Water Resources of the Indian Subcontinent

This volume is divided into three sections-Nepal, India, and Bangladesh. The first section on Nepal discusses how its water resources could be utilized to benefit people of the Ganga basin. The challenge is to manage its water better for the well-being of its people, and reduce poverty. The section on India talks about the development and management of water resources at the beginning of the third millennium. This section covers, among other issues, the physical set-up of the country, relevant to socio-economic aspects, the institutional framework for water resources development, the effect of flood and drought on the Indian economy, water supply, sanitation, and its effect on the quality on the quality of water. The concluding section on Bangladesh talks about how water resources management is a major challenge in the country. Alternating flood and water scarcity, meeting the water needs of a growing population, massive river sedimentation, bank erosion, satisfying multi-sector water needs with limited resources are some of the issues that have been discussed in this section.

Readership: Ecologists, environmental activists, water policy experts, and policy planners.

Asit K. Biswas, President, Third World Centre for Water Management, Mexico, R. Rangachari, Honorary Research Professor, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi, and Cecelia Tortajada, Vice President, Third World Centre for Water Management, Mexico

List of Tables,
List of Figures/Maps,
Preface,
List of Abbreviations,
Measurement Conversions;
Section I: Nepal:
Introduction,
1. The Country Context,
2. Geology and Climate,
3. Water Resources of Nepal,
4. Legal Framework for Water Resources Management,
5. Water Sector Strategy,
6. Watershed Management, River Sedimentation, and Water Quality,
7. Use of Water Resources,
8. Future Prospects of Water;
Concluding Remarks
Section II: India:
Introduction,
9. Physical Context,
10. Socioeconomic Aspects,
11. Institutional Framework for Water Resources Management,
12. Water Availability and Use,
13. Agricultural Use,
14. Irrigation Management,
15. Floods and Drought Situation,
16. Hydropower Generation,
17. Water Supply and Sanitation,
18. Water Quality,
Concluding Remarks;
Section III: Bangladesh:
Introduction,
19. The Physical Framework,
20. Social Settings,
21. Land and Water Resources,
22. River Systems,
23. Floods and Droughts,
24. Water-Related Environment,
25. Institutions for Water Resources Development,
26. National Water Planning, Policy and Legislation,
27. Water Demand and Availability,
28. Water Management Interventions,
29. Water Supply and Sanitation,
30. Water Quality,
31. Conflicts in Management and Impact of Water Resources Projects,
32. Impact of Climate Change,
33. Regional Cooperation for Water Resources Development,
Concluding Remarks;
Appendix: The Ganges Water Treaty,
Notes on Contributors,
Index.