Comparative Analysis of Water Discourses in Pune and Chh. Sambhaji Nagar Through The Lens of Urban Political Ecology

Abstract

Climate change has been affecting the most essential resources, including food, water, and energy, creating an urgency for adaptation. Additionally, power dynamics determine how these resources are distributed across the society. Adaptive governance has been a challenge for governments worldwide. It is finally clear that resources such as food, water, and energy are more unequally distributed than observed. This thesis examines how urban water governance unfolds in Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar through the lens of Urban Political Ecology (UPE). The study examines the dominant discourses around water, focusing on views that see it as an economic asset, a technical resource, and a fundamental human right. It also evaluates how these viewpoints shape water management in both cities. Using a comparative discourse analysis, the study draws on secondary sources such as policy papers, academic articles, reports, and media content, as well as insights from 11 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders, including government officials, NGO representatives, academics, and legal experts. The findings show that both cities are facing significant water stress caused by rapid urban growth, disjointed governance, outdated infrastructure, and environmental degradation. The way water governance is managed varies between the two cities. Pune leans more towards a techno-fix, prioritizing infrastructure expansion and water metering, while Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar faces inconsistent supply, aging systems, and heavy reliance on large-scale, centralized projects. The UPE framework looks at how power relations shape water access and distribution.