Water for Life: River Restructuring and its Ties

to Land, Society and Public Health in India

Members:Carrie Knowlton

Kobi PlattRebecca Reynolds

Advisor:Mike Willey

Clients:

EcoFriends

Centre for Environment Education

Issue

• October 2002: Indian Supreme Court ordered the Indian Central Government to begin work on a massive river linkage project in order to divert water to the southern states for irrigation and municipal use.

• Feasibility Study: completed by 2006.• Project: completed by 2010.

Problem

• No research done to explore:– the immediate human need for water;

– the long-term effects of massive ecosystem alteration;

– whether the proposed river linkage project will meet its objectives.

• NGO’s are scrambling to educate citizen’s about this construction initiative.

Currently, there is no comprehensive examination of the Indian River Linkage Proposal.

Research Questions• Case Study Approach - Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh

• What are the current uses of the Ganga River in Kanpur (industrial, residential, commercial)?

• How are these uses currently affecting pollution, public health standards, and water quality?

– What are the objectives of the river linkage plan as proposed by the government (short-term and long-term)?

– How will the river linkage affect the these characteristics?

– What alternatives might be explored to enhance the project objectives proposed by the Indian government?

Research Questions, cont.

• How do the findings of our case study pertain to other cities throughout India?

• How does the India River Linkage Proposal compare to other water management issues emerging worldwide?

• What significant legal, political and economic factors unique to India contributed to approval of the linkage plan?

Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh

• Primary Contact: Rakesh Jaiswal

• "Eco Friends performs all such acts that may assist in or be conducive to

• fostering environmental education, protection and security".

• Community Organizing and Activism

• Partnership with WWF-India to prepare status report on Ganga Action Plan

• Water Quality Monitoring

• Partnerships with Religious Organizations

• Environmental Justice

• Environmental Education

• Secondary Client

• Headquarters in Ahmedabad with five regional offices and 22 satellite offices

• Environmental Education Organization funded through the Indian Government and the Nehru Foundation for Development

Conducting Research

-Books

-Journal articles

-Newspaper articles

-Government documents

-Web-based

Resources

•India background

•Worldwide lessons

•Travel to India

•Consequences

Timeline

Product Tasks Deadline Client Relationship initial contact with client 3/22/04

continued contact with clientAdvisor Relationship meet with advisor every 2 weeks

edit of written material once a monthfinal editting 2/11/05

Funding EFA 3/22/04apply for additional funding 10/31/04

Initial Presentation 4/12/04Review Literature water availability probs worldwide 5/28/04

India political climate 7/9/04social/economic/cultural climate 8/13/04India water issues 7/11/04

River Linkage Plan Plan (where/when/why/how) 6/4/04Supreme Court Decision 6/4/04Public Opinion 8/13/04

Prepare Effects on fluvial ecosystem 11/5/04environmental consequences 11/5/04economic consequences 11/5/04health consequences 11/5/04social consequences 11/5/04

Prepare alternatives worldwide examples 6/11/04alternatives for India 10/15/04emergent problems 6/25/04

Travel to India July-AugustSystem Dynamics model of current water situation 7/16/04

model of proposed linkage 8/13/04model of alternative 10/31/04

Final Report write transitions 1/14/05edit chapters 1/14/05client review 2/11/05changes according to reviews 3/14/05format 3/14/05

Final Presentation 4/25/05

Products

• Final Report:• Multidimensional impacts—economic,ecological,

cultural—of river linkage plan.

• Comparative analysis.

• Potential alternatives.

• Systemic Model.

• GIS.

Budget

• Three Sections• Research Supplies (paper, disks, data procurement).

• Travel (60 days, food, lodging, transportation.

• Conference/Dissemination Plans (International or Domestic).

• Formulated to fit the flexible needs of our client and meet the desired deliverable of our research.

BudgetIndia Rivers   EFA RACKHA

MDISCRETIO

NARYFUNDS

SNRE RACKHAM

TRAVELGRANT

TOTAL

(EFA)            

One Year Budget (4/1/04 – 5/1/05)            

             

             

OPERATING COSTS            

Research Supplies   492 0 345 0 837

General Supplies   0 0 0 0 0

Telephone – Long Distance   370 0 0 0 370

Telephone – Local Calls   0 0 0 0 0

Postage/Shipping/Handling   0 0 0 0 0

Travel – Domestic   1125 0 0 1200 2325

Travel - Foreign   3013 4500 0 1879 9392

Indirect Costs   0 0 0 0 0

             

TOTAL COSTS by source   5000 4500 345 3079 12924

Importance of Research

• Unique problem, unique learning opportunity.• SNRE Mission: “through creative and collaborative

efforts with individuals and institutions anywhere excellence and diversity are found.”

• International NGO partnership.• Access to resources.

• Information exchange.

Importance of Research

• Interdisciplinary approach.• Public health, ecosystem analysis, economics,

public policy and human rights.• Broad investigation of a

broad problem.

• Continuation of lasting research.

• Future SNRE Master’s Projects.

Are there any questions?

Budget NarrativeResearch Supplies

Binder

OfficeMax Economy 2” – 3” Binder @ $3.50 x 3 10.50

Paper

OfficeMax Maxbrite Recycled Paper (500 sheets) @ $5.00 x 5.00

Eaton Flecked Resume Paper (80 sheets) @ $9.00 x 1 9.00

Notebooks & Memo Pads

Avery National Porta-Desk Notebook @ $5.00 x 3 15.00

Post-it Notes – Yellow Unlined @ $3.50 x 3 10.50

Printer Cartridge (Inkjet)

Canon Black Inkjet Tank (2-pack) @ $13.00 x 1 13.00

Canon Color Inkjet Tank @ $22.00 x 1 22.00

Printing

University Printing @ $0.05 x 1000 pgs. 50.00

Disks

Memorex Floppy Disks (40) @ $10.00 x 1 10.00

Staples

Swingline Staples (5000) @ $4.00 x 1 4.00

Paper Clips

OfficeMax Multi-Pack Paperclips (100) @ $2.00 x 1 2.00