Presented by:

Charan Hansda (PDM-XIV)

Tata Dhan Academy

Date: June 6, 2015

1

Overview

• Causes of water conflict and need of its knowledge.

• Typology of water conflict.

• Locating water conflict in river basin and geographic space.

• Water units a community.

• Case study of Coca-Cola at Kerala.

• Non-negotiable parameters.

• Examples of water conflicts and its current status.

2

Cause of water conflict

• Not respecting existing

or historical agreements.

• Water scarcity

• Increase water demands

• Water pollution

3

Why it needs to know?

Availability of water has always been vitally

important for following:

• Political stability

• Economic growth

• Social order and

• Sustainable development

4

Typology of water conflict

• Hydrology:

– Inter and Intra basin conflict

– Trans boundary water conflict

• Economic:

– Inter sectorial water distribution

– Construction of dams

• Culture

– River based festivals

– Ritual of the river

5

Locating water conflict in river basin and geographic space

6

Water Resolved the Conflict

7

Case study: Coca-Cola at Kerala

• In 2000 the coca-coal company opened a bottling plant in Plachimada.

• In 2002 allegation of misuse of local water resources.

• In 2003 district medical officer declared water from local aquifers unfit for consumption (salt in water)

• BBC investigate ‘bio-solids’- find dangerous level of cadmium and lead.

• KPCB banned the uses of the bio-solids as a fertilizers.

• April 2003 – Local panchayat cancel CC license to operate

• May 2003 – state also refuse to renew license

• December 2003 – Kerala High court rules in favour of panchayat.

8

Case study: Coca-Cola at Kerala (Cont.)

• March 2004-factory shut down order of Kerala govt.

• April 2005 – appeal by CC result in high court allowing them to draw 500,000 liters of water a day and panchayat order to renew license.

• June 2005- CC approach high court again as panchayat has refused to renew license, and panchayat renew for 3 months.

• August 2005- KPCB order to closure of the plant.

• November 2005- CC approach to High Court and ordered to panchayat for renew of licenses.

• January 2006 – Panchayat renews license, imposing 13 conditions, the most notable of which is that bottling plant does not use the local ground water.

9

The Economics of Plachimada’s water

• Since the opening of the CC plant agriculture has

taken a down turn.

• Agriculture labourers have been force to shift

• Productivity of land come down

– Small piece of land in 2000 would yield 50 sacks of rice

and 1500 coconuts in 2003 gave 5 sacks of rice and 200

coconuts.

10

Non-Negotiable Parameter

• Water for life

• Water for livelihoods

• Quality of water

• Environment

11

Some water conflict examples

Conflict Location/ River

basin

Conflict parties Conflict brief Status

Interstate

conflict

Krishana river

basin

Maharashtra, AP

and Karnataka

Water sharing Unresolved

Interstate

conflict

Cauvery river

basin

Karnataka and

T.N

Water sharing Unresolved

Project level

conflict

Upper Krishna

project

Migrant and non

migrant farmers

Violet water

distribution

Unresolved

Project level Belagumba Tank,

C. basin

Government and

farmers

Govt. mgt. water

body

No lasting

solution

Pollution

based

Nagaram Tank,

Warangal, A.P

Famers,

fishermen and

govt.

Urban waster

water destroyed

rural livelihoods

Not able to

draw govt.

attention

Proposed

project policy

reform

Tamil Nadu water

sector

Water user and

government

Centralization

create problem

Unresolved

12

Reference

• Understanding water and conflict- case study from south India.

• DHAN Vayalagam Poster.

• Development matters (December 2008) from DHAN Collective.

• “Million Revolts’ in the making from EPW Feb 18, 2006

• Water: the Coca-Cola Company in Keral by Modus Operandi August 2007

• From localised contestations to terrains of resistance: water conflict making statements around Odisha’s landscapes by Pranab R Chaudhury and Priyabrata Satapathy

13

Discussion

How water conflict can be resolved at local,

regional and national level?

14

Thank You 15