Bhopal, Jan 13: With a view to deliberating on river conservation and riverwater use, a three-day Antarrashtriya Nadi Mahotsav gets underway on February 23 at Hoshangabad district's Bandrabhan that is the confluence of the Narwada and Tawa rivers. ''About 500 experts from India and abroad will take part in the first gathering of its kind in India,'' writer Anil Madhav Dave, who has studied aspects related to the Narmada -- Madhya Pradesh's lifeline -- told journalists here today. The participants will include more than two dozen from Germany, Japan, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and other countries.

Claiming that rivers were losing their basic form due to environmental imbalance, he called for a combined initiative against this by representatives of society and government besides the common man.

''Discussions will include those on water, river banks, jungles, land, lifestyle, pollution, culture and agriculture. Suggestions will be forwarded to the Centre and state governments. The event is being organised by Narmada Samagrah, an organisation working on the Narmada,'' Dave added.