Water is the basic need for the survival of human beings and is part of the right to life and human rights as enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution of India....and is fundamental human rights implicit in the right to “life”.

In the Constitution, water is a matter included in Entry 17 of List-II i.e. State List. This entry is subject to the provision of Entry 56 of List-I i.e. Union List.

Therefore, primarily, management of Intra-state river water remains with the concerned State Governments. However, management of Inter-state river water is to be administered by the Union Government. It is done through various Legal Instruments such as –

► Parliamentary Acts

► The River Boards Act, 1956

► Water Dispute Tribunal Awards

► Judicial orders

► Agreements / MoUs

❖ Some of the River Management Boards established in India:

► Damodar Valley Corporation (1948)

► Tungbhadra Board (1955)

► Bhakhra Beas Management Board (1976)

► Betwa River Board (1976)

► Bansagar Control Board (1976)

► Narmada Control Authority (1980)

► Brahamputra Board (1982)

► Upper Yamuna River Board (1995)

► Godavari River Management Board (2014)

► Krishna River Management Board (2014)

► Cauvery Management Authority (2018)

Let’s take a look at the constitution and functioning of the first Water Management body constituted in the Independent India.

DAMODAR VALLEY CORPORATION (DVC)

❖ Damodar river spans over an area of 25,235 sq. km covering the states of Bihar (now Jharkhand) & West Bengal. Damodar valley has been ravaged frequently by serious floods in 1730, 1823, 1848, 1856, 1882, 1898, 1901, 1916, 1923, 1935 & 1943. After the catastrophe caused by the 1943 flood, the then Government of Bengal appointed a Board of Enquiry titled "Damodar Flood Enquiry Committee, which suggested creation of an Authority similar to the Tennessee Valley Authority of USA, and recommended the construction of dams and storage reservoirs.

To be continued in part 2 ....