Fair and Equitable Approach Using GIS for Solving the Krishna River Conflict, India
Publisher: University of Moratuwa
Author(s): Siddharth Chaudhary, Durga Prasad Panday, and Duraprasad Panday
Date: 2019
Topics: Conflict Causes, Data and Technologies, Dispute Resolution/Mediation, Governance, Land, Renewable Resources
Countries: India
Conflict occurs between people in all kinds of human relationships and in all social settings. Because of the wide range of potential differences among people, the absence of conflict usually signals the absence of meaningful interaction. Since water is one of the most precious and indispensable resource of human kind, it is hence also a source of problems and tensions. Many methods and doctrines have evolved over the years in order to address the different situations. Out of all the methods, the method of fairness and equity (F&E) using GIS is undoubtedly, the best one as it let the different parties address the issue themselves on the basis of procedural and distributive justice. The present paper deals with the conflict resolution of the Krishna water conflict between the riparian states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Four factors have been identified on the basis of geography and hydrology of the basin which includes Drainage Area, Virgin runoff contribution, Cultivable area and the water quality. Simulated discharge for different gauging sites have been and been calculated using SWAT which is a public domain software which is freely available. Datasets used in this study are freely available like digital elevation model (DEM), soil map and land use land cover (LULC). Water quality has been addressed separately as unlike other factors it may lead to deduction of the area on the penalty basis (because of degradation). The cooperated negotiation method has been used to allocate the share amongst the states based on fairness and equity. The allocation should serve the purpose as it has been reached by the states themselves. The analysis has been performed for the annual average flow category only.