Dakshin Foundation

Sudarshan Rodriguez

Sudarshan

QUALIFICATIONS

1999 P.G Diploma Environmental Law (Centre for Environmental Law, WWF-Delhi)
1997 M.Sc Environmental Assessment and Evaluation, London School of Economics and Political Science
1996 M.Sc in Environmental Science (Bishop Heber College)

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MAJOR PROJECTS

I started my career with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), New Delhi as a Programme Development Specialist in their Environment and GEF Division, and was responsible for formulating, reviewing, designing and managing new project concepts and ideas in the GEF areas of biodiversity, land degradation, POPs and international waters.

I was the project coordinator for the first phase of the UNDP Post-Tsunami Environment Project Initiative (PTEI) jointly executed by the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF), Mysore, the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Bangalore and the Citizen consumer and civic Action Group (CAG), Chennai This phase provides a snapshot survey of impacts to coastal environments and communities over large spatial scales, the status of relief and rehabilitation efforts till date and analyses the potential impact of development activities on coastal vulnerability. I was responsible for assisting research teams in this project by collating the status of relief and rehabilitation measures from various sources in all tsunami-affected districts. This includes coordinating the team of researchers (both natural science and social science) collecting data and analyzing relief and rehabilitation efforts.

My recent assignment was as a coordinator of the sociology component of the phase 2 of the PTEI project with ATREE. This dealt with research on the socio-ecological aspects and implications of the December 2004 tsunami and subsequent rehabilitation that followed interfacing with the ecology, fisheries, rehabilitation and policy. It involves studies of community perceptions and community institutions.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Having a multi-disciplinary background and training covering science, social science and legal dimensions of the environment, I feel the need for systems integration in disciplines in the approach to addressing some of the challenges on conservation, development and livelihood issues. My research interest includes inter-disciplinary dimensions of coastal and marine conservation especially; coastal management, community institutions, indigenous knowledge, climate change, socio-ecological resilience and rights based discourse and approaches in coastal-marine conservation.

I’ve worked in several locations with a range of civil society groups on the Indian coast on marine-coastal conservation and livelihood matters. My work affords me the opportunity to work closely and support several fishworker and NGO groups in their efforts at addressing challenges to sustainable and equitable use of natural resources. I am also engaged in advocacy related activities and networking with various stakeholders on the coast consisting of conservation, environment and fish worker groups involved with coastal-marine conservation and livelihood issues by providing policy, advocacy and capacity building support to these various groups.

PUBLICATIONS

Articles

Rodriguez, S & A. Sridhar. 2008. Dhamra Port: How Environmental Regulatory Failure Fuels Corporate Irreverence. Indian Ocean Turtle Newsletter 8: 19-23

Rodriguez, S. 2007. Review of the Environmental Impacts of the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project, Indian Ocean Turtle Newsletter No 6. July 2007. Bangalore.

Menon, M., S. Rodriguez and A. Sridhar. 2007. Coastal Zone Management Notification ‘07 – Better or bitter fare? , EPW

Reports

Rodriguez, S., G. Balasubramanian, M. P. Shiny, M. Duraiswamy and P. Jaiprakash. 2008. Beyond the Tsunami: Community Perceptions of Resources, Policy and Development, Post-Tsunami Interventions and Community Institutions in Tamil Nadu, India. UNDP/UNTRS, Chennai and ATREE, Bangalore, India. p 71.

Sridhar, A., M. Menon, S. Rodriguez and S., Shenoy. 2008. Coastal Management Zone Notification ‘08 –The Last Nail in the Coffin. ATREE, Bangalore. pp 81.

Rodriguez, S. 2008. Review of Social and Socio-ecological Impacts and Implications of Tsunami and Rehabilitation, Paper presented at International Conference on ‘ Re-examining Disaster, Recovery and Reconstruction: Social Science Perspectives on the Tsunami at Jawaharlal Nehru University, 14th and 15th January, 2008, New Delhi. (in press)

Rodriguez, S. 2007. A preliminary socio-ecological review of post-tsunami ecosystem-derived Livelihoods & Rehabilitation efforts. In: Post-Tsunami Ecological and Social Impact Assessments in Mainland India. UNDP,NCF,ATREE, and CAG. 151-191 p.

Rodriguez, S., J. John, R. Arthur, K. Shanker, A. Sridhar. 2007. Review of Environmental and Economic Aspects of the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project (SSCP). pp 76.

Rodriguez, S and Mukherjee, N. 2007. Role of the World Bank in Post-Tsunami Rehabilitation and Environment /Disaster Mitigation, presented at Independent People’s Tribunal on the World Bank, 21-24tSeptember, 2007. New Delhi.

Sridhar, A., R. Arthur, D. Goenka, B. Jairaj, T. Mohan, S. Rodriguez and K. Shanker. 2006. Review of the Swaminathan Committee Report on the CRZ Notification, UNDP, New Delhi.

Rodriguez, S. 2004. Challenges for Marine and Coastal Management in India, Proceedings of symposium organised by the Indian Maritime Foundation, Pune, 10th March 2004. Indian Maritime Organisation. Bombay.