Dialogue on Mainstreaming River Basin Planning

Tentative Structure and Agenda

Day 1 (9 August 2011)

9.00 am – 9.30 am – Registration

9.30 am – 11.00 am

CHAIR: Sri Ravi Singh ,Secretary General and CEO, WWF India

Setting the background to Mainstreaming River Basin Planning

–Prof Vijay Paranjpye

Keynote Speakers

- Prof Ramaswamy Iyer ( Former Secretary, MoWR)

- Dr. Mihir Shah ( Member, Planning Commission , GoI)

Brief Introduction to the workshop, its flow and expected outcomes

–Dr.Latha Anantha

Tea break – 11.00 – 11.30 am

River Basin Planning –Viewpoints

11.30 am – 1.30 pm

Six presenters will be invited for giving their views / perspectives / challenges / raising questions on the framework of river basin planning. They are Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Power and Godavari Marathwada Irrigation Development Corporation. This session is for opening the different viewpoints before the participants in order to focus on the discussion points and identify the missing links in river basin planning which will be brainstormed in the following sessions for the three days.

Lunch – 1.30 pm – 2.30 pm

Nuts and Bolts of Bottom up River Basin Planning Approach

Brainstorming sessions 1-9

The brainstorming sessions will consist of placing a few questions on the specific aspect on river basin planning to be discussed before the participants and evolving strategies for the same towards the end of the session. The strategies will later fit into the overall framework for river basin planning. Perspective briefs will be prepared with respect to each session outlined below and circulated to the invitees before the workshop. Each session will be led by the resource person who has prepared the brief and assisted by a facilitator.

2.30 pm – 4.00 pm

1. Broad Principles / Criteria

Tea break – 4.00 pm – 4.30 pm

4.30 pm – 6.00 pm

2. From Micro watershed to Basin

Levels of Up-scaling, Participation and Decentralisation

DAY 2 (10 August 2011)

9.00 am – 10.30 am

3. Case studies

From Government led to community led initiatives

Tea break – 10.30 am – 11.00 am

11.00 am – 12.30 pm

4. Cumulative Impact Assessments in River Basin Planning

Lunch – 12.30 pm – 1.30 pm

1.30 pm – 3.00 pm

5. Across boundaries

Transboundary and Interstate water sharing and management

Tea break – 3.00 pm – 3.30 pm

3.30 pm – 5.00 pm

6. Accounting for Pollution in Basin Planning

Industries, agriculture and sewage

DAY 3 (11 August 2011)

9.00 am – 10.30 am

7. The future of large Dams (Irrigation and Hydro Power ) and Options
Assessment

Tea break – 10.30 am – 11.00 am

11.00 am – 12.30 pm

8. Are river flows to the sea ‘a waste’?

Accounting for downstream impacts and environmental flows

Lunch – 12.30 pm – 1.30 pm

1.30 pm – 3.00 pm

9. Legal and Institutional framework including conflict resolution, equity,
access, benefit and cost sharing aspects

Tea break – 3.00 pm – 3.30 pm

3.30 pm – 6.00 pm

Summing up, Filling gaps and Consolidation of the Dialogue and
Way forward to Mainstreaming River Basin Planning