Paradigmas da participação pública: uma análise da efetividade dos comitês de bacia do RS por meio da proposição de indicadores de desempenho

Abstract

The increase in environmental degradation, as well as its consequent control in the quality and quantity of water, leads to the search for efficient management, which aims at sustainable development. Increasingly, society is charging for this efficiency of the management bodies and, in this scenario, are the Basin Committees, bodies created to include public participation and whose duties are defined in Federal Law 9.433 / 97, and in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, by Law 10.350 / 94. Knowing that the management tools, such as: water resources plans, framing of water bodies in classes according to uses, granting of the right of use, collection for use and information system on water resources; are projected in the competencies of the Committees, it is verified that it is necessary to indicate the criteria for assessing the performance of these basin organizations, in order to guide them towards excellence and the promotion of effective social participation. For this, it is demanded the existence of indicators and index of performance that provide a diagnosis on the performance of the Committees. Based on this premise, it becomes imperative to ask: Do Basin Committees fulfill their role within the water resources system and are the best way to insert public participation in water management? The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of the Basin Committees located in Rio Grande do Sul / Brazil, mainly regarding social participation, establishing indicators and indices of performance of committees (IDC) and influence of the State in the attributions of the committees (IIE). The methodology adopted was the bibliographical survey, analysis of the minutes and application of questionnaires, using content analysis and statistical analysis for data treatment. A series was elaborated with 44 indicators that were hierarchized using the survey method to consult the specialists in water resources management and, for data analysis, the multicriteria and content analysis techniques were adopted. In this way, it was reduced to fifteen prioritized indicators which were validated by applying them to the three Committees listed for case study and for the State entity. It was verified that the hypothesis of the ineffectiveness of the committees is confirmed by the proposed index, IDC. However, the hypothesis that the committees do not insert social participation has not been confirmed. It is concluded that the committees have some decision making power that meets the concept of social participation and, in addition, it is understood that it is through the basin committees that social capital will be produced, an important issue in the consolidation of an active participation.