This paper examines empirically within sustainable development
framework the dynamics of coverage in rural drinking water supply of
180 demand-driven schemes from Malappuram, predominantly a coastal
district of Kerala State. The methodology for the analysis comprised (i)
multidimensional specification of sustainability in terms of attributes
relating to source, technology, quality, finance, institution and hygiene
behaviour and (ii) estimation of the degree of sustainability using models
of vagueness. Two methods of ‘vagueness’ viz. ‘supervaluationism’ and
‘fuzzy inference system’ were applied to identify systems that are at or
below the sustainability line. Results show that sustainability due to source
and quality is lower in schemes from non-costal regions, whereas
sustainability in dimensions of finance, institution, and hygiene behaviour
is lower in coastal regions. Empirical analysis of ‘marginal systems’
indicates that gender participation; female education and income have
favourable impact on sustainability of schemes in rural areas.
Key words: Sustainable development, Vagueness, Supervaluationism,
Degree theory, Fuzzy inference, Rural drinking water
supply.
JEL Classification: Q56
