Comparative Analysis of Regulatory Pathways for Water Pollution Abatement in the Ganges River

This article undertakes a comparative analysis of water pollution abatement policies in the Ganges
River, focusing on the effects of different regulatory models. It examines two distinct models: Model 1,
characterized by technocratic, top-down approaches with formalized actors and institutionalized bodies,
and Model 2, marked by socio-technocratic, bottom-up strategies prioritizing blended actors and
institutions. The central research question explores the enabling and constraining effects of these modes
on policy outcomes related to pollution abatement in the Ganges.
The article explores how institutions shape policy processes and outcomes, considering both formal and
informal rules, norms, and organizational structures. Emphasis is placed on understanding the historical
and social institutional contexts within which these policies operate, including the role of norms, values,
and beliefs. Historical and social institutionalism serve as major theoretical frameworks for this
research, examining how past decisions and critical events shape current policy outcomes.
This article also highlights two case studies analyzing cross-cutting path dependencies, whereby past
decisions influence current policy outcomes, and highlights the gradual endogenous changes within the
system. A mixed-methods approach is employed, combining qualitative methods such as analysis of
grey literature (government reports, publications, press releases) with quantitative methods utilizing
water quality monitoring data.