Events

Organized by Indian Water Resources Society (IWRS), Centre for Policy Research (CPR), and Central Water and Power Engineering Services Association (CWPESA)

Supported by CWPESA and The Asia Foundation

IWRS, CPR and CWPESA brought together an eminent group of experts and practitioners with extensive experience in water sector for a roundtable consultation to pool in insights from their rich experiential understanding. The purpose was to distil and draw lessons for conceptualizing a workable interstate coordination mechanism for implementing the Cauvery decision. The roundtable consultation also sought to gather inputs for informing policy making generally about interstate river water sharing in the country. The roundtable consultation focused on the following questions:

1. What are the possible challenges involved in implementing the Supreme Court’s decision? Particularly in distress years?
2. What are the lessons to learn from interstate coordination mechanisms in place and practice?
3. What possible knowledge gaps of Central and State agencies will pose challenges for implementing decision? How can we strengthen this coordination?
4. Will an interstate coordination institution be adequate? What kind of supporting structures and processes needed to enable and strengthen these institutions?

The roundtable deliberations have covered a wide range of issues with respect to interstate water governance, including groundwater – which is a prominent feature of the Supreme Court’s decision. The proceedings/recommendations of the roundtable consultation will be updated here soon.