Class VIII – Political Science
Summary
Chapter-7
Water Disparities in Chennai
- In affluent neighborhoods like Anna Nagar, residents like Mr. Ramagopal enjoy ample access to water, often supplemented by tankers during shortages.
- Affluent areas, such as Anna Nagar, have abundant water resources, allowing residents like Mr. Ramagopal to have continuous water supply even during shortages, with additional water provided by tankers if needed.
- However, in areas like Mylapore, where Subramanian resides, municipal water supply is scarce, forcing residents to rely on borewell water and purchase from tankers at considerable expense.
- Conversely, in areas like Mylapore, there is a scarcity of municipal water, leading residents like Subramanian to depend on borewell water and purchase additional water from tankers, which incurs significant costs.
- Similarly, Siva, a tenant in Madipakkam, faces water scarcity, hindering his ability to reunite his family in Chennai.
- Siva, who resides in Madipakkam as a tenant, also experiences water shortages, which poses challenges for him in bringing his family to Chennai and maintaining their livelihood.
Challenges in Slum Communities
- For those like Padma in Saidapet’s slum, access to water is a daily struggle.
- Residents of slum areas, such as Padma in Saidapet, face ongoing challenges in accessing water for their daily needs.
- With shared taps serving multiple families, access is limited, especially during peak times.
- The limited water supply from communal taps, which serves multiple families, becomes even scarcer during peak demand periods.
- In the scorching summer months, water scarcity worsens, leading to long waits for tanker deliveries, exacerbating the hardships faced by slum dwellers.
- During the hot summer season, water scarcity intensifies, resulting in prolonged waits for tanker deliveries, thereby increasing the difficulties experienced by residents of slum areas.
Water as a Fundamental Right
Water is indispensable for sustaining life and maintaining good health. It not only caters to our daily needs but also plays a crucial role in preventing waterborne diseases. India, unfortunately, grapples with a high incidence of diseases like diarrhoea, dysentery, and cholera, leading to a significant number of deaths, particularly among children under five years old. Tragically, over 1,600 Indians, predominantly children, succumb to water-related illnesses daily. However, these fatalities could be averted if people had access to safe drinking water.
Constitutional Recognition
The Constitution of India explicitly recognizes the right to water as an integral component of the Right to Life enshrined in Article 21. This implies that every individual, irrespective of their economic status, has the entitlement to an adequate supply of water to meet their daily requirements at an affordable price. Essentially, universal access to water is mandated.
Legal Precedence
Several legal cases, both at the High Court and Supreme Court levels, have affirmed the right to safe drinking water as a Fundamental Right. A noteworthy instance occurred in 2007 when the Andhra Pradesh High Court reaffirmed this principle. The case stemmed from a villager’s grievance in Mahbubnagar district, who reported the contamination of drinking water due to a textile company discharging toxic chemicals into a nearby stream. Consequently, the court directed the Mahbubnagar district collector to ensure the supply of 25 litres of water per person in the affected village, emphasizing the significance of safeguarding access to safe drinking water for all citizens.
Essential Public Facilities
Public facilities are vital resources that are necessary for the well-being and development of society. These encompass various amenities such as healthcare, sanitation, electricity, public transport, and educational institutions. Unlike private amenities, public facilities are intended to serve the common good, benefiting a broad spectrum of individuals within a community or region.
Shared Benefits
One distinctive feature of public facilities is their ability to be shared among multiple users, thereby maximizing their impact and utility. For example, the presence of a school in a village facilitates the education of numerous children, offering them opportunities for learning and skill development. Similarly, the provision of electricity in an area yields manifold benefits: farmers can utilize it to power irrigation pumpsets, entrepreneurs can establish small-scale workshops reliant on electric machinery, students can study more effectively, and residents in the vicinity can experience enhanced living standards.
In essence, public facilities serve as catalysts for societal progress and upliftment, fostering inclusivity and accessibility for all members of the community. By ensuring the availability of these essential resources, governments and authorities contribute to the overall welfare and advancement of their populace, promoting equity and opportunity for a brighter future.
Government’s Responsibility for Public Facilities
Ensuring the availability of public facilities is a crucial responsibility that falls squarely on the shoulders of the government. These essential services, which include healthcare, sanitation, education, and infrastructure, play a fundamental role in enhancing the quality of life for citizens and promoting societal progress.
Public vs. Private Provision
In the realm of public facilities, private companies primarily operate for profit, focusing on ventures that yield financial returns. However, many critical services, such as sanitation and disease prevention campaigns, do not offer lucrative opportunities for profit-making. Consequently, private entities may lack the incentive to undertake initiatives that do not generate significant financial gains.
While private companies may show interest in providing certain public facilities like schools and hospitals, their services often come at a cost inaccessible to many individuals. In urban areas, for instance, private water suppliers deliver water through tankers or bottled sources, catering only to those who can afford their prices. This exclusionary approach undermines the principle of universal access to essential services, leaving marginalized populations without adequate resources for a dignified life.
Government’s Mandate
Given the intrinsic connection between public facilities and citizens’ basic needs, it is imperative that these services are universally accessible and affordable. The Constitution of India upholds the Right to Life for all individuals, emphasizing the government’s obligation to safeguard and uphold this fundamental right. Therefore, the responsibility for providing public facilities, which are indispensable for fulfilling people’s basic requirements, unequivocally rests with the government.
In essence, the government’s role in ensuring the equitable provision of public facilities is indispensable for fostering inclusive development and societal well-being. By shouldering this responsibility, governments uphold the principles of social justice and uphold the dignity and rights of all citizens, irrespective of their socio-economic status.
Government Revenue for Public Facilities
Every year, the government presents its budget in Parliament, detailing its expenditure from the previous year and outlining its planned spending for the upcoming year. Additionally, the budget elucidates how the government intends to finance these expenditures, shedding light on its revenue sources.
Taxation as the Primary Revenue Source
The government’s primary source of revenue stems from taxes levied on its citizens. Empowered by law, the government collects various taxes from the populace, utilizing these funds to finance its diverse programs and initiatives. For instance, to facilitate the provision of water, the government incurs expenses associated with activities like water pumping, distribution network construction, water treatment, and wastewater management.
Revenue Utilization for Public Services
To meet these expenses, the government allocates a portion of the taxes it collects, ensuring the smooth functioning of essential services like water supply. Additionally, the government may implement user charges or tariffs for certain services, such as water supply, to supplement its revenue streams. These charges are typically set at affordable rates to ensure accessibility for the majority of the population, enabling them to access a basic minimum amount of water for their daily needs.
Chennai’s Water Crisis: Inequality in Access
In Chennai, the provision of water reveals stark inequalities. While public facilities should be universally accessible, shortages plague the city’s water supply, with municipal sources meeting only half the demand on average. Geographical proximity to storage points determines the frequency of water supply, disadvantaging colonies further away.
The burden of water scarcity disproportionately affects the poor. While the middle class can mitigate shortages through private means like borewells and purchasing water, the affluent have access to safe drinking water through bottled water and purifiers. This disparity highlights the privilege of wealth in accessing essential services, undermining the goal of universal water access.
Seeking Solutions: Public vs. Private Water Supply
Chennai’s situation mirrors that of many Indian cities facing water scarcity, prompting a reliance on private companies for water supply. However, this exacerbates inequalities, as private water provision often caters to the affluent. Moreover, privatization can lead to soaring water prices, sparking public outrage and protests.
Despite challenges, examples of successful public water management exist within India. Municipal departments in cities like Mumbai and Hyderabad demonstrate financial sustainability and service improvement. In Chennai, initiatives like rainwater harvesting and private contractor partnerships show government efforts to address the crisis while retaining control over pricing and operations.
Government’s Role and Challenges
The government plays a crucial role in ensuring equitable access to water. However, funding constraints and operational inefficiencies hinder effective service delivery. Municipal budgets often struggle to cover the costs of water supply infrastructure and maintenance, leading to inadequate service provision.
Moreover, corruption and mismanagement plague some government water departments, undermining public trust and exacerbating the water crisis. Inefficient resource allocation and lack of transparency further complicate efforts to address water scarcity.
Towards Sustainable Solutions
Addressing Chennai’s water crisis requires a multifaceted approach. The government must prioritize investments in water infrastructure and management while promoting community engagement and awareness. Initiatives such as rainwater harvesting, water conservation campaigns, and public-private partnerships can enhance water resilience and accessibility.
Furthermore, regulatory reforms and accountability mechanisms are essential to combat corruption and ensure efficient water governance. By empowering local communities and leveraging innovative technologies, Chennai can work towards a sustainable and equitable water future for all residents.