Videos, pictures, reports, podcasts and more! “Interrogating ‘Cauvery Calling’: Issues of Ecologies, Cultures & Livelihoods”

November 29, 2019June 20, 2023 John V

We are happy to share with you videos, pictures, podcasts, and reports of the hugely successful and extremely insightful seminar on “Interrogating ‘Cauvery Calling’: Issues of Ecologies, Cultures and Livelihoods” organised by Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai and Coalition for Environmental Justice in India (CEJI) at Chennai on 23rd November 2019.

Speakers, panelists and participants in the seminar engaged in inter-disciplinary conversations that explored River Cauvery’s ecology, hydrology, agriculture, economy, pollution, extraction, culture and livelihoods. In effect, the conversations traversed multiple dimensions of the river’s 83,000 Sq. Kms. watershed.

In addition, the conversations also probed the dynamics of the ‘Cauvery Calling‘ campaign, and brought to light various concerns, including, especially, the nature of support extended, rather uncritically, by State and National agencies, and also a variety of UN bodies, well known personalities and financial institutions.

In the process the kind of strategies and actions needed to revive the Cauvery so that it could continue to sustain its diverse ecosystems and the futures of millions of peasants, pastoralists, and urban residents, were highlighted.

We invite you to engage with these conversations and look forward to your comments, criticisms and interventions to ensure the revival of Cauvery is rational, ecologically wise, transparent, accountable and democratic.

The extraordinary contribution of students and staff of ACJ in compiling excellent video, audio and print reports of the proceedings is gratefully acknowledged.

Please be sure to check ESG Facebook and Twitter pages for updates, and also do follow reports on ACJ’s Facebook page, YouTube channel, Asiaville and ACJ Newsline for more coverage.

Thank you for your solidarity and support.

ESG Team

Read ‘The Word’, an excellent report of the seminar by the students of Asian College of Journalism:

Why-This-Cauvery-Calling Download

Watch the complete video of the seminar click here (9 hours!), or scroll below of sections.

Session 1: Welcome note, Contextualizing the Seminar, Keynote Address

Welcome note by Mr. Sashi Kumar, Chairman, Asian College of Journalism; Contextualising the Seminar Mr. Leo F. Saldanha, Coordinator, Environment Support Group; Keynote Address by Dr. Mihir Shah, Chair, Committee to draft National Water Policy, Government of India and Former Member, Planning Commission, Government of India.

Mr. Sashi Kumar delivering the welcome speech

Leo F Saldanha contextualising the seminar

Dr. Mihir Shah delivering the Keynote Address

Watch the complete video of the introductory session and the keynote address here:

Introductory session

Keynote address

Listen to the podcast of the introductory session:

Read live updates of the introductory session and of the first panel here:

Panel 1: Hydrological and Ecosystem
Dynamics of Cauvery

Panelists: Dr. Jagdish Krishnaswamy, Senior Fellow Suri Sehgal Centre for
Biodiversity and Conservation; Ms. Suprabha Seshan, Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary, Wayanad and Panel Chair, Mr. Viju B, Journalist and Author of “Flood and Fury“

Watch the complete panel here:

Watch the highlights of the panel:

Listen to the podcast of panel 1:

(Please note, live highlights of Panel 1 are clubbed along with the live highlights of the Introductory session).

Panel 2: Is Agroforestry sufficient to save Cauvery?

Panellists: Dr. Shrinivas Badiger, Fellow, Centre of Environment and Development, Ashoka Trust for Research and Ecology; Mr. M. Siva, Environmental Activist, Noyyal River Basin along with Panel Chair, Dr. P. S. Easa, Former Director, Kerala Forest Research Institute and Trustee – Care Earth Trust

Watch the complete video of panel 2 here:

Watch the Panel 2 highlights here:

Listen to the podcast of Panel 2 here:

Read the live updates of Panel 2, click here:

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Panel 3: Is Extractive Development
Affecting Cauvery?

Panellists: Mr. G. Sundarrajan, Poovulagin Nanbargal (Friends of Earth); Mr. Piyush Manush, Conservationist, Salem; Mr. Bittu Sahgal, Editor, Sanctuary Asia and Founder, Sanctuary Nature Foundation – (Video Link); Dr. R. Nagendran, Formerly Expert Member of National GreenTribunal
(Video Link) along with Panel Chair, Ms. Bhargavi S. Rao, Environmentalist

The 3rd Panel chaired by Bhargavi Rao with Piyush Manush and Sundarajan, and joined in by Bittu Sahgal and Dr. R. Nagendra with video messages

Watch the complete video of Panel 3 here:

Watch the highlights of Panel 3 here:

Dr. R Nagendran, Former Expert Member, National Green Tribunal

Bittu Sahgal, Editor, Sanctuary Magazine

Listen to the podcast of Panel 3 here:

Read the live updates of Panel 3 here:

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Panel 4: Securing Food and Livelihood Security in Cauvery Basin

Panellists: Mr. S. Ranganathan, General Secretary, Tamil Nadu Cauvery Delta Farmers Welfare Association; Dr. S. Janakarajan, President, South Asia Consortium for Interdisciplinary Water Resources Studies along with Panel Chair, Dr. Venkatesh Athreya, Economist

Panel chair, Dr. Venkatesh Athreya (R) with Mr. Janakarajan

Watch the complete video of Panel 4 here:

Watch the highlights of Panel 4 here:

Listen to the podcast of Panel 4, click here:

Read the live updates of Panel 4, click here:

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Panel 5: Cultural History and its importance to conservation of Cauvery Basin

Panellists: Prof. Thanga Jayaraman, Professor & Author; Dr. Rama Kausalya, Cultural Historian along with Panel Chair, Ms. V. R. Devika, Gandhi scholar & Founder – Aseema Trust

Watch the complete video of Panel 5 here:

Watch the highlights of Panel 5, click here:

Listen to the podcast of Panel 5, click here:

To read the live updates of Panel 5, click here:

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Panel 6: Political and Governance
Issues relating to the Cauvery

Panellists: Mr. Jayaram Venkatesan, Convenor – Arappor Iyakkam, Chennai; Mr. Henri Thipagne, Peoples Watch, Madurai; Mr. Nityanand Jayaraman, Journalist along with Panel Chair, Ms. Dhanya Rajendran, Editor, The News Minute

Watch the complete video of Panel 6 here:

Watch the highlights of Panel 6 here:

Listen to the podcast of Panel 6 here:

Read the live updates of Panel 6 here:

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Ways Forward

Panellists: Mr. N. Ram, Chairman, The Hindu Group Publishing; Chairpersons of Panels; Ms. Medha Patkar, Narmada Bachao Andolan (Video Message); Dr. Vandana Shiva, Navdanya, (Video Message); Followed by Q & A session moderated by Leo F Saldanha