Top

Published in:

2021 | OriginalPaper | Chapter

Water Disputes in the Cauvery and the Teesta Basins: Conflictual Federalism, Food Security, and Reductionist Hydrology

Authors : Nilanjan Ghosh, Sayanangshu Modak

Published in: Sustainable Development Insights from India

Publisher: Springer Singapore

Activate our intelligent search to find suitable subject content or patents.

search-config

AI-assisted search

Off

Abstract

This paper postulates that the water conflicts in India are essentially results of three major policy-driven factors: (a) the federal structure of the nation, where water has been made part of the State List; (b) wrong delineation of the food security policy with food security being viewed through the lens of production and procurement of high water-consuming crops like rice and wheat; and (c) lack of an integrated ecosystems approach to understand the land–water–food nexus in the water policy of the nation. The same has been argued in this paper with expositions from two transboundary water conflicts, namely the interstate water conflicts over the Cauvery, and the water conflicts at various levels over the Teesta (Bangladesh–India, centre-state, economy-ecosystem). In the process, the paper argues for a paradigm change from the reductionist approach to a holistic approach to water governance embedded in the emerging thinking of Integrated Water Resource Governance at a basin scale.

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 102.000 Bücher
über 537 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Automobil + Motoren
Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
Finance + Banking
Management + Führung
Marketing + Vertrieb
Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe
Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

Springer Professional "Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 67.000 Bücher
über 390 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Automobil + Motoren
Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 67.000 Bücher
über 340 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Finance + Banking
Management + Führung
Marketing + Vertrieb
Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

previous chapter Rice Production Systems and Drought Resilience in India

next chapter Renewable Energy in India: What It Means for the Economy and Jobs

Anand, P. B. (2004). Water and identity: An analysis of the Cauvery River water dispute. https://bradscholars.brad.ac.uk/bitstream/10454/2893/1/Paper3 Anand Water and Identity.pdf.

Arfanuzzaman, Md., & Ahmad, Q. K. (2015). Assessing the regional food insecurity in Bangladesh due to irrigation water shortage in the Teesta catchment area. Water Policy, 18(2), 304–317. https://doi.org/10.2166/wp.2015.072.CrossRef

Bandyopadhyay, J. (2006). Criteria for a holistic framework for water systems management in India. In Integrated water resources management. Global theory, emerging practice and local needs (pp. 145–71). SAGE Publications Pvt. Ltd. https://www.cabdirect.org/abstracts/20073119034.html.

Bandyopadhyay, J. (2019). Towards a synergy-based approach to river basin governance. Observer Reserach Foundation, 308. https://www.orfonline.org/research/towards-a-synergy-based-approach-to-river-basin-governance-54786/

Basu, J. (2017). Teesta has one-sixteenth of water needed. The Third Pole. April 14, 2017. https://www.thethirdpole.net/2017/04/14/teesta-has-one-sixteenth-of-water-needed/

Beach, H. L., Hammer, J., Hewitt, J.J., Kaufman, E., Kurki, A., Oppenheimer, J. A., & Wolf, A.T. (2000). Transboundary freshwater dispute resolution: Theory, practice, and annotated references. New York: United Nations University Press.

Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal. (2007). The report of the Cauvery water disputes tribunal with the decision: 5 Volumes. New Delhi.

Chakrabarty, M., & Homechaudhuri, S. (2014). Fish guild structure along a longitudinally-determined ecological zonation of Teesta, an Eastern Himalayan River in West Bengal, India. Arxius de Miscel·lània Zoològica, 11 (0 SE-Articles). https://doi.org/10.32800/amz.2013.11.0196

Chokkakula, S. (2019). Interstate river water governance: shift focus from conflict resolution to enabling cooperation. Centre for Policy Research. June 13, 2019. https://www.cprindia.org/news/interstate-river-water-governance-shift-focus-conflict-resolution-enabling-cooperation

Choudhry, S., Khosla, M., Mehta, P. B., & Salve, H. (2016). Inter-state river water disputes. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/law/9780198704898.003.0028

Commission, Sarkaria. (1988). Chapter XVII: Inter-State River Water Disputes. https://interstatecouncil.nic.in/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/CHAPTERXVII.pdf

Council and Cooperation: International Cooperation—Water Resources—Sectors: National Portal of India. (2011). February 17, 2011. https://archive.india.gov.in/sectors/water_resources/index.php?id=6

Dey, N. C., Saha, R., Parvez, M., Bala, S. K., Saiful Islam, A. K. M., Paul, J. K., & Hossain, M. (2017). Sustainability of groundwater use for irrigation of dry-season crops in Northwest Bangladesh. Groundwater for Sustainable Development, 4, 66–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsd.2017.02.001

EPDS. (2020). Status of ongoing and/or completed schemes. Energy & Power Department, Government of Sikkim. https://power.sikkim.gov.in/status-of-ongoing-andor-completed-schemes/

Gebert, R. I. (1983). The Cauvery River dispute: hydrological politics in Indian Federalism. https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/831/items/1.0095680

Ghosh, N. (2015). Challenges to environmental security in the context of India-Bangladesh trans-boundary water relations, Decision (Springer), 42(2), 211–28. Special Issue on Managing Critical Resources: Food, Energy and Water.

Ghosh, N. (2016). Sustaining the liquid mosaic. Economic and Political Weekly. https://www.epw.in/journal/2016/52/water-governance/sustaining-liquid-mosaic.html

Ghosh, N. (2019, November 25). Why India has not been able to resolve the Teesta stalemate. Observer Research Foundation. https://www.orfonline.org/research/why-india-has-not-been-able-to-resolve-the-teesta-stalemate-58093/

Ghosh, N. (2020). Water wars over paradigms. Observer Research Foundation. https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/water-wars-over-paradigms-66120/

Ghosh, N., & Bandyopadhyay, J. (2009). A scarcity value based explanation of trans-boundary water disputes: The case of the Cauvery River Basin in India. Water Policy, 11(2), 141–167.CrossRef

Ghosh, N., & Bandyopadhyay, J. (2018). Water needs a multi-disciplinary approach, Hindu Business Line, May 5. https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/water-needs-a-multi-disciplinary-approach/article23775668.ece

Ghosh, N., & Bandyopadhyay, J. (2019). Governance of the Brahmaputra Sub-basin: Exploring the Enabling Conditions, in Choudhury, E. and S. Islam (Eds) Complexity of Transboundary Water Conflicts: Enabling Conditions for Negotiating Contingent Resolutions. London: Anthem Press.

Ghosh, N., Bandyopadhyay, J., & Thakur, J. (2018). Conflict over Cauvery waters: Imperatives for innovative policy options. New Delhi: Observer Research Foundation.

Goel, S. (2019). S.R. Bommai vs. Union of India. Law Times Journal. October 2, 2019. https://lawtimesjournal.in/s-r-bommai-vs-union-of-india/

Government of West Bengal. (2010). Information on the present status of Teesta Barrage Project with respect to formulation of packages for execution under national project. https://eservices.wb.gov.in/portal/documents/10180/0/Programmes+of+the+state+government+for+the+welfare+of+unorganized+workers.../dc2fbfd8-0a04-4fd6-af76-9f89a236711f;jsessionid=mJzQD8ygoeQwe3UKr9c2TXTM?version=1.0

Goyal, M. K., & Goswami, U. P. (2018). Teesta River and its ecosystem BT. In D. S. Singh (Eds.), The Indian rivers: Scientific and socio-economic aspects (pp. 537–551). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2984-4_37

Group, Strategic Foresight. (2013). Rivers of peace: Restructuring India Bangladesh relations. Strategic Foresight Group. https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/172871/22345riversofpeace-website.pdf.

Howe, C. (2009). The return to the river basin: The increasing costs of ‘jurisdictional externalities.’ Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education, 131(1), 26–32. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1936-704x.2005.mp131001005.x.CrossRef

Islam, Md. (2016). Water use and poverty reduction (Vol. 8). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-55172-0

Iyer, R. R. (2003). Water: Perspectives, Issues, Concerns. SAGE Publications India.

Joint Communiqué Issued on the Occasion of the Visit to India of Her Excellency Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh. (2010). Media Centre, Ministry of External Affairs. January 12, 2010. https://mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl/3452/Joint+Communiqu+issued+on+the+occasion+of+the+visit+to+India+of+Her+Excellency+Sheikh+Hasina+Prime+Minister+of+Bangladesh

Kulshrestha, R. (2018). Kuldip Nayar v. Union of India and Ors.—Case summary. September 14, 2018. https://lawtimesjournal.in/kuldip-nayar-v-union-of-india-and-ors-case-summary/.

Lloyd, E. H., Maass, A., Hufschmidt, M. M., Dorfman, R., Thomas Jr, H. A., Marglin, S. A., & Fair, G. M. (1963). Design of water-resource systems; New techniques for relating economic objectives, engineering analysis, and government planning. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society. Series A (General). https://doi.org/10.2307/2982245.CrossRef

Mondal, Md. S. H., & Serajul Islam, Md. (2017). Chronological trends in maximum and minimum water flows of the Teesta River, Bangladesh, and its implications. Jamba (Potchefstroom, South Africa), 9(1), 373. https://doi.org/10.4102/jamba.v9i1.373

Noolkar-Oak, G. (2017). Geopolitics of water conflicts in the Teesta River Basin. https://gaurinoolkar.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/teesta-conflicts_gno.pdf.

PRS Legislative Research. (2019). The Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2019. PRSIndia. July 26, 2019. https://www.prsindia.org/billtrack/inter-state-river-water-disputes-amendment-bill-2019

Rahaman, M. M., & Al-Mamun, A. (2020). Hydropower development along Teesta River Basin: Opportunities for cooperation. Water Policy. https://doi.org/10.2166/wp.2020.136.

Ranade, A., Singh, H., Sontakke, N. A. (2007). Characteristics of hydrological wet season over different river basins of India. RR-119. Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.2034.9603

Ray, S., & Ghosh, D. (2007). Modern agriculture and the ecologically handicapped: Fading glory of Boro Paddy cultivation in West Bengal. Economic and Political Weekly, 42(26), 2534–2542. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4419758

Boundary Commission. (1950). Reports of the members and awards of the Chairman of the Boundary Commissions. Alipore.

Richards, A., & Singh, N. (1997). Two level negotiations in bargaining over water. In T. Parthasarathy, B. Dutta, J. A. M. Potters, T. E. S. Raghavan, D. Ray, & A. Sen (Eds.), Game theoretical applications to economics and operations research. Theory and Decision Library (Series C: Game Theory, Mathematical Programming and Operations Research) (Vol. 18). Springer.

Rudra, K. (2017). Sharing water across Indo-Bangladesh border. In T. D. S. Bandyopadhyay, A. Torre, & P. Casaca (Eds.), Regional cooperation in South Asia (pp. 189–207). Springer.

Saha, A., & Swaminathan, M. (1994). Agricultural growth in West Bengal in the 1980s—a disaggregation by districts and crops. Economic and Political Weekly, 29(13), A2–A11. https://www.epw.in/journal/1994/13/review-agriculture-review-issues-specials/agricultural-growth-west-bengal-1980s

Salman, S. M. A., & Uprety, K. (20030. Conflict and cooperation on South Asia’s international rivers. In R. V. Van Puymbroeck (Ed.), Law, justice, and development. The World Bank. https://doi.org/10.1596/978-0-8213-5352-3

Stokes, D. (2013). Political economy analysis of the Teesta River Basin. Asia Foundation.

Swami, P. (2011). Manmohan says Mamata assented to Teesta Deal. The Hindu. September 8, 2011. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/manmohan-says-mamata-assented-to-teesta-deal/article2433343.ece

Upadhyay, V. (2002). Cauvery, courts and some larger questions. Economic and Political Weekly. https://www.epw.in/journal/2002/35/commentary/cauvery-courts-and-some-larger-questions.html

Title: Water Disputes in the Cauvery and the Teesta Basins: Conflictual Federalism, Food Security, and Reductionist Hydrology
Authors: Nilanjan Ghosh
Sayanangshu Modak
Publisher: Springer Singapore
Book: Sustainable Development Insights from India
Print ISBN: 978-981-334-829-5

Electronic ISBN: 978-981-334-830-1

Copyright Year: 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4830-1_16

Springer Professional

Abstract

Please log in to get access to your license.

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Springer Professional "Technik"

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"