Gandhinagar: IIT Gandhinagar invited the controversial NGO operator Medha Patkar to the inauguration of cNARMADA, followed by a Stakeholders’ Workshop. Medha attended the session and also delivered a speech.

According to the IIT Gandhinagar press release, “The Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology Indore (IITI)  inaugurated the Centre for Narmada River Basin Management (cNARMADA) at IIT Gandhinagar which was followed by a workshop for stakeholders. This center has been established by the Ministry of Jalshakti, Govt. of India, to conduct the Condition Assessment & Management Plan (CAMP) for the Narmada river basin. The study will be based on a joint study between IIT Gandhinagar and IIT Indore with the stakeholders playing a major role.”

After the welcome address by Prof. Pranab Mohapatra, PI of cNARMADA, the Centre was inaugurated by chief guest Ashok Thakur, Narmada Control Authority in the presence of Prof Rajat Moona, Director of IIT Gandhinagar, the PIs and CO PIs from IIT Gandhinagar and IIT Indore and important stakeholders of the Narmada river basin. Other guests present were K. A. Patel and P. C. Vyas, from Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited, and Prof. Vinod Tare from IIT Kanpur.

“Prof Tare gave an speech and explained how and why a river is the lifeline of the communities and ecosystem of the river basin. Prof Tare remarked, ‘If a river exists, only then we exist’ to highlight the importance of protecting and cautiously allowing the river to thrive. Followed by Prof Tare’s speech, all guests spoke about different challenges in Narmada river basin. Prof. Moona assured that the centre would perform high quality of research related to Narmada river basin. The inauguration ended with vote of thanks by Prof. Mohapatra,” the institute stated.

“The workshop was attended by several stakeholders. Several presentations were made. Prof. Dhruvesh Patel, PDEU, presented dam risk assessment. In addition, presentations by IMD, CGWB and tourism department were made. Medha Patkar,  spoke about the issues relating to flood plain management in Narmada river basin. She suggested to the cNARMADA stakeholders to study and take measures for an overall development of the basin by keeping the indigenous communities in mind,” the statement added.  DeshGujarat