3rd Issue of River Basin Transact
prchoudhury
Dear All,
We had mentioned while dispatching our 1st Issue of River Basin Transact that the present pace and direction of development bandwagon in Odisha, made it imperative for its civil society and citizens alike to give more attention to its rivers, before it became too late.
While releasing this 3rd Issue of the River Basin Transact, within only a span of 6 months, we see a social movements unfolding around our Rivers, in response to the LPG (Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization) influenced industrialization and development processes in the state. Our editorial, which we are reproducing below, is trying to draw our attention to this, relatively less highlighted yet highly significant development around Odisha’s rivers – River Revolutions.
As Odisha Industrialize, Revolutions around Its Rivers Crystallize
Odisha’s mass reckonings and socio-ecological renaissance in response to its rapid and massive industrialization drive is now quite well known in terms of protests and social movements around Gandhamardans (BALCO), Gopalpurs (Tata), Kashipurs (HINDALCo/Utkal), Kalinganagars (Tata), Niyamgiris (Vedanta) and Dhikias (Posco). However, very little is known about to a new yet significant water-movement that is slowly emerging across Odisha silently yet quite robustly with overwhelming participation of an awakened civil society reinforced with political endorsements.
Revolutions around Odisha’s Rivers is spreading very fast over past few months from its north to south, around big rivers to drainage channels accommodating in its bandwagon a gamut of structural, environmental, economic and cultural issues. Civil societies’ appreciations and concerns over Odisha’s river is fast becoming loud and clear. They are now worried about the massive pollution, unmindful and unjust water allocation, dwindling environmental flows and biodiversity erosion in their rivers. They are concerned about the way their lifelines, their holy rivers being used and abused. They are now able to comprehend and apprehend the threats to their culture and livelihoods.
The reflections of these appreciations, realizations and concerns are fast unfolding with movements around its rivers getting manifested one after another. While the Mahanadi Banchao Anodalan (MBA) has emerged over concerns of water allocation to industries from Jobra, farmers and locals in Jagatsinghpur are now rallying together to save Hansua from POSCO. There were also movements earlier to save ‘the Brahmani’ (Brahmani Anchal Suraksha Parishad) from pollution and small rivers like ‘Alaka’ from siltation. Baitarani Surakshya Manch has now been formed to protect the holy river from the clutches of industrialization. Movements in south Odisha to save Rushikulya ( Rushikulya Banchao Mancha )by linking to the Mahanadi, protect Vamshadhara from mining and projects in Andhra, free Nagavali from pollution by paper mills are also manifestations of such community aspirations.
It is time now Govt to take note of these river revolutions and intelligentsia to feed them with right science and knowledge to enable them with informed choices and strategic voices.
We present herewith 3rd Issue of Quarterly River Basin Transact with these and many other river news, on behalf of Baitarani Initiative, Odisha Water Forum and Odisha State Center of FPWCI. We also thank many of our well wishers who responded with suggestions and appreciations.
We are sure with your feedbacks and solidarity; this humble initiative would go a long way in spreading basin literacy and raising basin concerns.
Best Regards
Pranab, Priyabrat & Niyati
Odisha State Center
Forum for Policy Dialogue on Water Conflicts in India
Baitarani Initiative, Shristi
Ground Floor,
C/O: Late Gokulananda Mohapatra
Plot No.:63, Unit – VIII, (In front of Unit –
VIII Boy’s High School) Bhubaneswar – 751
003
Phone/Fax : +91 674 2560634
Cell : +91 9437021261
Alt Email ID : bait...@gmail.com
