Sustainable technology

A Comprehensive Proposal to Modify the Project for Greater Equity and Ecological Sustainability.

This book argues that it is still not too late to seriously consider a comprehensive restructuring of the controversial Sardar Sarovar Project, with a view to making it more socially and ecologically viable. The authors show how the expenditure already incurred, and the construction work that has so far taken place, can be incorporated into an alternative scheme which is demonstrably superior to the present project design on every count it delivers significantly more water to the acutely water-scarce areas of Kachchh, Saurashtra and North Gujarat, it benefits more people and covers a larger service area at lower cost; it not only does not damage the environment but actually enhances ecosystem health and productivity; and it equitably resolves the hitherto intractable conflict of interest between the project beneficiaries and the project-affected people.

The authors go on to develop a concrete vision of how the proposed restructuring can lay the foundation for an alternative, ecologically sustainable and equitable pattern of development. Moving away from the sterile dichotomy of "large vs. small, they propose a judicious combination of large, central sources with small local sources, forming a dispersed system with effective user control. The authors draw on the full range of new, sustainable technologies now available, which make possible a new concept of development based on biomass-based energy, self rehance. The authors have presented their alternative in sufficient detall-both technical as well ds financial to permit a thorough public debate over its feasibility and desirability. Suhas Paranjope is a graduate of IIT. Bombay. He has been working on land and water management a

and has been closely associated with various mass organizations in this area for the past several years. J.Joy has a Master's degree in social work, has actively participated in peoples' movements for equitable to water distribution, and has a special interest in people's institutions for land and water management of the grassroots level.