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IWRM Progress in Kerala’s Pamba Basin
The Authority has no capacity to implement such a communication strategy.
Other organizations outside the government may be better placed to provide the
services. The PRBA remains the overall facilitator. A focused strategy is needed
here, which needs to include, over time, the minimum required level of stakeholder
involvement and guidelines to achieve it.
Meaningful participation of stakeholders in the management of the basin requires
effective communication and information exchange between all relevant role
players at state and at basin level. A website with information on activities in the
basin can serve as a water information portal as well as a platform for information
exchange between stakeholders.
Effective stakeholder participation also requires that all stakeholders have the
necessary capacity to meaningfully interact and contribute to decision-making on
matters relating to the management of the basin. This requires the strengthening
of the PRBA’s future members’ capacity to interact with stakeholders and include
them in decision-making. Capacity can be developed through the suggested
regular basin forums.
9.2 Strengths and constraints in the
management framework
As noted earlier, the universally accepted three pillars of IWRM are (i) Enabling
Environment; (ii) Institutional Framework; and (iii) Management Instruments. An
enabling environment stimulates desirable work practices of IWRM and forms an
essential pre-condition.
Examples of an enabling environment include nurturing of integrated policy
perspective, holistic legal provisions and a culture of collaborative working across
sectors. This enabling environment pre-condition will have to be supported by the
other two pillars, i.e. establishment of an appropriate institutional framework and
the development and operationalization of required management instruments.
The current management constraints in institutionalizing IWRM in the Pamba River
Basin are described below along with appropriate responses. These constraints
and suggested responses were essentially a compilation of articulation by the
participants of the stakeholder consultation workshops held in the past 10 months
over 2010.
The essence of each of the constraints indicated and their implications across
three IWRM pillars in the new RBO regime are explained in Table 14.
Table 14
Management
Constraint
Weak staff capacity
both in number and
Expertise in IWRM
Management
Constraint
Weak linkages of
WR department with
important catchment
organizations, resulting
in fragmented
responsibilities at
the field level (e.g.
forestry and revenue
departments)
Lack of scientific
method and systems
to assess demand
for eco-system
management
Weak policy framework
Inadequate
sewage and waste
management systems
and methods
Absence of policy
framework to prevent
reclamation of
productive wetland for
non-farming activities,
resulting in man-made
disasters
Management constraints and suggested responses (Contd...)
Enabling
Environment
Enabling
Environment
The culture
of integrated
working of various
departments at
the cutting edge
level needs to be
promoted
Defining clear
policies
Making multiple
technology
choices available
for on-site and offsite
sanitation
Defining waste
management
policy and tuning
it to meet area
specific needs
Enacting laws,
rules and
regulations
Institutional
Framework
Identify a nodal
department to
coordinate all staff
capacity development
activities
Institutional Framework
PRBA to take a lead
role in catchment area
treatment and ensure
integrated working, thus
avoiding overlaps and
gaps in working
PRBA to play a nodal
agency role and
institutionalize required
scientific systems
in participating
departments
Enacting laws and
enforcing regulations
Institutionalizing
decentralized waste
management solutions
(defining norms and
practices)
Management
Instruments
Identify ways and
means of promoting
community
involvement
Management
Instruments
Develop, promote
and institutionalize
technical
competence in IWRM
working (e.g. silt
management, biofencing,
community
participation in basin
management etc)
Standardize
assessment
methods to
understand demandsupply
situation.
Develop models for
ensuring minimum
flow in the river.
Institutionalize
capacity
development
STP systems,
decentralized
sewage
management
Supportive systems
at local level
Public education
Capacity
development
systems
Responsibility
RBO, LSG
Responsibility
PRBA, LSG,
Department of
Forestry
PRBA and related
departments
PRBA, LSG, KWA,
SPCB
PRBA, LSG,
District
Administration
Capacity
development
systems
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