The Indian Water Crisis: Does Technology Offer a Way Forward?

Description

The 2019 Indian water crisis has been termed by researchers, civil society and the national media in that country as being unprecedented in its geographical span and severity. This panel examines some of the policy and technological responses to this multidimensional crisis and argues that current problems, while challenging, have been decades in the making. It also highlights years of missed opportunities towards crafting imaginative solutions to what are primarily issues of unsustainable water use. From the problems of sanitation, the growing disparities in urban water access, and the over extraction of groundwater in many parts of India, the panelists shall also examine the nexus of the water crisis with technological and institutional choices made in the past. In this context, the panelists while maintaining their focus on policy questions shall also map out possible technological solutions and political responses to the present crisis.

Introductory remarks
Vladimiros Papangelakis, Director, Institute for Water Innovation, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, University of Toronto

Bharat Punjabi, Lecturer, Asian Institute, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, University of Toronto
Understanding recent national policy responses to the water crisis in India. Is governance reform sufficient?

K J Joy, Founder Member and Senior Fellow, Society for Promoting Participative Ecosystem Management, Pune and Convenor, Forum for Policy Dialogue on Water Conflicts in India
Responding to the Indian water crisis: Emergent ideas and pathways for restructuring the water sector

David Taylor, Assistant Professor, Civil and Global Engineering, University of Toronto
Urban water regimes

Moderator
Amy Bilton, Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering; Director, Center for Global Engineering, University of Toronto

Note of thanks: Vladimiros Papangelakis, Institute for Water Innovation