The Water Initiatives Odisha (WIO) and the Mahanadi River Waterkeeper organised the second Odisha River Conference on the theme ‘Building an Inter-State Cooperation Framework for Management of Mahanadi River Basin’ here on April 22.
Around 150 people from basin communities such as farmers and fisher folks participated in the programme along with civil society representatives, river and water experts and academicians from across the country.
Addressing the gathering, WIO convener Ranjan Panda said, “No doubt Chhattisgarh has constructed many dams and barrages without the consent of Odisha and has obstructed a lot of water, but that does not mean we can conclude that Chhattisgarh has siphoned off water from Odisha’s share. We need a comprehensive understanding and analysis of the impacts all these structures will have on availability of water in the basin. let the tribunal decide how to make such an analysis and instruct Chhattisgarh to stop these obstructions if they are found to be illegal. But, let’s not close the door of dialogue and cooperation between the two States on several issues that needs urgent attention. Barrages alone are not killing Mahanadi, there are many other factors that need urgent intervention,” Panda said.
He pointed out that the concern should be on how to rejuvenate the ecological entity of Mahanadi.
The two States should come together to solve Mahanadi problem. Changes should be brought in the laws at the national level to establish the rights of communities over river and the river’s own rights.
Vice-Chancellor of Sambalpur University Prof Deepak Behera, who was the chief guest on the occasion, announced that a research project dedicated to Mahanadi will be initiated in the university. The research will not only be limited to the university lab, it will involve the field level workers too. He added that a proper assessment of water availability and distribution between different priorities is important to understand the challenges as well as suggest measures to solve them.
Prof Premanand Panda, who chaired the inaugural session, said while seeking a solution to the Mahanadi problem, we should not have an Odisha-centric approach but a river centric approach.
He added that rights of a river can be established when people are empowered to use water judiciously. He maintained that water rights is a part of human rights because when a river dies a civilization dies with it.
Among others, climate change expert Saroj Dash, civil society leaders Umashankar Sahu, Sneha Mishra and Prafulla Hota and senior journalists Ashok Pradhan, Mehboob Mehtab and Bijay Mishra emphasised on dialogues and cooperation framework for river conservation to ensure right of the communities and right of the river.
Prof Artabandhu Mishra, renowned environmentalist, researcher and academician was conferred with Jala Joddha Samman, Charmallik Anchalika Bikas Parishad, a federation of people’s organisations from Angul district, was conferred with Ajira Bhagiratha Samman while Selfie with Mahanadi Awardwas given away to students Sunil Kumar Tandia, Soujanya Behera and Ninima Chhanda.