In its recent examination of global water scarcity (1997) the United Nations system identified water quality as one of the key concerns in Asia in the next century. This concern is based on the fact that water quality degradation is so severe in many Asian countries that it is placing serious constraints on economic growth; it continues to be a serious problem for human health and it is causing widespread negative environmental effects.

Meeting symbol/code: LARC 00 3

Meeting symbol/code: FAO-RNE--ALAWUC/NE/00/REP
Session: Sess. 1

Meeting symbol/code: ARC 00 5

Meeting symbol/code: APRC 00 3

Meeting symbol/code: ARC 00 5

A workable water abstraction licensing scheme is one in which users are able to comply with its provisions and the water authority is able to administer and enforce it efficiently and effectively. Such a scheme aims to formalize users’ water rights in an environment where there are concerns about scarcity, pollution, or competing uses, or where other doubts have arisen because water abstraction is unregulated. In such a system, water can be allocated among diverse users and diverse water use sectors in accordance with the government’s priorities and plans.

Demonstrates the viability of farmers organizations for managing parts of the water resource system to achieve efficient and equitable use of water in a hierarchical society such as Pakistan. Suggests a successful conceptual and methodological framework for taking a bottom-up approach to the formation of water users associations and identifies possible constraints on its wider application.