Director General of Department of Hydrology and Meteorology Dr. Rishi Ram Sharma said that Nepal’s early warning system saved the life of hundreds of life in India during the last floods in the Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Addressing the launching program National Inception Workshop for Trans-boundary Rivers of South Asia, Director General Dr. Sharma said exchange of information is key to save the human life during the floods. “As an upper riparian country, Nepal shares flood information with India and Bangladesh.” said Sharma. “This is not same with us. India and China don’t share such information with us. “

He said that more than one third of water Basin of Mahakali River lies in India and Indian reluctant to share information regarding the flood in Indian side of Mahakali River. “As most of Nepal’s river originated in Tibetan Autonomous region of China, Chinese information flood information key to save life in Nepal,” said Dr. Sharma.”Had we received the information regarding the glacier outburst two years ago, we will save at least a hydropower in Bhotekosi.”

Chaired by Dr. Arju Deuba Rana, vice chairman of National Planning Commission Dr. Swarnim Wagle also addressed the launching of five year program The Trans-boundary Rivers of South Asia (TROSA) 2017.

Jointly implemented by OXFAM and its partners to understand and address the challenges and working to create the condition to reduce poverty in river basin communities in Ganges and Brahmaputra Meghna (GBM) and the Salween basis, Dr. Wagle highlighted the Mahakali Integrated project in the context of sharing of benefits of Trans Boundary Rivers.

Implemented with objectives of improved policies and practice of governments that protect the rights of river basin communities to water resources, improved  policies and practice of private sector and other sectors that respect the rights of river basin communities to water resources, strengthening capacity of river basin communities and civil society to influence trans-boundary water resource management  and amplification of women’s profile and influence in dialogues and decision making on water management and water infrastructures, the five year program will launch various programs in the region.

Implemented by OXFAM International, ICIMOD, WWF, Stockholm International Water Institute and International Rivers, the program is supported by Government of Sweden.

National Partners in Nepal include Nepal Environment and Equity Development Society (NEEDS-Nepal) Kanchanpur, Rural Women’s Development an Unity Center (RUWDUC) Dadeldhura, Sankalpa Nepal (Darchula) and Rural Development and Environment Management Society (RUDES), Baitadi.

“This program is going to most significant and important in the context of implementation of local level and provincial system in Nepal,” said Dinesh Thapaliya, secretary at Ministry of Local Development and Federal Affairs. “Ministry Hope that this program will enhance the governance capability of province and local level.”

Secretary at Water and Energy Commission Secretariat Madhshudhan Adhikari expressed the hope that this program will address the problems faced by the people living in the region. “As WECS is preparing the National Water Strategy in the changing context of federal set up, this program will contribute us to understand the community model.

Secretary of Prime Minister Office Mahendra Gurung and Secretary of Irrigation also highlighted the importance of Trans-boundary Rivers of South Asia. Similarly, joint secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bhrigu Dhungana said that the Ministry highlighted the importance of trans-boundary rivers.

OXFAM country director of Oxfam Nepal Cecilia Keizer said that the Nepal component of the program will be launched in the Mahakali River basin with our local partners with inclusive water governance.

Rina Pradhan from ICIMOD presented importance of community based flood early warning system in the country like Nepal.