This document provides an overview of water conflicts in India. It discusses growing water importance and scarcity in India. It defines what a conflict is and examines different theories around water rights. It then analyzes several domestic and international water disputes India faces, including with neighboring countries over rivers like the Brahmaputra, Mahakali, and Indus. Specifically, it notes tensions with China over dam construction on the Brahmaputra and historical disputes with Nepal over the Mahakali River. The document also highlights the successful Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan. In conclusion, it argues water conflicts are socially embedded and reflect power relations rather than just scarcity.

1. WATER CONFLICTS IN
INDIA
Presented By:
Gunjan
Gupta
Manar
Ramadan
Sharanya
Joshi
Shivani

2. AGENDA
1. Overview and Growing importance of water in India
2. What is a conflict ?
3. What are Water rights ?
4. Domestic conflicts
5. International conflicts
6. Success story
7. Conclusion

3. GROWING IMPORTANCE OF
WATER IN INDIA
Source: Central water
commission

4. NEWS

5. WHAT IS A CONFLICT?
 Conflict refers to confrontations between groups or categories of
people regarding a resource activity and its management. It may be
positioned on a continuum ranging from mild tension to outright
violence.(Bavinck, Sowman and Menon, 2014);
“ a serious disagreement or argument, typically a protracted one”
(Oxford Dictionary 2013)
Conflicting interests may or may not lead to confrontations (Bavinck,
Mostert and Pellegrini 2014). Conflicts of interests could persist on
account of unequal power relations. (Forced Cooperation)

6. WATER RIGHT – WHOSE
RIGHTS?
Theory of absolute territorial sovereignty- irrespective of the consequences
in other countries and without the duty to consult, every nation can utilise
the waters of an international river flowing on its territory, as it likes.
Theory of absolute territorial integrity- the lower riparian of an international
river has the right to a full flow of water of natural quality and intrusion with
the natural flow by the upstream state require the consent of the
downstream riparian.
Theory of limited territorial sovereignty- This theory states that every state
may and is free to enjoy the use of water flowing through their territory as
long as such utilization does not disturb the rights and interest of co-
riparian.

13. INTERSTATE RIVER WATER
DISPUTE ACT
- 1956 under Article262
(Indian parliament approval)
- Aim: To resolve the water
disputes
in use, control or
distribution of
inter-state rivers/ river
valleys
- To Who? : Central
government receives a
Use
• Up stream sates(USS): Irrigation and over
consumption
Control
• USS: Huge reservoirs leading to evaporation,
dams, water quality
• DSS: interventions that may lead to floods
Distribute
• USS: Canals and other branches (+ Dams)

14. CONSTITUTION OF TRIBUNAL
Water disputes could be raised for two independent
parts:
 Actions of downstream state affecting the interest of an
upstream state
 Actions of upstream state affecting the interest of an
downstream state
1. Man made action of transferring river water outside the river basin (e.g. Irrigation,
reservoirs … etc.)
2. Activities affecting water quality (e.g. Industrial waste, near by mining activities…
etc.)
-When to intervene? (Section 4 of IRWD)
-Does it only stand at the tribunal of the case? (Section 5.2)
-Investigation of effect on public domain, ecology, sustainability .. Etc.)

15. INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT
OF INDIATsangpo-Brahmaputra ( Indo – china conflict)
China’s grand plans to harness the waters of the Brahmaputra River
have set off ripples of anxiety in the two lower riparian states: India
and Bangladesh.
China’s construction of dams and the proposed diversion of the
Brahmaputra’s waters is expected to have repercussions for water
flow, agriculture, ecology, and lives and livelihoods downstream.
The Chinese government has approved hydropower projects along
the Brahmaputra. It maintains that all these are run-of-the-river
projects that involve no storage or diversion and that they will not
affect the river’s downstream flow into northeast India.
Still, its plans have generated apprehensions in India’s Northeast and
in Bangladesh, where the Brahmaputra is a veritable lifeline and a

16. CONTI…
More worrying than China’s construction of hydropower dams on the
Brahmaputra is the proposed northward rerouting of its waters.
 This diversion would result in a significant drop in the river’s water
level as it enters India. It will have a serious impact on agriculture and
fishing in the downstream areas as the salinity of water will increase.
The lack of communication on the issue is deepening suspicion and
tension.
This underscores the need for dialogue that includes all the riparian
countries.
China must share data on its dam construction and other plans for

17. CONTI…
Mahakali River treaty ( Indo- Nepal)
The Territorial disputes of India and Nepal include Kalapani 400
km2 and Susta 140 km2 . Nepal claims that the river to the west of
Kalapani is the main Kali river, hence it belongs to Nepal.
India insists that the river to the east of Kalapani is the main Kali
river, and therefore claim the Kalapani area belongs to India. The river
borders the Nepalese zone of Mahakali and the Indian state of
Uttarakhand.
The Kali River runs through an area that includes a disputed area of
about 400 km² around the source of the river.
The dispute intensified in 1997 as the Nepali parliament considered a
treaty on hydro-electric development of the river.
The Mahakali Treaty basically aims at an integrated development of
water resources in the Mahakali River and has been finalized on the
basis of equal partnership.

18. SUCCESS STORY
Indus Waters Treaty (Indo- Pak)
The Indus river has its source in Indian Kashmir and flows through
Pakistan. It is the primary freshwater source for Pakistan. Agriculture
being the mainstay of the economy in both countries, their
dependence on the Indus and its tributaries is implicit.
From the Indian point of view, there was nothing that Pakistan could
do to prevent India from any of the schemes to divert the flow of
water in the rivers. Pakistan’s position was dismal and India could do
whatever it wanted.
Pakistani fear that since the source rivers of the Indus basin were
in India, it could potentially create droughts and famines in Pakistan
led to The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank. The
treaty was signed in Karachi on September 19, 1960.

19. CONTI..
According to this agreement, control over Beas, Ravi and Sutlej was
given to India and the Indus, Chenab and Jhelum to Pakistan.
Since Pakistan's rivers flow through India first, the treaty allowed
India to use them for irrigation, transport and power generation,
while laying down precise do's and don'ts for Indian building projects
along the way.
The treaty is considered to be one of the most successful
watersharing endeavours in the world today. Since the ratification of
the treaty in 1960, India and Pakistan have not engaged in any water
wars.

20. CONCLUSION
Conflicts over water are not necessarily over water, or triggered by
scarcity.
They are a reflection of social and power relations.
They are socially embedded.
They can be multi-layered, have a historical dimension.
They are enmeshed in local struggles for supremacy and power.

21. REFERENCES
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Less Water, More Politics". Economic & Political Weekly vol xlv.no 31
(2010): 12-15.
Gyawali, Dipak. "Institutional Forces Behind Water Conflict In The
Ganga Plains". GeoJournal Vol. 47.No. 3, (1999): 443-452.
Singh, Prabhat. "Opinion". http://www.livemint.com/. N.p., 2015.
Web. 23 Apr. 2016.
Sudha Ramachandran, The Diplomat. "Water Wars: China, India And
The Great Dam Rush". The Diplomat. N.p., 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016.
Stephen Groves, The Diplomat. "India And Nepal Tackle Border
Disputes". The Diplomat. N.p., 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016.
"Indus Water: Treaty And Conflicts".
http://www.hindustantimes.com/. N.p., 2014. Web. 23 Apr. 2016.
"Kaveri River Water Dispute". Wikipedia. N.p., 2016. Web. 23 Apr.
2016.

22. THANK YOU