A National Framework for Sediment Management is certainly a long standing requirement and any move in that direction would have been welcome. Not only because the sediment accumulation destroys storage capacity of India’s Dams, created at such massive costs. But also because sediment is an integral part of river flow and also very important for the rivers to stop or reduce erosion at deltas. There are other issues related to sediment including creation and disposal of toxic sediment and impact of sediment free water flowing downstream from the hydropower projects.
But we need much more serious and sincere efforts in this direction than what has been suggested in following government press release. The movement on such an important subject is so snail paced, half hearted, non-comprehensive, unscientific and non-sincere that it is not clear how this is going to help.
CWC National Framework for Sediment Management There is an urgent need for sustainable management of sediments in reservoirs and rivers in the country, a senior Central Water Commission (CWC) official said on June 19, 2023, adding an estimated 34 billion cubic meters (BCM) out of 258 BCM of live storage has already been lost. CWC Chairman Kushvinder Vohra said that average loss of gross storage is about 0.45 per cent per year, and that of live and dead storage is about 0.3 per cent and 0.95 per cent per year, respectively. This results in a huge economic loss over a period of time, he said at the national workshop on Integrated Management of Sediments in River Basins and Reservoirs for Sustainable Development.
– National Framework for Sediment Management has been notified in 2023 by DoWR & GR and provides comprehensive framework for management of sediments in river and reservoir simultaneously, covering statutory aspects of sedimentation, its environmental impact & various clearance. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1933453 (19 Jun 2023) National Framework for Sediment Management. https://nmcg.nic.in/writereaddata/fileupload/52_National%20Framework%20for%20Sediment%20Management%20-%20English%20(1).pdf
HYDRO POWER PROJECTS
SANDRP Blog Vyasi Hydro: Village Drowned; River Dried but little power generation As the adverse impacts and failures of Vyasi HEP have come in open, the UJVNL and contractors’ lobby have started promoting Lakhwar dam as a panacea for all the shortcomings of the Vyasi HEP. Recently the L&T company is learnt to have secured Rs. 3200 crore tenders for civil construction work of the Lakhwar dam project and has started building shelters for workforce there. The work on the dam is reportedly to begin after the south west monsoon 2023.
The proposed massive 204-m high Lakhwar dam, if built, will further turn more than 40 km stretch of free-flowing Yamuna into a watery grave apart from submerging over 50 villages. Sadly, in the global era of large dam removal and in the face of growing dam induced disasters in Himalayan region, the Indian government is still investing in such multi-billion giant dam project on the basis of four-decade old questionable feasibility and EIA reports to cover up the follies of Vysai HEP instead of learning lessons from it. https://sandrp.in/2023/06/26/vyasi-hydro-villages-drowned-river-dried-but-little-power-generation/ (26 June 2023)
Report जलवायु परिवर्तन और ज्यादा बारिश से जलविद्युत परियोजनाओं पर पड़ेगा असर साउथ एशिया नेटवर्क ऑन डैम्स, रिवर्स एंड पीपल्स (SANDRP) के कोऑर्डिनेटर हिमांशु ठक्कर ने मोंगाबे इंडिया से बताया, “मैंने पिछले 15 सालों में नदी घाटी परियोजनाओं को लेकर पर्यावरण एवं वन मंत्रालय और इसकी एक्सपर्ट अप्रेजल कमेटी को कई चिट्ठियां लिखी हैं। हम मांग कर रहे हैं कि खासकर कमजोर हिमालय क्षेत्र में जलवायु परिवर्तन के खतरे के आकलन के लिए पर्याप्त स्टडी की जाए उसके बाद ही जल विद्युत परियोजनाओं और बांधों को अनुमति दी जाए। जलविद्युत परियोजनाओं से जुड़ी नीतियों में सुधार की जरूरत है। इन प्रोजेक्ट से पहले इलाके की मौजूदा आपदा क्षमताओं का अध्ययन किया जाना चाहिए। साथ ही, यह भी समझना चाहिए कि इन इलाकों में नए प्रोजेक्ट बनाने और उन्हें चालू करने के बाद किस तरह के नए खतरे पैदा हो सकते हैं।”
हिमांशु ठक्कर बताते हैं, “2014 की रवि चोपड़ा कमेटी और पहले भी कई बार EWS का सुझाव दिया गया है। इसके बावजूद ज्यादातर जल विद्युत परियोजनाएं ऐसी हैं जिनमें EWS नहीं है, जबकि इससे कई लोगों की जान बचाई जा सकती है। चाहे वह साल 2021 के फरवरी महीने में चमोली में आई बाढ़ हो या फिर हिमालयी राज्यों की अन्य जलविद्युत परियोजनाओं में आई बाढ़, EWS की कमी की वजह से ज्यादा नुकसान हुआ है। आज भी भारत में शायद ही ऐसा कोई जलविद्युत प्रोजेक्ट होगा जिसमें ऐसा अडवांस EWS सिस्टम लगा हो जिस पर भरोसा किया जा सके, उसकी प्रक्रिया पारदर्शी हो और उसके लिए किसी की जिम्मेदारी तय हो। EWS से जुड़ी सारी जानकारी निश्चित रूप से सार्वजनिक तौर पर उपलब्ध होनी चाहिए ताकि सभी को इसके बारे में पता हो और जिम्मेदारी तय की जा सके।” https://hindi.mongabay.com/2023/06/26/hydropower-projects-vulnerable-to-warming-climate-and-increased-precipitation/ (26 June 2023)
Uttarakhand Revisiting Kedarnath tragedy after a decade Himanshu Thakkar, coordinator of SANDRP said, “It has been a decade now, yet, Uttarakhand has not taken effective measures to build a robust and strong resilient disaster preparedness mechanism despite facing disasters at regular intervals.” https://www.thehansindia.com/news/national/revisiting-uttarakhand-tragedy-after-a-decade-804605 (22 June 2023)
‘Bandh’ to protest construction of Helang-Marwari bypass Atul Sati, convenor of Joshimath Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, told this TNIE, “The proposed bypass has been continuously opposed since 1990 and once the Allahabad High Court had given a stay on it considering the geological condition of Joshimath. The intention of the government has always been to build it. “Our concern is that digging a bypass at the root of Joshimath will pose a serious threat to the existence of Joshimath, so alternatives should be considered,” Sati added.
-Speaking to The New Indian Express, Joshimath Vyapar Mandal general secretary Jai Prakash Bhatt said, “The traders are demanding that the report of the expert committee that probed the causes of the natural calamity after the land submergence has not been made public yet. Nor have the residential buildings of Joshimath has been allowed to be rebuilt. On what basis is the government starting construction on the Helang-Marwari bypass?”, questioned trade leader Bhatt. https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2023/jun/23/joshimath-observe-bandh-to-protest-construction-of-helang-marwari-bypass-2587885.html (23 June 2023)
Himachal Pradesh HC impleads govt over un-controlled, unscientific blasting during Luhri HEP work In a matter pertaining to the damage caused by uncontrolled and unscientific blasting while executing the work of Luhri Hydroelectric Project, Phase-1, Rampur in Shimla district, the High Court of Himachal has suo moto impleaded the state govt through its Chief Secretary, as party respondent. Further, the Court has directed the Secretary, District Legal Services Authority Kinnaur at Rampur Bushahar, to submit a report on the dumping of muck, as also the damage caused to the rock which is said to be above Narola village under Neeerath panchyat of Rampur Bushahr tehsil of Shimla district, which might cause threat to the life and property of the people of the said village. A Division Bench, comprising the Chief Justice M S Ramachandra Rao and Justice Ajay Mohan Goel, passed this order on a petition taken up suo moto as Public Interest Litigation by the High Court. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/shimla/hc-impleads-hp-govt-over-un-controlled-and-unscientific-blasting-during-execution-of-luhri-hydroelectric-project-work/articleshow/101222738.cms (23 June 2023)
Govt plans to increase the free power royalty from hydropower projects in the state and also apply the same rates to CPSU HEPs and also to BBMB projects. It plans to increase the free power royalty to 15% (current 12%0 for first 12 years, 20% (Current 18% for next 18 years) and 30% (same for the next 10 years). Currently CPSUs like SJVAN give royalty at flat 12% for all years. CPSUs also do not return the projects to state after 40 years, unlike private projects. BBMB does not pay any royalty. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/govt-all-set-to-hike-free-power-royalty-518339 (19 June 2023)
Andhra Pradesh The government is in the final stage of approving 12 pumped-hydro storage plants with a total estimated capacity of 15,000 Mw in the state. https://thesouthfirst.com/andhrapradesh/what-is-pumped-hydro-storage-andhra-pradesh-is-set-to-approve-12-more-plants-as-part-of-its-green-energy-drive/ (22 June 2023)
Third Pole Himalayas deserves political attention The assessment of glaciers, snow, and water in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region shows huge changes in the offing for eight watershed countries. The key sentence in the most comprehensive report to date on the Hindu Kush Himalayan “cryosphere”, or icy areas, is that the region is “undergoing unprecedented and largely irreversible changes over human timescales, primarily driven by climate change”.
– The assessment, released on 20 June by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), describes vast changes: glaciers are retreating more quickly, snowfall days are dwindling, permafrost is melting. These will have key impacts on states, societies, and biodiversity. https://www.thethirdpole.net/en/climate/drastic-changes-himalayas-ice-snow-water-deserves-political-attention/ (23 June 2023)
Study Himalayan glaciers could lose 80% of their volume The report from ICIMOD warned that flash floods and avalanches would grow more likely in coming years, and that the availability of fresh water would be affected for nearly 2 billion people who live downstream of 12 rivers that originate in the mountains.
Among the key findings from the report are that the Himalayan glaciers disappeared 65% faster since 2010 than in the previous decade and reducing snow cover due to global warming will result in reduced fresh water for people living downstream. The study found that 200 glacier lakes across these mountains are deemed dangerous, and the region could see a significant spike in glacial lake outburst floods by the end of the century.
The study found that communities in the mountain regions are being affected by climate change far more than many other parts of the world. It says changes to the glaciers, snow and permafrost of the Hindu Kush Himalayan region driven by global warming are “unprecedented and largely irreversible.” https://apnews.com/article/himalayan-glaciers-climate-change-melting-85cf414573ed8a9fbde4cb56ecf4fdd7 (20 July 2023)
Major rivers in the Himalayas including those in eastern and northeastern India are set to suffer. The report also observes that “floods and landslides are projected to increase over the coming decades” and warns that the effects on fragile mountain habitats may turn out to be “particularly acute”. https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/climate-change/icimod-report-rings-warning-bells-for-rivers-of-east-northeast-india-90154 (20 Jun 2023)
Melting Hindu Kush Himalayas will decrease water in river basins by 2100, warns ICIMOD https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/climate-change/melting-hindu-kush-himalayas-will-decrease-water-in-river-basins-by-2100-warns-icimod-90129 (20 June 2023)
Report When Green Energy Pollutes The Green energy projects also have significant environmental impacts that cannot be ignored. Hydroelectric power, which is based on damming rivers and flooding vast areas when reservoirs are created, destroys aquatic wildlife, alters downstream habitats, and causes the subsequent release of greenhouse gases such as methane. The energy generation from rivers necessitates the construction of dams, which function as artificial barriers to both water and its inhabitants. As a result, fish are impeded from migrating for reproduction, rivers lose the capacity to transport sufficient water and sediment to support downstream flora, and the stagnant water in dam reservoirs facilitates the production of greenhouse gases by bacteria. Russia, for example, lost billions of dollars worth of caviar production and prime pastureland when it built a cascade of hydropower stations on the Volga River. Many thousands of acres of forests were destroyed in Siberia when the mighty Ob & Yenisey were dammed. https://www.forbes.com/sites/arielcohen/2023/06/21/the-inconvenient-truth-when-green-energy-pollutes/ (21 June 2023)
DAMS
Polavaram Project CPM to take up Polavaram Poru YatraThe objective of the rally is to expose how the State and Central governments have deceived the families who have been displaced due to the Polavaram Project. https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/vijayawada/2023/jun/20/cpm-to-take-up-polavaram-poru-yatra-from-today-2586728.html (20 June 2023)
Madhya Pradesh Interesting to see CWC talking about sudden water release from dams leading to erosion of river banks and siltation downstream dams. It also advised MP to not focus only on Big dams to increase storage capacity.
Gujarat Govt to seek hike in Narmada water share As the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal (NWDT) prepares to review the Dec 7, 1979 NWDT awarded allocation of Narmada water to stakeholder states in 2024 at the end of 45 years, the Gujarat government has initiated a crucial process to determine the state’s water requirement.
– Under the 1979 award, the total water availability in the Narmada basin from July 1 to June 30 stood at 28 million acre-feet (MAF), with Gujarat receiving 9MAF, Madhya Pradesh getting 18.25MAF, and Maharashtra and Rajasthan being awarded 0.25MAF each. “However, the Narmada canal network has increased substantially and the area under Narmada irrigation has also increased. Similarly, the population has doubled since the NWDT pronounced its last award. A substantial hike in water allocation for the state will be demanded,” said a source in the state government. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/gujarat-to-seek-hike-in-narmada-water-share/articleshow/101229871.cms (24 June 2023)
NBA बे-पानी बड़वानी के पडौस में सूखती नर्मदा By मेधा पाटकर: ‘सरदार सरोवर’निर्माण के दौरान जो सब्जबाग दिखाए गए थे उनमें पेयजल, सिंचाई और निस्तार के लिए भरपूर पानी का वायदा अव्वल था। आज करीब छह दशक बाद इस वायदे की हकीकत क्या है? सदानीरा नर्मदा के लगभग किनारे पर बसे बड़वानी कस्बे में पानी को लेकर हाहाकार मची है। आखिर क्यों होता है, वायदों और असलियत के बीच यह विरोधाभास? https://www.spsmedia.in/dam-and-displacement/narmada-drying-up-in-the-neighborhood-of-barwani-without-water/ (22 June 2023)
Uttar Pradesh 22 of 45 dams in Bundelkhand, 12 of 26 dams in Jhansi and 7 of 15 dams in Chitrakoot reached dead storage. Officials say water released in canals to fill ponds and lakes as reason for dead storages, fear lack of timely rains might create water shortage for kharif season crops. (Amar Ujala, 20.06.2023)
Maharashtra Water level in dams dips to 23.84 % The water level in 3,267 dams was at 23.84 per cent by the third week of June — a little less than 3 per cent of the 26 per cent last year. This is due to the delayed monsoon in the state, according to sources in the water resources department. https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/water-level-in-dams-dips-to-23-84-pc-amid-monsoon-delay-by-two-weeks-8678518/ (22 June 2023)
Kerala KWA requests to raise water storage level of Peppara Dam KWA has requested the chief wildlife warden to raise the storage level at Peppara Dam. As the dam was built in 1982 by KWA on forest land, the forest department is its custodian. At present, the water level at Peppara Dam is 107.5 feet and the request is to raise it to 110.5 feet. “By raising the level, we can store 70 million cubic meters of water against the current storage of 56 million cubic meters,” a KWA officer said.
-In 1990, the demand of water in the city was around 150 MLD and it was met by two plants with the capacity of 72 and 86 MLD at Aruvikkara. The demand crossed 200 MLD in the year 2000 and 250 in 2010. To meet the demand, a new plant with a capacity of 74 MLD was constructed at Aruvikkara in 2010. But the demand continued to grow, and it crossed 300 MLD in 2015 and a fourth plant of 75 MLD capacity came up in 2021 at Aruvikkara.
-“At present the demand of water in the city is 400 MLD and the existing plants have a capacity to produce only 320 MLD. In summer, chances are very high that the city may face acute drinking water shortage. It was by foreseeing it, we requested the forest department to raise the level of water at Peppara Dam,” KWA official said.However, increasing the water level of Aruvikkara is practically not possible as it may inundate the surrounding residential areas, the official added. It is learned that the wildlife warden concerned has submitted a report to the chief wildlife warden on KWA’s request. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/kwa-requests-to-raise-water-storage-level-of-peppara-dam/articleshow/101250182.cms (25 June 2023)
INTERSTATE WATER DISPUTES
Mahadayi Water Disputes The Outgoing Karnataka BJP Govt, about 20 minutes before the declaration of Assembly elections, had floated tender for the Kalasa Binduri Project on Mahadayi river with a cost of Rs 954 crores, in anticipation of env and forest clearance. No such clearance has been received and the tenders may have to be scrapped. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/kalasa-banduri-project-tenders-floated-minutes-before-karnataka-poll-announcement-may-not-have-any-takers/article66989043.ece (22 June 2023)
Members of several organisations held protest rallies at some places in Goa, against Karnataka’s attempts to divert water from Mahadayi river basin to Malaprabha basin through the Kalasa Banduri Nala projects. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/mahadayi-ngos-in-goa-protest-against-karnataka/article66983439.ece (28 June 2023)
RIVERS AS NATIONAL WATERWAYS
Delhi Navy carries out navigability assessment The Indian Navy on Saturday (June 24) successfully carried out the navigability assessment of the Yamuna river, from Signature Bridge to ITO barrage, in Delhi with the help of a workboat, Raj Niwas officials said. Initially, the trial run was planned only on a 3 km stretch between Signature Bridge and Boat Club. However, since the conditions were suitable even beyond that, it was decided to exploit the prevailing conditions and the motivation of initial success to take the boat up to the ITO barrage, officials said.
The workboat has been successfully moored at a special jetty created for it at ITO Barrage. It will continue to operate from there, carrying out further detailed navigability trials in the Yamuna so as to earmark proper channels on which boats carrying passengers and goods could successfully run in the near future, they added. https://www.business-standard.com/india-news/navy-carries-out-navigability-assessment-of-yamuna-river-say-officials-123062400794_1.html (25 June 2023)
IRRIGATION
Odisha LSIP: Villagers seek fair compensation Residents of G.S. Dunguripali in Balangir district are facing eviction as a month-long demolition drive has begun to clear the village and pave the way for the Lower Suktel Irrigation Project (LSIP), which has been 21 years in the making. A total of 706 houses are set to be razed in G.S. Dunguripali, one of the 29 villages that will be submerged when water is impounded for the project in October.
One of CM Naveen Patnaik’s early irrigation projects, its estimated cost has risen from ₹217.13 crore in November 2001 to ₹5,259.82 crore. With the deadline fast approaching, the district administration is in a hurry to evict the villagers. Narayan Kumbhar’s house has been partially razed, while 50-year-old Sadhu Charan Gadtia’s house is marked for demolition. https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/facing-eviction-over-irrigation-project-odisha-villagers-seek-fair-compensation/article67009508.ece (26 June 2023)
Bihar Over 2 dozen homes, 800 acres farmland flooded in Khavaspur village under Lakdinabiganj block of Siwan district after breach in Gandak canal for which irrigation department offcials blame rats and wild animals while villager allege release of water in the canal without prior inspection responsible for the incident.
URBAN RIVERS
Mula-Mutha; Pune Riverfronts kill rivers The 44 km Pune riverfront development project has serious drawbacks. It proposes to construct embankments along the river, which will cause significant harm to the riverine ecosystem. The embankments will not aid in flood control. In reality, this will decrease the river’s water-carrying capacity, making nearby areas more susceptible to flooding. https://www.civilsocietyonline.com/column/living-rivers/riverfronts-kill-rivers/
Responding to criticism over its environmentally damaging approach in the Mula-Mutha riverfront beautification project, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has now shifted its focus to enhancing the water quality of the river. The PMC aims to prevent untreated sewage water from being released into the river by doubling its sewage treatment capacity. This will be achieved by increasing the number of sewage treatment plants (STPs) from 10 to 29 in the coming years. https://www.punekarnews.in/pune-pmc-doubling-sewage-treatment-capacity-to-enhance-mula-mutha-river-water-quality/ (22 June 2023)
River Front Destruction in Pune- Rethink before its late! Aaditya Thackeray. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/river-front-destruction-pune-rethink-before-its-late-thackeray (21 June 2023)
Meethi:- Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has initiated a new project – rejuvenation of the Mithi River, by way of filtration of 80 lakh litres of water regularly.
Under the ‘Mithi River Development and Pollution Control Project’, the ‘Mithi River Water Quality Improvement’ initiative has started since January 2023. As part of that, a STP is set up near Powai Garden to control the functioning of this project. This initiative will manage rainwater harvesting, sewerage treatment, and other waste removal from water. This project aims to treat the water and bring it back to its pure form, taking care of the health of the fishes and other microbodies present in the water. https://mumbai.citizenmatters.in/filtration-of-polluted-mithi-river-bmc-releases-clean-water-as-garbage-floats-over-51607 (26 June 2023)
Sabarmati; Ahmedabad STPs not working, HC directs GPCB to act against AMC The high court on Friday (June 23) directed the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) to take appropriate action against the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) after it was pointed out that most STPs in the city were not functioning properly and sewage was being discharged directly into the Sabarmati.
Heavy security but Sabarmati riverfront losing its lights Despite 383 security guards and a whopping annual security budget of Rs 8 crore, miscreants have pilfered the decorative lights right from under their noses. The audacious thieves have made off with lights and copper cables totalling Rs 58 lakh since 2014. The menace has grown so much that the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation Limited (SRFDCL) published newspaper notices on Friday, warning people against touching the poles to avoid being electrocuted. It has issued notices to the light maintenance and security agencies and imposed a fine of Rs 41 lakh on the security agency for failing to curb the thefts. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/heavy-security-but-riverfront-losing-its-lights/articleshow/101228759.cms (24 June 2023)
RIVERS
Study Riverhood: political ecologies of socionature commoning & translocal struggles for water justice ABSTRACT Mega-damming, pollution and depletion endanger rivers worldwide. Meanwhile, modernist imaginaries of ordering ‘unruly waters and humans’ have become cornerstones of hydraulic-bureaucratic and capitalist development. They separate hydro/social worlds, sideline river-commons cultures, and deepen socio-environmental injustices. But myriad new water justice movements (NWJMs) proliferate: rooted, disruptive, transdisciplinary, multi-scalar coalitions that deploy alternative river–society ontologies, bridge South–North divides, and translate river-enlivening practices from local to global and vice-versa.
This paper’s framework conceptualizes ‘riverhood’ to engage with new water justice movements (NWJMs) and river commoning initiatives. It suggests four interrelated ontologies, situating river socionatures as arenas of material, social and symbolic co-production: ‘river-as-ecosociety’, ‘river-as-territory’, ‘river-as-subject’, & ‘river-as-movement’. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03066150.2022.2120810 (15 Nov 2022)
Geomorphic mapping and analysis of neotectonic structures in the piedmont alluvial zone -The Himalayan Frontal Thrust (HFT) and the surrounding piedmont alluvial region represent a zone of active deformation in the Indo-Gangetic plains. This study concludes that the piedmont alluvial zone of the Himalayan Foreland basin in and around HFT is tectonically active. Paleoseismic investigations by means of trenching are also needed to understand stress partitioning in the region. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19475705.2023.2221371 (14 June 2023)
Delta Summit Experts Call for Integrated Climate Action Plan for SundarbansThe panellists, experts and scientists all came together in the first-ever delta summit in Kolkata, focusing on building sustainable projects across the ecologically fragile deltaic region of the state. The question of the survival of the Sundarbans, which now stands in an ecologically fragile position due to sea level rise, was also discussed in the two-day summit organised by the South Asian Institute for Advanced Regional Development (SAIARD), an independent think tank working in the field of holistic development of the region. “Deltas are economic activity centres, with ports, industries, and agriculture driving growth and development. They are hubs of innovation, cultural exchange, and scientific exploration. By harnessing delta communities’ inherent resilience and adaptive capacity, we can forge a path towards sustainable and inclusive development.” said Prof. Biswajit RoyChowdhury, Chairman, SAIRD. https://www.newsclick.in/wb-experts-call-integrated-climate-action-plan-sundarbans-first-ever-international-delta-summit (19 June 2023)
Arunachal Pradesh NGO asks companies to own up waste production “Mountains are flooded with non- recyclable plastics that have no solutions and are not collected by any waste-pickers and scrap dealers, and are found littering mountain landscapes, choking waterways, and filling up landfill sites. A scourge for waste managers, these kinds of plastics are the main reason why mountains are burdened with a huge waste crisis,” it said. https://arunachaltimes.in/index.php/2023/06/26/ngo-asks-companies-to-own-up-waste-production/ (26 June 2023)
Jammu & Kashmir PCC not taking NGT’s orders seriously In March last year the NGT imposed a penalty of Rs 3 Crores on the Jammu & Kashmir government for its “acknowledged failure” in preventing pollution in Doodh Ganga stream. After 6 months the NGT again slapped a penalty of Rs 32 crores on Govt. The Doodh Ganga stream flows through various areas of Budgam & Srinagar and supplies drinking water to around 8 lakh population.
-As per the NGT’s order it was open to the state to recover the amount from the polluters or erring officers in accordance with law. The money was later-on recovered from Govt’s exchequer and was deposited in District Magistrate Budgam’s account.
-The amount was to be spent on the restoration of Doodh Ganga but this has not been done till date. Some restoration work was taken up by the Flood Control department but the petty contractors who did that work haven’t been paid the money as District Administration Budgam haven’t got a go ahead signal from Chief Secretary’s office as the said office had to okay the action plan. https://www.greaterkashmir.com/todays-paper/editorial-page/pcc-not-taking-ngts-orders-seriously (24 June 2023)
Punjab Govt filed its report on the issue of water pollution in river Satluj near Gurudwara Patalpuri Sahib at Kiratpur Sahib, district Rupnagar.The NGT, February 2, 2023 had directed the Chief Secretary, PPCB and District Magistrate, Rupnagar to look into the issue raised and take remedial action in accordance with law.
The site in question was visited by the officer of the PPCB and it was observed that domestic effluent of Kiratpur Sahib was being discharged into river Sutlej. The officer of Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board informed that the tender for construction of the STP of capacity of 2 MLD at Kiratpur Sahib has been called many times but the rates quoted by the contractor were too high. http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/content/475248/report-by-punjab-on-steps-taken-to-control-water-pollution-in-river-satluj-kiratpur-sahib-district-rupnagar-02062023/ (June 2023)
Haryana Young ‘Ghaggar Toli’ takes up task to make river clean Trans Ghaggar residents have once again started a cleanliness drive along the river banks. School-going teenagers who are participating in the drive during their summer holidays have named their team as ‘Ghaggar Toli’. Besides removing waste articles being thrown in the river by people, they are also creating awareness among residents as well. The trans Ghaggar residents of Panchkula are planning to carry out a mega cleanliness drive on Sunday (Jun 25).
-The Ghaggar Toli has planned to meet daily at the riverbank at 8am and to clean the river for at least an hour. These teenagers are accompanied by their parents during the drive. They distribute gloves among the volunteers. This group of teenagers collect waste thrown into river in sacks and then hand them over to the garbage collectors. Following the orders of NGT to lower down the pollution level in the Ghaggar river, the Panchkula administration had planned a 12-foot-high iron sheet fencing on both sides of two bridges falling under their jurisdiction. The Ghaggar bridge which starts from Majri chowk is yet to get the fencing. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/young-ghaggar-toli-takes-up-task-to-make-river-neat-and-clean/articleshow/101250471.cms (25 June 2023)
GANGA Uttarakhand Char Dham pilgrims discard 700kg cloths in rivers-Char Dham yatris, in just two months of yatra this year, at just two locations (Gangotri-4 quintals and Yamunotri-3) have dumped over 7 quintals of clothes. The warnings that those found doing this will be fined Rs 1000 have made no difference.
Bihar Bridge over river Mechi collapses Barely three weeks after the collapse of the Sultanganj-Aguani Ghat bridge over the Ganga, a portion of another bridge being built over the Mechi river in Kishanganj by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) caved in on Saturday (June 24). The collapsed bridge is part of the 49km four-lane road project linking Kishanganj and Katihar. The project was taken up under Bharat Mala Project of the central government.
The construction of the bridge on NH-327E had started last year and it was supposed to be inaugurated next year. The project, entailing an expenditure of Rs 1,080 crore, was being executed by G R Infra Limited. Sources said a high-level team of experts from NHAI would reach the site on Sunday to conduct an investigation. It may be recalled that the Sultanganj-Aguani Ghat bridge, which was supposed to connect Khagaria district with Bhagalpur, had collapsed on June 4. The incident had evoked a huge outcry since despite an initial deadline of November 2019, it remained incomplete. The Bihar Engineering Services Association had expressed concern and stressed on the need for “structural audit” of all bridges, complete as well as under-construction, in the state. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/lalu-continues-to-be-nucleus-of-oppn-politics/articleshow/101232284.cms (25 June 2023)
Bhagalpur Drop in Ganga water level and shift in its course causes potable water problem in Bhagalpur. Champa river polluted by waste water also falling in Ganga there worsening the situation. (Dainik Bhaskar, 16 June 2023)
About state of streams and rivers in UP, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand.
YAMUNA Delhi Manoj Mishra: Yamuna relentless green crusader Kaushal Kishore Manoj Mishra was known for filing a number of PILs (public interest litigations) and raised the issue of — minimum ecological flow — to be ensured in the case of rivers like Ganga and Yamuna. Sadly, the consortium of IITs, technocrats and experts failed to ensure that minimum flow. The life and works of Swami Sananda (aka Prof GD Agarwal) and Manoj Mishra deliver the common messages relevant for experts, including technocrats and bureaucrats. It was this class of people the two represented all their lives. New India needs to decipher it quickly. https://www.indiatoday.in/opinion-columns/story/manoj-mishra-officer-who-turned-yamuna-activist-and-relentless-green-crusader-opinion-2394985-2023-06-19 (19 June 2023)
In a world that is grappling with the consequences of environmental degradation, individuals like Manoj Misra Ji are like a beacon of hope. As an environmentalist par excellence, he dedicated his life to the preservation and restoration of India’s rivers. Through his unwavering commitment, visionary leadership, and relentless activism, he has become a guiding light in the fight for environmental sustainability. This blog explores the remarkable journey of Manoj Misra Ji and the impact he made as a prominent environmentalist. https://www.ndns.in/manoj-misra-ji-an-enigmatic-environmentalist/ (26 June 2023)
IRF Celebrating the life and work of Shri Manoj Misra. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85DPNOveXPs (23 June 2023)
Remembering Manoj Misra. https://www.impriindia.com/event/remembering-manoj-misra/
In sheer violation of NGT order, construction debris being dumped on eastern bank of Yamuna river bed under Barapula corridor bridge. Today’s video shared by a flood plain farmer. https://fb.watch/lnVbtR68De/ (23 June 2023)
25 areas are a drain on river’s life-Industries in 25 areas for redevelopment under Master Plan for Delhi-2021 are not connected to common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) and activists claimed that such units are discharging untreated effluent into the Yamuna through drains. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/these-25-areas-are-a-drain-on-rivers-life/articleshow/101116094.cms ( 20 June 2023)
HC clears deck for desilting at Wazirabad pond The court disapproved of DJB’s move to cancel the tender itself when the company with lowest bid agreed to carry out desilting. It said that the petitioner firm, which had moved court, “can be permitted to complete the work awarded to it and the balance work can be given to another company more so because the reason of urgency that had been given for deferring the tender has now been given a complete go-by by the authorities.” https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/hc-clears-deck-for-desilting-of-yamuna-at-wazirabad-pond-sets-12-wk-deadline/articleshow/101229183.cms (24 June 2023)
Grim reality of fishing in river. https://indianexpress.com/web-stories/miscellaneous/the-grim-reality-of-fishing-on-the-yamuna-river-in-delhi/
Haryana 50% of STPs meant to keep rivers clean don’t do their job Seventy-three (46%) of the 156 STPs are not in adherence of the prescribed standards, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) told the Central Pollution Control Board (CBCB) in a report submitted on May 5. According to data collected by HSPCB between February and April 2023, there are 59 STPs in the catchment of Yamuna with a capacity to treat 1,075 million litres per day, but 25 of them don’t meet the standards. Most of the STPs in Gurgaon release waste water into Yamuna.
-The figure is 23 out of 62 STPs that are supposed to discharge treated sewage into Ghaggar river. There are another 25 of the 35 remaining STPs that are located along other rivers and aren’t following the proper rules. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/50-of-stps-meant-to-keep-rivers-clean-in-haryana-dont-do-their-job/articleshow/101229165.cms (24 June 2023)
At least nine business establishments based in Sonepat district were found on the wrong side of the law. A probe by the SPCB revealed that these units had submitted fake CA (chartered accountant) certificates to get consent to establish (CTE) and consent to operate (CTO) from the board. The probe was conducted following a complaint filed by Delhi-based environmentalist Varun Gulati in November last year. As per rules, it is mandatory for business establishments, including industrial units and eateries, to take certain approvals from the pollution board. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/9-sonepat-firms-use-fake-ca-report-for-green-nod-520218 (26 June 2023)
एनजीटी की फटकार के बाद हरियाणा सरकार प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड में 54 सहायक पर्यावरण इंजीनियर रखने जा रही है। इस संबंध में हरियाणा लोक सेवा आयोग (एचपीएससी) ने भी भर्ती प्रक्रिया शुरू कर आवेदन मांग लिए हैं। बोर्ड में यह पहली बार है जब इतनी संख्या में इंजीनियरों की भर्ती की जा रही है। आमतौर पर इंजीनियर डेपुटेशन पर ही लगाए जाते थे, लेकिन इस बार स्थायी भर्ती होगी। https://www.amarujala.com/chandigarh/haryana-government-is-going-to-hire-54-assistant-environmental-engineers-in-pollution-control-board-2023-06-23 (23 June 2023)
RIVERS BIODIVERSITY
DTE Algal blooms of aquatic habitats can be a sign of its health Monitoring freshwater habitats for their health using algal communities is one of the most common and economically viable methods. The word ‘algae’ comes from the Latin word alga, which means seaweed. Algal assemblages are important to sustain other life forms within the freshwater ecosystem, as the primary producers with a high biological activity. Therefore, the study of the algal community provides valuable insight into the overall health of the ecosystem.
Algae are the primary producers of food webs in most aquatic ecosystems and important drivers of biogeochemical cycling. Algal communities represent significant proportions of biodiversity. Therefore, maintaining optimum levels of algal biodiversity becomes crucial for sustaining ecosystem function, especially under the threat of regional and global changes in environmental conditions and human pressure.
Since algae is now a neglected discipline due to a lack of interest in basic sciences, it motivated me to look around to see what types of algae are growing within the local waterbodies near the campus of Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence. https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/environment/algal-blooms-of-aquatic-habitats-can-be-a-sign-of-its-health-90107 (19 June 2023)
FISH, FISHERIES, FISHERFOLKS
Bengaluru Fish kill in Doddakallasandra Lake exposes BBMP negligence Dead fish were seen floating in Doddakallasandra lake on Jun 18, despite the BBMP rejuvenating the waterbody 2 years ago. This marks the eighth lake in the city to witness fish kill, highlighting the municipal corporation’s inadequate efforts in addressing sewage inflow into waterbodies, despite spending several crores of rupees in upgrading the sewerage infrastructure. Lake activist Raghavendra Pachhapur suspected the leakage of sewage from a BWSSB underground drain network into the waterbody. He said the BBMP had not maintained the lake properly. https://www.deccanherald.com/city/top-bengaluru-stories/fish-kill-in-bengalurus-doddakallasandra-lake-exposes-bbmp-negligence-1228928.html (18 Jun 2023)
A PARI photographer writes about growing up in a community of skilled lake fishermen, and their daily lives. https://ruralindiaonline.org/en/articles/fish-turned-me-into-a-good-photographer/ (26 June 2023)
SAND MINING
Uttar Pradesh नदी तटों के प्रतिबंधित क्षेत्रों में खनन न हो इससे बचने के लिए केन नदी के पास खनन पट्टों की अनुमति नहीं दी जानी चाहिए। ऐसे में उत्तर प्रदेश प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड (यूपीपीसीबी) द्वारा दायर संयुक्त समिति की रिपोर्ट में इन-स्ट्रीम खनन को रोकने के लिए नदी के किनारे और भीतर खदान क्षेत्रों का आबंटन न करने की सलाह दी गई है। यह मामला उत्तर प्रदेश के बांदा में केन नदी के पास हो रहे अवैध खनन से जुड़ा है।
साथ ही 19 जून, 2023 को जारी इस रिपोर्ट में रेत खनन के लिए लागू और निगरानी किए गए दिशानिर्देशों (ईएमजीएसएम 2020) के साथ पट्टेदार द्वारा प्रस्तुत खनन योजना का पालन करने के महत्व पर भी जोर दिया गया है। रिपोर्ट में इस बात पर भी बल दिया गया है कि खनन प्रक्रिया के दौरान इन दिशानिर्देशों का पालन किया जाना चाहिए। इसके साथ ही रिपोर्ट में खनन कार्य समाप्त होने के बाद और मानसून से पहले पर्यावरण बहाली के काम को पूरा कर लेने की आवश्यकता पर प्रकाश डाला है। रिपोर्ट में पर्यावरण को उसकी मूल स्थिति में बहाल करने के लिए जरूरी उपाय करने की भी बात कही गई है, जिससे खनन गतिविधियों के कारण होने वाले संभावित नकारात्मक प्रभावों को कम किया जा सके। https://www.downtoearth.org.in/hindistory/pollution/industrial-pollution/environment-in-court-21-jun-2023-90184 (21 June 2023)
This has become usual and annual affair in Shamili district where miners indulge in instream, illegal and destructive sand mining practices in river Yamuna in a hurry to create huge stocks before approaching monsoon rains and prohibition period. Sadly, the local administration, mining department deliberately avoid punitive actions against the involved companies.
रेत खनन के कारण यमुना में जगह-जगह गहरे गड्ढे बनने और यमुना नदी पर पक्का घाट नही बनने के कारण यमुना नदी में डूबने से आए दिन मौत हो रही है। पिछले 12 दिन में यमुना नदी में कैराना और झिंझाना क्षेत्र में 4-4 लोग अपनी जान गवां चुके हैं। नहाने वाले घाटों पर बैरिकेडिंग या संकेतक लगवा दें तो इस तरह की घटनाएं रोकी जा सकती हैं। https://www.amarujala.com/uttar-pradesh/shamli/people-drowning-in-yamuna-due-to-lack-of-concrete-ghat-and-sand-mining-shamli-news-c-26-1-sal1001-4166-2023-06-09 (10 June 2023)
कैराना। यमुना खादर के मंडावर व नगलाताई में खनन माफियाओं के हौंसले बुलंद हैं। एनजीटी नियम-कायदों को ठेंगा दिखाकर भारी भरकम मशीनों से यमुना का चीरहरण पानी के बीच से अवैध खनन किया जा रहा है,जिससे यमुना नदी के अस्तित्व पर खतरा मंडराता नजर आ रहा हैं। इसके बावजूद प्रशासन चुप्पी साध रखी है। https://www.insaafnewstoday.com/2023/06/blog-post_19.html (19 June 2023)
Telangana The Sand Mafia in Jukkal Jukkal, a region rich in natural resources, which has the majeera river flowing through this constituency, including sand deposits, has become a hotspot for unauthorised sand excavation. The sand mafia operates clandestinely, exploiting these resources without obtaining the necessary permits or adhering to environmental regulations. They transport innumerable trucks on a single waybill. This uncontrolled extraction leads to severe ecological repercussions, jeopardizing the delicate balance of the local ecosystem.
-One of the most distressing aspects of the sand mafia issue in Jukkal is the apparent operation by the politicians which results to obviously non-action of politicians. These elected officials, entrusted with protecting the interests of their constituents, often turn a blind eye to the illegal activities of the sand mafia. Political apathy, vested interests, and personal gains lead politicians to neglect their duty to enforce laws and regulations, perpetuating the cycle of corruption and environmental degradation.
-The activities of the sand mafia have a significant impact on the lives and livelihoods of the local communities in Jukkal. Farmers, who rely on the rivers and streams for irrigation, suffer from reduced water availability and poor crop yields due to disrupted water flow. The ecological imbalance caused by sand mining also affects fishing communities, leading to a decline in fish populations and income loss. Moreover, the displacement of communities due to riverbank erosion compounds the social and economic challenges faced by the affected residents. https://www.siasat.com/opinion-the-sand-mafia-in-jukkal-telangana-2623719/ (24 Jun 2023)
The Congress on Thursday (June 15) alleged that in violation of the Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal stay orders, administration of Jayashankar Bhupalpally district has permitted contractors to mine sand from quarries in Venkatraopally and Kalavalapalli sand reaches of Manair River. https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/in-other-news/160623/state-defies-sc-on-illegal-sand-mining-says-congress.html (16 June 2023)
WETLANDS, LAKES, WATER BODIES
Assam Can law recognising wetlands be applied retrospectively? Chief Justice Mehta had, during the hearing on June 6, remarked that even the lake, being a living body, has rights that needed to be protected.
-“Is the right to life only of human beings and not other living beings (like lakes)? Can a letter by circle officer be attributed to the State, is that a recognition of right by the State, sir? When it is leading to virtual extinction of a water body, probably these technicalities will not come in the way, this is our prima facie view … lake is also a living body, has the right to survive,” Chief Justice Mehta said.
-The bench had taken critical note that the original revenue records of the lands in question did not reflect its status. “Very sorry state of affairs. The [Waterbodies] Act is not prospective, it [only] declares. I am at a loss for words. In any other State, the category of land is mentioned in the revenue record. There is no need for such Acts, even,” he said. https://www.barandbench.com/news/litigation/law-wetlands-gauhati-high-court-silsako-eviction (23 June 2023)
Action Aid Karnataka monitors largest number of lakes but Telangana tops in offering relevant water quality data Karnataka and Telangana monitor 172 (Highest in India by any state) and 160 lakes, respectively, jointly accounting for 59% of the total number of 562 lakes being monitored by various State Pollution Control Boards/ Pollution Control Committees in across 28 States, said the analysis by Action Aid Association.
– Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Tripura, Rajasthan and West Bengal accounted for 161 of monitored lakes in the country, while Goa, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Haryana, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Puducherry, Meghalaya, Odisha, Nagaland, Mizoram and Chhattisgarh put together have 69 lakes under monitoring.
– Study found that Telangana was the only State that offered “most updated” lake water quality data in less than 30 days of testing the water samples from various lakes in the State and updated it on the websites of PCB. The country’s worst State Pollution Control Boards/ Pollution Control Committees were from the national capital Delhi and Gujarat that maintained only “junk”, unusable and 10-year-old data.
– Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Maharashtra, Punjab, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Odisha and Chandigarh had “lack of data.” However, Pollution Control Boards in Lakshadweep, Ladakh, and Manipur didn’t even have websites. “Our analysis revealed that in most cases, lakes are neglected or not even acknowledged as important elements of the ecosystems,’‘ said Raghavendra B. Pachhapur, Senior Lead Projects, ActionAid Association. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-monitors-largest-number-of-lakes-in-india-but-telangana-tops-in-offering-relevant-water-quality-data-actionaid/article66980901.ece (18 June 2023)
Puducherry 5 waterbodies to get wetlands status soon-The identified waterbodies in the first phase are Oussudu Lake, Bahour Lake, Vadhanur tank, Katterikuppam tank, and Korkadu tank. Of them, Oussudu Lake spread over 800 acres is a bird sanctuary and co-managed by Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/five-waterbodies-in-puducherry-to-get-wetlands-status-soon/article66988719.ece ( 20 June 2023)
WATER OPTIONS
Report India has the potential to treat & reuse 80% of the wastewater The central govt released the National Framework on Safe Reuse of Treated Water (SRTW) in November 2022. The Framework expects states to set targets for treatment and reuse of water generated by households and commercial enterprises in both urban and rural settings. It has given recommendations on setting up a technical cell to support SRTW projects, drafting a locally relevant policy on reuse that must be reviewed regularly, planning and financing conveyance (pipelines, tankers, aqueducts and other modes of transporting water), and so on.
It also addresses challenges that may be faced in both rural and urban areas while implementing SRTW projects. It also outlines different types of business models that may be adopted by stakeholders according to the end-use. The Framework recommends that Treated Waste Water (TWW) can be utilised for municipal uses like landscaping, parks, toilet flushing and firefighting with appropriate quality norms. For groundwater recharge it advises stringent quality standards, monitoring and compliance measures. https://india.mongabay.com/2023/06/indias-potential-to-address-water-scarcity-through-wastewater-treatment-and-reuse/ (23 June 2023)
Punjab Efforts afoot to restore traditional water courses The use of free power for farming has a new casualty — water courses — called “nehri khale” in local parlance, these are slowly disappearing. As many as 16,892 courses that were carrying canal water for irrigating fields till a few years ago are missing.
As farmers get free power to operate their pump sets, they are increasingly using the groundwater for irrigating their fields. As a result, the water courses from different canals have been covered and/or are not in use. This also happened because water in canals was released late, while farmers demanded early release for irrigation. The Irrigation Department has undertaken an exercise to restore these courses, of which there are 47,025. A study has found that at places where the maximum water courses have disappeared, the ground water depletion is the maximum. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/efforts-afoot-to-restore-traditional-water-courses-518253 (19 June 2023)
Pune Rainwater harvesting keeps tankers at bay this summer Three societies on the Baner-Pashan Link Road which had installed rainwater and surface water harvesting systems are now tanker-free despite the intense summer this year in which many other societies had to call for such water supply.
They have urged more and more societies to also implement such water systems while asserting that most systems require annual cleaning of the filters without which they can stop functioning. Prabhudattsinh Rana, a resident of Kumar Sahwas, urged members of other societies to install the systems as pre-monsoon is the right time. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/rainwater-harvesting-keeps-tankers-at-bay-this-summer/articleshow/91730493.cms (23 May 2022)
Delhi The Public Works Department has constructed 82 rainwater harvesting pits over the last one year to curb waterlogging during the monsoon as well as to recharge groundwater, said officials. https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-pwd-rainwater-harvesting-pits-curb-waterlogging-groundwater-8676692/ (21 June 2023)
Jammu & Kashmir Locals de-silt irrigation canals on their own in Mawer As Irrigation Department and Rural Development Department have failed to de-silt water canals, meant for irrigation purposes, locals from several villages of Mawer in north Kashmir’s Handwara Sub District have come forward to clean these canals on their own.https://www.greaterkashmir.com/todays-paper/kashmir-todays-paper/locals-de-silt-irrigation-canals-on-their-own-in-mawer (19 June 2023)
Chennai Vengambakkam Lake near Agaramthen restored Care Earth Trust along with Rotary Club of Chennai Coastal and Atos Global IT Solutions and Services, took up the rejuvenation of Vengambakkam Lake worth ₹64 lakh in Chengalpattu district. https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/vengambakkam-lake-near-agaramthen-restored/article67005163.ece (24 June 2023)
GROUNDWATER
Telangana Groundwater Tariff rollout to save dipping table Going forward this will change and these units will be metered and charged as per their use. The only exemption: Users drawing up to 25 cubic metres (one cubic meter is equal to 1,000 litres). Officials said, the new tariffs will be rolled out by end of June or early July. As per that, residential apartments and housing societies extracting anything from 26 to 50 cubic metres will have to pay a fee of 1 per litre. For more than 50 cubic meters, this amount will be 2 per litre.
“Till now, the Telangana government was implementing the Water, Tree and Land Act (WALTA). But here on, user charges will be collected as per new policy on groundwater extraction,” a senior official of the department said adding that these tariffs have been fixed as per the recommendations of the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA). Accordingly, the Telangana government formulated a policy – Telangana State Ground Water Extractions Rule-2023 – and issued gazette notification (dated June 2) implementing the new charges. Except for 12 states, including Telangana, the remaining have been following the CWGA police since 2020. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/free-groundwater-not-anymore-tariff-rollout-to-save-dipping-table/articleshow/101229380.cms (24 June 2023)
Report Earth’s pole has moved & India’s water scarcity had a big hand in it Researchers maintained that the location of the aquifers (groundwater) also matters for Earth’s spin to change. The team estimated that during the period of the study, most water was redistributed in western North America and northwestern India. While the slight drifting of the pole will not have an impact on the seasons, researchers cautioned that over a longer geologic time period, it could have an impact on the climate. https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/earth-pole-moved-spin-nudged-groundwater-pumping-india-2394793-2023-06-19 (19 June 2023)
एक नए अध्ययन के अनुसार, लोगों ने जमीन से भारी मात्रा में पानी को निकाल कर इसे कहीं और ले जाकर छोड़ दिया है, इसके कारण पृथ्वी 1993 से 2010 के बीच लगभग 80 सेंटीमीटर या 31.5 इंच पूर्व की ओर झुक गई है। जलवायु मॉडल के आधार पर, वैज्ञानिकों ने पहले अनुमान लगाया था कि लोगों ने 2,150 गीगाटन भूजल निकाल लिया था, जो कि 1993 से 2010 तक समुद्र के स्तर में छह मिलीमीटर यानी 0.24 इंच से अधिक वृद्धि के बराबर था। https://www.downtoearth.org.in/hindistory/water/ground-water/Between-1993-and-2010-the-Earth-has-tilted-80-cm-towards-the-east-but-why-90108 (19 June 2023)
URBAN WATER
Bengaluru Horamavu Lake is in big trouble Residents living around the Horamavu Agara lake have complained of untreated sewage water entering the lake, causing a stench around the vicinity. “Forget taking a stroll around the lake, it has become unbearable to even stay inside homes around the area. The issue of mosquitoes has significantly increased due to massive breeding,” Surya Desaraju, an IT employee living around the lake said, adding that the issue has been brought to the notice of the authorities.
Amith H, another resident in the vicinity, said that the lake has also had an incident of fish kills due to the release of sewage recently. Lake activists have been consistently pointing out that the budget set aside to build diversion channels near the mouth of lakes to keep away sewage water must be utilised efficiently while STPs must be looked after. However, they claim that there is no maintenance of inlets and in worst case scenarios, when there are blockages, even solid waste enters lakes. https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/civic/horamavu-lake-is-in-big-trouble/articleshow/101225697.cms (24 June 2023)
Mysuru First Botanical Garden with rare plants smells of sewage Engineers and landscapers rejuvenated the water body and tonnes of silt were scientifically removed and a bund was built to hold clear water. This was to invite the bird population. Unfortunately, the present state of the pond is pathetic with gallons of sewage flowing inside every day. If a permanent solution is not found, there is a danger of this Botanical Garden — that has a huge potential to be one of the prime tourist attractions in the city — turning into a neglected place. https://starofmysore.com/mysurus-first-botanical-garden-with-rare-plants-smells-of-sewage/ (21 June 2023)
Chennai Wetlands suffering from irregular heartbeats If one wants to know for a certainty that the planet has been “rewired” for the worse, by anthropogenic activities, they only have to watch a set of barometers, one of which are wetlands and their workaday functions and features. The most significant of them all is the ticking of their internal, ecological clock.
Take the Perumbaklkam wetland for instance: It has an unmistakable dry period, at the height of summer, when the soil looks creased like an aged one’s face having been drained of all water. The pattern was noticeably broken this year due to out-of-turn and unexpected showers, and in mid-June now, there is still sogginess left in the soil. Due to the showers around the cusp of April and June, efforts by a colony of black-winged stilts to raise new families were stillborn. These birds are back at it now, incubating their eggs on the same platforms they had to abandon then. Usually when the water is draining out of a wetland, the small pratincoles put in an appearance.
As expressed by some birders through prolonged observations and also by ornithologist V Shantaram, the water flow dynamics having changed in the Pallikaranai Marsh, the sight of dozens of small pratincoles in the draining period is a thing of the past. https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/are-chennais-wetlands-suffering-from-irregular-heartbeats/article66985435.ece (19 June 2023)
Kolkata Corporates shy away from supporting green causes: Official “We took a board resolution and even prepared a detailed project report for recycling sewage water and waste water generated from food stalls and other sources for non-drinking purposes like road washing, watering plants etc. The cost involved was around Rs 13 crore. Following this, I wrote to all corporate groups based in Sector V in reference to the board’s decision to set up a tertiary water treatment plant by collecting contributions from them,” Debasish Sen, chairman, New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA said.
-“Only two units responded. And guess what they asked? Kyun karna hai (Why do we need to do this), aap hi kariye, hum kya karenge (you do it… what can we do). A few even asked why they should pay for water conservation when they did not use much water. I even requested them to allot 20 per cent of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) budget for the purpose, but none came forward,” added Sen. https://www.telegraphindia.com/my-kolkata/news/salt-lake-sector-v-based-corporates-shy-away-from-supporting-green-causes-official/cid/1946935 (22 June 2023)
Guwahati City grapples with water pipe bursting crisis The frequent bursting of water pipes in Guwahati, funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has put the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in a difficult position. These incidents have resulted in the death of a woman, injured more than 40 people, forced 75 homeless people into a relief camp, and destroyed property worth lakhs of rupees since May 24.
-Now the question arises, if the prediction was made earlier, why didn’t the PMC officials or authorities take any precautions which could have averted the incident and life of the woman might have been saved and other damages could have been avoided?
-The four mega projects which were initiated in 2008 to end the water woes of Guwahati city have missed several deadlines and is yet to be completed. https://assamtribune.com/assam/public-safety-at-stake-guwahati-grapples-with-water-pipe-bursting-crisis-1481863 (22 June 2023)
Pune City is clueless about RWH On average, Pune Municipal Corporation hands out 4,000 building permissions every year. The list includes redevelopment projects as well. The civic body even offers a discount on property tax for structures with rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems. Yet, it still doesn’t have a single empanelled expert citizens can consult with, to get these systems installed.
This lapse has derailed PMC’s push to have more rainwater harvesting in the city. The civic body is supposed to verify the RWH units before granting building permissions. But since it doesn’t have any experts it can summon, the verification process has turned into something of a formality — permissions are being given based on just a physical inspection of the pipes and pits.
It’s also not as if PMC can ignore this lapse. Data shows nearly three lakh properties in Pune — both commercial and residential — have the potential to set up viable rainwater harvesting systems. These systems are critically important for Pune, where despite bountiful rain each year, hundreds of housing societies continue to be fed by water tankers. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/why-pune-is-clueless-about-rainwater-harvesting/articleshow/100985600.cms (14 June 2023)
Lucknow Water sources depleting fast-Environmentalists have flagged the impending water scarcity the state capital is staring at in the wake of fast-depleting water sources in the city. According to data, Lucknowites extract groundwater equal to one-third of the capacity of the Bhakra Nangal dam every year to quench their thirst. In addition, millions of litres of groundwater is extracted by 750 government tubewells and around 550 private tubewells in Lucknow.
-However, the city has failed to recharge its water sources by not being able to ‘catch the rain’ during the monsoon season, causing a depletion in its groundwater levels. “Hardly any water bodies are left in the state capital to recharge the water table, which is fast depleting. Considering urbanised area as 500 sq km in Lucknow, the daily extraction here is about 1,650 million litres per day,” said Venkatesh Dutta, noted environmentalist and professor at the School of Earth & Environmental Sciences (SEES), BBAU. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/others/in-absence-of-recharge-mechanisms-water-sources-depleting-fast-in-lucknow-101687272640096.html ( 20 June 2023)
Ghaziabad Compliance report by the CPCB in the matter of K P Singh & Others Vs UPPCB & Others. The NGT vide order, January 30, 2023 directed the CPCB to verify whether any sewage and other wastes are flowing in the storm water drains of Prahlad Garhi village and its adjoining area. The CPCB along with officials of the UPPCB and Nagar Nigam inspected the drainage system to verify the status of compliance reported by the Nagar Nigam. The Nagar Nigam in its report had said that there is now connectivity of wash waters and waste from dairies at three vulnerable points – Prahladgarhi crossing, opposite Vandana Farm and opposite Balaji Earth Movers. 158 houses which were unconnected to sewerage system have now been connected and hence no sewage is now being discharged into the drain. http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/content/475238/compliance-report-by-the-cpcb-regarding-the-discharge-of-sewage-and-others-wastes-in-the-storm-water-drains-of-prahlad-garhi-village-ghaziabad-uttar-pradesh-12062023/ (June 2023)
WATER POLLUTION
Tamil Nadu Drainage work for Dalit settlement on with police security Police personnel stood guard as panchayat officials started work on Monday to construct a drainage channel from a Dalit settlement through a locality where caste Hindus live in Pooluvapalayam in Ottarpalayam panchayat in Annur taluk. Tension prevailed in the village in the last few weeks as some caste Hindus were objecting to laying the drainage channel. While the caste Hindus allegedly reasoned that sewage will overflow during rain, residents from the Arunthathiyar community said they are being discriminated against based on caste. https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2023/jun/20/drainage-work-for-dalit-settlement-on-with-police-security-in-tamil-nadu-2586713.html (20 June 2023)
WATER
Haryana CM launches Integrated Water Resources Action PlanThe govt has launched the biennial Integrated Water Resources Action Plan (2023-25). A two-day ‘water conclave’ was held in Panchkula, whose main objective was to discuss an Integrated Water Resources Management Strategy and approach in view of the depleting groundwater levels. The total water availability of the state is 20.94 BCM whereas the total water demand is 34.96 BCM. All water related Departments have come forward and taken the responsibility to conserve water through various demand and supply side interventions, which would save around 6.97 BCM water in next two years. According to this, 3.14 lakh acres of the area will be covered under crop diversification, which will save 1.05 BCM water. Direct seeding of paddy will be done in 4.75 lakh acres and will save 1.18 BCM. 27.53 lakh acres will be brought under conservation tillage to save 0.51 BCM. https://www.outlookindia.com/business/khattar-launches-integrated-water-resources-action-plan-news-293597 ( 10 June 2023)
AGRICULTURE
Report Agri plastics are bigger threats than they appear to be The proliferation of plasticulture, a term used to represent the application of plastics in the agricultural sector, endangers soil, biodiversity and human health. Just 1 kg of thin mulching sheets is enough to cover and contaminate as much as 700 square feet of agricultural land. Scientists have discovered that as time passes, the additives and chemicals embedded in mulch films can gradually diminish soil porosity and hinder air circulation. Moreover, it also has the capacity to alter microbial communities, thereby reducing farmland fertility.
Evidence indicates the leaching of potentially carcinogenic chemicals, specifically phthalate acid esters, from plastic films into farm soil. The plastic mulch films mentioned here are primarily made of PVCs or low-density polyethylene. Apart from plastic mulch films, PVCs also find their use in irrigation pipes and drip tapes. PVC is called ‘poison plastic’, as it releases toxic chlorine-based chemicals and is a known carcinogen. https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/pollution/why-agri-plastics-are-bigger-threats-than-they-appear-to-be-90007 (13 June 2023)
MONSOON 2023
IMD High Rainfall districts in the week June 19-25, 2023:
| Date | Districts with 50-100 mm rainfall | Dists with higher rainfall |
| June 19, 2023 | Baksa, Bongaigaon, Dhubri, Nalbari (Assam), W Khasi Hills (Meghalaya), Sipahijala, W Tripura (Tripura), Darjeeling, Kochbihar (WB), Ajmer, Bhilwara, Bundi (E Raj), Chennai (TN) [13] | 100-150 mm: Barpeta, Chirang, Goalpara, Kokrajhar (Assam), E Khasi Hills, SW Khasi Hills (Meghalaya), Jalpaiguri (WB), [7] 150-200 mm: Pali (W Raj), Rajsamand, Sirohi, Tonk (E Raj), [4] |
| June 20, 2023 | Baksa, Barpeta, Karimganj, Udalgiri (Assam), E Khasi Hills (Meghalaya), Jalpaigiri, Kochbihar (WB), Agra (W UP), Dholpur, Swaimadhopur (E Raj), Bhind, Morena (E MP), Chennai, Kanchipuram (TN) [14] | |
| June 21, 2023 | E Siang, Lohit, Lower Dibang Valley (Arunachal Pradesh), Dhubri, Goalpara, Udalgiri (Assam), E Khasi Hills, SW Khasi Hills (Meghalaya), Unakoti (Tripura), Jalpaiguri (WB), Gonda (E UP), Mainpuri (W UP) [12] | 100-150 mm: Chirang, Kokrajhar, Nalbari(Assam), Kochbihar (WB), Kannauj (E UP) [5] 150-200 mm: Baksa (Assam) [1] 200-250 mm: Barpeta (Assam) [1] |
| June 22, 2023 | E Siang, Lower Dibang Valley, Tirap (Arunachal Pradesh), Baksa, Bongaigaon, Dhubri, Kokrajhar, Lakhimpur, Nalbari (Assam), N Garo Hills, W Khasi Hills (Meghalaya), Jalpaiguri (WB), Bageshwar (UKD) [13] | 100-150 mm: Barpeta, Chirang, Goalpara (Assam), E Jaintia Hills, E Khasi Hills, W Garo Hills (Meghalaya), Kochbihar (WB), Hamirpur, Mahoba (W UP) [9] 150-200 mm: E Garo Hills (Meghalaya), Niwari (E MP) [2] 300+ mm: SW Khasi Hills (Meghalaya) [1] |
| June 23, 2023 | Tirap (Arunachal Pradesh), Chirang (Assam), E Jaintia Hills, SW Khasi Hills (Meghalaya), Senapati (Manipur), Malkangiri (Odisha), Kishanganj (Bihar), Hamirpur (HP) [8] | |
| June 24, 2023 | Bageshwar (UKD), Mandi, Solan (HP), Burhanpur, Dewas, Sehore, Indore (W MP), Sindhudurg (Konkan), Uttar Kannada (Karnataka) [9] | |
| June 25, 2023 | Tamenglong (Manipur), Angul, Dhenkanal, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Sundergarh (Odisha), Varanasi (E UP), Bijnor, Meerut (W UP), Haridwar (UKD), Panipat, Sonipat (Haryana), SW Delhi (Delhi), North Goa, South Goa (Goa), Mumbai City, Palghar, Raigarh, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg (Konkan), Balod Bazar, Raigarh (CG), Udupi (Karnataka) [23] | 100-150 mm: Deogarh (Odisha) [1] 150-200 mm: Suburban Mumbai (Konkan) [1] |
Source: IMD’s daily district wise rainfall reports. https://mausam.imd.gov.in/responsive/rainfall_statistics.php
The monsoon on Sunday (June 25) advanced over both Delhi and Mumbai together for the first time since June 21, 1961, the IMD said. This year, the monsoon arrived in Kerala on June 8, a week after its usual onset date of June 1. In comparison, it reached the southern state on May 29 last year, June 3 in 2021, June 1 in 2020, June 8 in 2019 and May 29 in 2018. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/after-62-years-monsoon-covers-delhi-and-mumbai-together/articleshow/101255105.cms (25 June 2023)
Chennai Rare unseasonal June rain-Independent weather expert Pradeep John noted in a post on social media platforms that it was very rare for Chennai to receive more than 150 mm of rain in June. He added that this was just the third time in the 200-year record-keeping of weather that Chennai had received this much rain in a single day. The previous two instances were in 1991 and 1996. https://thesouthfirst.com/tamilnadu/rare-unseasonal-june-rain-hits-chennai-for-the-3rd-time-in-200-years-throwing-life-out-of-gear/ ( 19 June 2023)
Report दो दशक में दस साल जून में हुई सामान्य से कम बारिश देश के कुल 718 जिलों में से 511 जिलों में यानी 71 फीसदी में जून महीने में वर्षा की कमी बनी हुई है। देश के 38 जिलों में वर्षा की एक बूंद तक नहीं गिरी है। इनमें 28 जिले तो सिर्फ उत्तर प्रदेश से हैं। भारतीय मौसम विज्ञान विभाग के मुताबिक बीते दो दशक में दस साल ऐसे रहे हैं जब जून महीने में सामान्य से कम वर्षा दर्ज की गई है। इनमें 2009 (48 फीसदी कम), 2012 (29 फीसदी कम) और 2014 (42 फीसदी कम वर्षा), 2019 (32 फीसदी कम वर्षा) दर्ज की गई थी। इनमें 2019 और 2012 को छोड़कर बाकी वर्षों में कमजोर एलनीनो रिकॉर्ड किया गया था। https://www.downtoearth.org.in/hindistory/weather/monsoon/less-than-normal-rainfall-in-june-for-ten-years-in-two-decades-so-far-32-percent-reduction-in-rainfall-90189 (21 June 2023)
What explains India’s unique extreme weather events? Nivedita Khandekar. https://www.news9live.com/india/what-explains-indias-unique-extreme-weather-events-2186835 (21 June 2023)
चौमास कथा: कहीं खत्म न हो जाए मानसून का पारंपरिक ज्ञान https://www.downtoearth.org.in/hindistory/weather/monsoon/The-traditional-wisdom-of-monsoon-should-not-end-somewhere-83977 (19 Sept. 2022)
FLOOD 2023
Dam Flood Assam The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) on Tuesday (June 20) released a clarification regarding the release of water from Kurichhu dam in Bhutan and its impact on the flood situation in Assam. The disaster agency clarified that the flood situation in western Assam is not solely caused by the water release from the dam but is also a result of continuous rainfall in both the upper catchment area of Bhutan and Assam. https://www.sentinelassam.com/north-east-india-news/assam-news/asdma-clarifies-about-bhutan-dam-water-release-flood-situation-remains-grim-654600 ( 20 June 2023)
The flood situation in Lower Assam is likely to worsen after Bhutan released excess water from the Kurichhu Hydropower Plant reservoir in Kuricchu River in Bhutan, reports emerged on Sunday (June 18 2023). The Kaladiya River and the Pahumara River in the Barpeta district are flowing above the danger level as a result of the release of excess water. https://www.indiatodayne.in/assam/story/assam-on-high-alert-after-bhutan-releases-excess-dam-water-amidst-flood-havoc-in-state-600495-2023-06-19 (19 June 2023)
The current wave of flooding began June 14, 2023. In 2022, the flooding started as early as May, with 62 per cent above average rainfall from March-May — a 10-year high, according to IMD data. The state has seen several devastating floods over the last few years. Other than in 2022, floods occurred in 2019 and 2020 as well. The duration of flooding in the state has broadened over the years.
In 2022, Assam saw a devastating series of floods that started at the beginning of April and went on until the end of October, according to the ASDMA under the state government. Over 180 people died in the three waves of floods, the worst of which was seen from mid-June to mid-September. A similar trend has been witnessed in Assam over the last few years as well. 2021 saw floods from June 1 to around mid-September. However, the year before, in 2020, floods began in May and went on till the end of October. https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/climate-change/climate-impact-expanding-flooding-period-in-assam-seven-months-of-floods-in-2022-90207 (22 June 2023)
Bihar Govt chalks out plan to tackle both flood and drought Water Resources Minister Sanjay Jha said the government has chalked out a plan to deal with both exigencies, but the Centre has failed to consider its long-pending demand to build a dam in Nepal to prevent floods in the State. The Minister said the government will also be using a new application, Befikr, which will provide real-time information about floods. People can also use the app to share problems and the government will look into them. https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/from-app-to-fuel-bihar-chalks-out-plan-to-tackle-both-flood-and-drought/article67009371.ece (25 June 2023)
HFL Breach
CWC continues its poor track record of maintaining HFL data and abruptly changing HFL information days after unusual increase in flood level in rivers. The two recent examples with hydrographs are here.
1 Gujarat Flood level in River Sipu at Bhakudar (Sipu dam) level monitoring site in Banaskantha district Gujarat increased by 6.45 m from 172.4 m at 04:00 hr on 18.06.23 to 178.85 m at 07:00 hr on 20.06.23. During this period CWC mentioned no HFL data and date for the site. But today on 21.06.23, its website shows 186.48 m as HFL (red line) for the site without revealing the date.
2 Rajasthan Similarly, flood level in River Banas at Swaroopgang level monitoring site in Sirohi district in Rajasthan increased by 4.89 m from 328.56 m at 14:00 hr on 17.06.23 to 333.45 m at 18:00 hr on 19.06.23. However, CWC website revealed no HFL data, date for the site in past two days and today on 21.06.23 has shown 333.54 m as HFL for the site without any date.
This is happening regularly for past several years however CWC never explains reason behind such abrupt changes and shares documents, records validating the same.
Assam This is fourth time since June 15, 2023, River Puthimari at DRF flood monitoring station in Baksa district has breached HFL 144.51 m dated 19.06.22. Present flood level is 144.61 m at 12:00 hr on 20.06.2023 with rising trend.
Second time in past week River Suklai at Suklai level monitoring sites has just for one hour crossed the old HFL 75.85 attained on 25.06.2020.
Today again, River Suklai at Suklai level monitoring site in Baksa district has by small margin and for short duration breached old HFL 75.85 m dated 25.06.2020. Current level is 76 m at 12:00 hr on 21.06.23.
River Puthimari in Brahmaputra basin at DRF level monitoring site continues to flow in extreme flood situation for past 54 hours.
URBAN FLOODS
Bengaluru As many as 24 different properties have been marked for stormwater drain encroachment at Spice Garden Layout at Munnekolalu in Mahadevapura zone by Revenue Department officials where Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) was stopped from carrying out a demolition drive. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/24-properties-sitting-on-rajakaluves-at-private-layout-in-munnekolalu-bbmp/article66982668.ece (18 June 2023)
Eloor Toxic sediments from canal pose health riskFollowing the lab test findings, the Pollution Control Board (PCB) has instructed to stop the cleaning drive and safely dispose of the sediments. The sediments were removed as part of the pre-monsoon cleaning activities initiated by the Irrigation department and Eloor municipality. Depositing these sediments on the roadside and nearby fields violates the directions of the Supreme Court and the NGT.
-The tribunal had directed in its order issued on May 27, 2022, to complete the works within a year. The estimated cost of the cleaning work is Rs 26 crore, and the state government has deposited Rs 11.22 crore at the SBI Pattom branch for the purpose,” said Purushan Eloor, the research coordinator of the Campaign against Pollution of Periyar. The government should prosecute the officers of the irrigation department and Eloor municipality for violating the tribunal order and carelessly depositing the toxic sediments on the road, he said. https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2023/jun/21/toxic-sediments-from-kuzhikandam-canal-pose-health-risk-in-eloor-2587045.html ( 21 June 2023)
Mumbai Is desilting enough? Man-made causes are major factors behind flooding in the city as its drains are choked by solid waste dumped haphazardly. Despite the civic body’s best efforts to desilt them, the drains get clogged in no time, leading to water-logging in low-lying areas during heavy rain. https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/mumbai-hardlook-the-muck-stops-here-solid-waste-drainage-system-8671576/ (19 June 2021)
Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) plans to set up a water network for the Lohegaon and Wagholi areas and has put forward a proposal of Rs230 crores for the same. The development comes in the wake of complaints of water scarcity in these merged areas, so much so that the residents have approached the High Court for a solution to their problem. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/pune-news/pmc-plans-water-network-worth-rs-230-crores-for-lohegaon-and-wagholi-areas-to-resolve-water-crisis-complaints-101687370332445.html (21 June 2023)
Jaipur JMC-G official inspects flood control rooms in city ahead of monsoon JMC-Greater commissioner Mahendra Soni inspected flood control rooms set up in Malviya Nagar, Mansarovar, Vishwakarma Industrial Area and reviewed preparedness to deal with emergencies. Soni reviewed availability of equipment like mud pumps, shovels, torches and instructed officials to keep them ready and in adequate amounts before monsoon. He instructed officials and employees to be alert. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/jmc-g-official-inspects-flood-control-rooms-in-city-ahead-of-monsoon/articleshow/101121071.cms (20 June 2023)
Traffic came to a crawl on many arterial roads of the city after a downpour on Tuesday (June 20) caused widespread waterlogging, leaving commuters stranded for hours. Near Purani Chungi in Vaishali Nagar on Ajmer Road, as many as three cars broke down as the road virtually turned into a river. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/rain-triggers-traffic-gridlock-waterlogging/articleshow/101146891.cms (21 June 2023)
Gurugram Rs 1,000cr spent, yet flooding threat looms large Since the ‘Gurujam’ of 2016, civic agencies have spent around Rs 1,000 crore on drainage and solutions to waterlogging, yet the threat of the city getting derailed by a single heavy bout of rain continues to loom large. GMDA officials, however, maintained that they have been undertaking short-term measures to avert flooding, while the result of the long-term plan will be visible in the future. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/1k-cr-spent-on-drainage-flood-control-in-7-yrs-yet-flooding-threat-looms-large/articleshow/101176639.cms (22 June 2023)
Panchkula A car parked near Ghaggar river was swept away after heavy rain lashed the area on Sunday (June 25). In a video posted by news agency ANI, the car was seen in the midst of a river of muddy water. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/car-swept-away-in-haryanas-panchkula-as-heavy-rain-lashes-city-rainfall-in-ncr-north-india-imd-weather-101687694342074.html (25 June 2023)
DISASTERS
Jammu & Kashmir Chenab Valley continues to shake for the 6th day According to the earth sciences experts and National Centre of Seismology, the epicentre of the majority of the earthquakes and aftershocks has been located in or around Bhaderwah. https://www.greaterkashmir.com/todays-paper/front-page/nine-aftershocks-chenab-valley-continues-to-shake-for-6th-day (19 June 2023)
LANDSLIDES
Manipur Dave Petley blog on the disastrous June 30 2022 landslide: “Baruah et al. (2023) confirm that the landslide occurred in two distinct phases, the first at 12:30 am local time, and the second at 6 am. Given that many of the victims were located in a dormitory that was destroyed by the landslide, the timing of the first (larger) phase is particularly important (and unfortunate). The authors note that “a preliminary assessment by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) highlighted extensive slope cutting for the construction of the railway station” was the primary cause of the landslide.
The authors also note that May and June 2022 were unusually wet, recording a total of 705.5 mm of rainfall, which is 130% higher than the mean total for these two months over the previous decade. Thus, it seems that this landslide was the classic combination of poorly designed or implemented slope excavation coupled with heavy rainfall. It once again serves to highlight the many issues at present in the development of transportation corridors in in the Himalayas in India.” https://blogs.agu.org/landslideblog/2023/06/20/tupul-1-2/ (20 June 2023)
Arunachal Pradesh Tuting, the headquarter town of the Upper Siang district of Arunachal bordering China is now cut off from the rest of the country as the steel bridge over Siang got collapsed on June 19 followed by heavy and incessant rain which caused landslides near the bridge. https://www.indiatodayne.in/arunachal-pradesh/video/arunachal-steel-bridge-over-siang-river-bordering-china-collapses-600830-2023-06-19 (19 June 2023)
The Bailey bridge at Bomdo village in Upper Siang district collapsed at around 10:20 am on Monday (June 19) while a dumper truck was crossing it. There was no report of any casualty, but the driver is learnt to have sustained injuries. https://arunachaltimes.in/index.php/2023/06/20/bailey-bridge-collapses-under-trucks-weight-driver-injured/ (20 June 2023)
Heavy rains lashed many parts of Himachal Pradesh as Southwest Monsoon hit the state on Saturday, triggering landslides, blocking roads, damaging vehicles, disrupting water supply and leading to cancellation of trains on the Shimla-Kalka narrow gauge section. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/monsoon-hits-himachal-pradesh-heavy-rains-landslides-damage-vehicles-block-roads-disrupt-water-supply-519945 (25 June 2023)
IWP Understanding landslidesWhat are landslides, what are their causes and what are the steps that can be undertaken by communities to reduce their impacts, and at the policy level to prevent them from happening? https://www.indiawaterportal.org/faqs/understanding-landslides ( 10 June 2023)
CLOUD BURSTS
Himahcal Pradesh सोलन के अर्की में बादल फटा गया। जिससे 30 से 35 बकरियां बह गई। वहीं मंडी जिले की सराज घाटी में भी काफी नुकसान हुआ है। सराज के तुंगाधार में भारी बारिश के चलते आई बाढ़ में कई वाहन बह गए। उधर, पानी डेंजर लेवल के पास पहुंचने पर पंडोह बांध के फ्लड गेट खोल दिए गए हैं। इसके साथ कुल्लू के मौहल नाले में नरोणी गांव को जाने वाले रास्ते में पार्क किए वाहन पानी में बह गए। नाले में आई बाढ़ से पूरे इलाके में अफरातफरी मच गई। 24 घंटे में 13 गाड़ियां क्षतिग्रस्त हुई। चार घर पूरी तरह क्षतिग्रस्त हो गए, जबकि दो घरों को आंशिक नुकसान पहुंचा। इसके साथ 35 मवेशियों की मौत हो गई। बारिश के कारण 2 नेशनल हाईवे और 124 सड़कें बंद है। इसके साथ ही 151 बिजली के ट्रांसफार्मर भी ठप हैं। वहीं कालका-शिमला रेल मार्ग पर सभी ट्रेनें आज भी रद्द हैं। https://www.bhaskar.com/local/himachal/shimla/news/himachal-weather-forecast-monsoon-heavy-rain-alert-shimla-dharamshala-manali-kangra-weather-131445631.html (25 June 2023)
शिमला के रामपुर तहसील में सरपारा गांव में बादल फट गया है। जिससे भारी बारिश होने की संभावनाएं हैं। भारी बारिश के चलते भूस्खलन भी हुआ है, जिससे यातायात प्रभावित रहा है। सरपारा गांव में बादल फटने के कारण सबसे अधिक नुकसान किसानों को हुआ है। बादल फटने के बाद हुई बारिश से स्थानीय लोगों की कई बीघा फसल इस बाढ़ में बह गई।
सरपारा गांव में बनीं14 मेगावाट की ग्रीनको प्रोजेक्ट की पेनस्टॉक लाइन भी क्षतिग्रस्त हो गई है। वहीं, लोहे की मोटी पाईप लाइन भी फट गई है। इसने क्षेत्र में और नुकसान ला दिया। पाईप लाइन भी फट जाने के कारण बाढ़ का पानी और अधिक बढ़ने लगा है। इसके अलावा, बाढ़ की चपेट में आने की वजह से एक गौशाला और एक आरा मशीन शेड को भी नुकसान पहुंचा है। वहीं, सड़कों का आवागमन भी प्रभावित हुआ है। https://www.jagran.com/himachal-pradesh/shimla-himachal-monsoon-wreaking-havoc-in-the-state-cloud-burst-in-sarpara-village-of-rampur-many-bighas-of-crops-washed-away-in-water-23451891.html (25 June 2023)
रामपुर क्षेत्र के 15/20 क्षेत्र के सरपारा पंचायत के सुग्गा में बादल फटने से भारी नुकसान हुआ है। कुदरत के कहर से क्षेत्र में बनी 14 मेगावाट की ग्रीनको परियोजना की पेनस्टॉक लाइन भी क्षतिग्रस्त हुई। इस घटना में परियोजना की लोहे की मोटी पाइप लाइन फटने से परियोजना का पानी भी बाढ़ को विकराल रूप देने का कारण बना। इसके चलते स्थानीय लोगों की कई बीघा खेती योग्य जमीन पानी से बह गई।
स्थानीय लोगों ने 14 मेगावाट की जल विद्युत परियोजना को बरसात के मौसम में बंद करने की मांग उठाई है। उनका कहना है कि गांव के ऊपर बिछाई गई पेन स्टॉक लाइन कभी भी ग्रामीणों के लिए खतरे का कारण बन सकती है। क्योंकि ऊपर से पत्थर अथवा लहासा गिरने से पाइप लाइन टूटने का खतरा है। परियोजना प्रबंधन से बार-बार फरियाद लगाने के बाद भी मांग को अनदेखा किया जा रहा है। https://www.divyahimachal.com/2023/06/vehicles-washed-away-due-to-rain-roads-damaged-rain-wreaks-havoc-in-himachal-damage-due-to-flood-in-mohal-khad-of-kullu/ (26 June 2023)
शिमला जिला के रामपुर उपमंडल के अंतर्गत पंद्रहबीस क्षेत्र की सरपारा पंचायत के सुग्गा में बादल फटने की घटना सामने आई है। बादल फटने से आई बाढ़ में कई लोगों की खेती योग्य जमीनें बही गई हैं, वहीं एक गऊशाला आरा मशीन शैड भी बाढ़ की चपेट में आ गए हैं। https://himachal.punjabkesari.in/himachal-pradesh/news/cloud-burst-in-rampur-1844110 (25 June 2023)
कुल्लू के पास मोहल में आज सुबह बादल फटने से भारी तबाही हुई है। पानी के सैलाब में दर्जनों वाहन बह गए। प्रत्यक्षदर्शियों के अनुसार, मोहल में पहाड़ी पर अचानक बादल फट गया। इससे मोहल खड्ड का जलस्तर बढ़ गया। बाढ़ के आते ही लोग घरों से सुरक्षित स्थानों की तरफ भाग गए। मोहल खड्ड का जलस्तर कम होने के बाद जेसीबी की मदद से वाहनों को बाहर निकाला जा रहा है। राजस्व विभाग नुकसान का आकलन कर रहा है। https://jantaserishta.com/local/himachal-pradesh/cloud-burst-in-mohal-near-kullu-2502444 (25 June 2023)
वहीं चंबा में खड़ामुख-होली रोड पर खड़ामुख स्थान पर जलभराव की वजह से सड़क दुर्घटना सामने आई है। एक कार में एनएचपीसी-II बांध गिर गई। कार में कितने लोग सवार थे इसकी पुष्टि नहीं हुी है। अधिकारियों ने बताया कि पुलिस टीम मृतकों का पता लगाने में जुटी है। https://hindi.oneindia.com/news/himachal-pradesh/himachal-rain-update-torrential-rains-debris-of-drain-entered-houses-cloud-burst-784627.html (25 June 2021)
बीती रात को हुई भारी बारिश के चलते, मंडी से कटौला हुए कुल्लू जाने वाला मार्ग मलबा आने के चलते बंद हो गया.इसी तरह मंडी से आगे पंडोह में लैडस्लाइड से चंडीगढ़ मनाली हाईवे का एक हिस्सा बंद हो गया था. मंडी के धर्मपुर में सोनखड्ड उफान पर आई गई थी. इसी तरह शिमला में कई जगह पर नालों में पानी बढ़ने से मलबा गिरने पर गाड़ियों को नुकसान पहुंचा है. https://hindi.news18.com/news/himachal-pradesh/shimla-himachal-weather-today-cloud-burst-in-mandi-chamba-and-kasauli-reacord-breaking-rain-in-hills-6639599.html (24 June 2023)
Dhaulasiddh HEP is the second hydro project dented by flash flood consequent to a cloud burst incident in the state. The 66Mw Run of the River (RoR) project is being built on Beas river by Satluj Jal Vidhyut Nigam (SJVN) in Sujanpur tehsil of Hamirpur district. The foundation stone of the peaking project was laid in December 2021 at an estimated cost of Rs. 687 crore and with commissioning deadline by 2025.
Revealing some information about the incident, the ETV Bharat report writes that a cloud burst incident in morning hours in Khairi village flooded 5 homes with muck and debris apart from impacting a panchayat building and a cowshed.
The flash flood also washed away about 6 machines at Dhaulasidhhi project site causing a loss of Rs. 25 lakh to the Indira company which have subcontracted the work from Ritwik construction company. The machines were installed there to pump out the water. As per the report the deluge occurred all of a sudden and some workers handling the machines managed to save their lives in the nick of time. https://www.etvbharat.com/hindi/himachal-pradesh/state/hamirpur/heavy-rain-in-hamirpur-cloud-burst-in-khairi-heavy-damage-in-hamirpur-due-to-rain/hp20230625214837558558589 (25 June 2023)
In addition to these incidents, there has been one more incident of wrong dam operation in which the Chabba water supply scheme in Shimla was affected after sudden release of water from Nathpa dam. As per the report, the pump house was submerged and the submersible pumps as well as the inlet pipe of the schemes have been damaged by the sudden discharges snapping 08 MLD potable water supply for the Shimla for next couple of days. https://hindi.theprint.in/india/heavy-rains-in-himachal-pradesh-two-people-died-loss-of-rs-78-lakh-to-the-state-in-24-hours/558153/ (25 June 2023) https://hindi.moneycontrol.com/news/india/rainfall-alert-floods-landslides-rains-wreak-havoc-in-himachal-pradesh-two-killed-chandigarh-manali-highway-traffic-jam-1324301.html (25 June 2023)
Joshimath में फटा बादल, रास्तों को पहुंचा नुकसान, पैदल मार्ग हुआ प्रभावित https://www.abplive.com/videos/states/uttarakhand-cloudburst-in-joshimath-damage-to-roads-pedestrians-affected-2438859 (24 June 2023)
ENERGY OPTIONS
Chandigarh Green light to free solar units on rooftops from next month The Chandigarh Renewable Energy Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST), the designated executing agency for the implementation of renewable energy projects of the Department of Science and Technology, UT, has shortlisted two firms — one based out of Noida and the other located in the city — after opening technical bids. Of the two, one firm will be finalised on June 24 after opening of the financial bids, said a CREST official. The selected company would start the installation work in the first week of July.
-Around 4,000 households across the city stand to benefit from the scheme as plots with minimum 500 sq ft of space are eligible. The benefit will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. The scheme allows zero investment, flat solar power tariff of Rs 3.23 per unit for nearly 15 years till the time of transfer of plant to the beneficiary (landlord), and free-of-cost operation and maintenance of the plant for nearly 15 years till its transfer.
-As the expected life of an installed plant is nearly 25 years, the beneficiary will enjoy free solar power for nearly 10 years. At present, domestic consumers pay Rs 2.75 per unit for up to 151 units, Rs 4.25 per unit for 151-400 units and Rs 4.65 per unit for over 400 units. The minimum roof space must be 500 sq feet for installation of a 5kWp solar unit under the RESCO model.
-More than 1,200 applications for free installation of rooftop solar plants had already been received. With the installation of these plants, nearly 8.5 MWp (megawatt peak) would be generated, while the target was to achieve 20 MWp. The city has so far achieved nearly 55 MWp and aims to meet the target by August with the installation of rooftop solar plants for domestic consumers. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/chandigarh/green-light-to-free-solar-units-on-rooftops-from-next-month-518882 (21 June 2023)
ENVIRONMENT GOVERNANCE
New Book Arati Kumar-Rao’s ‘Marginlands: Indian Landscapes on the Brink’ is a chronicle of ecological wonders & human blunders From the floodplains of Assam to the sand dunes of Thar, from the shores of Kerala to the artificial glaciers of Ladakh, dense forests of Arunachal Pradesh to the coasts of Goa, sandbar islands on Ganga, perilous Sunderbans, rivers of Punjab and the backyard of an urban settlement in Bengaluru, all these landscapes with varying soils, vegetation and skies become thriving habitats. Tigers, wolves, vultures, eels, egrets, black-necked cranes, limpet and many more creatures who make these places functional walk through the pages. Hunting with dolphins, hosting bees, fostering the non-glamorous plants, Rao allures us with the marvellous and then offers the bitter pill of how all these places and lives are under threat because of short-sighted government policies focussed on profiteering through dams and weirs, waterways, mining, deforestation, commercial fishing, concretisation and thrust on private transport. It’s a book that lays bare the ecological wonders and human blunders of India.
The stories of people living on the margins are told with empathy. Whether it’s a widow trying to raise money for her son’s exams by catching crabs in crocodile-infested waters or a man who has been displaced eight times by barrage-induced floods, or a Kerala family huddled in a small kitchen because rest of their house has turned into rubble, Rao gives a glimpse into their challenges and that of millions of others who are either forced to leave their homes or turned into paupers overnight. It is rare for such accounts to reach the urban audience, which is instead fed an overdose of positive news on governance and GDP. https://m.tribuneindia.com/news/reviews/story/arati-kumar-raos-marginlands-indian-landscapes-on-the-brink-is-a-chronicle-of-ecological-wonders-human-blunders-519967/ (25 June 2023)
CLIMATE CHANGE
European Union “Warmest Early June On Record” The news comes as the El Nino climate phenomenon has officially arrived, raising fears of extreme weather and more temperature records. “The world has just experienced its warmest early June on record, following a month of May that was less than 0.1 degrees Celsius cooler than the warmest May on record,” said Samantha Burgess, deputy director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).
-El Nino, meaning “Little Boy” in Spanish, is marked by warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean near the equator. The weather pattern last occurred in 2018-19 and takes place every 2-7 years on average. Most of the warmest years on record have come during El Ninos, and scientists are concerned that this summer and next could see record temperatures on land and in the sea. https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/world-just-experienced-its-warmest-early-june-on-record-european-union-4125347 (16 June 2023)
SOUTH ASIA
Nepal 30 hydro projects of 463 MW sustain damage worth Rs 8.5 bl in last week’s floods According to the Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal (IPPAN), the floods of June 16 and June 17 in Taplejung, Panchthar, Sankhuwasabha and Bhojpur districts damaged the 30 hydropower projects of 463 MW in total capacity. Of these, 13 operating projects with 132 MW faced a loss of around Rs 6 billion.
– The 22.1 MW Lower Hewa Khola Hydropower Project sustained the biggest loss of Rs 1 billion. The 25 MW Kabeli B-1 faced a loss of Rs 500 million.
– The 4.7 MW Upper Piluwa-2 Hydropower Project had damage to its physical structures including headwork, pipe alignment and power house. It is estimated that it will take over two years to repair the damaged structures of the Upper Piluwa-2 project. The damage costs an estimated Rs 900 million to the project.
– Similarly, 17 under construction hydropower projects with capacity totaling 327 MW witnessed losses of over Rs 2 billion due to floods. The Super Hewa Khola Hydropower Project had the biggest loss of Rs 800 million. Out of 18 workers who were swept away by the flood at the project site, dead bodies of only four have been found so far. The Super Hewa Khola Hydropower Project is said to have completed 90 percent of its construction work. Harka Bahadur Tamang, chairman of the project, said it might take up to two years for the maintenance of the project. Similarly, the 97.5 MW Isuwakhola Hydropower Project sustained damages of Rs 500 million and 9.7 MW Ingwa Khola also had an equivalent amount of damage in its underconstruction infrastructure. https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/30-hydropower-projects-of-463-mw-sustain-damage-worth-rs-8-5-billion-in-last-week-s-floods/ (24 June 2023)
3 killed, 13 hurt, 28 missing in floods, landslides15 workers at the Upper Hewakhola Hydroelectricity Project have gone out of contact. One person’s body was found. Police surmise the body could be that of a worker at the Upper Hewa Khola Hydroelectricity Project. The flood has also damaged the under construction Super Hewa Hydro Project in Ward No 4 of Chainpur, Sankhuwasabha district.
– Five people have gone missing in Panchthar. They are workers of the Hewa-1 Hydropower Project. “The floods and landslides have damaged many hydropower projects and washed away bridges in Sankhuwasabha, Panchthar and Taplejung,” said DIG Bastola.
– Several hydropower projects – both under-construction and completed – in Sankhuwasabha, Taplejung, and Panchthar districts have been damaged. The Independent Power Producers’ Association Nepal reported that the floods damaged 13 hydroelectric projects with a total capacity of 150 megawatts. https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/3-killed-13-hurt-28-missing-in-floods-landslides (19 June 2023)
India-Pakistan -Raavi, the viral Pakistani song, adapted by an Indian singer is not just an ode to the river that flows on both sides of the border, it’s also a reminder of shared culture, heritage and identity. https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/art-and-culture/pakistani-old-song-raavi-sajjad-ali-making-waves-india-8666175/ (18 June 2023)
IWT Climate change and global warming are the new factors that are all set to adversely impact the IWT. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comment/both-india-pak-will-gain-from-recast-of-indus-waters-treaty-518530 (20 June 2023)
ASIA
Russia Ukraine War Civil society statement on Kakhovka dam disaster and restoration challengeOn Tuesday (June 20 2023), Ukraine Nature Conservation Group (UNCG), International Rivers and over twenty other civil society organizations condemned the destruction of the Kakhovka dam and called on officials meeting at the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC 2023) in London this week to pursue sustainable options to address pressing energy and water needs while restoring natural ecosystems in Ukraine. Full statement can be read here: https://www.internationalrivers.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/86/2023/06/Kakhovka-statement-English.pdf (20 June 2023)
What next? This destruction of the dam represents the most serious single blow to the environment during this war, constituting a war crime that should be investigated by the International Criminal Court as “ecocide” or another appropriate article of international law. The international community should hold Russia accountable for all the myriad environmental and humanitarian crimes committed during this war. The unfolding tragedy has not prevented the dam industry from promoting its services, even while the flood waters were still drowning towns located downstream. https://euobserver.com/opinion/157179 (23 June 2023)
Satellite images, analysed by BBC Verify, show four canal networks have become disconnected from the reservoir. The UN says drinking water supplies could be affected for more than 700,000 people, mostly in Russian-occupied areas. Experts say the loss of water from the canals would be critical for food production in the region. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65963403 (22 June 2023)
Kherson residents return to flood-ruined homes after dam destroyed. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/kherson-residents-return-to-flood-ruined-homes-after-dam-destroyed/articleshow/101211282.cms (23 June 2023)
THE REST OF THE WORLD
USA DAM SAFETY: For any dam receiving federal funding, the Army Corps of Engineers also plays a role. The corps usually had at least a hand in — if not total responsibility for — the building of these dams, and it helped write the water-control manual for each of them. The manual dictates when a dam should hold on to water during a flood and when it should release it. It is the bible for dam operations, with one unbreakable commandment: A dam shall not be overtopped.
– Eventually we reached the emergency spillway. Since 2017, the ground has been covered in roller-compacted concrete, which forms a 1,200-foot-wide staircase that drops down the hill. I was surprised to see it stopped well before it reached the river.
– Although ArkFuture would in theory require extensive use of the emergency spillway, both Yarbrough and Turnquist deflected the question of what would happen when it was used for the first time. Yarbrough said they were still studying how much erosion would occur, though they expected some where the emergency spillway ended. Turnquist pointed out that if the main spillway was running at full capacity, it would already be a catastrophe: “If we have 270,000 c.f.s. going out of the spillway, most of the downstream levees are going to be failed.”
– That species of fatalism crops up frequently in discussions of extreme flooding. During an event like ArkFuture, perfect operation of a dam would take the total inflow, which comes in peaks and troughs, and parcel it out evenly. But most dams can’t even release large amounts of water until they are nearly full, and even the best forecasts won’t allow a dam operator to know what’s coming much more than five days in advance. As flood control, dams are good at capturing single storms. Send California 30 days of rain, and there’s not much they can do.
– James said that New Bullards Bar had recently become part of a pilot program known as Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations. Under standard procedures, Yuba Water was allowed to schedule releases only in response to actual reservoir levels. With FIRO, though, more water could be spilled in advance if the forecast called for a big storm, and more water could be held back if meteorologists predicted a dry spell.
– That forecast wasn’t terribly useful, however, without the second part of Yuba’s plan: a new spillway, which they wanted to install to the right of the current one. Crucially, its intake would be lower, allowing it to release water even when the reservoir was nowhere near the crest. If they spotted a dangerous-looking amount of rain coming their way, they could spill water early, when the river was low, and then hold back more when the rain was falling and the Yuba was running high. They called it the ARC spillway, for “atmospheric river control.”
– Engineers could keep raising the levees, holding back the water as best they can. Dam owners could build more spillways like the one at Folsom or the ARC spillway planned for New Bullards Bar. And state authorities could get better at evacuations, start drilling for dam failures as we do for earthquakes.
– Probably California will have to do all three. But climate change requires a different kind of adaptation. What if, rather than trying to out-engineer the weather, or evacuate and return in an endless cycle, we changed where and how we live? It would be not an administrative feat but a psychological one, an attempt to check, in John McPhee’s words, “the powerful fabric of ambition that impelled people to build towns and cities where almost any camper would be loath to pitch a tent.” https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/22/magazine/california-dams.html (22 June 2023)
Compiled by SANDRP (ht.sandrp@gmail.com)
Also see: DRP News Bulletin 19 June 2023 & DRP News Bulletin 12 June 2023
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SANDRP 