Gomukh Trust has been working on the theme of Integrated River Basin Management since its inception in 1997.

1. Banas River Basin plan:

In cooperation with local communities, professional engineers and the government, the Indian NGO Econet and Gomukh took the lead in preparing a comprehensive development plan for the Banas river basin. This plan covers a very arid area in the state of Gujarat in northwestern India and was developed as an alternative to the controversial Narmada Sardar Sarovar dam and irrigation projects in the neighbouring states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra (SSP). The Banas river basin plan integrates dozens of old and modern techniques for local water management into one ingenious scheme, and presents a benefit comparison with the SSP.

Econet was invited to take part in a Task Force to study alternative development options on the Narmada River. The Task Force was appointed by the Chief Minister of the State of Madhya Pradesh in response to growing concerns and conflicts over the Narmada Valley Development Project (NVDP), which includes the construction of the Sardar Sarovar dam. The Task Force incorporated most of the techniques and approaches developed for the Banas basin development plan. In 1998, the government of Madhya Pradesh, in principle, accepted the Task Force’s report.

2. The Kolwan Experience

3. Integrated River Basin Management: A Negotiated Approach

Gomukh Trust embarked on this project with our partner organization Both ENDS ( www.bothends.org) in Holland.

The main objective was to showcase community led river basin management strategies as the true representatives of a sustainable IRBM movement. This was a response to the growing centralization and bureaucratization of the IRBM process. The Negotiated approach is a variant of conventional IRBM, based on a collective vision that: ‘Sustainable and equitable water resources will be enhanced through a negotiated approach that recognises the river as a unit and embraces local level initiatives, while simultaneously adopting an integrated and ecosystem approach to basin management’
The project consisted of analysing and documenting community led river basin management strategies in six countries:

• Bhima Basin: India,
• Khulna-Jessore Districts: Bangladesh,
• Se San Basin: Cambodia,
• Nan Basin: Thailand,
• Sand Basin: South Africa,
• Ocona Basin: Peru and
• Tiquipaya- Cochabamba Basins: Bolivia. 

Project partners represented unique ecological, socio- political and institutional background of their native lands. In the words of the case holders, “The idea was not merely to document but to support and encourage the case studies. The main aim was to formulate an approach for application all over the world and a set of policy recommendations”. (Hirsch, Paranjpye, 2005).
At the end of the project period the partners published a book entitled: River Basin Management: A Negotiated Approach. The publication is based on the conclusions and recommendations drawn form the project and the experiences of the case holders and analyses the implications of applying a Negotiated Approach to strategic issues like Up scaling, Appropriate Technology, Gender, Ecosystems Approach and Negotiations.

For More information, contact:
Prof. Vijay Paranjpye (email:
Ms. Parineeta Deshpande-Dandekar

4. Integrated River Basin Management for Bhima Basin :

India Gomukh Trust has worked on an alternate water management plan for the Bhima Basin in Maharashtra. The process operationalises Negotiated Approach to River Basin Management and works through creation of negotiating platforms at various levels for community participation in planning and decision making.
The plan envisages equitable water distribution, maintaining environmental flows, wise water use, etc.

5. Capacity building of Indonesia Water Managers:

Both ENDS and Gomukh Trust are now working on the dissemination phse of the project. First such project was for Indonesia water managers from three islands in Indonesia. The project consisted training workshops in India, study visits in Indonesia and analysis and recommendations. We worked on basins of Kapuas (West Kalimantan, Borneo), Air Bengkulu (Sumatra) and Lamasi River Basin (Sulawesi).
The project was funded by IUCN: Netherlands. Partners are TELAPAK: Indonesia (www.telapak.org) and Wetlands International, Indonesia (www.wetlands.or.id)
More Information, please contact: Ms. Parineeta Dandekar (email:)

6. Capacity building for Indonesian Water Managers Phase II:

The project included training programs on Ecosystems approach and sustainable livelihoods generation. More than 7 Indonesian organizations from all over Indonesia took part in the training.
For more information, please contact: Ms. Parineeta Dandekar (email:)

7. Analysing River Basins and River Basin Organizations in South Asia:

The project involves inventorying and analysing the status of river basins and river basin organizations in South Asian Countries of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
For more information, please contact: Prof. Vijay Paranjpye, Ms. Parineeta Dandekar (email:)

8. Conference on Maharashtra Water resources Regulatory Authority Act:

Gomukh Trust organized a conference on River Basin Management, with a reference to the MWRRA Act on the 11th and 12th of April , 2007. The conference was supported by Arghyam, Bangalore and was attended by over 150 stakeholders and experts in the field of water management. Shri. Ajit Nimbalkar, Chairperson, MWRRA Authroity inaugurated the session , Dr. Madhavrao Chotale delivered the keynote address and Shri. Suresh Sodal, Secretary of the Authority presented the Functionsa nd role of the MWRRA.

For more information, please write to: paranjpye@yahoo.co.uk