Experts
emphasized on the need to review and reinforce the energy and water cooperation
in South Asia in a programme organized here today. The discussion took place in
a workshop organized by South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment
(SAWTEE) in partnership with Cuts International and Institute for Social and Environmental
Transition (ISET)-Nepal.
The
half-day media workshop ‘Rethinking water and energy cooperation’ saw a series
of discussions among water and energy experts and media persons on how the
changing dynamics—political, economic and ecological—have necessitated reviewing
of Nepal’s water and energy policies.
The
first technical session saw presentation from Mr. Ajaya Dixit, Executive Director
at ISET-Nepal on ‘Rivers, energy and ecosystem intersection in South Asia’. He
pointed out that the impact of climate change is already visible in Nepal’s
water resources. Citing International Centre for Integrated Mountain
Development (ICIMOD), he said that, between 1977 and 2010 Nepal’s icecaps have
receded by 29 per cent. Likewise, water reserve in the springs in mid-hills has
depleted, and at the same time, our rivers have deteriorated into sewerage
channels. The water-related disasters of recent times—such as the western
Nepal’s 2014 flood caused by the three days of torrential rain and the 2008
Koshi flood—show the erratic nature of the rivers.
Mr.
Dixit stressed that our focus on river conservation has mostly centered on the
Himalayan Rivers. But the bilateral and multilateral platforms need to consider
water sharing and management issues of rivers originating from the Mahabharata
and Chure as well.
Commenting
on Mr. Dixit’s presentation, former Deputy-Managing Director of Nepal
Electricity Authority and CEO at the Kabeli Energy Ltd, Mr. Sher Singh Bhat
pointed out that the major problem in Nepal’s hydrological management lies in the
lack of intra-sector and inter-sector coordination. As an example, he pointed
out that licensing authorities grant clearances for projects without
considering the effect of upper stream projects on the lower stream and vice
versa and also between usages, for example, possible impact on irrigation by hydropower
projects.
As
for power trading, Mr. Bhat said that with India’s current power surplus
situation and Nepal’s deficit, we have become a lucrative market for India’s
electricity, not the other way around. Mr. Bhat’s opinion was seconded by Mr.
Kumar Pandey, the Vice President of Independent Power Producers’
Association.
Dr.
Posh Raj Pandey, Chairman of SAWTEE, also pointed out that Nepal’s inability to
properly manage its water resources and energy potential has left it not only in
power deficit situation but with a large trade deficit as well. Nepal’s
increased dependency on India would translate to soaring payments deficit in
this fiscal year due to increased power purchase, he said.
Mr.
Keshab Poudel, Editor of New Spotlight Magazine, lamented that water discourse
in Nepal has always been limited to energy generation and as a result other
potential usage of rivers such as for navigation, fisheries and even for
keeping ecological balance have been ignored.
In
the second session, Mr. Rajendra Dahal, senior journalist and former advisor to
the President of Nepal, pointed out that the media have not sufficiently
covered impacts of water on livelihoods as the water narrative always gets
charged with seemingly bigger issues on energy.
Mr.
Gokarna Awasthi, President of Society of Economic Journalist of Nepal, said that
the problem with current energy discourse is that too many different groups are
lobbying in for their own interests which results in diverse, at time conflicting,
reporting. Similar views were echoed by other discussants: Mr. Ajaya Bhadra
Khanal, former editor of The Himalayan Times and Mr. Ramesh Bhushal, General Secretary
of Nepal Forum for Environmental Journalists.
The
workshop is being organised by SAWTEE under the project Sustainable Development
Investment Portfolio (SDIP) in partnership with CUTS International, Jaipur,
India. About 30 participants participated in the workshop.
Programme Agenda
Presentation:
Mr. Ajaya Dixit, Executive Director, ISET
Rivers, energy and ecosystem
intersection in South Asia
Media Coverage:
