[Reader-list] Isn’t water already privatized??????

[tushar bhor]

  4th Posting: 
Working Title: WATER LENSES 
Prelude for new imagination for urban water of Mumbai.
   
  Isn’t water already privatized??????
   
  To commemorate world water day, a rally was announced by the citizen’s forum of K-east ward (Andheri- suburban area of Mumbai) on 1st April, 2006. The rally was to be addressed by panel of expert speakers from different discipline and every one had a same say,” we want to have a say over our water and manage it ourselves”.
The rally was protest against the BMC’s first step towards privatizing water in the city. Mumbai Municipal Corporation (MMC) has appointed a private agency to study water management in Andheri and recommend a better system for billing and collection of tariff and dues. The intension being outsourcing the collection of bills for the area to private company and if the test project works, then it will be extended to other parts of the Mumbai. 
The principle argument is based on the violation of basic Human Rights through privatization of natural resource like water. Further to analyze this argument, considering the state as provider through centralized system, the water can be possibly privatized at three levels. One, at the level of collection and process (Reservoirs and Filtrations plants), second at the distribution level (from reservoirs to filtration plants to master balancing tanks to individual buildings) and third for the collection of tariff and dues for providing services. Considering the above case, the quest is at the third level, where government intends to privatize the process of collection tariff. 
However, if focus is shifted from macro level perception of privatization of the state provided services to more pragmatic micro level applications, then it is evident that privatization has already taken its root in the name of community management. 

  One of the story mentioned in this posting provide a strong reference point for the notions of privatization in the City, where as the second is the case of award winning village in Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
   
  A story of Mahila Mandal:
  In one of the slums pockets of Mumbai called Ganesh Murti Nagar, a Mahila Mandal comprising over 300 women actively work towards management of water distribution within the hamlet. The local corporater in 1997 established this Mahila Mandal (Punya Shlok Ahiliabai Holker Vikas Mandal) to fight against the drug addicts, harassment of women and for acquiring basic facilities like water and electricity. Over the years, the mahila mandal along with the help of local corporater have established an exclusive water distribution system to provide water for about 1200 dwellings in the slums. The Mumbai Municipal Corporation (MMC) water supply, which only pours down between 11 to 1 pm daily, is collected in 10 sintex tanks, each with the capacity of 10,000 liters. 10 networks of pipes are connected to the tanks and are taken to different pockets within the slums, for which electric room with the motor pump is established near the tanks. Each distribution tap is managed by a women
 coordinator and she is paid by the mandal for providing services for about 3-4 hours daily between 12-3 pm. Each family gets about 5 pots of water every day and in return is charged Rs.50/- per month by the mandal to each family (Rs. 18 was charged in 1999 when the system was established).The monthly charge are justified  on account of need of continuous maintenance of pipes, monthly electric bills, salary , etc. Even though the entire system is managed by the community, small shops selling water have found their ways and continue to survive successfully at the higher rate of Rs 4/- per pot or can. It is also true that the same people during excess need of dry spell buy water from the shops in the same vicinity.  
   
  A story of award winning village:
  This year 212 villages in Maharashtra received Niraml Gram Puraskar by central government of India. Mahalunga, a small village was also honored by this award. The village is located around 50km from Municipal boundary of Mumbai, but is included within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The village is well connected by network of roads and is only 3 km from Vajreshwari, which has famous hot springs and have become famous tourist destination within MMR. Mahalunge being very close to Vajreshwari does not have any similarity, but is uniquely different considering the overall development of the village. Storm water drains, solar street lighting, gobar gas connection (almost 50% coverage), 100% sanitation and self sufficient water system, all of these have found their way in the contributing to the improvement of overall living conditions in the village. All the 87 houses were rehabilitated during the construction of Koyna dam and presently do not have sarpanch, as the
 region is notified under tribal area and the representation is required from tribal community only. It is only through the local voluntary initiative along with technical advice from experts based in Pune and Mumbai have established the support services required for the village. Out of two wells, pumping station is developed on the wells and from there the water is pumped to overhead tank situated at the higher level. The perennial source of water is ensured through well thought recharge process. Bunds are constructed in a small nalla which passes near by the well and is natural course of surface water during monsoon, which helps in the recharge and ensures the supply during dry spell. A water operator is employed by village committee to mange the entire system and he has been educated for periodically documentation of the level of water in the well. This helps him to operate the pump and decide the outflow from well to the overhead tank. Networks of pipes take the water
 to individual houses through gravity. Each unit has one connection that is used for drinking, washing, etc. The process for recharging other well is in process and it will not be surprising that an alternative advanced water system may come up in near future as there is willingness among the villagers for continuous upgrading of infrastructure and moreover have funds of about 30 lakhs which they have received over the years through different awards.   



TUSHAR BHOR
ARCHITECT and INDEPENDENT RESEARCHER.

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