Document Type

Research Article

Abstract

The water sector is characterised by everyday water injustices where factors like social discrimination, economic disparities, and political preferences influence the determination of water resource access, allocation, and management. The increasing anthropogenic impacts on water resources and consequent threats to sustainability add to the water injustices, often impacting the poorer, socially downtrodden communities that bear the brunt of water scarcity and cannot afford alternatives. The current water governance patterns, prioritising equality over equity, fail to address the issues of water injustices created by social, political, and economic factors in water management and sideline the ecological impacts on water resources. Moving beyond the current anthropogenic water governance patterns is pertinent in this context to balance human and environmental water needs. In this context, the paper examines adopting the ‘ just sustainability’ principle in India’s water governance that can balance human water demands and ecological water needs. The just sustainability that integrates the concerns of equity, social justice, and welfare in sustainable development could lay the framework for a re-conceptualisation in water governance where the human right to water and water for the ecosystem, or the right of nature can be balanced. Adopting a just-sustainable pattern based on a water justice framework can address the issues of water users and the everyday water injustices (social and economic) they face, as well as mainstream the environmental harm caused by excessive and unsustainable water consumption patterns.

Publication Date

6-2024

Journal

The Journal of Indian Law and Society

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