Abstract
There is a strong case for making greater effort to promote local groundwater management—in addition to other measures that regulate groundwater use. Though scattered, there are several examples—from India, Pakistan, Yemen and Egypt—where groundwater users effectively self-imposed restrictions on the use of groundwater. There are a number of recurrent themes in such spontaneously-developed examples of local regulation: the importance of not excluding potential users; the importance of simple, low transaction cost rules; the power of correct and accessible hydrogeological information; the possibility of making more use of demand and supply management strategies; and the important supportive role of local governments. The case is made, using examples, for actively promoting local groundwater management as an important element in balancing groundwater uses. Two programmes for promoting local groundwater management in South India are described—one focussing on participatory hydrological monitoring, and one focussing on micro-resource planning and training. In both cases the response was very positive and the conclusion is that promoting local groundwater regulation is not difficult, costly or sensitive and can reach the necessary scale quickly.
Résumé
Beaucoup d'arguments plaident en faveur de l'accroissement de l'effort de promotion d'une gestion locale de l'eau souterraine. Il existe de nombreux exemples (en Inde, au Pakistan, au Yémen et en Egypte), quoique dispersés, où des consommateurs d'eau souterraine se sont imposé des restrictions d'usage. De tels exemples de réglementation locale, dont les développements sont spontanés, répondent à certains thèmes récurrents: l'importance de la prise en compte de consommateurs potentiels, l'importance de règles simples et de faibles coûts de transaction, le pouvoir d'informations hydrogéologiques fiables et accessibles, le développement potentiel de l'utilisation de stratégies de gestion de l'offre et de la demande et l'important rôle de soutien des autorités locales. L'argumentaire est centré, à l'aide d'exemples, sur la promotion active d'une gestion locale de l'eau souterraine, en tant qu'élément pondérateur essentiel des usages de l'eau souterraine. Deux programmes de promotion d'une gestion locale des ressources en eau souterraine, tous deux en Inde méridionale, sont exposés. L'un est centré sur un suivi hydrologique participatif, et l'autre sur la formation et une gestion à petite échelle. Les retours se sont avérés positifs dans les deux cas. En conclusion, la promotion d'une réglementation de l'eau souterraine à l'échelle locale n'est ni difficile, ni coûteuse, ni délicate, et pourra s'avérer nécessaire dans un futur proche.
Resumen
Hay una motivación fuerte para incrementar los esfuerzos que promuevan la gestión local del agua subterránea—además de otras medidas que regulan el uso de dicha agua subterránea-. Hay varios ejemplos aunque dispersos de India, Pakistán, Yemen y Egipto, donde los usuarios del agua subterránea de manera efectiva se auto impusieron restricciones en el uso de ella. Hay varios temas recurrentes en esos ejemplos de regulación local espontáneamente desarrollados: la importancia de no excluir a los usuarios potenciales; la importancia de las reglas simples y con bajo costo en los trámites; el poder de la información hidrogeológica correcta y accesible; la posibilidad de hacer mayor uso de estrategias de gestión tipo demanda—suministro; y el papel importante del respaldo de los gobiernos locales. La motivación se hizo, usando ejemplos, que promovieron activamente la gestión local del agua subterránea como un elemento importante para obtener equilibrio en los usos de aquella. Se describen dos programas que promueven la gestión local del agua subterránea en el sur de la India—uno enfocado en el monitoreo hidrológico participativo, y uno enfocado en la planeación y entrenamiento acerca del micro-recurso. En ambos casos la respuesta fue muy positiva y la conclusión es que promover la regulación local del agua subterránea no es difícil, ni costoso, ni causa ofensa y puede alcanzar el balance necesario rápidamente.
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Notes
Free power supply and flat rates are often ‘used’ by power providers to mask substantial leakage to other uses (van Steenbergen and Oliemans 2002)
As such these norms are more practical than caps on pumping hours or discharges.
Participatory processes have often been used to create broad support for new organizational structures. As a side effect the new structures sometimes become more democratic than their management objectives strictly require (see also Nandi et al. 2001).
In bio-diesel plantation subsidies were higher: 90%
Particularly as the target for Andhra Pradesh State is 2.5 million ha and for India as a whole 12 million ha
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Acknowledgements
The suggestions and contributions of Abdul Salam Qaid Al Zubayri (World Bank Sana’a), Raouf Darwish (DCE Cairo), T.M. Gowri Shankar (Remede Nellore), S. Govardan Das (APFAMGS Hyderabad), Sampath Kumar (Andhra Pradesh Water and Livelihoods Network), M. Shamsad Gohar (consultant Lahore), Padmanabha Reddy (Andhra Pradesh Water and Livelihoods Network), Taha Tahir (Water and Environment Centre, Sana’a) and Philip Wester (Wageningen University Centre) are gratefully acknowledged.
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Sections of this paper are from: van Steenbergen F., Shah T. Rules rather than rights: self-regulation in intensively used groundwater systems. In: Llamas R., Custodio E. (eds) Intensive use of groundwater. challenges and opportunities, pp 241–256. Used with permission. © Taylor and Francis 2003.
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van Steenbergen, F. Promoting local management in groundwater. Hydrogeol J 14, 380–391 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-005-0015-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-005-0015-y