Non-Employment Conflict Management - Essay Example

Non-Employment Conflict Management Non employment Conflict Management Dams are among significant mechanisms of water resource structures. Dams amass and control water that is necessary to meet up the developmental goals of water distribution, energy generation, agriculture, industry and other sectors. The erections of dams have deep consequence on the social and natural landscape of the catchments region in which it is situated. Therefore, non-organizational conflicts may arise, as a result. The dam construction has overwhelming effects on the source of income of the affected people and ecosystems. In such cases, effective alternative dispute resolution techniques need to be employed to resolve the non-organizational conflicts that may arise (Bruckmeier, 2005). This paper will explain how the selected alternative dispute resolution techniques will mitigate the risks presented to the company by the non-organizational conflicts. The alternative dispute resolution techniques form an alternative solution to litigation. It will encompass of a concise appraisal of issues that require being well thought-out in dam development and operations and a preface evaluation of decision support systems. It will also show a plan that can be used to implement the alternative dispute resolution techniques. In conclusion, the paper will recommend the metrics the company may employ to review the efficacy of the alternative dispute resolution techniques selected. Potential Non-Organizational Conflict Identifications Constructing a dam entails the preliminary flooding for the formation of the reservoir and additional structures for instance: floodgates check dams and spillway, in the proximity of the original dam (Bartle, 2004). These constructions negatively influence the hydrology of the rivers and the movement pattern of fish by generating obstacles to their normal movement. This leads to decline in biodiversity and stocks of the fish population due to the modification of downstream and upstream of the aquatic environment. It also affects the fish species and a raise in the catch endeavor due to huge areas of arid periodical open water. In additional, the building of the dam may cause the crumple of fisheries owing to the loss of the floodplain habitation (Guariso and Werthner, 1989). Secondly, building of dams affects the livelihood of the communities found in the area where they are being constructed. Most of the indigenous communities’ practice farming and flooding reduce the land under agriculture. It also leads to the loss of wood gathering and fishing as a source of livelihood. In addition, it amplifies pressure on communal resources shared by pastoralists and farmers. For pastoralists, it leads to reduction in riverbank pasture while for fish farmers and fishermen; it leads to reduction in fish stocks and fisheries. This causes the decline in the economic value in the wetland that is higher compared to after the dam is put in place (Bartle, 2004). Thirdly, there is loss of natural resources present in the ecosystem. In areas where forests are present, deforestation takes place to create space for the dam construction. Deforestation promotes soil erosion especially from upstream to downstream (Bruckmeier, 2005). Moreover, the erosion leads occurring in the upstream areas causes sedimentation of the downstream areas. Furthermore, there is a rise in the salinity in the source of water, in towns located downstream of the dam. In the case of aquatic systems, the river bank is reduced during the drawdown and the reservoir acts as a form of a trap for contaminants. The releases of these contaminants have devastating effects on fish. The company will face resistance particularly from indigenous communities, environmentalists and civil society groups. This is due to resistance to relocate so as to create space for the construction of the dam (Reitsma, 1996). The relocation will cause a collapse in the long-established social organization because of loss of prehistoric sacred sites. Moreover, the people will be forced to out-migrate as a consequence of the decrease in farming land. However, the opposite may occur as other people might migrate to the area because of working on the dam or the emerging opportunities. Conversely, incidence of water borne diseases may increase, for instance malaria and schistosomiasis. Disputes may arise among different interest factions over the inadequate communal resources such as land and water. Preliminary flooding of the valley will cause loss of the natural habitat and niche of a variety of living creatures found in the area ( Reitsma, R.F. 1996). For example, rainforests have a high biodiversity which is lost after the construction of the dam. Some of the species may only be found in that particular region, and their death might cause their extinction. Nevertheless, the flooding may introduce some new species of plants downstream that may prove beneficial or colonize the habitat, thus, may cause a strain in the ecosystem. Therefore, the company may deploy the following alternative dispute resolution techniques to effectively mitigate the above conflict. Alternative Dispute Resolution Techniques/Risk Reduction The company has to guarantee reasonable sharing of the remuneration of the project, mainly to the vulnerable and affected population, through the development such as training programs, revenue sharing and educational outreach. The affected population whose land shall be affected should be given adequate compensation. Alternatively, the company will work jointly with the local authorities to relocate and resettle the affected communities. In addition, a scheme may be developed to offer the affected population with better living circumstances. This may include better physical conditions for the affected population. During the course of displacement, the company should guarantee it will be done in an equitable and fair mode. A stakeholder arbitration study is important for discovering dissimilar points and fundamental interests of the factions concerned. The arbitration idea of interests versus positions is useful when judging on how to plan and execute projects. The stakeholders may have different points of view, and becomes obvious that these views might not mirror their preferred result. Understanding the stakeholders’ tolerance and desires permits for flexibility in preparation and execution. It is vital to determine and appreciate each individual’s wellbeing, and why they embrace the position they are advocating for. The near the beginning participation of all stakeholders encourages discussion and frames the case around the needs, interests and positions of stakeholders. The company should conduct an Environmental Examination during the Dam Identification Phase. This will enable the company set an area for leisure and profitable fisheries for user group or community based fisheries management schemes. Moreover, the company would provide detour services for upstream and downstream movement of the fish, preservation of fish biodiversity in affected areas (estuary, delta, affluent streams, downstream river and sea) and creation of novel fisheries latent in reservoirs. Fisheries management actions will be carried out with the intent of averting damage to fish stock and fish biodiversity cropping up from building activities (Guariso and Werthner, 1989). The company will ensure that the local community knowledge is utilized during the planning of the project. Since the project will affect them both positively and negatively, their participation is most crucial. They are to be involved through all the development of the policies regarding the project planning and implementation. Thus, reduce the resistance that may occur to a bare minimum also allow the project to start as early as possible. The consultation of the various indigenous communities will put greater importance on achieving local requirements and, as far as likely, with full concern of all ecological, hydrological and socio-economic factors. The company would sustain other community communication, road and rail network linked with the project, especially electricity and water connection, where constructive benefits to the area will the end result. As a result, this will create various employment opportunities directly or indirectly to the people. Thus, it offers alternative sources of livelihood to the community since most of their livelihoods will either be lost or changed due to the dam construction. The improved infrastructure will in turn attract investment opportunities, thus increasing the source of livelihood for the affected communities. In addition, the company may source manpower and skilled workers from the locality to work on the project. The above alternative dispute resolution techniques will positively work since they address the issues that will arise as a consequence of the building of the dam. Offering employment and alternative source of income will give a reprieve effect of lost livelihoods. The involvement of the natives in the planning, and implementation of the project gives them the sense of part ownership, and this will reduce resistance. Taking into account the communities concerns and interests provide a perspective into the areas that may bring conflict. Therefore, the company may adjust or develop policies which will address the concerns and thereby reducing resistance and conflicts that may arise (Bruckmeier, 2005). The company is to engage in conservative fisheries management to control fishing attempt to shun overexploitation of the supply and guard biodiversity. Sound administration would uphold the supply of drifting fish variety at a high intensity. Apart from the profit due to the fishery, this serves to exhibit the significance of the migrating brood stockpile for the accessible river fishery, and rationalize management proposal to preserve stockpile throughout the project phase. Even if a development is ultimately shelved and the dam is by no means is built, the reimbursement of sound administration of the waterway fishery will still be noticeable and meaningful. Provision of improved living conditions and infrastructure may prove appealing to the communities. This in turn will better their living standards which they will positively embrace. The establishment of health care system to address the issue of water borne diseases may also help address other diseases present in the area. Therefore, the introduction of new systems and better living condition can be used as incentives which the company can use to convince the communities to embrace the project. A plan has to be created in which the above selected alternative dispute resolution techniques can be implemented. Implementation Plan for Alternative(s) The company will create a rehabilitation program during the resettlement exercise. This will ensure equity among families dislodged from the forest villages and those from revenue families. Displaced families would undergo rehabilitation with the aim of preserving the already existing structure of social groups in the impact area according to their preference. Measures will be set to eliminate the presence of middlemen and profiteers. In addition, it will introduce measures to guarantee that the communities’ migration to a new place is with no hardships. Under this plan, special care will be accorded to families of scheduled tribes, small and marginal farmers and scheduled castes. A commission will establish an appropriate means of compensation to the affected families. The value of the buildings, land and immovable assets, would be evaluated, and reasonable compensation be established. The committee will also ensure that viable land is allocated to the displaced families. The resettlement program will ensure that the resettlement of the displaced families involves full integration into the new community. Moreover, the affected families will be advised, assisted and encouraged to buy land from voluntary sellers. The compensation package will be comprehensive to ensure that individuals are compensated irrespective of whether they had land titles or were encroachers. The company shall establish a devoted and centralized staff, funds and responsibility to sustain assessment activities in the area. It will organize community participation activities to identify and recognize the affected and interested parties. This will enable the company collect the public views that it will later review and use. In addition, it will carry out community consultation activities and at the same time offer information and outreach to the community. Moreover, the involvement of the community in the planning and implementation during the dam construction ensures that some management systems are appropriately put in place. The company needs to deploy measures to measures to measure the effectives of the alternative dispute resolution techniques selected. Recommended Metrics The company may develop decision support systems to help water resource managers to make up to date decisions. They assist in structure decision development and sustain the study of allocation problems. These problems may involve difficult environmental, hydrological and socio-economic limitations and contradictory management objectives. In addition, they also encourage understanding of the system dynamics and aid in the communication of information to populace without technical aptitude, so that they can contribute more completely in the decision-making course. The intention of direct support systems is to provide water resource managers with an aid in making rational choices based, as far as possible, on an objective assessment of issues. They are useful in strategic planning, operation and management control. Moreover, they assist in evaluating hydraulic performance of different discharge regimes and the consequent repercussion for ecology and thus livelihoods of local communities. An independent research may be conducted, and research findings together with the direct support system from the project will be used to change predictions of diverse operating regimes. These can then be into quantified descriptions of economic, social, health and environmental impact for all stakeholders. The provision of this information enables the dam operator to optimize remuneration in an evenhanded way (Beekman, 2002). Conclusion It is clear that dams emphasize the multi-dimensional environment of sustainable growth and symbolize a microcosm of the tests expressed in water management. In their versatile utilization dams that convey the tests of the incorporated water resource board collectively into a sole position of focus. The social intricacy of the dam, associated conflicts is manifest in the quantity and type of stakeholders concerned; in conflicting positions, rights or values; in conflicting structures of knowledge, social attitudes and norms; and in uneven influence and power of actors. In opposition to this locale, decision support systems have a vital role to participate in sustaining decision-makers and improve the dam preparation and function for the gain of all stakeholders. The decision support systems have important ideologies that are useful in dam development and operation (Beekman, 2002). First, they assist in the assessment of the wider ecological and social background of conflicts, hence, facilitating compromise and mitigation to be established. Secondly, they facilitate incorporation of various sources of information from diverse systematic disciplines. In addition, they also comprise non-scientific contribution and, hone the focus on stakeholder participation in decision-making with the intention that all stakeholders play a part from early in the development. Finally, they aid in negotiation-based approaches to decision-making that optimistically lead to augmented collaboration and agreement building among dissimilar stakeholders. The variety of functions supplied by dams facilitates the provision of an assortment of benefits and makes them a key part of water resource expansion. Nonetheless, the multiplicities greatly obscure decision-making pertaining to dam development and operation. Dam preparation and function need decisions to be made concerning the timing and magnitude of release. Forming most favorable reservoir storage operating regimes and capacities has been a key focus of water agencies, accountable for the designing, planning and operation of dams for several years. Advances have been achieved in the expansion and use of a wide variety of tools to aid in the setting up and administration of intricate water resource schemes (Jamieson, 1996). References Bruckmeier, K. (2005). Interdisciplinary Conflict Analysis and Conflict Mitigation in Local Resource Management. Ambio, 34, 65-73. Beekman,G.B. (2002). Social Change and Water Resource Planning and Development. Water Resources Development, 18, 183-195. Guariso, G., and Werthner, H. (1989). Environmental Decision Support Systems. Chichester: Ellis Horwood Publications. Jamieson, D.G. (1986). An Integrated, Multi-functional Approach to Water Resources Management. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 31, 14-24. Reitsma, R.F. (1996). Structure and Support of Water-Resources Management and Decision- Making. Journal of Hydrology, 177, 253-268. Bartle, A. (2004). Renewed Commitment to Hydro and Dams Heralds a new Era for Development. Hydropower & Dams, World Atlas, 24, 3-8. Read More