Removing ropes, attaching strings : institutional arrangements to provide water

The case of Dopopani (the real name of the village has been disguised) represents a case study of how a government often attempts sweeping technically oriented changes to improve standards of living without paying adequate attention to political and institutional context that defines rural power dynamics, interactions and realities. The article argues that the manner in which the government chose to supplement the water supply in Dodopani discouraged villagers from acting together to create collective solutions, spurred the breakdown of indigenous participatory institutions and worsened the drinking water supply for many of the villagers. It is concluded that development projects cannot be successful unless they comprehend issues from the perspective of people influenced by the projects and pay attention to local institutional realities.