This book provides an innovative, realistic and reliable solution to the common problem of Indian water and energy sector due to the onset of the Impact of Climate Change and Large-Scale Urbanization. Twelve Case Studies and One Review Paper that were included in this book depict the way soft computation techniques, simulation and decision-making framework can optimize the best solution from multiple solutions to the problems of water and energy management which corresponds to a novel symbiotic and synchronous nexus between water and the energy sector. All the studies included in this book are collected from all parts of India. The selected studies utilized the latest technologies like Multi-Criteria Decision Frame Work, Neural Networks and Nature-Based Optimization techniques to achieve diverse objectives from the prediction of climatic parameters to yield from ungauged watershed to performance optimization of Water Treatment Plant, Hydropower as well as futuristic alternative energy systems like Wave to Power Plants.

This comprehensive volume explores the interface between politics and policy making in the water management sector of India. The authors discuss the nature of the political discourse on water management in India, and what characterizes this discourse. They also explore how this discourse has influenced the process of framing water related policies in India, particularly through the ‘academics-bureaucrat-politician’ nexus and the growing influence of the civil society groups on policy makers, which are the defining feature of this process, and which have produced certain policy outcomes that are not supported by sufficient scientific evidence. The book reveals that the social and management sciences, despite being increasingly relevant in contemporary water management, are unable to impress upon traditional, engineer-dominated water administration to seek solutions to complex water problems owing to a lack of interdisciplinary perspective in their research. The authors also examine the current deadlock in undertaking sectoral reforms due to existing water policies not being honoured. This collection includes several research studies which suggest legal, institutional policy alternatives for addressing the problems in areas such as irrigation, rural and urban water supply, flood control and adaptation to climate variability and change. It was originally published as a special issue of the International Journal of Water Resources Development.

‘A vital read’ Saurabh Kumar, Executive Vice Chairman, Energy Efficiency Services Ltd Group ‘Authoritative’ Arunabha Ghosh, CEO, Council on Energy, Environment and Water, India ‘A must-read’ Ashok Sarkar, Senior energy specialist, World Bank The historic oil crisis of 1973, which permanently altered significant economic policies worldwide, marked a turning point in India’s energy odyssey, putting the country on the path towards energy efficiency. A young energy researcher at the National Productivity Council at the time, Padu Padmanabhan soon found himself at a juncture that would lead him to the many watershed moments of this journey. Drawing on his extensive subsequent experience at the United States Agency for International Development in India and the World Bank, Padu takes us from the Nehruvian years of idealism, through the five-decade-long quest for fuel efficiency and energy conservation that ultimately paved the way for the shift towards energy-efficient practices. Simple yet highly effective, energy efficiency has come to be known as our first fuel – an inexhaustible source of energy that may be one of the most viable means of combating the consequences of climate change and the indiscriminate use of natural resources. Through lessons gleaned from the implementation of past energy-efficient technology, Padu shows us how this ‘fuel’ can be harnessed for a sustainable future. First Fuel is an invaluable account for not only energy-sector professionals but anyone interested in understanding what it takes to achieve energy efficiency and why we need to urgently adopt such practices. It recommends vital policy and regulatory changes and, in so doing, presents a radical new vision for energy and all its users living in the most critical of times.

This book addresses comprehensive issues of infrastructure management at the sectoral level in India. This book analyses four critical sectors viz. Transportation, Power, Urban, and Digital Infrastructure and their planning and management from an Indian perspective. The book also identifies empirical risks and challenges in the planning and management of infrastructure in India. A diverse set of management solutions that can support better infrastructure management across sectors are also discussed in the present book.

This edited book provides a platform for knowledge sharing in all areas related to the rivers, sediment and hydrological extremes. It explains the hypothesis that river flow and sediment transport are intimately linked to erosion, scour and sediment deposition. Sediment transport, erosion and deposition are driven by local base-level changes and are highly variable in space and time. These concepts have serious implication for understanding the recent development of the River, Sediment and Hydrological Extremes. The natural hazards posed by hydrologic events and river systems depend on the uncertainty of hydrological events. This ability is affected by change in climatic conditions. Climate change studies have revealed that the frequency of extreme weather phenomena with increasing damage to human assets has gradually grown worldwide. As a consequence, rainfall events concentrated in time and space are expected to lead to serious local flooding and sediment transport in many parts of the world. Floods are remarkable hydro-meteorological phenomena and forceful agents of geomorphic evolution in most physical geographical belts and, from the viewpoint of human society, among the most important environmental hazards. According to the Indian Environment Agency, floods rank as number one on the list of natural disasters in India over the past decade. This book is an attempt to fill the gap in literature and bring forth evidence based latest research about precise estimation of erosion and scour, which is essential to reduce the hazards. The book explains that lack of preparedness and appropriate adaptation strategy makes people more risk-prone. It highlights the vulnerability in South Asia region about the impacts of flood, sediments, and river hazards because a large portion of its population depends on sensitive sectors like agriculture and forestry for livelihoods and several other reasons. The book is relevant for academician, researchers and students of disaster management, hydrology and ecology.

The Book Is An Effort To Present The Status Of Energy Production And Energy Supply To Meet Energy Demand In The Country; And Options To Counter The Challenges Of The Energy Sector In The Next Millennium.

Water and energy are inextricably linked as unsound management of either resource can have an impact on the cost, availability, and sustainability of the other. This book explores the "energy for water" component of the water–energy nexus. It offers diverse case studies from around the world including the deserts of Saudi Arabia, rural China, Pakistan’s Indus Basin, arid Greek islands, and urban centers such as Los Angeles. The analyses show that while many regions face unique water scarcity challenges, they are all united by the fact that solutions require mobilizing energy. This book focuses on how different policies and technologies are changing the way societies use energy to extract, treat, and transport water. In terms of policy, chapters explore how initiatives aimed at reducing demand for water and improved integrated resource planning can lead to energy savings. Regarding technology, case studies highlight the pros and cons of different methods of meeting water demand. Through exploring both technology and policy across a wide range of diverse case studies, the book offers a robust explanation of the "energy for water" side of the water–energy nexus equation, making it valuable reading for academics and policymakers. This book was originally published as a special issue as International Journal of Water Resources Development.

It is becoming increasingly recognized that for the optimal sustainable development and use of natural resources, an integrated approach to water management, agriculture, food security and energy is required. This "nexus" is now the focus of major attention by researchers, policy-makers and practitioners. In this book, the authors show how these issues are being addressed in India as part of its economic development, and how these can provide lessons for other developing nations. They address the conflicting claims of water resources for irrigation and hydropower, where both are scarce at the national level for fostering water and energy security. They also consider the relationship between water for irrigated agriculture and household use and its impact on rural poverty. They identify weaknesses in the current hydropower development programme in India that are preventing it from being an ecologically sustainable, socially just and economically viable solution to meeting growing energy demand. The empirical analyses presented show the enormous scope for co-management of water, energy, agricultural growth and food security through appropriate technological interventions and market instruments.

This book explores the conceptual and theoretical frameworks of Right to Water and analyzes its values in the context of water policy frameworks of the union governments in India. It uses a qualitative approach and combines critical hermeneutics with critical content analysis to introduce a new water policy framework. The volume maps the complex argumentative narrations which have emerged and evolved in the idea of Right to Water and traces the various contours and the nature of water policy texts in independent India. The book argues that the idea of Right to Water has emerged, evolved and is being argued through theoretical arguments and is shaped with the help of institutional arrangements developed at the international, regional, and national levels. Finally, the book underlines that India’s national water policies drafted respectively in 1987, 2002 and 2012, are ideal but are not embracing the values and elements of Right to Water. The volume will be of critical importance to scholars and researchers of public policy, environment, especially water policy, law, and South Asian studies.