BRIDGING LAW, POLICY, AND COMMUNITY PRACTICE TO TRANSFORM WATER AND NATURAL RESOURCE GOVERNANCE
DCAP is a research and policy platform working at the intersection of water law, community governance of natural resources, and environmental justice in India. Its work integrates legal analysis, ecological understanding, and social equity, with a strong emphasis on decentralised and community-centred governance.
Over more than three decades, DCAP has contributed to national and regional debates on water rights, groundwater regulation, irrigation governance, tank systems, and rainwater harvesting, with sustained engagement in the Himalayan region, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh.
A core focus of DCAP’s work is the relationship between formal legal frameworks and customary practices, particularly the role of local communities and Panchayati institutions in governing water and land resources. Through research, policy engagement, and field-based work, DCAP advances equitable, community-led, and ecologically resilient governance of water and natural resources.
Research Areas
Water Law & Policy • Community Water Governance • Customary & Indigenous Resource Rights • Irrigation Systems & Tank Management • Environmental Justice • Decentralised Governance • Himalayan & Regional Water Systems
A. Water Law, Policy & Governance
- Community Engagement in Water Governance, in Water and the Laws in India, edited by R. Iyer, Sage Publications, 2009.
- Groundwater Law in India: A New Approach, in Water and the Laws in India, edited by R. Iyer, Sage Publications, 2009.
- Water Conflicts in India: Towards a New Legal and Institutional Framework, Forum for Policy Dialogue on Water Conflicts in India, 2012.
- Individual and Community Property Rights and Duties in Land and the Environment, in The Oxford Handbook of Environmental and Natural Resources Law in India, Oxford University Press, 2024.
B. Regional Water Law & Himalayan Studies
- Law and Policy on Water Resources in Kumaon and Garhwal, Uttar Pradesh, IIMI Newsletter, 1995.
- Legal Framework for Water Resources in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, Jal Sanskriti Workshop, 2003.
- Irrigation Policy in Uttarakhand – Past Trends and Future Directions, IWMI–TATA Partners’ Meet, 2005.
- Evaluation of Approaches for Equitable Access to Drinking Water in Uttarakhand, Planning Commission of India, 2003.
- Draft Groundwater Policy for Uttar Pradesh, prepared for Jahit Foundation/ Government of Uttar Pradesh.
- Review of Draft Water Policy and Alternate Water Policy for Uttarakhand, prepared for Government of Uttarakhand, 2003
C. Customary Law, Legal Pluralism & Traditional Systems
- Customary Law and Modern Governance of Natural Resources in India, ICNEC, International Congress, 2002.
- Panchayati Power, in Dying Wisdom: Traditional Water Harvesting Systems, Centre for Science and Environment, 1997.
- Customary Rights and Modern Governance of Tank Systems in Tamil Nadu, 2004.
- Law and Custom in Water Resources Administration: U.P. Himalayas, Monograph, 1996.
D. Irrigation, Tanks & Water Infrastructure
- Role of Panchayat Institutions in Irrigation Management: Law and Policy (Tamil Nadu & Karnataka), Indian Law Institute, 1992.
- Legal Framework for Tank Systems in India, DHAN Foundation Policy Seminar, 2002.
- Socio-Political and Legal Issues in Tank Management, India Water Week, 2012.
- Status of Irrigation in Uttarakhand – Policy Implications, 2006.
E. Community Rights, Decentralisation & Environmental Justice
- Empowered State and Eroded Water Rights in Uttarakhand – A Study of Water Disputes, Monograph, 1996.
- Environmental Justice and Rural Communities: Studies from India and Nepal, IUCN, 2007 (India Country Study).
- Role of Local Communities in Governance of Water Resources, Winrock International, 2003.
- Local Self-Governance and Environmental Decision-Making: India and the United States, 2004.
F. Data, Technology & Governance Innovation
- Democratization of Data Acquisition and Management through GIS for Decentralized Governance, Almora District, Uttarakhand.