Navigating India’s Legal Governance in Water Sector: A Scrutiny into National Performance Under SDG Framework for Clean and Wastewater Management in India

The 2021 report by the Indian Central Pollution Control Board on the "National Inventory ofSewage Treatment Plants" reveals a concerning statistic: only 28% (72,368 Megaliters per Day)of the daily sewage waste generated by urban India is treated and reused. This highlights asignificant gap in the country’s wastewater management systems. The gap is further evidencedby high levels of non-revenue water, which adversely affect both per capita water supply andcost recovery for utilities, thereby exacerbating water shortages.In light of these challenges, this research aims to assess the role of law in ensuring access todomestic water use, specifically in relation to wastewater management and drinking water accessin India. The study examines the impact of legal and policy initiatives within the framework ofthe Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with particular focus on Goal 6, while alsoconsidering international standards and best practices and its enforcement and applicability inIndia. The paper critically analyzes Indian legal framework including flagship initiatives byIndia’s Union Government, such as the Jal Jeevan Mission, the Atal Mission for Rejuvenationand Urban Transformation, and the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), to identify associatedchallenges and legal responses. Additionally, a case study of the industrial district of Mancheswarin Bhubaneswar, India, is presented to examine the environmental and social implications ofaging industries in the region. Data for this study was collected from academic literature andsecondary statistical sources, employing doctrinal, analytical, and empirical methods.Ultimately, the research aims to identify implementation gaps within the legal framework toenhance wastewater regulations and align them more effectively with India's broader socialsecurity objectives.