The Narayani is one of the major rivers of Nepal. It has a catchment area of 46,300 km2; most of it is in Nepal. It lies in Western Region of Nepal. It originaes from high himalayas and goes to Ganga-Bramhaputra in India. Daraudi, Seti, Madi, Kali Gandaki, Marshyandi, Budhi Gandaki and Trisuli are the seven tributaries of this river. It is also known as the Gandak in India.
Agreement of Gandak barrage was held on December 4, 1959 between the government of Nepal and Government of India. It was a common interest of both countries of Nepal and India to construct a barrage, canal, head regulators and other apparent works about 1000 feet below the existing Tribheni canal. In a treaty ensure about what are the benefits of Nepal but lacking about the right on water and land on local peoples.
The local communities inhabited within the catchments of Gandak Barrage has been facing the problem of insecurity, the conditions and benefits ensure as written in the treaty has not been equitably treated. Timely maintenance, care and management of the Gandak have not been regulated resulting the security situation of about 40 thousand peoples living around those areas has been a serious concern. The irrigation canal has severely damaged and the water flow now has hardly about 100 cubic sec, where in the treaty it should be about 300 cubic sec. The siphon (the flood control door) in rainy season mostly closed and thousand of families are being affected with dumping of water/flood particularly in rainy season. In regard with those problems, local communities has some initiatives and raised voices however they need to organized in a way that the right of those communities on water, land and resources should have been ensured as written in the treaty.
    Indreni's programs are mainly focus on natural resources (Water, Land & Forest). Especially on water rights issue, it had worked with partnership of Action Aid Nepal on the food security Program in the issue of Gandak project since January 2006 in the Nawalparasi district. The program was focused on advocacy capacity building of users group for good governance at organizational system. Similarly, now Indreni has been continuing Water Right Issue through “People Campaign on Water Right in Gandak”. Indreni especially focus on awareness rising on unequal gandak treaty, role & responsibility of users, to develop advocacy skill at local level to center level. As the effect of the program, users became able to delegation at water resource Ministry, water resource department and Barrage controller office of Balmikinagar, Bihar. User's also done to 34 day long strike on Western main cannel of India.  In that way, program only able to change the user's condition but not position and policy level. I.e., Indreni has been conducting various activities on Gandak Issue in order to aware and publicize it at national level so that the policy level should be compelled to rethink the Gandak treaty and do necessary amendment. Indreni now feel to create continue pressure through education, empowerment & mobilization of Gandak user's. The program will be pressure to State with the coordination of technical intellectual person/team, Gandak River Control Struggle Committee(GRCSC) (Water Concern Group) and tie up people's movement.  

Donor agency: Action Aid International Nepal
Project Goal:
    Empowering Local Communities to ensure the user’s Right on conservation, management and use of water, land and forest in Gandak Barrage.
Objectives:
1. To ensure the rights of the target communities for equitable share and distribution of benefits as agreed in the treaty.
2. To raise the awareness of the target community in legal rights and policy issues on water, land and other resources linked with Gandak and especially focused on Hydropower, Irrigation and Damping.
3. To initiate advocacy and lobbing on the issues of social securities, livelihood, dignity and the human rights.
4. Organize national campaign and participate in south Asian level campaign on water right coordinating with Koshi, Gandak and Mahakali.
Location of project:         13 VDCs of Nawalparasi
Pratappur, Jamuniya, Rupauliya, Triveni Susta, Kudiya, Paklihawa, Guthi Suryapura, Guthi Prasauni, Baidauli, Thulokhairatawa, Bhujahawa, Somani and Baidauli    
Project Duration:        2009 to Continue
No of Staff assign:    Ten
Major Activities:
•    Conduct REFLECTS Cercal.
•    Formation of Local and national level water concern network
•    Organize Press Conference.
•    I Interaction among government, political leaders, water user's groups & other stakeholders at local as well as national level.     
•    Organize workshop with Indo-Nepal Stakeholder for position of Problem identification & solution.
•    Mobilize the people organization (GRCSC) for local level to central level delegation and campaign.
•    Documentation & disseminate Gandak Agreement, meeting minute of coordination committee and other related documents of Gandak.
•    Develop visual documentary on gandak history and present condition.
•    Publication of articles, situation of technical & social aspect from local inhabitants.
•    Documentation of Gandak victims of 13 VDCs for compensation.

Program Strategies:
•    Mobilize the water user's group through the REFLECT circle for internalize the issue and create peoples movement.  
•    Formation & mobilization of local as well as national level water concern network for national & international lobbing.
•    Coordination with local concern group for water rights movement and campaign (Koshi, Mahakali, Khudalotan, Mahalisagar, Lakshamanpur & other related group)   
•    Documentation & disseminate learning's & reflection through Gandak resource center.
•    Coordination & cooperation to other organization which working on water issue.
•    Sensitization of stakeholders for water politics at district to center level.