Sahayoga as an NGO in Better Water Management in Karnataka State’s Irrigation

The era of governments managing developmental activities is gradually decreasing during last three decades, while the people’s participation to take over ultimately the management of natural resources is increasing. Due to the population explosion in the Asian countries, the governments are unable to manage the developmental activities as well as the facilities in the form of various interventions such as harnessing the water resources to provide fresh water for different sectors of use, namely irrigation, municipal and domestic and industrial requirements. This is a welcome change in the interest of efficiency, equity in distribution and access to the poor, the disadvantaged and the weaker sections of the society. The top down approach practiced by the British when they ruled the country worked fairly well when the population was less and they had “steel framework of the ICS administration” and everything was centralized. After the independence of countries when self rule is being. encouraged and the population is increasing, the top down approach is yielding to the bottom up approach from the people with cooperation, understanding and consultation for better results. This is so in all sectors of management to improve the quality of life. Government should work more as a welfare body and confine fully in the matters of governance and function as a regulatory body so that all sectors of society are treated equitably. Private sector is entering more and more to provide amenities and manufactured goods etc. towards better quality of life in general and in most of the sectors like health, education, infrastructure, water and sanitation facilities. In India there is emphasis on public-private sector participation with registered societies, and associations to come forward to take over management activities more and more. The passing of the amendments articles 73 and 74 of the constitution empowering Panchayat Raj Institutions n the rural sector and the wards in the urban sectors is a landmark development that was started nearly two decades back. This has facilitated particularly the water sector development and management. Thus the formation of water users associations throughout the country has taken place and is taking over the management and distribution in irrigation sector as well as in the provision of drinking water supplies and even sanitation. However, it is not enough that the power is passed on straight away to the people without capacity building. It is in this role that the NGO’s play an effective part as intermediaries in between the people and the governments. They work at the grass root level, understanding the requirements of the people at the local level and at the same time interact with the government functionaries including the ministers, through policy advocacy to effect changes in policies, laws and regulations in order to meet the aspirations of the local people in different areas. This paper deals in what way NGO’s are contributing and in what way they can educate the people in the matter of sustaining the availability of fresh water through use with minimum wastage in various sectors and prevention of pollution of water bodies such as tanks, lakes and rivers.