Sagarmatha Declaration and Programme of Action
Adopted at the International Consultation on Water Resource Development in
South Asia and the Report of the World Commission on Dams 8-10 December 2002, Kathmandu, Nepal

We, the participants from the countries of South Asia, namely, Nepal, India,
Pakistan, Bhutan and Sri Lanka have gathered together with our allies and
friends in Kathmandu, Nepal to review water resource policies and projects
relating to water and hydropower, to assert the inalienable rights of the
people of South Asia over the resources of our lands, and to ensure
people-centered development as well as justice and peace among all
communities and people in South Asia.

We proclaim the universal truth that ëWater is Lifeí and ëWater for Lifeí,
which has been affirmed by many people, governments, organisations and
networks in various forums.

We strongly assert that the absolute and sovereign rights of people and
communities to their lands and natural resources, such as water, rivers,
wetlands, coastal and marine resources, forest and minerals, must be
paramount in any debate, discussion and/or negotiations concerning water
resource development policies, plans or projects.

Having reviewed and discussed the situation in the above mentioned South
Asian countries, we recognise that many of the existing development policies
in the region are undemocratic, anti-people, anti-environment and anti-life.
Instead, the dominant so-called "mainstream" policies favour elite and
corporate interests, both national and global, including the imposition of
privatization, de-regulation and economic structural adjustment programmes.

We express our deep concern that in particular, centralised and large river
valley projects have resulted in serious conflict among people, between
people and the State and between States.

We recognise that South Asia has the second largest number of existing and
planned big dams, reservoirs and irrigation channels in the world. While
some of these projects have achieved certain benefits, although few have
matched target goals or expert predictions, they have overwhelmingly and
undeniably brought untold misery to the people and caused extensive and
irreversible environmental destruction that is beyond compensation.

We are also concerned that so-called development related planning and
intervention in the water and hydropower sectors throughout the entire
extent of the Himalayan region are being conducted haphazardly without a
clear and comprehensive regional policy that encompasses issues of human
rights, ecological consequences, genuine ecological and economic
sustainability, and cross-border concerns that involve countries beyond the
region, such as China.

We also recognise that the land and other natural resources of indigenous
and tribal peoples, Dalits, ethnic and/or national minorities are being
targeted and exploited, since they are often areas with high potential for
energy generation and water supply, while the oppressed populations are
particularly vulnerable to resource robbery. Implemented and planned
policies and legislations generally deprive such communities of their life
and livelihood.

We reaffirm the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the World
Commission on Dams. We see this report as a vindication of the resounding
claims being made worldwide regarding the destructive impact of river valley
projects and big dams and a thorough refutation of those who deny the
existence of viable alternatives to such detrimental practices. The report
also documents the large gap between realisable and realised benefits from
existing infrastructure, which needs to be bridged. We affirm that the WCD
report should be used as a framework for reviewing present water and
hydropower policies, for planning any future projects in the water and
hydropower sector, and also for addressing the outstanding social and
environmental impacts of existing dams.

We demand:

A legally enforceable right to information regarding planning,
decision-making, implementation, operation and decommissioning of all water
and energy resource projects for all affected or potentially affected
citizens in their mother tongue;

Clearly defined and legally binding norms of accountability for the
projection of costs, benefits and impacts of water and energy resource
projects; and

Capacity building of governments, institutions, Environment Impact
Assessment (EIA) agencies and peoples' organisations, to undertake credible
EIAs.

That EIAs should be:


Local

1. Recognition and respect of the inalienable and non-negotiable rights of
the people and communities to their land, forest and water resources,
including their legal right to approve or reject any development projects;
and

2. Creation of effective institutional frameworks to ensure the meaningful
participation of the people in planning, execution and monitoring of
projects, equitable access to generated or utilised resources, and local
reinvestment of an agreed upon portion of profits under the control and
according to the priorities of local people.

National

1. Moratorium on the construction of large dams until reparation to the
affected populations and resolution of all problems in the case of existing
dams has been achieved to the satisfaction of those concerned;

2. Participatory and credible review of on-going projects to find
sustainable and cost-effective options; and

3. Comprehensive, participatory and credible post-project evaluation of all
existing large dams must be mandated periodically with results in the reform
bindingly informing about future decisions.

Governments

1. To come forward and involve the people in a democratic, transparent and
accountable debate and discussion in planning and decision-making for water
and hydropower policies, plans and projects;

2. To protect water resources from privatisation, corporatisation and
commercialisation for profit; and instead to promote community-control and
protection of such resources as a common resource of the peoples and of the
future generations;

3. To adopt the decision-making framework proposed by the WCD for an
approach to development based on respect for rights, valuing of equity and
sustainability;

4. To take the path of de-centralised water management and energy planning
with the maximum use of renewable energy sources to meet the energy needs of
peoples and communities equitably;

5. To undertake economic, social, cultural and health impact assessments in
addition to EIA of dams and related projects; and

6. To undertake country-level reviews of the performance of large dams along
the lines of the work carried out by the WCD.

Regional/International

1. Water and water services be kept out of the World Trade Organisation and
all other trade negotiations and agreements;

2. Support for or the initiation of appropriate ways to make sufficient and
safe water and water services available for all;

3. All regional and international financial institutions, "donors",
investors and corporate bodies to adopt policies, guidelines, programmes and
projects consistent with the framework proposed by the WCD;

4. All regional and international treaties, agreements and other
constructive arrangements regarding water resources and supply to be
concluded according to existing regional and international human rights and
environmental standards and the WCD framework;

5. Co-operation and solidarity-building with international organisations and
non-governmental as well as local and community-based organizations in order
to facilitate capacity building, conflict resolution and education;

6. Full participation and involvement of the people of the concerned
countries in general, and affected people in particular, in any regional or
international treaty regarding water resources; and

7. A comprehensive regional Himalayan policy to inform all
development-related water resource project, planning and implementation in
the region.

We are collectively determined to take up the following Programme of Action:

1. Organise experience-sharing in decentralised and democratic approaches to
water and energy resource development and management in the region;
2. Conduct exchange programmes for activists and affected people to enhance
learning, understanding and cooperation on water, dams and energy issues;
3. Initiate inclusive dialogues to resolve on-going dam controversies and
promote an open process and framework for future decision-making;
4. Undertake impact assessment studies of past and present controversial
projects by applying the WCD criteria and guidelines, and suggest
alternatives for redesign or de-commissioning of dams if it is beneficial;
5. Conduct joint pro-active research to assist informed debate, better
decision-making and sustained campaigns for people-centered development;
6. Organise training and workshops for the implementation of the WCD report
and its recommendations as well as to understand various national, regional
and international policy guidelines and standards;
7. In view of the numerous instances of adverse trans-boundary impacts of
water resource projects in South Asia in general, and along the Nepal-India
border in particular, document the problems and disseminate those findings
as a first step towards resolution of the problems;
8. Correct the erroneous impression created by many officials in authority
and the media that Nepal is controlling and releasing flood waters to cause
floods in India;
9. Use as effectively as possible the existing available domestic and
international remedies for the protection of the rights and interests of
victims, while also working to improve, revise or replace the available
remedies with more effective ones;
10. Adopt all possible measures towards conflict resolution on water-related
issues from local to national and bi-lateral to multilateral levels;
11. Take collective initiative towards the adoption of South Asia and/or
international treaty on water and dams based on the WCD and other
international human rights and environmental law and policy framework; and
12. Establish a South Asia network and resource centre on water and energy.

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