The struggle for clean water access as a Human Right in River Basin Governance in India: An Analysis

Resumo

The worldwide contest for access to clean water as an essential human right is escalating, especially over river basin management. This study examines the intricacies and obstacles of guaranteeing equal access to clean water in transboundary river basins, where political, environmental, and legal frameworks often conflict with the fundamental rights of impacted communities. Notwithstanding global acknowledgment of water as a human right, its implementation is scattered and uneven, especially in areas, where rivers cross various jurisdictions. Climate change, environmental degradation, and unsustainable development increasingly undermine water equity and ecosystem health. In India, major basins like the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Indus face severe pollution, biodiversity loss, and erratic flows that disproportionately affect the poor and marginalized. This disconnection underscores the inadequacy of current governance frameworks in effectively addressing the pressing need for clean water and the preservation of ecological sustainability. The chapter analyses how governance frameworks in river basins often emphasize economic and geopolitical considerations at the expense of human rights, leading to the marginalization of vulnerable populations, particularly in developing areas. The article critically assesses case studies to examine how regional agreements, national policies, and local water management practices influence access to clean water. The chapter advocates for the essentiality of inclusive, rights-based methodologies in river basin governance, suggesting alternatives that include human rights within policy frameworks and foster fair water allocation. In conclusion, it necessitates a paradigm change in river basin administration that emphasizes access to clean water as an unequivocal human right for everyone.