggle between textile industries, community and the State government in which water pollution is said to be one of the driving force of the conflict. Finding shows that the state is supporting textile industries in Pali district have not been adherent to the environmental ethics. Present legal infrastructure and local institutions fail to resolve the serious problem of water pollution in Bandi River and its adverse impact on the local community as a result local community resistance against the local administration and the state government. The second case illustrates the plight of Arvari River in Alwar district. Tussle for the ownership of fisheries between local community, the private fish contractor and State government has been the main bone of contestation. To resolve this conflict local community formed conflict management mechanism named a s Arvari Parliament. Arvari Parliament has its own principle and rules to resolve water conflicts related to ownership of the river and use of the river water. The research findings also highlight the co-existence between conventional and modern practices in resolving conflicts Keywords: water, water pollution, water conflicts, water scarcity, conflict resolution, local community. * ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE: Renu Sisodia, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India. E-mail address: [email protected] Sisodia, R. (2015). Democratising Rivers: Local River Conflicts in Rajasthan, Global Journal on Advances in Pure & Applied Sciences. [Online]. 05, pp 24-34. Available from: http://www.world-education-center.org/index.php/paas 1. Introduction and Research Question India with 2.4 percent of the world’s total area has 16 percent of the world’s population; but has only 4 percent of total available fresh water [4]. India is prone to water conflicts and predominantly at local level river water conflicts happens due to and around the issues of allocation and management of available water. Water conflict in India is not necessarily due to scarcity of water, it can be due to lack of infrastructure and priority in allocation of water between various sectors. This paper will examine the complex dynamics of local river water conflicts in India. The central research question that frames this study is what are the local river water conflicts and how water conflicts are resolved in India. This question in answered through a case study of a Bandi and Arvari river conflict in Rajasthan. 2. Methodology The study is exploratory in nature due to the fact that very less has been explored in issues related to local level river water conflicts and democratising of rivers in Rajasthan. Mainly qualitative methodology has been used to collect data. The nature of the study is to explore the phenomenon in depth. Case study method is used here because as Yin (2003) [2] defines “In general, case studies are the preferred strategy when ‘how’ or ‘why’ questions are being posed, when the investigator has little control over events, and when the focus is on a contemporary phenomenon within some real-life context”. Therefore two cases are selected to understand the local level river water conflicts; Bandi River in Pali district and Arvari River in Alwar district of Rajasthan, India. The different sources and tools are used such as focus group discussion, interviews with key stakeholders, documentary evidence, access to archival records, and direct observation in the field. First hand data is collected using unstructured, structured interview, focus group discussion and observation from selected sites. Secondary data is collected through analysing previous research, official statistics, journalistic reporting, Reports by government and Non-Government organisations (NGOs). The findings will not be biased by single data collection techniques as multiple methods are used to collect data. 3. Case Study of Bandi River Study Area: Bandi River in Pali District The Bandi River is a tributary of Luni River and flows southwest in the Marwar area across the plains of the region and joins River Luni. Length of Bandi River is around 45 Km and watershed area is 1685 Km². It originates from the Bomadara pickup weir after the confluence of Khari and Mithari rivers [8]. It is the major water resource to fulfil water requirements of the people of Pali district. The Bandi river is primarily rain-fed, carry maximum flow during the monsoon season i.e. July to September. In summers Bandi remain dry or carry the wastewater discharged from Common Effluent Treatment Plant, Municipal, sewer and direct effluent from textile units [6]. There have been complaints from the nearby residents of the Bandi River about the continuously worsening quality of river water, ground water and contaminated soil leading to reduced crop yiel d. The discharge of partially treated and or untreated wastewater over the last three decades from these industries on the land and the river channel has caused the environmental damage in the region. Following the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed before the High Court at Jodhpur by Mahaveer Nagar Vikas Samiti in the year 2002 (W.P. No.759/2002) on the environmental damages caused, the High Court of Rajasthan has ordered dated 09.03.2004 to conduct an investigation to estimate the damages and to stop industries from discharging waste into the river. The High Court at Jodhpur in the matter of Writ Pettion Civil No, 6954/2007, Aruna Mills V/s state of Rajasthan & others and other 125 connected matters, relating to textile industries located in non industrial areas, at Pali, by order dated 25 Sisodia, R. (2015). Democratising Rivers: Local River Conflicts in Rajasthan, Global Journal on Advances in Pure & Applied Sciences. [Online]. 05, pp 24-34. Available from: http://www.world-education-center.org/index.php/paas 11.04.2008 ordered to shift industries in assigned industrial areas within a period of four months. But Court orders partially implemented on the ground [7]. Bandi conflict can be divided into four main groups Textile Industry, State government, affected community and Non-Government organisation. The State Pollution Control Board has identified around 860 water polluting textile processing industries located in and around Pali. The causes of growth of textile units at Pali are the quality of raw water, which is having high sodium salts which promote a smaller amount consumption of chemicals. Further, the dry atmosphere of western Rajasthan supports quick drying after printing for the reason that print quality is superior. As a result, the number of textile industries in Pali started rising. These industries were mainly small -scale industries which came up in a disorganised manner due to high demand and many of the units were situated on agriculture land and in residential areas. Originally the effluent from textile industry was not much, but soon it started rising and was discharged into Bandi River leading to pollution of surface and ground water. Due to constant discharge of untreated/partially treated wastewater continuously for many years, pollution has spread in a large area and has affected substantial region of ground water [5]. Waste water generated from these units contains high values of pH, TSS, BOD, COD and Oil & Grease and therefore need to be treated before discharge so as to meet the standards prescribed under the provisions of Environment Protection Rules [3]. Nearly all of these units were in small sector and, therefore, were not in a position to install their own Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP). Therefore, to provide the required treatment of the polluted effluent of textile units, three CETPs were established in the year 1983, 1997 & 1999 respectively & presently operated by the Pali Water Pollution Control Treatment & Research Foundation CETP Trust (Ibid). But, part of domestic sewage of Pali was reaching to the CETP thereby reducing their capacity of treatment of industrial effluent. Furthermore, there were several units established in non-conforming areas of Pali (Bajrang Bari, Sumerpur Road etc.). These units were not connected to any of the CETPs & discharging their untreated effluent into river Bandi. Due to the discharge of untreated/partially treated effluent into river Bandi, thus, polluting the ground water and adversely affecting the agricultural production in the neighbouring areas. The State Pollution Control Board confirmed that the total quantity of effluent generated by the textile units was exceeding the combined capacity of 3 CETPs (22.68 MLD) which badly affecting the local community (Ibid.).