The World Bank's misguided advocacy of large water storage facilities
In its new report, the World Bank states that India's dams can store only 200 cubic metres of water per person against the US's 5,000 cubic metres per capita. But before advocating more large water storage facilities, the Bank should consider why India is losing over 36 billion cubic metres of existing storage capacity every year
Privatisation of Delhi's water supply: There's a hole in the bucket
Four foreign companies have been shortlisted to manage water distribution in South Delhi. There are fears that water tariffs may rise 800% as a result. Is privatisation the only way forward?
World Bank shifts gear on water privatisation
There appears to have been an imperceptible shift in the World Bank's stand, away from privatisation being the only answer to the world's water crisis, towards a more pragmatic approach of public-private investments. On World Water Day, March 22, Indian non-government organisations and civil society groups will review trends towards private investments in the country
Budget 2004 revisited: Water harvesting on dry ground
Although last year's budget held out great promise for water harvesting in India, nothing much came of the proposed schemes. Can we expect much more from Budget 2005 due out later this month?
Is the exit of private investors from the water sector bad news for the poor?
Activists have long lobbied to get both big water firms and the World Bank out of the water sector in the developing world. They may just have succeeded, with the three biggest global players announcing their decision to withdraw. Isn't it time civil society proposed a viable alternative to the Bank and the private sector?