(R-L) Dr. S.K. Singh, Director, Training Division, CIRDAP,  Dr. M.A. Quassem, Chairman of National Disaster Management Advisory Council, Dr. Durga Paudyal, Director General, CIRDAP; Mr. S. M. A. Khan, Programme Officer Research, CIRDAP, Dr. S. I. Khan, Chairman, Gram Bangla Sangstha.

DU.1/108-891                                                                                                                                                                                                           6 July 2010 

Press Release 

Regional Cooperation Crucial for Watershed Management
Speakers in a National Seminar on Watershed Management on CIRDAP’s 31st Foundation Day

 
Dhaka, 6 July 2010: Eminent speakers and experts at a national seminar emphasised that the issue of watershed management has become crucial for the entire South Asia region and therefore Regional Cooperation is necessary to evolve suitable solutions to meet this  challenge. The national seminar on ‘Watershed Management for Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation in CIRDAP Member Countries’  was held today on occasion of the  31st  founding anniversary of the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP), at the Centre’s Headquarters in Dhaka. Experts, Academicians, Politicians, rural development practitioners, and development professionals took part in the half-day seminar.
 
The seminar was chaired by Dr. Durga P. Paudyal, Director General of CIRDAP. The key note presentation was given by Dr. M.A. Quassem, Chairman of National Disaster Management Advisory Council and Member of National Water Resources Council and Governing Council of Bangladesh Water Development Board. The introduction and objectives of the seminar was given by S. M. A. Khan, Programme Officer Research, CIRDAP.
 
Dr. Quassem in his key note presentation discussed the watershed management of Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna basin (GBM), focussing particularly on issues relevant to Bangladesh. He dwelt upon the causes of floods, lack of water availability, sedimentation, erosion, salinity, adverse effects of climate change, recharging of groundwater etc. He mentioned that a Comprehensive Integrated Watershed Management approach taking on board all the stakeholder countries namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India and Nepal is the way to resolve these problems. Such an approach would increase dry season flows, building reservoirs in upstream leading to hydropower generation, flood moderation, irrigation expansion and navigation, and soil conservation for reducing siltation. To make this approach meaningful, the co-riparian countries should have a common goal (win-win situation), proper institutional arrangements and an enabling environment. Regional cooperation and political willingness are essential for this to work.
 
During the lively open discussion, many pertinent issues came up and all the participants agreed that regional cooperation is a crucial factor to resolve the watershed management issues and they urged regional bodies like CIRDAP to bring the countries together. Since it has become a larger political issue over a period of time and several countries of the region are directly involved, they can use the CIRDAP platform to join hands and discuss this critical issue to find a solution beneficial to all countries. Suggestions also came up to learn from similar regional watershed management bodies like the Mekong River Commission, to form water user bodies or cooperatives, to have political commitment, to honour International treaties, to recognise how closely watershed management is related to rural development and poverty alleviation etc.
 
Dr. Paudyal, DG, CIRDAP reiterated the Centre’s commitment in assisting national action and building common platforms for rural development and poverty alleviation. He said that there is a need for detailed discussion in all the countries involved. Dr. S.K. Singh, Director Training, CIRDAP while proposing the vote of thanks, mentioned that water has become a scarce commodity and it is necessary to conserve and harvest water in view of protecting the decreasing groundwater table in most of the countries.
 
Dr. Durga Paudyal also mentioned that Fiji islands have just joined the CIRDAP family and the regional intergovernmental body now has 15 member states.
 
                                                                                                                                                            Dr. S.K. Singh
                                                                                                                                                               Director a.i.
                                                                                                                                        Information & Communication Division