Informal houses must be looked upon as houses built in lieu of the ones promised under any official
central govt scheme
Then, instead of fighting this shadow economy/society, the government must try and provide
services that would help improve their living conditions – to meet the same end – reduce chaos and
unorganisation
From a struggle limited to the city of Mumbai - evolve a national narrative on the right to water ;
compare trends of privatisation of water and water resources in all parts of India and rules for
distribution
Documentation - streamlining water related content and making it available at a single point - digital
archiving of all reports/studies conducted by PHS on water in Mumbai
Resource mobilisation - encourage community engagement / people’s participation - area sabha
nagar raj bill / swaraj bill Delhi
Mass awareness/articulation drive - Changing the perception of the water - to shift from a religion
based definition to a rights based one
Ex. Pyau vs water disbursing stalls at railway stations
Water as a commons - community (universal) involvement for its conservation and responsible use
Research
- study all “improvements” proposed by MCGM
- question of land reclamation over water bodies in Mumbai
- study how water bodies indigenous to Mumbai can be restored / conserved and protected
Trainings
- organise trainings / courses for corporators, corporate bodies in the water business on water and
its aspects, water budgets, equity in water rights and the right to water, private sector participation
- for communities / citizens - claiming the right to water, sustainable use of water
Important function - intervention to bridge gap in society - For those without water connections -
filing applications, understanding bureaucratic red-tape, billing and taxation
The urban poor contributes in a major way to the economy of the city
Remunicipalisation as a global trend