Water supply and management of informal settlements in Delhi
Student name: Ms Ankita Singh
Guide: Ms Ranjana Ray Chaudhuri
Year of completion: 2014
Host Organisation: Focus on the Global South
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Mr Afsar Jafri
Abstract: The demand for basic infrastructure and facilities has occupied an important place in government
machinery. The rising population puts additional pressure on the resources and undermines all the
efforts necessary for adequate sustainable livelihood. The changing face of Delhi demands
additional efforts in policy framework and monetary resources. The rapid urbanization process has
not led to inclusion of urban poor in the mainstream in terms of provision of basic amenities. The
illegal status of the residential areas keeps them out of the purview of infrastructural improvement.
Though government has been taking efforts to give legal status through regularization, the basic
provision is far from the demand. Thus, the study aims to highlight the access to water and status of
services provided to them. As drinking water is the basic need without which life cannot exist,
sources of drinking water and willingness of people to pay and their perception about water supply
needs to be understood. With rapid extraction of ground water in absence of piped supply the level of
ground water is falling at an alarming rate. The approach of government in terms of management
and lack of infrastructural facilities to support the people has provided loopholes for
mismanagement and led to dissatisfaction among the people. As provision of water both qualitative
and quantitative can come from the government, the onus to improve and meet their demand at local
as well as state level is on the government itself. Hence, the study emphasizes on the water supply
services to the urban poor in the capital city.
Key Words: Water Supply; Regularization; Urban Poor; Groundwater Extraction; Mismanagement
