Water Conflicts Workshop and Public Lecture on June 21

The ‘Forum for Policy Dialogue on Water Conflicts in India’ (Forum), Pune and Aaranyak, Guwahati are jointly organising a public lecture programme on June 21 where the Second Northeast Water Lecture would be delivered by Prof. Amita Baviskar, Institute of Economic Growth, New Delhi, on "Waterscapes: Bringing Culture and Power into the Debate on Rivers". On the same occasion a publication titled “Water Conflicts in Northeast India: A Compendium of Case Studies” published by the Forum recently will be released by Prof. A. C. Bhagabati, Former Vice Chancellor of Arunachal University, Itanagar and present Honorary Coordinator & Head of Division, North Eastern Regional Centre of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA). Prof. Dulal C. Goswami, renowned environmentalist, will chair the function to be held from 5 pm to 7 pm at the Conference Hall, NEDFi Convention Centre.

Prof. Amita Baviskar is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi. Her research focuses on the cultural politics of environment and development. Prof. Baviskar has taught at the University of Delhi, and has been a visiting professor at Stanford, Cornell and the University of California at Berkeley. She is the co-editor of the journal ‘Contributions to Indian Sociology’. She was awarded the 2005 Malcolm Adiseshiah Award for distinguished contributions to development studies. Some of her eminent publications include ‘In the Belly of the River: Tribal Conflicts over Development in the Narmada Valley’, ‘Waterlines: The Penguin Book of River Writings’, ‘Waterscapes: The Cultural Politics of a Natural Resource and Contested Grounds: Essays on Nature, Culture and Power’.

A workshop will also be held in the second half of 21st June and on 22nd June where the authors of the Compendium will discuss and review the case studies that they have contributed. The organisers have cordially invited all interested people to attend the public lecture programme. For more information about the whole event one may contact Dr. Partha J Das at 9435116558 and Madhumita Barthakur at 9859035743.