Providing Safe Drinking Water in the Himalayas: A Tale of Two Cities

Water contamination and the associated morbidity and mortality are among the major areas of concern for the planners and policy makers in the developing countries. Situation in the Himalayan region is no different. This study focuses on the analysis of water quality in the two major cities in the western Himalayas namely Shimla and Kathmandu. Divided in four parts, part II of the paper presents the study context and problem diagnostics. Part III is devoted to key concerns and the way forward. Finally, part IV presents conclusions and the research agenda. It is argued that among the factors that are responsible for this outcome are: primitive water treatment technologies, lack of good sanitary practices, lack of ecosystem focused water governance, and absence of effective water quality monitoring and surveillance. Therefore, effective water and sanitation management requires a holistic approach that takes a multidimensional view beyond the traditional confines of technology.