Acces to water in the "Smart City" of Bangalore. For whom? A study of the role of the lack of access to water on sustainable livelihoods in informal settlements in Bangalore

Abstract

The purpose of my thesis focuses on the role of the lack of access to water on sustainable livelihoods in informal settlements in Bangalore. The problem that my thesis focuses on is that non-notified residents in Bangalore are not included in the legal rights to the provision of water. My thesis focuses on three issues. First, the role of governance in which I investigate policy on water, and the rights to the provision of water in Bangalore. Second, from the lens of spatial (in)justice, I look at the geographic uneven-development of Bangalore in terms of wealth, people and resources. Thirdly I look at the impact that a lack of access water has on sustainable livelihood. The study uses the concept of socio-spatial (in)justice and applies that concept to a qualitative analysis by using a combination of secondary and primary data. From my research I have found that the lack of access to water has an impact on the decision-making process of individuals, subjecting them to increased vulnerability, and thus effecting the opportunity for a sustainable livelihood. I have concluded further research can be conducted by asking What role do international organizations play in their capacity of authority when implementing their initiatives of access to water on the state level?