KATHMANDU, Sept 29: The Water and Energy Commission Secretariat under the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation has launched a policy dialogue aimed at bringing stakeholders into the policymaking process.
The secretariat, which provides policy advice and recommendations to the government, said the initiative seeks to incorporate the concerns and views of different stakeholders while formulating policies.
According to Joint Secretary Tikaram Baral, the first session of the dialogue, which began on Monday, focused on river corridor development planning. Experts discussed ways to develop an integrated, resilient and sustainable approach to river corridors in Nepal.
Four major issues were discussed: standards for hydropower infrastructure, criteria for river management, protection of river ecosystems, and preparedness required for development along river corridors.
The discussion brought together hydropower planning expert Diwas Basnyat, Institute of Engineering professor and water resources expert Pawan Bhattarai, disaster management expert Anil Pokharel, Centre for Hydrology and Water Resources Research Executive Director Sanjeev Baral, other sectoral experts and representatives of stakeholder organisations.
Joint Secretary Baral said the dialogue would help the commission reflect stakeholders’ concerns in the policy advice it provides to the government, while also building broader ownership of policies. The commission plans to hold the dialogue once every month.
Revised interest rate corridor system introduced
Focus of the policy dialogue
According to the commission, the initiative aims to develop a participatory and integrated framework for river corridor planning in Nepal. It will focus on sustainable development, disaster resilience, protection of river ecosystems and stronger coordination among the federal, provincial and local governments.
The dialogue will examine cascading risks affecting hydropower infrastructure, cumulative impacts of development and the relationship between upstream and downstream areas.
Discussions will also focus on maintaining a balance between infrastructure development and natural river systems, including river morphology, sediment continuity and ecosystem protection.
Other areas include early warning systems, real time monitoring, communication down to the local level, coordination among the three tiers of government and contingency financing for immediate disaster response.
Experts call for integrated approach
Participants stressed the need for an integrated strategy to protect hydropower projects, other infrastructure and riverside settlements in Nepal’s multi-hazard environment.
Officials from the Water and Energy Commission Secretariat said rivers should not be viewed only from the perspective of individual development projects. Planning should instead consider the entire river ecosystem and the relationship between upstream and downstream areas.
The Centre for Hydrology and Water Resources Research presented the agenda, highlighting problems emerging along river corridors and the need for an integrated national policy.
Hydropower expert Dr Diwas Bahadur Basnyat highlighted the rapid expansion of infrastructure along Nepal’s rivers and the cascading risks it could create. He stressed that the planning, design and operation of hydropower projects should be based on proper risk assessments.
Dr Pawan Bhattarai of Pulchowk Campus, Institute of Engineering, discussed river morphology, sediment continuity and protection of natural river areas. He said infrastructure should be developed without disrupting natural river flows and ecosystems.
Former National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority Executive Director Anil Pokharel stressed the need for real-time monitoring, early warning systems and effective communication down to the community level. He also called for contingency financing to ensure rapid rescue and relief operations after disasters.
During the open discussion, experts called for stronger coordination among federal, provincial and local governments. They also stressed the importance of incorporating local communities’ experience and knowledge into river corridor planning.
The Water and Energy Commission Secretariat said it would incorporate recommendations from the discussions into a concrete national framework for a River Corridor Development Plan, which could eventually be implemented across different river systems in Nepal.
