india has rejected a report of the World Commission on Dams ( wcd ) that discussed the problems related to the construction of big dams. The government representatives also boycotted a meeting to discuss the report. The Union ministry of water resources sent a circular to its officials, asking them not to attend the meeting on the report, Dams and development: a new framework for decision making, held in New Delhi. It sent a letter to the commission stating that India was rejecting the report without giving any reasons. The meeting was held by the Independent Assessmentof the wcd and Society for Conflict Resolution, a Delhi-based non-governmental organisation. Medha Patkar of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, LCJain, former member of the Planning Commission and commissioners of the wcd were among those who attended the meeting. The meeting revealed that there is room for improvement in the report, which recommends that the decision-making process on construction of dams should be decentralised. Dams should be constructed only after taking 'prior consent' of the people who will be displaced. It emphasises that all options should be weighed before deciding on a suitable method to meet the water needs.
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