(Feature Image: Vyasi HEP power station at Hathyari, Dehradun. SANDRP, June 2023)

This announcement by the government is indeed much belated but welcome step that India plans to increase peak hour power tariff compared to non-peak hour power tariff, beginning with commercial and industrial consumers from April 2024 a year later for others excluding agriculture consumers. The notification mentions it as daytime tariff (during solar hours) and night time power use, but this essentially also helps peak management.

This will not only put a premium on peak hour power consumption and hence generation, but also hopefully ensure that assessment of impacts of the peak hour power generation including at hydropower projects is done and done in a credible way, along with compensating those affected. It will also hopefully ensure that existing hydro capacity is used optimally for peak hour power generation before going for new hydro projects in the name of increasing peak our power generation.

One also hopes that it will lead to better peak hour power management and also considering all the options for such power generation rather than pushing hydro projects blindly in the name of peak hour power generation.

India to cut daytime power tariffs, raise fees for night use India will cut tariffs for daytime power use but charge a premium when electricity demand peaks during the night, in a bid to manage surging demand and boost the use of renewable energy. The new policy, outlined by the federal power ministry on Friday (June 23, 2023), will come into effect from April 2024 for commercial and industrial consumers and a year later for most other consumers except those in the agricultural sector. During so-called “solar hours”, tariffs will be 10%-20% less than normal levels, while tariffs during peak night hours when air-conditioning use is cranked up after people come home from work will be 10-20% higher. https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indias-power-tariff-be-20-less-during-solar-hours-higher-during-peak-hours-2023-06-23/  (23 June 2023)

HYDRO POWER PROJECTS

SANDRP Blog Himachal 25 June 2023: Cloud Bursts Damage 2 Hydro Projects With the onset of south west monsoon 2023, Himachal Pradesh has witnessed multiple incidents of ‘cloud bursts’ leading to destruction in Solan, Shimla, Hamirpur and Kullu between June 24-25. The extreme rainfall and resultant flash flood spells have caused widespread destruction to farms, cowsheds, local roads, bridges, vehicles and other public infrastructural in these districts.

14 MW GreenKo HEP damaged Amid this, there are reports about damages to at least two hydro power projects. The first project is 14 Mw GreenKo Hydro Electric Power (HEP) Project on Sechi khad (stream) in Sumez village under Sarpara panchayat in Rampur tehsil of Shimla district. Sechi khad is a perennial tributary of Sutlej River. The project appears to be operational for about a decade.  https://sandrp.in/2023/06/27/himachal-pradesh-25-june-2023-cloud-bursts-damage-2-hydro-projects/  (27 June 2023)

Report जलवायु परिवर्तन और ज्यादा बारिश से जलवि द्युत 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)

Himachal Pradesh CM seeks higher royalty from SJVNL projects CM Sukhvinder Singh on June 28 expressed displeasure over the SJVNL starting construction work on the 210 MW Luhri (Phase-1), 66 MW Dhaulasidh and 382 MW Sunni dam projects without signing an implementation agreement with the government.

-He said that despite repeated requests of the state government, the SJVNL had taken no measures with an optimistic approach. For this reason, the government had issued a notice to the power producer. He demanded royalty at the rate of 30 per cent in case of projects that had recovered its construction cost. Those projects that had been operational for 40 years should be transferred to the state government, he added. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/cm-seeks-higher-royalty-from-sjvnl-projects-521208  (29 June 2023)

4 hydro projects set to be transferred to HPPCL The state government has decided to transfer four small hydro power projects from Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) to HP Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL). The projects that will be transferred are SAI Kothi -1 (15 MW), Sai Kothi-11 (18 MW), Devi Kothi (16 MW) and Hail (18 MW) in Chamba district. The government has asked the HPSEBL Managing Director to prepare the modalities for the transfer of these projects.

The HPSEBL employees union, however, is against the move and, and has urged Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu to review and withdraw the decision. “The move will delay the start of work by around two years and the HPSEBL staff that will be shifted to the HPPCL along with these projects will face problems related to service conditions,” said HL Verma, secretary, HPSEBL Employee Union. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/four-hydro-projects-set-to-be-transferred-to-hppcl-521369  (30 June 2023)

Uttarakhand Bisan Singh Bonal Former ADG and Member Secretary, National Tiger Conservation Authority explaining possible impact and practical problems with proposed Baling HEP on Dhauliganga river in Pithoragarh. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEbGfp93xhM  (25 June 2023)

Joshimath Fresh incidents of land subsidence in Joshimath in the last two days have triggered panic among the residents of the temple town. https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/panic-grips-uttarakhands-joshimath-residents-over-fresh-incidents-of-land-subsidence/cid/1949332  (03 July 2023)

North East Centre may offer grants for hydropower projects The Union power ministry has proposed a new hydropower policy that will facilitate such grants, and the Union cabinet may take up the proposal soon, the people said on condition of anonymity. “The Centre may provide grants worth ₹4,000 crore to states in the north-eastern region so that the state governments can infuse equity in hydropower projects there,” said one of the people cited above. “The proposal has been moved, and it should come up in the cabinet soon.”  https://www.livemint.com/economy/centre-may-offer-grants-to-ne-states-for-hydropower-projects-11688321148729.html  (02 July 2023)

Arunachal Pradesh Subansiri Lower Hydro Project 90% complete: NHPC In a recent statement, the NHPC stated that more than 90% of the total project work has already been accomplished. Following the monsoon season, the final work on the radial gates will be concluded, and electricity generation is set to commence by the end of the Financial Year 2023-24. https://www.eastmojo.com/arunachal-pradesh/2023/07/01/arunachal-subansiri-lower-hydro-project-90-complete-says-nhpc/  (01 July 2023)

Meghalaya Tale of a submerged prehistoric settlement at Umiam Lake Umiam was a river before it was turned into a reservoir. The dam was built in the early 1960s, thereby submerging most of the places located along the river bank. Before that, the river bank served as a perfect location for settlement and agricultural activities.

-On May 17, when the water level of the lake reached its lowest ever exposing the submerged road (known as the old road), archaeologist Dr. Marco Mitri made a startling discovery – remnants of human activities and tools lying on the now-dry grounds, more like a submerged prehistoric settlement.

-A recent survey on the newly discovered Neolithic site at Umiam Lake offers the space for close examination of the site, both in its extent and cultural implication for the Neolithic culture of the Khasi Hills.

-The discovery is a reminder of the lost city of Zakhiku – an archaeological site discovered during low water level in the reservoir of the Mosul Dam in the Nineveh Governorate, part of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, in 2013. This city was destroyed by an earthquake around 1350 BC. https://themeghalayan.com/tale-of-a-submerged-prehistoric-settlement-at-umiam-lake/  (26 June 2023)

Kerala KSEB decides to maintain maximum water level in hydel dams  A senior KSEB official told The Hindu that power generation continued at a lower level to ensure the minimum storage in reservoirs, including Idukki. “Now low-cost power is available in the market and we are following a ‘reserve shutdown mode’ at Sabarigiri and Idamalayar power stations to conserve the water. Sometimes, power generation is temporarily stopped at small hydel stations to keep the existing water level. This is to also ensure the availability of water for drinking water projects,” said the official.

A KSEB dam safety wing official said that a high-level meeting by the power utility has decided to keep maximum storage in major hydel dams, including Idukki, after the latest weather forecast predicted low rain in July. “If the storage is low in hydel dams, power companies should raise the tariff for usage during peak hours. Now, the Moolamattom power plant generates power only during peak hours,” said the official.https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/kseb-decides-to-maintain-maximum-water-level-in-hydel-dams/article67023892.ece  (29 June 2023)

NHPC merger with Lanco Teesta may get MCA nod in August “The MCA had issued the order in February that the stakeholders and creditors approval may be sought for the merger of NHPC with Lanco Teesta. After the company submits both the approvals, the ministry will call for a final hearing likely in August after which the approval will be given,” the official told Moneycontrol. https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/economy/exclusive-nhpc-merger-with-lanco-teesta-may-get-mca-nod-in-august-official-10864661.html  (27 June 2023)

MoEF Relevant decisions of the FAC meeting held on June 12, 2023:- Diversion of additional 3.7904 ha of forest land in favour of JSW Energy Limited, Kuther HEP (240 MW), village Machhettar, P.O. Channouta, Tehsil-Bharmour, Distt. Chamba for the Transmission Line: Approved. https://forestsclearance.nic.in/writereaddata/FAC_Minutes/61126123912101document.pdf  (12 June 2023)

DAMS

Polavaram Project Whose Polavaram is it anyway? Detailed report on impact of Polavaram project on Godavari tribals.

Konda Reddis have been living on the banks of the Godavari, in the green hills that abut the river. Here, the mist moves in and out of the valley, and the air smells of chlorophyll. Culturally, the tribe is tied to River Godavari, which they regard as the mother goddess, and also give it a patriarchal status. “Our life cannot be separated from the sacred river. From birth and wedding to death, every ritual is connected with the river,” says Mutyala Reddi. In some rituals, soil and sand are collected from the river to perform puja to tribal deities.

The main complaint of the tribe is that the R&R package has grossly neglected their culture. They are being settled in places as far as 10 km from the forest, separating them from the river. Once the package fund gets exhausted, they will be left with nothing for their sustainability. “We won’t have the river to fish, no land to grow any crop, and most importantly, we won’t have any forest to hunt for game,” says Mutyala Reddi.

This apart, they say that the compensation was finalised on the basis of a survey done 10 years ago (for some villages) by the Grama Sabhas. These are State government-constituted bodies under the Revenue Department, headed by the Mandal Revenue Officer with a representative from the project rehabilitation unit. During the 2022 floods, scores of Koyas habitations were submerged in the Polavaram project submergence area. The Koyas lost everything to the flood, including houses and seeds, which washed away.

Balu Akkisa is an activist fighting for the R&R package in the Rampa Agency, further downstream. He explains that in the 2022 floods, the Devipatnam front got submerged due to the backwaters of the Cofferdam facility of the project rushing in. The Polavaram-displaced have been forced to settle in their R&R colonies despite the incomplete construction status and without a resettlement package, he says. “The project construction should be done only after rehabilitating the displaced families. However, it has never happened before at any stage of the execution of the project,” he says.

In another village, Pochavaram, the State government has asked villagers to shift to their R&R colony before the next Godavari flood is expected in July. The village sits directly on the banks of the river Godavari. “How can the government expect us to shift to our R&R colony, where not even a school building and drainage are ready?” says Murla Mangi Reddi, the village elder in his 50s.  A moment later, he is reflective: “This summer, we had performed three weddings, the last to be performed in our ancestral habitation.” Tears spill onto his face. “In our life, nothing will replace the Godavari river.”  https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/andhra-pradesh-whose-polavaram-is-it-anyway/article67020164.ece  (30 June 2023)

Mekedatu Project Revive raja kaluves instead of Mekedatu dam: Environmentalists Either the stormwater drains and lakes have been concretised or they have become sewage carriers in the city.  If the lakes and the entire raja kaluve network is revived, it will streamline the water levels, Leo F Saldanha, coordinator of an Environment Support Group, a Bengaluru-based NGO said.

Experts explained that the geographical location of Bengaluru is such that is surrounded by three major valley systems – Vrishabhavathi Valley, Hebbal Valley and Koramangala-Challaghatta Valley housing many lakes and play a crucial role in hydrological processes and replenishment of the groundwater. The Cauvery river does not have enough water to build another dam. Since the past 10 years the river has not changed its course, even the precipitation levels have remained the same, Saldanha explained. Breaching of lakes or flooding is only seen during the monsoon season when the water has no place to seep in resulting in overflowing. 

Experts said, if the Rs 9,000 crore project is given approval it will destroy the ecology in both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Around 63 per cent of the forest area of the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary will be submerged. https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2023/jul/03/revive-bengalurus-raja-kaluves-instead-of-mekedatu-project-environmentalists-2590796.html  (03 July 2023)

Himachal Pradesh गोबिंद सागर झील से मलबा निकालने के लिए कारगर योजना बताए सरकार  हाईकोर्ट ने गोबिंद सागर झील से मलबा बाहर निकालने के लिए कारगर योजना का खाका अदालत के समक्ष रखने के आदेश दिए हैं। उच्च न्यायालय ने राज्य सरकार को आदेश दिए हैं कि वह शपथपत्र के माध्यम से अदालत को बताएं कि झील से किस तहत मलबा निकाला जा सकता है। मुख्य न्यायाधीश एमएस रामचंद्र राव और न्यायाधीश अजय मोहन गोयल की खंडपीठ ने मामले की सुनवाई 20 जुलाई को निर्धारित की है।

बता दें कि पिछली सुनवाई के दौरान कोर्ट ने झील में किसी भी तरह की डंपिंग करने पर तुरंत प्रभाव से रोक भी लगा दी थी। फोरलेन विस्थापित और प्रभावित समिति के महासचिव मदन लाल ने जनहित में याचिका दायर की है। याचिका में दलील दी गई है कि स्थानीय लोगों के कठोर विरोध के बावजूद भी भाखड़ा बांध जलाशय में अवैध रूप से सड़क का मलबा फेंका जा रहा है। अवैध डंपिंग से न केवल पर्यावरण को नुकसान हो रहा है बल्कि, झील में मछलियों की कमी भी देखी जा रही है। इसका मुख्य कारण झील में अवैध डंपिंग से गाद के स्तर में वृद्धि है।  https://www.amarujala.com/shimla/himachal-govt-should-tell-effective-plan-to-remove-debris-from-gobind-sagar-lake-2023-06-26  (26 June 2023)

Artificial lakes to be developed as tourist destinations: CM In a statement issued on July 01, the CM said rules are being formulated to govern the operations of these activities with an objective to prolong the stay of tourists besides offering them a variety of memorable experiences. He also said the state also intends to promote water based attractions such as house boats, cruises, yachts as well as water sports in its reservoirs. The main focus is to start such activities at Pong dam in Kangra, Kol dam, Bhakra reservoir in Bilaspur, Larji reservoir in Kullu, Tattapani near Shimla and Chamera dam in Chamba, he added.  https://www.business-standard.com/india-news/artificial-lakes-in-himachal-to-be-developed-as-tourists-destinations-cm-123070100330_1.html  (01 July 2023)

Uttar Pradesh 4 hatchlings of endangered bird washed away in Bijnor Four Indian Skimmer hatchlings, born on a sand patch in Madhya Ganga barrage in Bijnor, have been washed away over the past couple of days, after an increased discharge of water into the dam, said conservationists who were observing the endangered bird. Six Indian Skimmer eggs laid on the same sandbar — a partially exposed ridge of sand in a water body —were washed away earlier this month after supply into the barrage was turned up. This is the third time the rare bird’s hatchlings or eggs have been washed away from the barrage in two months. A current swept away 20 eggs in May, said conservationists.

The hatchlings would have taken flight in just around 10 days, said the conservationists, adding that the birds could have been saved had authorities cut off the flow of water into the barrage and held it at the upstream Haiderpur wetland. “We observed that the irrigation department discharged more water than it usually does. This submerged the sandbar completely,” said Ashish Loya, who leads the nest guardian project at Wildlife Trust of India. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/tragic-loss-endangered-indian-skimmer-hatchlings-washed-away-due-to-increased-water-discharge-in-up-barrage-101688064578122.html  (30 June 2023)

Six Indian Skimmer eggs laid beside a barrage in Bijnor were washed away on Thursday (June 15) due to the strong flow of water from the dam, said conservationists who were observing the endangered bird, warning that four hatchlings who survived are now at risk of being submerged unless authorities limit the flow from the reservoir. Birders and conservationists in Bijnor, who were keeping a watch on the nesting birds, said this is the second time the rare bird’s eggs were washed away from the barrage, built on the Ganga, in a month, after a current swept away 20 eggs in May. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/six-indian-skimmer-eggs-washed-away-from-barrage-in-bijnor-four-hatchlings-at-risk-of-submersion-conservationists-warn-101686939893464.html  (16 June 2023)

Kanhar Dam:46 years long story of Kanhar Dam at Dudhi in Sonbhadra district, also affecting Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. It is expected to be completed now.  https://shorturl.at/syMO8 (26 June 2023)

सोनभद्र के अमवार में कनहर नदी पर बनाए जा रहे बांध का काम लगभग पूरा हो गया है। साथ ही बरसात में बांध में पानी का भराव शुरू हो गया है। तीन- चार दिनों से छत्तीसगढ़ में हलकी बारिश होने से कनहर बांध के जलस्तर में लगातार वृद्धि हो रही है। शुक्रवार (June 29) को डूब क्षेत्र के अन्दर सुन्दरी को अमवार से जोड़ने वाले पागन नदी पर बना अस्थायी रपटा डूब गया। रपटा डूबते ही सुन्दरी गांव मे बचे हुए विस्थापितों को 10 से15 किलोमीटर की लम्बी दूरी तय कर अमवार पुनर्वास कालोनी आना पड़ेगा। सिचाई विभाग के अधिकारी नदी के जलस्तर पर लगातार नजर बनाये हुए हैं। https://www.bhaskar.com/local/uttar-pradesh/sonbhadra/news/submerged-temporary-ramp-made-on-pagan-river-in-sonbhadra-131465684.html  (30 June 2023)

Uttarakhand Artificial lake formed at Shambhu river A 700m long artificial lake was reported to have been formed at Shambhu river in Bageshwar district a few days ago. On Saturday (July 01), a team from the irrigation department reached the spot and opened the mouth of the lake to drain out the water, said Pan Singh Bisht, executive engineer of the irrigation department. The lake was believed to have formed after a landslide clogged one end of the river, posing a threat to several villages situated in the foothills.

What is worrying is that this is the second time in quick succession that such a phenomenon has been reported in the Shambhu river, which flows from the Pindar valley towards Chamoli in Garhwal. Last year, too, in the last week of June, a lake, about 700 meters long and 50 meters wide, was formed due to debris falling in the river. Local residents recall that a similar thing was reported in 2013, too, during the Kedarnath tragedy. At the time, debris had started falling into the river due to a crack in the hill of Kunwari village which lies on the foothills. As a result, a water body had formed in the river. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/artificial-lake-formed-at-shambhu-river-in-bageshwar-like-last-year/articleshow/101442191.cms  (03 July 2023)  https://www.livehindustan.com/uttarakhand/bageshwar/story-administration-alert-due-to-information-about-formation-of-lake-again-in-shambhu-river-8380846.html   (01 July 2023)

Sardar Sarovar Project नन्दिनी ओझा की ‘द स्ट्रगल फॉर नर्मदा’ पुस्तक का हिंदी अनुवाद ‘संघर्ष नर्मदा का’ पुस्तक राजकमल प्रकाशन पर उपलब्ध है।  https://rajkamalprakashan.com/author/nandini-oza  (June 2023)

Karnataka KRS And Kabini reservoirs reaching dead storage level With monsoon playing truant, the water levels in KRS and Kabini Reservoirs are dipping at an alarming rate, thus posing a threat even to the drinking water needs of Mysuru and surrounding districts of Cauvery basin. On June 29 2023, the water-levels in both the dams were just short of reaching the dead storage level. The low level of water in the two major dams may severely disrupt water supplies to Mysuru, Bengaluru and other cities of the Cauvery basin.

In the past several years, the monsoon used to normally arrive in the first week of June on a full-scale with Kodagu getting copious rainfall and as a result, the KRS and Kabini Dams used to get heavy water inflows from catchment areas, by the end of June. But now, the catchment area for KRS Dam is yet to receive monsoon showers. Similar is the case of Kabini Dam, which get its water from Wayanad in Kerala. https://starofmysore.com/krs-and-kabini-reservoirs-reaching-dead-storage-level/ (30 Jun 2023)

INTERLINKING OF RIVERS

Chennai WRD plans to link Kosasthalaiyar & Arani rivers “To manage surplus water in Kosasthalaiyar river, a canal is being constructed in select areas of Tiruvallur. WRD has also proposed to construct canals near Panchetti and Pudhuvayal villages to facilitate interconnection of rivers,” the official added. He said, “The project could effectively control seawater intrusion and lead to better groundwater levels which have significantly dropped near North Chennai.”

Another official said WRD is pursuing measures to prevent a repeat of the floods in 2015, and the river linking project is one such initiative, with inputs and suggestions from the Tiruppugazh committee. In a collaborative effort, the state government and a Japanese agency are conducting inspections and commissioning a feasibility report for Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvalur and an allocation of Rs 5 crore is made.  https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2023/jul/02/water-resources-department-plansto-link-kosasthalaiyar–arani-rivers-in-chennai-2590643.html  (02 July 2023)

INTERSTATE WATER DISPUTES

Karnataka We want to resolve Pennaiyar water sharing dispute with Tamil Nadu through talks: Shivakumar  Karnataka is building a dam across the Markandeya river near Yargol village in Kolar district to provide drinking water to the Kolar, Malur and Bangarpet taluks, and 40 other villages. It has obtained all the required permissions to build the dam at a cost of Rs 240 crore.

Tamil Nadu, however, has objected to the project and claimed that since the Markandeya river is a tributary of the Pennaiyar river, dam construction by Karnataka would obstruct its natural flow to the downstream.  It has also alleged that Karnataka has taken up construction of a reservoir across the Markandeya river diverting surplus waters of the Varthur tank.

Besides the Pennaiyar river water issue, Shivakumar said he has also requested the Union minister to give early approval for the Mekedatu, Mahadayi project, and notify the long pending Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal final award. He also requested the Centre to release funds to the Upper Bhadra project under Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP). https://theprint.in/india/ktaka-wants-to-resolve-pennaiyar-water-sharing-dispute-with-tamil-nadu-through-talks-shivakumar/1649824/   (30 June 2023)

Mahanadi Water Disputes केंद्र सरकार ने ट्रिब्यूनल का कार्यकाल दो साल के लिए बढ़ा दिया है। पिछले दिनों ट्रिब्यूनल ने छग और ओडिशा में महानदी के कैचमेंट एरिया का दौरा किया था। अब महानदी वाटर डिस्प्यूट ट्रिब्यूनल का कार्यकाल 13 अप्रैल 2026 तक होगा। ओडिशा सरकार की मांग पर महानदी जल विवाद को निपटाने के लिए सरकार ने ट्रिब्यूनल का गठन किया था। पहले इसका कार्यकाल 2021 तक था जिसे 2023 तक बढ़ाया गया था। https://kelopravah.news/two-years-extension-to-mahanadi-tribunal/ (2 Jul 2023)

Krishna Water Disputes Telangana dashes off 77 letters against AP projects, gets scant response “Unfortunately, in spite of so many letters, KRMB could not restrain Andhra Pradesh from execution of the said works. All these works involving large diversions will seriously affect the needs of Krishna basin areas of Telangna state from Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar reservoirs,” regretted C Mularidhar, Enginer-in-Chief (General), in one of his letters addressed to the Chairman, KRMB.

New works of this nature costing over Rs.47,776 crore were taken up by Andhra Pradesh. They are all intended either to expand or add an enhanced component to the existing projects without approval and intended to divert water to projects outside the Krishna basin in violation of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014, said a senior officer. https://telanganatoday.com/ts-dashes-off-77-letters-against-ap-projects-gets-scant-response  (28 June 2023)

RIVERS AS NATIONAL WATERWAYS

Uttar Pradesh Govt planning to establish waterways on 8 rivers for public transport Senior state government officials said the Yamuna, Gomti, Assi, Ghaghra, Rapti Betwa, Chambal and the Varuna rivers will be used as waterways to transport goods and people. The proposed waterways authority will have officials from the transport, irrigation and tourism departments. However, the initial work to survey prospective waterways has been assigned to transport department officials.

“The plan is in the initial survey phase. The modalities of it will be decided as per the survey and the feasibility on different rivers. However, we are moving ahead with the intention to realise the aim to strengthen and expand the waterways,” Transport Minister Dayashankar Singh said on July 1 2023. The survey will be followed by fairway development to ensure the least available depth for the movement of water taxis and cargo boats. The work is being done under the Jal Marg Vikas Project, undertaken by the Inland Waterways Authority of India with technical and financial assistance from the World Bank. https://www.business-standard.com/india-news/up-govt-planning-to-establish-waterways-on-8-rivers-for-public-transport-123070200142_1.html  (02 July 2023)

IRRIGATION

Tamil Nadu Farmers demand completion of check dam renovation Farmers from Palacode and Marandhalli urged the public works department (WRO) to complete the renovation of the damaged check dams across the Chinnar river basin soon, which were damaged due to floods last year. They stated that check dams are crucial for the groundwater table and urged the administration to complete the works before the onset of the Southwest monsoon. In 2022, the district received 1,025 mm of rainfall and due to this, the Chinnar River passing through Pennagaram and Palacode faced massive flooding, which damaged nearly 15 check dams.  https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2023/jul/02/complete-check-dam-renovation-on-chinnar-soon-tn-farmers-2590559.html  (26 June 2023)

Uttar Pradesh हरदोई में हाल ही में नहरों की साफ-सफाई का टेंडर भी निकाला गया था। लेकिन नहरों से निकलने वाली माइनर, रजबहा छोटी नहरों का हाल बेहाल है। अधिकांश छोटी नहरें और माइनर चोक पड़े हैं। जिससे किसानों को काफी परेशानी का सामना करना पड़ रहा है। https://newstrack.com/amp/uttar-pradesh/hardoi/tender-passed-for-development-of-big-canals-but-condition-of-small-canals-is-good-in-papers-not-reality-434486  (28 June 2023)

URBAN RIVERS

Mula-Mutha; Pune Riverfront project is extremely unfair to citizens Dr. Gurudas Nulkar The Rs 4,700 crore being spent on this project violates the principle of social justice on at least two counts. First, the PMC’s failure to provide clean drinking water to all citizens. Second, the callousness with which the civic body releases untreated sewage that affects people living downstream. The PMC has disregarded its duty to the citizens of Pune as well as residents of Solapur, the city that feeds on the sewage of Pune city. The Rs 4,700 crore will not be spent on any of this.

The budget for the river rejuvenation project neither provides for improving the water quality, nor for enhancing water distribution to deprived areas. These discrepancies raise the question: Is the project a socially just investment?

Social justice transcends the current generation to include future citizens. The brunt of the climate inadequacy of this project and the massacre of 6,000 trees might not affect this generation. However, future citizens might not be so fortunate. In any public expenditure, maximisation of social benefit is advocated. However, in the case of Pune’s river rejuvenation project, it appears that only a section of society will benefit from it. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/explainer-why-the-riverfront-project-is-extremely-unfair-to-citizens/articleshow/101384372.cms  (30 June 2023)

Adyar; Chennai WRD issues fresh eviction notices to residents The Water Resources Department has started issuing notices to the encroached structures at Anakaputhur on Wednesday to facilitate widening of the narrow portions of the Adyar. Though the process for the project was started in 2017, the department has been facing hurdles, including stiff resistance from the residents. On June 28 2023, the drive to issue notices was carried out along with the Tambaram Municipal Corp. https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/wrd-issues-fresh-eviction-notices-to-encroachers-along-the-adyar-at-anakaputhur/article67019895.ece (28 Jun 2023)

Musi; Hyderabad 55-km skyway along Musi to ease traffic The execution of the project is expected to cost Rs 10,000 crore. Apart from the skyway, work on 5 out of the 14 proposed bridges across the Musi would be launched to facilitate free flow of traffic for which tenders have been finalised and foundation stones would be laid soon. The tenders for the remaining nine would be expedited, Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao said after inaugurating the 20th Interchange (entry and exit ramp of ORR) at Narsingi and 15 MLD STP in Kokapet on Saturday (July 01).

Apart from treating the generated sewage, the new 31 STPs would also help protect water bodies including lakes and tanks in the city, the minister said. The State government has sanctioned Rs 3,866 crore for constructing 31 STPs of 1259.50 MLD capacity taken up in various parts of the city. Remaining STPs would be inaugurated in July and August in a phased manner, he explained.

The State government would also bring a Waste Water Recycling Policy. A policy will be brought in soon to pave the way for builders to utilise the water treated at the STPs in the construction activities. Besides that, the treated water will also be utilised by the GHMC and HMDA for maintaining the greenery landscapes on ORR and public parks in Hyderabad. https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/telangana/2023/jul/02/55-km-skyway-along-musi-to-ease-traffic-in-hyderabad-2590545.html  (02 July 2023)

Tapi; Surat Citizens in Surat celebrate Tapi river birthday तापी नदी का उदगम मध्य प्रदेश के मुलताई जिले के निकट सातपुड़ा पर्वत श्रृंखला से होता है। तापी नदी महाराष्ट्र, मध्य प्रदेश और गुजरात से होकर बहने वाली लगभग 724 किमी लंबी है। सूरत सूर्यपुत्री तापी नदी के तट पर स्थित एक शहर है और इसीलिए सूरत को सूर्यपुर कहा जाता है और तापी नदी सूरत की जीवनधारा है।

तापी नदी का जन्म आषाढ़ सुद सातम के दिन हुआ था और यह पूरी दुनिया में एकमात्र तापी नदी है जिसका जन्मदिन सूरती लोग बड़े ही धूमधाम से मनाते हैं। सूरत के लोग तापी नदी को अपनी माँ के रूप में पूजते हैं, जिसे सूरत की जीवदोरी कहा जाता है और इसीलिए तापी नदी के मंदिर भी सूरत में स्थित हैं। इनमें से एक मंदिर चौकबाजार घंटा ओवारा में है, जहां हर दिन इस मंदिर की पूजा की जाती है और तापी माता को याद करके धन्यवाद दिया जाता है। 1915 में थाईलैंड की एक नदी का नाम भी तापी के नाम पर रखा गया था। https://www.loktej.com/article/93191/surat-residents-celebrated-the-birthday-of-tapi-river (25 Jun 2023)

Sabarmati; Ahmedabad Akshar river cruise launched Union Home Minister Amit Shah on July 2 2023 launched the ‘Akshar’ cruise on the Sabarmati riverfront stretch that cuts through the city. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/amit-shah-launches-akshar-river-cruise-in-ahmedabad/articleshow/101431051.cms  (02 July 2023)

Shipra; Ujjain शिप्रा में केमिकल बहाने वाले के खिलाफ सख्त हुआ प्रशासन शिप्रा नदी में केमिकलयुक्त पानी छोड़े जाने की शिकायत ग्रामवासियों द्वारा की गई थी। उनके मवेशियों को इससे काफी क्षति पहुंची थी। June 29 2023 को प्रशासन ने कार्रवाई करते हुए टीनशेड से बना गोदाम और भूमिगत पाइप लाइन को तोड़ दिया है। https://www.amarujala.com/amp/madhya-pradesh/ujjain/ujjain-administration-got-tough-against-chemical-shed-in-shipra-river-broke-godown-and-underground-pipeline-2023-06-29  (29 June 2023)

RIVERS

Report 10 Major rivers in India which share water with neighbours https://www.india.com/webstories/news/india/10-major-rivers-in-india-which-share-water-with-neighbours-brahmaputra-river-ganga-yamuna-teesta-meghna-sutlej-beas-chenab-ravi-6142892/   (July 2023)

10 most beautiful rivers of world Rivers are earth’s lifeline. Every year, on September 27, people celebrate World River’s Day to increase awareness about the significance of rivers and why it is important to keep our rivers clean. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/destinations/10-of-the-worlds-most-beautiful-rivers/photostory/101266484.cms  (26 June 2023)

Meghalaya Rivers are in bad shape, warns MSPCB Encroachment and pollution are dealing a double blow to a few of the once-pristine rivers in Meghalaya. Verbal assurances and symbolic actions have done little to rejuvenate these rivers. The State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) has often warned people about the acidic level of the rivers and how they are becoming too toxic for the survival of aquatic lifeforms. But little seems to have been done beyond period tests conducted to assess the water quality. The MSPCB has set up 54 water quality monitoring stations across the state under the National Water Monitoring Programme (NWMP). The monitoring network covers 20 rivers, four lakes, and seven springs or wells. https://theshillongtimes.com/2023/07/02/meghalayas-rivers-are-in-bad-shape-warns-mspcb/  (02 July 2023)

Jammu & Kashmir गंगा की बहन  देविका नदी, जिसे पौराणिक मान्याताओ के मुताबिक गंगा नदी की बहन के रूप में जाना जाता है। देविका नदी उधमपुर जिले की पहाड़ी सुध महादेव मंदिर से निकलती है। यहां से निकलने के बाद यह नदी पश्चिमी पंजाब(वर्तमान पाकिस्तान) में जाकर रावी नदी में जाकर मिल जाती है।

देविका नदी का धार्मिक महत्व अधिक है। यही वजह है कि जहां से यह नदी निकलती है, उसे देवकनगरी के रूप में भी जाना जाता है। वहीं, अपने उद्गम स्थल से निकलने के बाद यह नदी कई जगहों पर लुप्त और कई जगहों पर प्रकट होती है। ऐसे में इस नदी को गुप्त गंगा के नाम से भी जाना जाता है। पौरणाकि मान्याताओं में इस नदी को गंगा की बड़ी बहन देविका बताया गया है। इस नदी के किनारे पर बैसाखी की पूर्व संध्या पर मेले का आयोजन भी किया जाता है, जिसमें जगह-जगह से लोग पहुंचते हैं। https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/which-river-called-as-gangas-sister-river-1687444075-2  (28 June 2023)

Punjab Seer who cleaned a 160km long river In the 2000, Balbir Singh Seechewal decided that something had to be done about the domestic and industrial waste that was killing the Kali Bein river – 160 km long tributary of Beas in Doaba region of Punjab. The river, which is considered sacred by many in the state, had reduced to nothing but a drain because of all the waste that was being discarded in it. Some portions of the river had even dried up, resulting in immense water problems in the neighbouring farms. https://www.thebetterindia.com/51513/balbir-singh-seechewal-punjab-river-cleaning/  (09 April 2016)

Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Singh Seechewal has come to the rescue of nearly 3,000 villagers by agreeing to give Rs 7 lakh grant from his fund to the district administration for buying a boat to villagers living across the Ravi. Residents of a cluster of seven villages located across the river live in appalling conditions. Their only link to nearby areas is a pontoon bridge which is dismantled every year during the monsoon when the Ravi gets flooded. In the absence of this bridge for nearly six months a year, they have to rely on a boat which is operated by the PWD. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/bridge-gone-seechewal-keeps-villagers-afloat-521605  (01 July 2023)

Haryana Our study shows growing zone of active tectonic deformation By Harsh Vats The river system analysis is an important tool for studying tectonic geomorphology as it is capable of adjusting to the crustal deformation that takes place over periods of centuries to decades.  https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/science-technology/our-study-shows-growing-zone-of-active-tectonic-deformation-in-northern-haryana-plains-south-of-himalayas-90254  (26 June 2023)

GANGA Uttar Pradesh Portion of Ganga bridge washed away A part of a bridge connecting two towns over the Ganga river collapsed due to the strong flow of water caused by heavy rain in Meerut district on June 26 2023. The bridge collapse has brought the traffic in several nearby villages to a standstill. Its approach road connecting Meerut’s Hastinapur and Bijnor could not withstand the strong flow of the river, and was washed away amid heavy rains. Reportedly, the bridge was shut last year for some repair and some security installations were due since then. Some locals said that last year also, the connecting road was destroyed in July and was not repaired for six months. https://weather.com/en-IN/india/news/news/2023-06-27-uttar-pradesh-ganga-bridge-swept-away-in-meerut-after-heavy-rains  (27 June 2023) मेरठ के हस्तिनापुर और चांदपुर से बिजनौर की सीमाओं से साथ अन्य कई जिलों को आपस में जोड़ने वाला क्षेत्र के भीमकुंड गंगा पुल की एप्रोच रोड पिछले 24 घंटे गंगा के कटान को नहीं झेल सकी और उचित कटान प्रबंध न होने के कारण आखिरकार सोमवार की सुबह चार बजे गंगा में बह गई है। https://www.amarujala.com/uttar-pradesh/meerut/connecting-bridge-on-ganga-drowns-in-water-traffic-closed-2023-06-26?pageId=1  (26 June 2023)

Uttarakhand चारधाम रोड प्रोजेक्ट से जुड़े रवि बोले- सड़कें विनाश लाएंगी:सिर्फ टोल के लिए 7 की जगह 10 मीटर चौड़ी सड़क बनाई  https://www.bhaskar.com/db-original/news/url-kedarnath-tragedy-uttarakhand-hpc-chief-ravi-chopra-on-char-dham-highway-project-131472113.html  (03 July 2023)

Bihar Under construction bridge collapses in Vaishali, 3rd incident this month In another incident of bridge collapse, a portion of temporary bridge built on river Ganges in Vaishali washed away due to strong winds on June 28 2023. The bridge connected Raghopur to the Vaishali district headquarters. This is the third such incident in the state within a month.

-The incident comes days after a span of a 100-meter under-construction bridge over Mechi river on a-94-long stretch on NH-327 E between Galgaliya in Kishanganj and Araria had collapsed at Gorichak in Kishanganj. Moreover, a four-lane road bridge, which was under construction, collapsed earlier this month. The bridge, built at a cost of over ₹1,700 crore, over the Ganges connected Bhagalpur district to Aguwani Ghat in Khagaria.

-A portion of this bridge had collapsed on April 30 last year as well. “This is not the first time that the bridge collapsed. In the past too, I had asked for an investigation into why the incident happened. I have also asked for strict action to be taken against those responsible,” chief minister Nitish Kumar had said when the bridge collapsed this month. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/watch-under-construction-bridge-collapses-bihars-vaishali-3rd-incident-this-month-101687943597469.html (28 Jun 2023)

Chhattisgarh Part of under-construction bridge collapses A portion of a under-construction bridge at Sagni Ghat in Durg district to connect the Silli and Nankatti villages collapsed and was washed away on June 28. The ghat is known as Triveni Sangam because it sees the confluence of three rivers – Shivnath, Aamner and Sagni. Construction on the bridge, which is estimated to cost ₹16.4 crore, had begun on November 11, 2020, and it was supposed to have been completed on April 11, 2022.

-Officials said it has been raining incessantly in Durg division for the past four days, because of which 24 thousand cusecs of water had been released into the Shivnath river from the Mogra reservoir. They said the structure could not take the pressure of the increased water flow and caved in. D K Maheshwari, executive engineer of the bridges department, said the contractor, Amar Infrastructure, had been asked to dismantle the structure ahead of the monsoon season, but it failed to do so.

-“These instructions are issued to all contractors ahead of the rainy season. Despite this, the contractor had not dismantled the structure at the Sagni Ghat bridge. Only the staging and shuttering have been washed away. No concrete had been poured,” said Mr Maheshwari. “The damage, of around ₹ 12 lakh, will be borne by the contractor and a show-cause notice will also be issued,” he added. Asked about the delay in the bridge’s completion, he said it was because of issues related to land acquisition. https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/on-camera-part-of-under-construction-bridge-collapses-in-chhattisgarh-4160927  (28 June 2023) विभाग ने दुर्ग कलेक्टर को लिखे पत्र में बताया है कि शिवनाथ नदी पर बन रहे 400 मीटर के इस पुल में 17 स्पॉन बनाए जाने हैं। 14 स्पॉन तक का काम पूर्ण हो चुका है। 15 वें स्पॉन के निर्माण के लिए स्टेजिंग और सेट्रंरिंग लगाई गई थी, लेकिन स्लैब डालने में विलंब हो रहा था। बारिश शुरू होने के कारण इसे हटाने का भी आदेश दिया गया था, लेकिन हटाया नहीं जा सका। यही स्टेजिंग और सेंट्रिंग का ढांचा गिरा है। पुल का जो 75 प्रतिशत काम हो चुका है, उसे कोई नुकसान नहीं पहुंचा है। https://www.bhaskar.com/local/chhattisgarh/durg-bhilai/news/structure-towards-silli-village-washed-away-in-the-river-officers-and-contractors-did-not-reach-the-spot-131457819.html  (28 June 2023)

Jharkhand कोयल नदी की खासियत कोयल नदी झारखण्ड की सबसे लंबी उत्तरगामिनी नदी है. इसका नाम कोयल पक्षी की वजह से नहीं है. नदी के कछार में आदिम संस्कृति के वाहक कोल जनजाति के लोग रहते थे, जिससे उत्तर में बहनेवाली यह कोल फिर कोइल और प्रकांतर में कोयल कहलाई.

उत्तरी कोयल नदी उद्गम से सोन नदी में मिलनेतक गुमगुला, लातेहार और पलामू जिले से बहती हुई 260 किलोमीटर की दूरी तय करती है. जिसके आखिरी कुछ किलोमीटर छोड़कर सारा प्रवाह चट्टानी है और अपनी लगभग संपूर्ण जलधारा में नाव नहीं चलने के मलाल में यह नदी बहती जा रही है.

उत्तरी कोयल नदी की धारा कई मायने में बाकी अन्य नदियों से भिन्न है. खासकर इसके बहाव की दिशा, उत्तरी कोयल का अपवाह तंत्र जो की उत्तर दिशा में है, जो छोटानागपुर पठार के दो दक्षिण गामिनी प्रमुख नदियाँ शंख और दक्षिणी कोयल के ठीक बीच से बह निकलती है. जहाँ पश्चिम में पाट प्रदेश की शंख नदी, छेछरी घाटी के दक्षिणी ढलान से उत्तरी कोयल के उद्गम को लगभग छूती हुई बहती है, वही पाट प्रदेश के पूर्वी ढलान, बांगुरगु पहाड़ से नीचे दक्षिण तक से दक्षिणी कोयल नदी राँची पठार से ओड़िसा की ओर निकल जाती है. https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/jharkhand/jharkhand-koel-river-is-link-to-ganga-rites-know-specialty-zzz  (24 June 2023)

YAMUNA Delhi Remembering Manoj Misra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RIi4n8-6hk  (28 June 2023)

NGT panel on Yamuna identifies areas to improve water quality Bhim Singh Rawat, of the SANDRP said these steps were welcome, but the HLC needs to look at additional problems like dumping of construction and demolition waste along the floodplains and drains, maintaining sufficient ecological flow of the river and mapping the floodplain area that is impacted by flooding.

“Many steps have also been taken to prevent dumping of religious leftovers in the river, but have not yielded the intended results. Without learning from those failures it could again be a futile exercise,” he said, asking the HLC to look at forming a dedicated team to map the spread of the flood water along the floodplains and identify how the e-flow can be improved during the lean season. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/delhi-news/yamuna-rejuvenation-high-level-committee-identifies-new-thrust-areas-to-improve-water-quality-and-prevent-waste-dumping-101687719737405.html  (26 June 2023)

Revisiting the relationship between Delhi and Yamuna “The relationship we share with Yamuna is that of a mother and son. In the last 30 years, I have seen the river change in front of my eyes. It is sad to see what it has become now,” says Randheer, a floodplain farmer who lives along the Yamuna Khadar near Delhi’s Raj Ghat.

Just 15 kilometres away, 70-year-old Kalicharan, who resides along the banks of the river near Mayur Vihar, adds, “Earlier, we used to drink its water and take a bath. Now we can’t even go next to it because of how dirty it is.” Randheer and Kalicharan are among the many residents of Delhi who have been directly affected by the depleting water quality of the Yamuna for over three decades now. https://indianexpress.com/article/research/revisiting-yamuna-river-relation-with-delhi-pollution-8689593/  (29 June 2023)

News9 Plus’ exclusive drone visuals of the Yamuna reveal, what Delhi is doing to the river. A painful stark difference between how it looks before Wazirabad, not very far from where it enters Delhi and what it turns into after Wazirabad in Delhi. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUWZw_UGH_0  (30 June 2023)

Pollution in Yamuna goes up in June again Despite surplus rain in March, April and May, the pollution level in the Yamuna increased in June, shows a monthly analysis report by Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). According to the data for June, the water samples collected from the first two locations of the river in the city, Palla and Wazirabad, were within the standard criteria for outdoor bathing. However, by the time the river reached ISBT bridge, the pollution level shot up. Dissolved oxygen (DO), a marker of presence of life in the river, faded away and the level of fecal coliform, indicating presence of raw sewage, rose.  https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/pollution-in-yamuna-goes-up-in-june-again/articleshow/101426083.cms  (02 July 2023)

Pilot project on disposing of puja items is bearing fruit Within 35 days of launching the drive, the civic body managed to collect 2,000 broken or damaged idols. These were either buried in pits or recycled. Similarly, around 300 kg of flowers and other biodegradable materials have been used for making compost or colour. “The clothes or scarves have been used to make 200 bags and distributed to people to discourage the use of plastic bags. The remaining plastic material is being recycled,” said Amit Sharma, deputy commissioner of the central zone, where the project has been taken up on a pilot basis. The civic body launched the drive during Navratri in March this year. After consulting with associations at temples, it set up four boxes at eight places to separately collect photos, idols, flowers and clothes before recycling them. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/how-pilot-project-on-disposing-of-puja-items-is-bearing-fruit-in-delhi/articleshow/99716063.cms  (24 April 2023)

Plantation drive at Yamuna Vatiika 500 chinar and 500 cherry blossom saplings planted at 450-acre Yamuna Vatiika. Spread across 450 acres from the Old Railway Bridge to the ITO Barrage, Yamuna Vatiika is located on the western bank of the floodplains. Under the Yamuna Vatiika makeover, a 10-acre garden with seasonal flowers, walkways, jogging/cycling tracks, eco-friendly temporary structures for eateries and cafeteria, public utilities, an event area, bio-retention zone, an adventure zone with a play area as well as a viewing deck will be developed. https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/dda-marks-world-environment-day-with-plantation-drive-at-yamuna-vatiika/article66934860.ece  (06 June 2023)

Haryana 1 department, but 2 contradictory replies on green compensation In August 2022, SPCB responded to a RTI query and said that 11 restaurants and eateries in Gurgaon weren’t following the rules for proper disposal of waste between 2017 and 2022. But environmental compensation — amounting to Rs 5 crore — was waived on “sympathetic” grounds after considering the livelihoods of people employed at these establishments.

This month, the board told Varun Gulati — the same activist who had also filed the RTI query — in another response on the CM Window that it hasn’t spared any violators from paying up the compensation. “HSPCB has not exempted any bars from payment of environmental compensation. EC has been recovered and is under process of recovery from more of such units,” read the CM Window reply to Gulati.

On Tuesday (June 27), Gulati questioned how the board could now say it hasn’t exempted any establishment from having to pay EC. “This could be just the tip of the iceberg. They could have allowed more exemptions that we don’t know of. It is absurd that a board can waive off EC on ‘sympathetic’ grounds. Why are they not taking into consideration the lives of people who are affected because of groundwater pollution,” Gulati asked.  https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/1-department-but-2-contradictory-replies-on-green-compensation/articleshow/101323321.cms  (28 June 2023)

At least nine business establishments based in Sonepat district were found on the wrong side of the law. A probe by the State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) 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)

FISH, FISHERIES, FISHERFOLKS

Bengaluru Fish yield in city’s waterbodies crosses 9k tonnes in 2 years Amid multiple fishkill incidents and BBMP opposing commercial fishing in Bengaluru lakes, annual fish yield in the city’s waterbodies has crossed 9,000 tonnes in the last two years, compared to 5,800-6,000 tonnes earlier. Over 160 waterbodies of Bengaluru Urban district yielded 6,061 tonnes of fish in 2020-21. In 2021-22, the figure touched 9,360 tonnes. Fish production slightly dipped to 9,126 tonnes in 2022-23. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/fish-yield-in-citys-waterbodies-crosses-9k-tonnes-in-two-years/articleshow/101407803.cms  (1 July 2023)

Jamshedpur Excess ammonia, low oxygen led to fish death in Jubilee Park lake The main reason for the death of fish in the pond (Jayanti Sarovar) located at Jubilee Park is the high level of ammonia in the water and lack of oxygen. The above disclosure has come to the fore in the investigation of Fisheries Research Center, Ranchi.

After the matter of death of fish in abundance came to light, the Director of Fisheries Department had ordered an inquiry into it. After which, on June 19, a four-member team from Ranchi came to Jamshedpur and took samples of pond water, silt etc.After investigation, the team has given some suggestions to Tata Steel UISL, which manages the pond. In which water exchange (water solution) can be done to increase the amount of dissolved oxygen in the pond. https://avenuemail.in/jamshedpur-excess-ammonia-low-oxygen-led-to-fish-death-in-jubilee-park-lake/  (30 June 2023)

Study Surprising Impact of River Erosion An MIT study identifies a geological process that may shape the diversity of species in tectonically inactive regions. In a paper published recently in the journal Science, the researchers report that river erosion can be a driver of biodiversity in these older, quieter environments.

-They make their case in the southern Appalachians, and specifically the Tennessee River Basin, a region known for its huge diversity of freshwater fishes. The team found that as rivers eroded through different rock types in the region, the changing landscape pushed a species of fish known as the greenfin darter into different tributaries of the river network. Over time, these separated populations developed into their own distinct lineages.

-The team speculates that erosion likely drove the greenfin darter to diversify. Although the separated populations appear outwardly similar, with the greenfin darter’s characteristic green-tinged fins, they differ substantially in their genetic makeup. For now, the separated populations are classified as one single species. https://scitechdaily.com/unraveling-fish-evolution-the-surprising-impact-of-river-erosion/  ( 28 June 2023)

SAND MINING

Bihar सोन नदी में फंसे तीस से ज्यादा बालू ट्रक रोहतास जिला के इंद्रपुरी ओपी थाना क्षेत्र में सोन नदी के जलस्तर में बढ़ोतरी के बाद कटार स्थित बालू घाट के निकट 30 से अधिक बालू वाला ट्रक नदी में फस गया हैं। बताया जाता है कि दो पोकलेन मशीन के अलावे दो ट्रक भी बालू में समा गए हैं। वही 30 से अधिक ट्रक फंसे हुए हैं। जिसका निकलना मुश्किल लग रहा है। अगर पानी और बढ़ी तो सभी ट्रक जल समाधि ले लेगी। स्थानीय स्तर पर बालू घाट के लोगों द्वारा फंसे हुए वाहनों के निकालने की कोशिश की जा रही है। लेकिन वाहनों के निकालने के चक्कर में जेसीबी तथा पोकलेन मशीने भी फंस गई है।

June 29 से हुए मूसलाधार बारिश के बाद यही स्थिति हुई है। June 30 12 बजे के बाद से प्रदेश के तमाम बालू घाट बंद हो रहे हैं। जिसके बाद बाल खनन का काम भी चार माह के लिए बंद हो जाएगा। ऐसे में बालू के ठेकेदार अधिक से अधिक बालू निकाल कर स्टोर करना चाह रहे हैं। ताकि आनेवाले महीनों में कोई दिक्कत नहीं हो। लेकिन मानसून के कारण नदी के जलस्तर बढ़ने के कारण अब फंसे ट्रकों को ही निकाल पाना बड़ी चुनौती है।  https://news4nation.com/news/increased-trouble-for-trucks-that-went-to-take-sand-due-to-increase-in-water-level-more-than-30-vehicles-in-son-river-difficult-to-get-out-930351 (30 Jun 2023) https://bollywoodwallah.in/bihar-28-trucks-stuck-in-son-river-due-to-heavy-rains-and-increased-water-level-eight-rescued-rescue-underway/ (03 July 2023)

Uttar Pradesh Illegal sand mining pits in Chhoti Gandak river in Ratanpura village ghat under Tarkulwa police station in Deoria suspected as a possible reason behind drowning death of 5 people including 2 women and 3 children on June 14.

-अवैध बालू खनन के कारण छोटी गंडक नदियों में गहरे गड्ढे बन जा रहे हैं। जिसका अंदाज स्नान करने वालों को नहीं लग पा रहा है। उनकी नजर घाट से कुछ दूरी पर नदी में पानी कम होना लगता है, लेकिन बालू निकल जाने के कारण अचानक वह गहरे गड्ढे में चले जा रहे हैं। इससे गंडक में डूबने की घटना बढ़ी है। रतनपुरा गांव के पास गंडक नदी में पांच की डूबने से मौत का कारण यह भी हो सकता है। यहां बालू खनन का काम बेरोकटोक चलता है। पुलिस और प्रशासन की कार्रवाई के दौरान कई बार यह बात सामने आ चुकी है। यहां से अवैध खनन करने वाले पकड़े भी जा चुके हैं। उनके वाहन भी जब्त हो चुके हैं। अवैध खनन को लेकर क्षेत्रीय लोगों में आक्रोश है।  https://www.amarujala.com/uttar-pradesh/deoria/gandak-river-became-well-of-death-due-to-sand-mining-swallowed-five-lives-deoria-news-c-7-gkp1010-209501-2023-06-16 (16 Jun 2023)

Chhattisgarh 7 year old girl died after falling in deep pit created by illegal sand mining in Mand river in Ambikapur.  बकरी चराने के दौरान हमउम्र सहेलियों के साथ नहाने गई सात वर्षीय बालिका की नदी में डूबने से मौत हो गई। रेत खनन के दौरान खोदे गए गड्ढे में जमे पानी मे यह दुखद हादसा हुआ।इस घटना के बाद से पूरा परिवार सदमे में है। (17 June 2023) https://www.naidunia.com/chhattisgarh/ambikapur-water-in-sand-mining-pit-girl-died-due-to-drowning-8175120  (17 June 2023)

– रेत खनन की वजह से मैनी नदी में हुए गड्ढे में डूबने से बगीचा थाना क्षेत्र के ग्राम पसिया की दो बच्चियों की मौत हो गई। गर्मी की छुट्‌टियों में दोनों बच्चियां नहाने के लिए मैनी नदी गईं थीं। https://www.bhaskar.com/local/chhattisgarh/jashpur/news/pits-formed-in-the-river-due-to-mining-two-girls-who-went-to-bathe-died-due-to-drowning-131280480.html  (May 2023)

Haryana यमुना किनारों पर हो रहा भूकटाव पहाड़ी व मैदानी क्षेत्र में हुई बारिश के बाद यमुना नदी का जलस्तर बढ़ने से इसके किनारों पर भूकटाव हो रहा है। जिससे किसानों की चिंता बढ़ गई है। किसानों का कहना है कि अवैध खनन के कारण किनारे खस्ताहाल हो चुके हैं। जिससे कटाव अधिक होगा। किसानों की मांग है कि अवैध खनन पर पूरी तरह से अंकुश लगाया जाए ताकि किसानों को हो रहे नुकसान को रोका जा सके। https://www.amarujala.com/haryana/yamuna-nagar/yamunas-water-level-increased-erosion-on-the-banks-yamuna-nagar-news-c-246-1-sknl1019-1482-2023-06-28    (28 June 2023)

Two teen brothers drown in Yamuna in Karnal An 18-year-old, who was visiting his family for the summer break, met a fateful end as he along with his 15-year-old brother drowned in the Yamuna river near Magnlora village of Karnal on Sunday (June 04). The victims, Sagar, 18, and Sushant, 15, of Taraori of Karnal, had gone to take a dip in the river with their parents and younger sister when the incident took place. As per information, the brothers got trapped in the mud and failed to come out and eventually drowned. The parents informed the police and later, a team of divers was called in.  https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/tragic-drowning-18-year-old-iit-aspirant-and-15-year-old-brother-lose-their-lives-in-yamuna-river-101685910930283.html  (05 June 2023)

Karnataka Migrant workers crushed to death under JCB Three migrant labourers from Chhattisgarh were crushed to death by a JCB machine at Neelavanji village in Raichur district on Tuesday (June 13) night, police said.According to police, the deceased identified as Vishnu (26), Shivaram (28) and Balaram (30), all natives of Chhattisgarh, were part of a borewell drilling lorry team to dig up a new borewell in Neelavanji village. Police said the three workers were sleeping on the side of an agriculture field when the JCB driver allegedly ran over them, killing them on the spot. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/three-migrant-labourers-from-chhattisgarh-crushed-to-death-by-jcb-machine-in-karnataka-s-raichur-district-101686731907851.html  (16 June 2023)

Punjab Ludhiana cop ‘aiding’ sand mining mafia; probe begins The local police on Sunday initiated a probe after a video of a policeman helping those involved in illegal sand mining went viral on social networking sites. The sarpanch of Talwandi village of Ladhowal, Manjit Singh, had recorded a video of the cop outside a dhaba and sent it to the officials. The video went viral on social networking sites on Jun 24.  https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/police-officer-caught-helping-illegal-sand-mining-in-viral-video-probe-initiated-on-social-media-evidence-101687719468923.html  (26 June 2023)

Himachal Pradesh Unabated riverbed mining The forest dept’s action of sealing a road used by mining mafia adjoining the Neugal river has yet again highlighted how the syndicates operate with impunity despite various restrictions and action taken from time to time.

Such roads, at times, make way to news mostly when adverse incidents are reported. In 2014, 24 students from a Hyderabad engineering college were swept away after water was released in the Beas river from the Larji hydro-power project near Thalot in Mandi district. A probe had found that the group of students took a link road constructed to ply tractor-trawlers, to reach the river bed. Subsequently, the Himachal Pradesh government ordered that all such roads were to be sealed. https://theprint.in/india/ngt-bans-surprise-raids-vigilance-no-hurdle-mining-mafia-plunder-river-beds-of-himachal-pradesh-at-will/1548702/ (2 May 2023)

West Bengal Police arrest man over sand mining linked to deaths Police have arrested one person for allegedly engaging three boys who were buried alive while illegally mining sand on the Balason river. The police arrested another person also for his alleged involvement in the incident. He was later released on personal bond.

The incident again brought to light the illegal practice of mining minor minerals like sand and stones from riverbeds in north Bengal. Siliguri mayor Gautam Deb reached Tripalijote and handed over cheques for Rs two lakh each as compensation to the next of kin of the deceased trio. https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/siliguri-police-arrest-man-over-sand-mining-linked-to-deaths/cid/1921010  (08 March 2023)

Tamil Nadu HC seeks report on illegal sand mining The Madras high court has directed the Dindigul district collector and assistant director of geology and mining department to inspect and submit a report on a plea which sought to prevent illegal sand mining in waterbodies in Dindigul district. The petitioner stated that the Chinnaottukulam tank is situated at Palasamuthiram village and Sengulam tank at A Kalaiyampudur village in Palani taluk. These tanks are the main source of water to the villages for agricultural purposes.

He stated that illegal sand mining would affect agricultural activities. He had submitted a representation to the authorities, however, no steps were taken. Hence, the petitioner moved the Madurai bench of Madras high court seeking to prevent the illegal mining activities and to take action against those involved. The case was adjourned to June 26.  https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/hc-seeks-report-on-illegal-sand-mining/articleshow/101032856.cms  (16 June 2023)

WETLANDS, LAKES, WATER BODIES

Maharashtra Inspection reveals 220 ha Uran ‘wetlands’ buried under debris: Greens About 220 hectares of government-listed ‘intertidal wetlands’ – equivalent to the size of 22 Azad Maidans — in Uran has been buried under debris dumped by the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), claimed environmentalists quoting a report of an official inspection.

The environmentalists contend that the JNPA wants to use this buried ‘wetland’ to allocate plots for project affected people (PAP), instead of the land (developed area) acquired from the locals for this purpose.

The inspection was done on Wednesday (June 28) following complaints from NatConnect Foundation director B N Kumar to the government and the high court-appointed Wetland Committee that the water bodies have been wiped out threatening Uran with floods.  https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/220-hectares-of-wetlands-in-navi-mumbai-buried-under-debris-claim-environmentalists-101688151559808.html  (01 July 2023)

Following Raigad district collector’s confirmation that Cidco has marked the 289-ha Panje wetland in Uran for development by Navi Mumbai Special Economic Zone (NMSEZ), greens have urged the Centre, state govt and the high court appointed wetland conservation committee to save the CRZ area.

The vast intertidal wetland of Panje, which is equivalent to the size of about 30 Azad Maidans, can be seen with the naked eyes, said environment protection group NatConnect Foundation which has backing of Dayanand Stalin, a member of HC appointed mangrove and wetland committee.

Panje is part of the Ramsar site, the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary’s Management Plan prepared by the state forest department in association with Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). It also features in the Wetland Atlas of 2017-18 uploaded by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Debi Goenka of Conservation Action Trust (CAT) said. It is a CRZ1 property as stated by the Environment department itself, said BN Kumar of NatConnect, asking what stops the government from preserving it.  https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/navi-mumbai/greens-urge-govt-to-save-concrete-burial-of-panje-wetland/articleshow/101426787.cms  (02 July 2023)

Delhi Wetlands are becoming new homes for inert waste While not a single wetland has been notified in the city since the implementation of the Wetlands (Conservation and Management Rules), 2017, three years ago, several waterbodies are ironically being filled up with inert waste from municipal landfills. Sites in north Delhi, which are historically part of the Yamuna catchment area, are being packed with the dark material, with local residents telling TOI that the dumping is done at night.

A large lake in Jaroda near the Bhalswa landfill has been almost levelled, but still has a part active aquatic ecosystem. Like this lake, there are several being compromised, which is ironic since government departments are mandated to rejuvenate over 1,045 wetlands listed two years ago. None of those wetlands has been legally vetted so far. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/heaping-shame-these-wetlands-are-becoming-new-homes-for-inert-waste/articleshow/101351767.cms  (29 June 2023)

Punjab The National Wetlands Atlas of India has mapped over 1,000 wetlands in Punjab, small and big. They serve as irreplaceable habitats for a wide variety of plants and animals, including migratory as well native birds. These sites also filter pollution, replenish groundwater, and are subtle indicators of the health of the natural world. Of the list of wetlands in Punjab, there are several designated as Ramsar sites. https://www.outlookindia.com/outlooktraveller/explore/story/73732/the-wetlands-of-punjab  (30 June 20230)

WATER OPTIONS

Chennai Open wells help many apartments manage without booking a water tanker Rain Centre, a voluntary organisation advocating rainwater harvesting, has been helping more apartments to use water from open wells to supplement the supply by Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) to meet the shortfall in their daily requirements. Residents of an apartment in R.A. Puram draw nearly 90,000 litres of water daily from the open well that has a groundwater within a depth of 10 feet. “We have been using water from the open well for eight years since Rain Centre desilted it. We didn’t turn to water tankers even during the 2019 drought,” said A.K. Subramanian, resident of R.A. Puram.

Similarly, some large apartments in MRC Nagar, Besant Nagar and Alwarpet are reaping the benefits of the shallow aquifer through the open wells. Six open wells in residential complex in MRC Nagar are yielding nearly 1.6 lakh litres of water daily to feed about 300 flats. Rain Centre (ph: 9677043869), which has been assisting residents in digging and desilting the open wells, found that some residential complexes in Rajiv Gandhi Salai have opted for open wells. The centre has dug 23 open wells in the past few months. https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/open-wells-help-many-apartments-in-chennai-manage-without-booking-a-water-tanker/article67023972.ece  (29 June 2023)

Report Potential to address water scarcity through wastewater treatment and reuse India has the potential to treat and reuse 80% of the wastewater generated, which can be used for non-potable purposes, thereby improving water security and sustainably increasing revenue in several sectors.

– A large-scale recharge of groundwater in Kolar district of Karnataka, with treated wastewater pumped from Bengaluru, has helped improve groundwater quality and agricultural production and could serve as a model for other states and districts.

– The central government has released a National Framework for Safe Reuse of Treated Water for states to draft and implement wastewater treatment policies. https://india.mongabay.com/2023/06/indias-potential-to-address-water-scarcity-through-wastewater-treatment-and-reuse/ (23 June 2023)

Opinion Integrating rainwater into groundwater management Integrating rainwater into groundwater management is an important strategy for addressing water scarcity, reducing stormwater runoff, and enhancing the resilience of water systems. There are several methods of integrating rainwater into groundwater management, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.  https://www.freepressjournal.in/business/integrating-rainwater-into-groundwater-management  (09 June 2023)

GROUNDWATER

Karnataka ‘Even rains don’t help’: Acute groundwater crisis acute This report about groundwater crisis in Karnataka says a number of interesting things. It makes it clear (something that SANDRP has been saying for long) that if the groundwater recharge systems are getting destroyed, rainfall cannot help, it will get converted into floods.

– It starts with description of unprecedented low groundwater levels in Agumbe in Dakshin Kannada which is known as cherrapunji of South India with normal rainfall of 7565 mm. Even if the region has been facing huge rainfall deficits of 51%, 45% and 38% in 2020, 2021 and 2022, the rainfall would have been good enough if the groundwater recharge systems were in place, which is not the case with deforestation and destruction of local water systems. https://www.deccanherald.com/specials/insight/even-rains-don-t-help-groundwater-crisis-acute-in-karnataka-1233062.html  (1July 2023)

Uttar Pradesh NGT committee issue notices to hotels for using groundwater without permission A committee of officials, formed on the direction of the NGT, has issued notices to 84 hotels operating in Ghaziabad for allegedly extracting groundwater without permission, officials said, adding that penalty notices ranging from ₹10 lakhs to ₹50 lakhs have been issued to the hotels found in violation of the regulations. The directions came in response to a petition filed by Arti in 2018, highlighting the unauthorized withdrawal of groundwater by hotels in Ghaziabad. The tribunal took up the issue not only in Ghaziabad but also in other major cities of Uttar Pradesh.

Following the tribunal’s directions on February 25, 2022, joint committees consisting of officials from the Central Ground Water Board, the state pollution control board, and the district magistrate were formed. These committees began inspecting nine cities in Uttar Pradesh. In an order dated October 17, 2022, the tribunal stated that out of 1903 hotels in the nine cities, 1407 did not obtain No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to extract groundwater.

Hari Om, the executive engineer from the minor irrigation department and nodal officer for the district groundwater council, said that penalty notices had been issued to 84 hotels in Ghaziabad in June. “The fines ranged from ₹10 lakhs to ₹50 lakhs per instance and were imposed based on the NGT’s directions for the past five years. The penalty amount was calculated at ₹80 per 350 kiloliters of extracted groundwater per day per room in a hotel. Recovery proceedings can be initiated if the hotels fail to pay the fines,” he said.https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/noida-news/committee-issues-notices-to-84-ghaziabad-hotels-for-illegal-groundwater-extraction-penalty-up-to-50-lakhs-imposed-101688236348586.html  (02 July 2023)

The fines amount to Rs 50 lakh per establishment with more than 100 rooms, Rs 25 lakh per establishment with 50-100 rooms, and Rs 10 lakh per establishment with up to 50 rooms. “This is calculated at the rate of Rs 80 per kilolitre/cubic metre, taking consumption to be 350 litres per room per day, which comes to Rs 10,000 per room per year. For 100 rooms, it will be Rs 10 lakh per year, i.e., Rs 50 lakh for five years. The same applies to other calculations,” said Hari Om. The NGT is due to hear the case on Monday (July 03).https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ghaziabad/84-hotels-face-fines-over-groundwater-use/articleshow/101427565.cms  (02 July 2023)

Tamil Nadu villagers object to supply of groundwater to water-intensive industries Amid the rising water scarcity issues in rural areas, the people of villages having adequate sources of groundwater have taken exception to water from their region being supplied to various industries. Allikulam and Servaikaranmadam residents have demanded the district administration seal the borewells that are operating without any approval and initiate criminal action against the suppliers.

With the summer heat intensifying, the borewells supplying drinking water to the rural public have already dried. The villages not interconnected with the combined drinking water schemes face acute water shortage and the poor residents are now forced to buy water for Rs 15 per pot, as against the cost of Rs 10 a few weeks ago. Usually, tanker lorries come to their rescue. These tankers bring groundwater from Servaikaranmadam or Allikulam, which are known for their good groundwater resources, located 25 km away from Thoothukudi. https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2023/jul/02/villagers-object-to-supply-of-groundwater-to-water-intensive-industries-2590458.html  (02 July 2023)

Kerala Groundwater dept to ramp up infrastructure for testing gw quality As per a proposal cleared by the State government on June 27, the department will arrange more observation wells in regions where groundwater quality is a matter of concern. The first phase will involve the selection of one such block in each of the 14 districts and list wells in one-square-km grids.

Compiling the data from the observation wells will constitute the second phase. To do this, the department will make use of the mobile laboratory introduced under the National Hydrology Project. The aim of the project is to compile data that offer an accurate picture of water quality in a given region. It will help to create awareness about quality issues in the local population and help government departments concerned to launch the necessary preventive measures, according to the department proposal. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/groundwater-department-to-ramp-up-infrastructure-for-testing-groundwater-quality/article67030509.ece  (01 July 2023)

Report Groundwater exploitation hotspots in India’s north The study, which appeared in One Earth journal, claimed North India region lost around 472 km3 of groundwater out of a total 498 km3 during the two-decade period of 2002-2022. https://www.newindianexpress.com/specials/2023/jul/01/multiple-red-flags-over-groundwater-exploitation-hotspots-in-indias-north-2590333.html  (01 July 2023)

URBAN WATER

Report NGT orders on environment compensation & waste management implementation: Review Headlines in the media of heavy penalty or compensation by the court are being reported often. Despite such headlines, the same media on the other page report the poor quality of the air, polluted rivers, contaminated lands and pictures of waste accumulated on the streets. It is thus indispensable to find out the reasons for such poor quality environment although the legislature has enacted sturdy up to the minute laws and the judiciary delivering strong judgements –deterrent in nature.

-The tribunal during the last 5 years has imposed approximately about 2335.87 crores Rupees on various parties, an amount that would, if diligently used for restoration of environment, one may see significant improvement. However, the Constitutional limitations of the judicial forums render the tribunal toothless in supervision of the amount spending.

-The judiciary has no power over sword or the purse and thus this practical implementation gap in environment and ecology management needs to be remedied by legislative enactments and amendments under the law supported by strong commitment of the implementing agencies. However, the almost three decade’s long issue on waste management appears to be resolving with this insightful approach of the Tribunal. https://www.livelaw.in/articles/a-review-of-the-ngt-on-environmental-compensation-and-waste-management-implementation-231437  (28 June 2023)

Chennai Proposed Airport will cause water shortage: Activists The hydrological balance of water-scarce Chennai is threatened by the Rs 20,000 crore proposed Parandhur greenfield airport as hundreds of waterbodies near the metropolitan city will be obliterated for the project. More than half of the area earmarked for the project – at a distance of roughly 70 km from the MGR central railway station of Chennai – comprises wetlands which, activists and experts say, help sustain the groundwater level of the region.

Of the 1,847.60 hectares of land identified for the project, wetlands account for nearly 990.60 hectares comprising lakes, ponds, aquifers and other small water bodies. The project will also allegedly result in the complete obliteration of the Kamban Canal that flows through the project site area feeding water into as many as 85 small lakes before emptying into the Sriperumbudur Lake. This canal also helps irrigate thousands of hectares of agricultural land.

“Given the water scarcity of Chennai, whose population keeps growing every year, the government should have been planning to harness and utilise the rich natural water resources near the city where the project has been planned. Further, a large portion of land earmarked for the project is also under multi-cropped cultivation, which helps in percolation of rainwater, thereby again maintaining underground water tables,” Vetri Selvan, an activist of a Chennai-based environmental organisation, Poovulagin Nanbargal, told Newsclick.  https://www.newsclick.in/chennais-proposed-parandhur-greenfield-airport-will-cause-water-shortage-activists  (02 July 2023)

Surat SPCB notice to airport over excess sewerage According to the GPCB notice issued on June 16, an inspection was conducted on May 23 to verify the statements made by the airport authority for consent to operate under Water Act. After ascertaining the compliances, the GPCB found three violations and issued a showcause notice asking the airport authority to clarify the same. GPCB sought clarification on the environmental clearance of sewage generation of 488 kilo litres per day (KLD) despite having a sewage treatment plant with an installed capacity is just 210 KLD. The Surat airport authority had also failed to submit permission from SMC for the discharge of the sewage.  https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/surat/gpcb-notice-to-airport-over-excess-sewerage/articleshow/101293747.cms  (27 June 2023)

Rajasthan Action plan for urban water sector development A team of experts from the City of Aarhus, Denmark, visited Jaipur over the weekend to chalk out a plan of action for the development of urban water sector during the next three years in Rajasthan. The State government had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on May 19 for bringing efficiency to the water distribution system.

A steering committee will also be appointed here shortly in terms of the MoU to improve the quality of urban drinking water, reduce non-revenue water or sewage, plan recycling of waste water management and evolve solutions for rejuvenation of rivers. The ground water aquifer mapping is also an important aspect of the agreement.

Denmark’s delegation visited Bhilwara and Jhunjhunu district’s Nawalgarh to study the water supply systems operating in the two towns. City of Aarhus’ Director (Planning) Louise Pepe said at an interaction with Additional Chief Secretary, Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), Subodh Agarwal, here that the cities in the State would be placed in three categories for ensuring the MoU’s implementation in different areas.

The cities with a population of more than 10 lakh will be placed in the first category; those with a population of one lakh to 10 lakh in the second category; and those with less than one lakh in the third category. Denmark’s assistance will help the desert State prepare a new framework for drinking water management. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/denmark-experts-visit-rajasthan-for-urban-water-sector-development/article67031650.ece  (02 July 2023)

Gangtok Water woes In April, a cloud burst-induced landslide, led to acute water shortage in Gangtok. The water issue in the city is further aggravated by the growing number of tourists.

There are allegations of water being diverted to hotels and shopping complexes. The water shortage was exacerbated with a heatwave in Sikkim, which is uncommon for a hilly state.  https://india.mongabay.com/2023/06/sikkim-reels-under-water-woes-faces-junes-hottest-summer/  (28 June 2023)

Gund The residents of various areas of Gund town in Ganderbal district have complained of drinking water scarcity in the areas. According to the locals, with increase in temperature, many areas in Gund are facing acute scarcity of drinking water. Inhabitants of new colony Gund said that their area is facing acute shortage of water from last one month. https://www.greaterkashmir.com/kashmir/gund-town-faces-drinking-water-shortage  (02 July 2023)

Bengaluru Residents of Michael Palya in Indiranagar have been grappling with the issue of water contamination for close to three months now. They alleged that the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has not taken enough measures to address the issue. https://www.deccanherald.com/city/top-bengaluru-stories/persistent-water-contamination-plagues-michael-palya-residents-1232506.html  (30 June 2023)

Ludhiana Lack of dedicated SWD system a big hurdle in Smart City Mission With the city facing the acute crisis of waterlogging every year, the absence of a dedicated storm water drainage system continues to add to the problem of residents. The rains add to the load of sewage leading to reverse flow in residential areas and roads. As over 35,000 road gullies in different parts of the city are linked with sewage, rain water which can be used for various purposes gets mixed with the sewage and is discharged into the Buddha Nullah and adds to the load of Sewage Treatment Plants installed to treat the water of Buddha Nullah. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/others/crisis-of-waterlogging-worsens-as-city-lacks-storm-water-drainage-system-residents-demand-action-101688320794722.html  (02 July 2023)

Gurugram Residents of over 40 societies from Sectors 81 to 99 in the New Gurugram area are a harried lot as they have not had any water supply for the past three days. The disruption in the supply was caused due to damage in the main supply line. While the civic brigade has been on it round the clock, no major progress has been made so far. The societies housing thousands of residents are now left with no option but to use tanker water, the rates of which have spiked from Rs 2,500 to around Rs 8,000 in the area. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/no-water-in-40-gurugram-societies-for-three-days-residents-rely-on-tankers-522186  (03 July 2023)

Around 100 residents of a society in Sector 83 have fallen ill and complained of diarrhoea, fever and stomach ache over the last seven days. The health scare and sudden spike in water borne diseases is suspected to be due to contaminated water, which is supplied to the Vatika Lifestyle Homes through a GMDA pipeline. Around 700 families are living in the society at present. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/100-fall-ill-in-gurgaon-condo-water-to-be-tested-for-contamination/articleshow/101432255.cms  (02 July 2023)

JJM/ RURAL WATER SUPPLY

Report Centre’s potable water mission may miss 2024 target  Despite the scheme having been announced by PM Modi from the ramparts of Red Fort as part of his Independence Day address in 2019, a time when only 16% of rural households had tap water, officials say that a slew of challenges — such as the COVID-19 pandemic, a dearth of qualified manpower in States, the scale of the exercise, State-specific issues and even the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war — meant that the project only picked up speed in several States in 2022.

Of the top 10 States that have reported over 96% of coverage, two — Bihar and Telangana — have zero villages that have certified their connection status. This was because both States did not rely on Central funds for their drinking water supply programmes, the official said. Only eight States and Union Territories so far have reported all their villages as 100% connected, but nearly all of them were well connected in 2019 itself, according to data on the web portal. Haryana, Gujarat and Punjab – the largest of these States – already had over 50% coverage in 2019. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/jal-jeevan-mission-falling-short-of-2024-target/article67029959.ece  (02 July 2023)

AGRICULTURE

Faulty farming practices trigger land degradation and desertification in India The global annual cost of Land degradation and desertification (LDD) has been estimated at around EUR 420 billion and recent evidence shows that that climate change could further exacerbate conditions triggering land degradation informs this paper titled ‘Land degradation–desertification in relation to farming practices in India: An overview of current practices and agro-policy perspectives’ published in the journal Sustainability.   https://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/faulty-farming-practices-trigger-land-degradation-and-desertification-india  (28 June 2023)

‘Stupid to take people off farms for cheap labour’ It is not just stupid, but it is also cruel to advocate taking farmers away from farming. https://civilsocietyonline.com/interviews/its-stupid-to-take-people-off-farms-to-use-them-as-cheap-labour/  (29 June 2023)

MONSOON 2023

IMD High Rainfall districts in the week June 26 to July 02, 2023

Date	Districts with 50-100 mm rainfall	Districts with 100-150 mm & higher rainfall
03 July 2023	W Jaintia Hills (Meghalaya), Bishnupur (Manipur), Dakshin Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri (WB), Deoghar, Pakur, Sahebganj (Jharkhand), Banka, Jamui, Nawada (Bihar), Ambedkarnagar, Kannauj (E UP), Sindhudurg, Thane (Konkan), Mahe (Puducherry), U Kannada, D Kannada, Udupi (Karnataka), Kasargod (Kerala) [19]	E Jaintia Hills, E Khasi Hills, SW Khasi Hills (Meghalaya), Godda (Jharkhand), N Goa, S Goa (Goa) [6]   200-250 mm: S Garo Hills (Meghalaya) [1]
02 July 2023	East Siang (Arunachal Pradesh), Dhemaji (Assam), SW Khasi Hills (Meghalaya), Tamenglong (Manipur), W Tripura (Tripura), Jalpaiguri, Malda (WB), Madhubani, Siwan (Bihar), Balia (E UP), Bharuch, Dangs, Bhavnagar, Junagarh (Guj), Dadar & Nagarhaveli, Daman (UTs), S Goa (Goa), Palghar, Raigarh, Ratnagiri, Thane (Konkan) [21]	100-150 mm: E Khasi Hills (Meghalaya), Sahebganj (Jharkhand), Navsari, Valsad (Guj) [4]   150-200 mm E Garo Hills (Meghalaya)
01 July 2023	Karimganj (Assam), SW Khasi Hills, W Garo Hill (Meghalaya), Senapati (Manipur), Sipahijala (Tripura), Aurangabad (Bihar), Ambedkarnagar, Basti, Sultanpur (E UP), Champawat (UKD), Surat, Tapi, Botad, Gir Somnath, Kutch (Guj), Diu (UT), North Goa, S Goa (Goa), Palghar, Raigarh, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg (Konkan) [22]	E Khasi Hills, S Garo Hills (Meghalaya), Malda (WB), Balarampur, Gorakhpur, Santkabirnagar (E UP), Dangs, Navsari, Valsad, Amreli, Jamnagar, Junagarh (Guj), Dadar & N Haveli, Daman (UT), Mumbai Suburban, Thane (Konkan) [16]   150-200 mm Siddharthnagar (E UP)
30 June 2023	E Khasi Hills, W Khasi Hill (Meghalaya), Jalpaiguri, Uttar Dinajpur (WB), Sahebganj (Jharkhand), Arariya, Bhagalpur, Bhojpur, Buxar, Katihar, Khagaria, Muzaffarpur, Patna, Punia, Saran, Vaishali (Bihar), Sultanpur (E UP), Gwalior (W MP), Aravalli, Narmada, Surat, Valsad (Guj), Dadar & N Haveli, Diu (UT), Jamnagar, Rajkot (Guj), S Goa (Goa), Palghar, Raigarh, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Thane (Konkan), Nandurbar (Mah) [33]	SW Khasi Hills (Meghalaya), Dangs, Navsari, Tapi, Gir Somnath, Junagarh (Guj), N Goa (Goa) [7]
29 June 2023	E Siang (Arunachal Pradesh), E Jaintia Hills, W KHasi Hill (Meghalaya), E Sikkim, S Sikkim, W Sikkim (Sikkim), Darjeeling, S 24 Parganas (WB), Barabanki ( E UP), Lalitpur (W UP), Vidisha ( W MP), Damoh, Dindori, Jabalpur, Katni, Panna, Umria (E UP), Dangs, Navsai, Surat, Tapi (Gujarat), Dadar & N Haveli (UT), N Goa, S Goa (Goa), Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg (Konkan) [26]	E Garo Hills, E Khasi Hills (Meghalaya), E Mednipur (WB), Valsad (Gujarat) Daman (UT), Mumbai City, Palghar, Raigarh, Thane (Konkan) [9]   150-200 mm: SW Khasi Hills (Meghalaya), Diu (UT) [2]
28 June 2023	Changlang, E Siang, Lower Dibang Valley (Arunachal Pradesh), E Jaintia Hills, SW KHasi Hill (Meghalaya), Tamenglong (Manipur), E Sikkim, S Sikkim, W Sikkim (Sikkim), Darjeeling, S 24 Parganas (WB), Dumka (Jharkhand), Balaghat, Jabalpur, Mandla, Sagar, Seoni (E MP), Navsari, Surat, Tapi, Valsad (Gujarat), Palghar, Sindhudurg, Thane (Konkan), Gondiya (Vidarbha), Balod, Mungeli, Rajnandgaon (CG), Dr B R Ambedkar Kanseema (AP), Dakshin Kannada, Udupi, Uttar Kannada (Karnataka), Kannur (Kerala) [33]	Narsimhapura (E MP), Dadar & Nagarhaveli, Daman (UT), North Goa, South Goa (Goa) [5] 150-200 mm:  [0]
27 June 2023	Longleng (Nagaland), E Medinipur (WB), Bargarh (Odisha), Lalitpur (W UP), Central Delhi (Delhi), Narmadapuram, Raisen (W MP), Anuppur, Chhindwara, Jabalpur, Katni, Sagar, Seoni, Umaria (E MP), Valsad (Gujarat), Dadar & N haveli (UT), Palghar, Raigarh, Suburban Mumbai, Thane (Konkan), Durg, Gariaband, Kanker, Mahasamand, Rajnandgaon (CG) [25]	Narsimhapura (E MP), Bhandara, Gondiya (Vidarbha), Dhamtari (CG),  [4]   150-200 mm: Balod (CG) [1]
26 June 2023	Lower Dibang Valley, Tirap (Arunachal Pradesh), Balangir, Bargarh, Bauda, Deogarh, Dhenkanal, Koraput, Sambalpur, Subarnapur (Odisha), Simdega (Jharkhand), Firozabad, Moradabad (W UP), Dehradun, Tehri Garhwal (UKD), Charkhi Dadri (Haryana), Amritsar (Punjab), Jammu, Punch (J&K), Dindori, Umaria (E MP), Dadar & NagarHaveli, Daman, Diu (UTs), North Goa (Goa), Palghar, Raigarh, Thane (Konkan), Baloda Bazar, Bilaspur, Durg, Mahasamand, Mungeli, Raipur (CG) [34]	Angul (Odisha), Kathua (J&K) [2]

Source: IMD’s daily district wise rainfall report for respective dates. https://mausam.imd.gov.in/responsive/rainfall_statistics.php?PAGE=4

The instances of high rainfall events in June 2023 were the highest in last five years. There were such instances in 377 stations in June 2023.  (Dainik Bhaskar1 July 2023)

After delayed onset, monsoon set to cover country a week in advance DS Pai, senior scientist, IMD, pointed out that the early monsoon coverage of the entire country is not unusual. “It has covered as early as June 19 in the past. The trends have changed and hence we had to advance the date of full coverage from July 15 to July 8 in 2020,” he added. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/after-a-delayed-onset-and-slow-progress-monsoon-set-to-cover-country-a-week-in-advance-101687979129014.html  (29 June 2023)

The southwest monsoon on July 2 covered the entire country six days before the normal date, as it advanced in the remaining parts of Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana, the IMD said. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/monsoon-covers-entire-country-six-days-early-imd/article67034131.ece  (02 July 2023)

Many Indian districts saw half of seasonal rainfall in 24 hours-Some districts in India received 50 per cent or more of the season’s total rainfall in a single day in a few hours on June 25 and June 26, leading to a flood-like situation, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Continuous rainfall of more than 50 millimetres (mm) for two hours is classified as a mini cloudburst according to the IMD. Many districts in several parts of the country witnessed mini cloudbursts on June 25 and 26. https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/climate-change/many-indian-districts-saw-half-of-seasonal-rainfall-in-24-hours-90271  (27 June 2023)

Delhi June bounty: City logs 98% excess rain so far In sharp contrast to the rest of the city, north-east Delhi has been the driest district, having received just 24.6mm of rainfall during this period as compared with a normal mark of 63mm, a deficit of 61%. IMD has placed the north-east district in the “large deficient” category. East, north and New Delhi districts are in the “excess” rainfall category at 32%, 45% and 30%, respectively, above normal. “Though the city has been witnessing rain activity, there has been local variation in rainfall logged. The areas, which are staring at a rain deficit, may be able to cover up in the future,” said Kuldeep Srivastava, scientist and head, Regional Weather Forecasting Centre, IMD. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/june-bounty-delhi-logs-98-excess-rain-so-far/articleshow/101319203.cms  (28 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 Jun 2023)

1 जून से शुरू चार माह के मानसून सीजन का एक महीना गुजर चुका है। इस दौरान 30 जून तक देश में सामान्य से 10 फीसदी कम बारिश हुई है। उत्तर पश्चिम भारत में सामान्य से 48 फीसदी अधिक बारिश हुई जबकि दक्षिण भारत में सामान्य से 45 फीसदी कम बारिश हुई। मध्य भारत में सामान्य से 6 फीसदी और पूर्वी व पूर्वोत्तर भारत में 18 फीसदी कम बारिश दर्ज की गई है। कुल मिलाकर मानसून की जो तस्वीर उभर रही है, वह राहत तो देती है लेकिन बारिश का असमान वितरण मुश्किलें पैदा कर सकता है। पूर्वी राजस्थान में सामान्य से 287 फीसदी अधिक बारिश हुई तो मराठवाडा में सामान्य से 69 फीसदी कम बारिश है। https://www.aslibharat.com/monsoon-reached-the-country-a-week-ago-but-many-states-received-less-rain/  (01 July 2023)

El Nino may start showing effect around first week of July -Meteorologists say Biparjoy impacted its progress over south India and adjoining western and central parts by absorbing most of the moisture, slowing down progress along the west coast. But the Bay of Bengal branch, which is responsible for bringing rain to northeast and eastern parts, has done well due to the formation of a LPA over the Bay of Bengal with remnants of Biparjoy, they add.

The monsoon has two branches, the other being the Arabian Sea branch. Meanwhile, the Arabian Sea branch is gaining strength. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/southwest%C2%A0monsoon-el-nino-may-start-showing-effect-around-first-week-of-july-520714  (27 June 2023)

FLOOD 2023

Bihar Embankment breach in Sitamarhi even at low flow. सीतामढ़ी में जल संसाधन विभाग की बड़ी लापरवाही सामने आई है। बाढ़ से बचाव के लिए 10 करोड़ की लागत से बनी कोपल डैम पानी के हल्के दबाव में ही टूट गई। जो जल संसाधन विभाग की कार्य प्रणाली पर बड़ा सवाल खड़ा कर रहा है। https://firstbihar.com/news/jal-sansadhan-bibhag-ki-laparwahi-aayi-samne-10-carore-ki-lagat-se-bana-kopal-dam-pani-ke-halke-davav-me-tuta-446514  (28 June 2023)

Uttar Pradesh बैराज बांध से छोड़ा गया पानी, खेतिहर जमीन भी गंगा में समाई उन्नाव के पहाड़ों पर हो रही भारी बारिश के साथ ही मैदानी इलाकों में भी कई दिनों से तेज बारिश हो रही है। जिससे पश्चिम के बांधों से पानी छोड़ा गया है। जिससे गंगाघाट शुक्लागंज के घाटों तक पानी पहुंच गया है। काफी मात्रा में बैराज बांध से पानी छोड़ा गया। जिससे अचानक गंगा का जलस्तर बढ़ गया। चंपापुरवा बस्ती के सामने घेरावदार कटान पहले भी हो चुकी है। बढ़ते जलस्तर से पानी की धारा सीधे उसी स्थान से टक्कर मारती रही। जिससे कटान तेज हो गया है। लोगों में हड़कंप मचा हुआ है।

पहले ही दिन गंगा का जलस्तर काफी बढ़ गया। जिससे बैराज बांध से छोड़े गए पानी की धारा सीधे चंपापुरवा और गोताखोर बस्ती के सामने जहां पहले कटान हो चुकी है। उसी जगह पर फिर से तेजी से कटान शुरू हो गई है। अभी शुरुआत ही है। कई महीने तक इसी तरह जलस्तर बढ़ता रहा, तो किसानों की खेतिहर जमीन भी गंगा में समां सकती है। पिछले कई सालों से कटान होने पर करीब पांच सौ मीटर गंगा कट कर बस्ती की ओर बढ़ चुकी है। यदि प्रशासन ने जल्द कटान पर रोक नहीं लगाई, तो बस्ती को खतरा हो सकता है।  https://www.bhaskar.com/local/uttar-pradesh/unnao/news/due-to-the-start-of-harvesting-the-agricultural-land-of-the-farmers-also-got-absorbed-in-the-ganges-131468525.html (30 Jun 2023)

Rajasthan About dearth of human resources in Irrigation department for monitoring and maintenance of dams. सिंचाई विभाग के बांधों में बरसात होने पर कितना पानी आया है? नदी कितने वेग से बह रही है? बांध की दीवारें सुरक्षित है या नहीं? इसकी जानकारी के लिए पाली का सिंचाई विभाग ग्रामीणों के भरोसे है। इसका कारण है सिंचाई विभाग में कार्मिका का अभाव। सिंचाई विभाग में इस समय मेट व गेज रीडर के साथ हेल्पर, मिस्त्री, स्टोर सहायक व जमादार के नाम पर महज 14 कार्मिक है। जबकि विभाग के पास पाली व सुमेरपुर खण्ड में 52 बांध है।

-हर साल मानसून आने पर कार्मिकों की कमी के कारण सिंचाई विभाग के अधिकारी बांधों के निकट रहने वाले ग्रामीणों या पूर्व कार्मिकों से अनुनय-विनय कर काम चला रहे हैं। ऐसा नहीं करे तो हाल ही में बिपरजॉय की तूफानी बरसात के समय ढारिया बांध में लीकेज होने की जानकारी भी नहीं मिलती और बांध का पानी वर्ष 2006 की तरफ फिर कहर बरपा देता।

-बांधों की सुरक्षा इस कारण भी जरूरी है कि 42 बांधों में 12 बांध तो स्टेट टाइम के बने हुए है। हेमावास बांध को बने तो 115 साल से अधिक हो चुके हैं। इसके बावजूद उस बांध पर हर कार्य देखने के लिए महज एक मेट कार्यरत है। बांध की मुख्य मोरी से आकेली की तरफ जाने वाली मोरी के बीच ही एक से डेढ़ किमी की दूरी है। ऐसा ही हाल अन्य बांधों का है https://www.patrika.com/pali-news/dams-of-rajasthan-irrigation-department-8335080/?amp=1  (26 June 2023)

बीसलपुर, जवाई समेत कई बड़े बांधों में आया पानी राज्य में मानसून के पूरी तरह से एक्टिव होने से पहले ही 68 बांध ओवर फ्लो हो गए, जिसमें से 22 ऐसे बड़े बांध है। इनकी क्षमता 4.25 मिलियन क्यूबिक मीटर से भी ज्यादा है। बीसलपुर, जवाई, गुढा, सरदारसमंद जैसे बड़े बांध जिनमें जुलाई मिड में पानी की आवक शुरू होती उनमें भी इस सीजन मानसून से पहले पानी आ गया।

जल संसाधन विभाग से जारी एक रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक राज्य में कुल 690 बांध में से केवल 3 बांध ही फुल भरे थे। इसमें जयपुर का चंदलाई, शिवकी डूंगरी और उदयपुर का सोम पिकअप बांध है, जो मानसून से पहले तक भरे थे। लेकिन बिपरजॉय तूफान और मानसून के बाद ये संख्या बढ़कर 74 हो गई। इसमें 52 छोटे बांध है, जिनकी भराव क्षमता 4.25 मिलियन क्यूबिक मीटर से कम है, जबकि 22 बड़े बांध है, जिनकी भराव क्षमता 4.25 मिलियन क्यूबिक मीटर से ज्यादा है। राजस्थान के 690 में से 285 बांध ऐसे है, जब अब भी पूरी तरह खाली पड़े है। जबकि 326 बांधों में पानी उपलब्ध है, लेकिन वो ओवरफ्लो नहीं हुए। https://www.bhaskar.com/local/rajasthan/jaipur/news/rajasthan-monsoon-situation-bisalpur-dam-jawai-dam-water-level-update-131465199.html  (30 June 2023)

Chhattisgarh पिछले दो-तीन दिन से लगातार हो रही बारिश से अरपा भैंसाझार बैराज में जलभराव होने लगा है। अरपा भैंसाझार बैराज वर्तमान में 26.19 फीसदी भरा है। थोड़ी सी बारिश में यहां लबालब पानी भर जाता है और पानी अरपा में छोड़ना पड़ता है अरपा भैंसाझार का कैचमेंट एरिया पेंड्रा के आसपास के क्षेत्र तक फैला है और यह उंचाई पर है। इसलिए उस क्षेत्र में होने वाली बारिश का पानी यहां जल्दी भरता है। https://www.bhaskar.com/amp/local/chhattisgarh/bilaspur/news/preparation-to-release-water-from-arpa-bhainsajhar-barrage-in-bilaspur-corporation-set-up-control-room-for-emergency-131453579.html   (27 June 2023)

HFL BREACH

Arunachal Pradesh For more than 12 hours CWC has not updated hydrograph for River Subansiri in Brahmaputra basin at Lemeking level monitoring site in Upper Subansiri basin where flood level reached 1107.15 metre at 07:00 hour on 28.06.23 which is just 0.01 metre short of its HFL 1107.16 m dated 27.07.2016.

URBAN FLOODS

Report Monsoon fury leads to chaos across states Flash floods, landslides, and lightning strikes have killed at least 10 people and left many stranded in India as the monsoon swept across the country. The surge has been unusual, with the monsoon arriving in Mumbai and Delhi on the same day, a fortnight late in Mumbai and a day early in Delhi. Much of the rain-related crisis was in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, where several highways were closed, stranding hundreds of people. The incidents highlight the need for improved early warning systems for weather-related extreme events, as climate change is predicted to increase the frequency of such events. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/monsoon-fury-leadsto-chaos-across-states-101687805491920.html  (27 June 2023)

Chennai The Greater Chennai Corporation is working on developing 42 sponge parks before the onset of the northeast monsoon this year. These are a part of the 57 parks commissioned at a cost of ₹7.67 crore. https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chennai-to-be-armed-with-57-sponge-parks-to-face-northeast-monsoon/article67015886.ece  (27 June 2023)

Mumbai 2 dead, 1 critical in tree fall incidents Two persons died and an autorickshaw driver suffered serious head injuries in tree-fall incidents as torrential rain lashed the city, Thane and Navi Mumbai on Wednesday (June 28), and disrupted road and air traffic. As many areas in MMR recorded 100mm-plus rainfall, the IMD upgraded the yellow alert to orange for the day. In the nine-hour period ending 5.30pm Wednesday, the IMD Santacruz observatory recorded 77mm rainfall, Navi Mumbai 113mm, Dahisar 148.5mm, Thane 148.6mm and Bhayander 122.5mm. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/as-rain-lashes-city-2-dead-1-critical-in-tree-fall-incidents/articleshow/101351205.cms  (29 June 2023)

Gurugram A 47-year-old man, who was found to be under the influence of alcohol, tragically lost his life after allegedly drowning in a pedestrian subway filled with rainwater in Gurgaon, police said on Monday (June 26). The incident came to light on Sunday (June 25) evening when the flooded subway located at the Delhi-Jaipur Highway was drained. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/man-in-inebriated-state-drowns-in-rainwater-filled-subway-in-gurgaon/articleshow/101287521.cms  (26 June 2023) बारिश के मौसम में यह पहला हादसा नहीं है। इससे पहले भी वर्ष 2021 में राजीव चौक अंडरपास में भी एक युवक की डूबने से मौत हो गई थी। वर्ष 2022 में एक 9 वर्षीय बच्चे की द्वारका एक्सप्रेस-वे के साथ भरे पानी में डूबने से मौत हो गई थी। https://www.amarujala.com/amp/delhi-ncr/gurgaon/three-people-died-in-three-years-due-to-water-filling-in-the-underpass-gurgaon-news-c-24-1-noi1094-8442-2023-06-27 (27 Jun 2023)

Chandigarh First monsoon showers expose ill-preparedness The first spell of monsoon, which lasted for about two hours, caused severe waterlogging on several roads in the city. Knee-deep water on various roads exposed the tall claims of the Municipal Corporation (MC) and the UT Administration to have cleaned 95 per cent of the road gullies under the MC jurisdiction and 93 per cent under the UT Engineering Department. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/chandigarh/first-monsoon-showers-expose-ill-preparedness-521397  (30 June 2023)

LANDSLIDES

Himachal Pradesh  कुमारहट्टी में पांच मंजिला मकान जमींदोज, जानी नुकसान नहीं  कालका-शिमला नेशनल हाईवे पर कुमारहट्टी में पांच मंजिला मकान जमींदोज हो गया। गनीमत रही कि मकान में काफी समय से कोई रहता नहीं था। जिसके चलते बड़ा हादसा होने से टल गया। मकान मालिक ने मकान के जमींदोज होने का आरोप फोरलेन निर्माता कंपनी पर लगाया है। उनका कहना है कि फोरलेन के गलत निर्माण के कारण काफी समय से भवन में पानी आ रहा था।

इसके बाद फोरलेन निर्माण कर रही कंपनी को भी इस बारे बताया गया। लेकिन कोई कार्रवाई नहीं की। वहीं जल शक्ति विभाग की पाइप से भी पानी रिसाव होने भी मकान को नुकसान हो रहा था। इसके चलते घर पर संकट के बादल मंडरा रहे थे। लेकिन अब यह मकान धराशायी हो गया। इस कारण घर में रखे सामान को काफी नुकसान हुआ है। https://www.amarujala.com/amp/shimla/five-storey-building-collapsed-in-kumarhatti-solan-himachal-pardesh-2023-06-28   (28 June 2023)

ENVIRONMENT GOVERNANCE

MoEF Green clearance faster now: Bhupender Yadav Union Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Thursday (June 22) said that the Parivesh website of the ministry had been streamlined in the past nine years to ensure that clearances for projects are given more efficiently and in a transparent manner. “In 2014, it took 600 days for environment clearances to be processed after due appraisal by the Expert Committees. Now it takes only 75 days,’’said the minister. Yadav said that other clearances such as Forest Clearances, Wildlife and Coastal Regulatory Zone clearances have been computerised.  “All this has brought about transparency and accountability in the entire process,” Yadav said.  https://indianexpress.com/article/india/green-clearance-faster-now-says-bhupender-yadav-8681043/  (23 June 2023)

Green credit programme to spur citizens, corporations to get eco-friendly Kanchi Kohli, a researcher with the Centre for Policy Research (CPR) in New Delhi, pointed out, “What this is attempting to do is to create an ancillary process to what the routine compensatory processes have been doing for the last several decades. Mechanisms such as accredited compensatory afforestation and green credits incentivise private individuals and institutional actors to create plantations that can be readily traded for compensatory afforestation. While this may help operationalise forest clearances, it runs the risk of compromising rights and ecologies unless these factors are considered in the design of green credit schemes.” https://www.news9live.com/india/centre-unveils-green-credit-programme-to-spur-citizens-corporations-to-get-eco-friendly-2195924  (29 June 2023)

ZSI discovers 664 new species in 2022, highest in last decade ZSI director Dhriti Banerjee said, “Since 2007, ZSI has collected data on faunal discoveries in India and published them as a document, ‘Animal Discoveries – New Species and New Records’. This year, the compilation includes 467 new species and 197 newly recorded species, taking India’s faunal diversity to 1,03,922.” The maximum number of new discoveries have been recorded from invertebrates with 583 species, she said.  https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/zsi-discovers-664-new-species-in-2022-highest-in-last-decade/articleshow/101426491.cms (2 Jul 2023)

Uttar Pradesh Behind heat stroke deaths, a silent power-energy crisis There is a silent power-energy crisis in the making that’s behind these numbers and reported deaths. This could be linked to the inability of the current government to address the needs of the state’s electricity board. Thus frequent power cuts have added to people’s woes with no signs of respite in the heat. The state’s peak power demand, during this summer, has already surpassed 25,000 megawatts.

The crisis is more severe in rural UP and small towns that often face emergency load shedding for at least two hours every day in addition to the frequent power disruptions caused by local faults. Without factoring in state subsidies, UPSEB’s entire commercial losses were close to Rs 7,000 crores, whereas its total financial obligations were close to Rs 4,200 crores. The UPSEB has struggled to meet its operational cash needs due to significant losses, poor bill collections, and underpaying rates for some consumer groups. The continuous cash shortage has also resulted in inefficient operations and subpar system upgrades.  https://thewire.in/energy/uttar-pradesh-heat-death-power-energy-load-shedding (28 Jun 2023)

Chhattisgarh Hasdeo mines: An explainer  Since October 2021, when the state government gave its final nod to the five million tonnes per annum capacity Parsa coal mine, there has been an unofficial stay on mining because the village residents of Hariharpur, Salhi and Fatehpur in Hasdeo say they never consented to the diversion of 841 hectares (ha) of forest land for it — an essential step in the process before mining permissions in forest land can be granted. https://www.hindustantimes.com/environment/hasdeo-mines-an-explainer-101688032257356.html  (30 June 2023)

CLIMATE CHANGE

Study Intensity of extreme rainfall events estimated to increase by 15% The intensity and frequency of extreme precipitation events is expected to increase as global warming continues to affect the planet. Of particular concern are extremes in rainfall, which often cause more damage than similar snowfall events due to their instantaneous runoff, increasing the risk of floods, which can cause infrastructure damage and landslides. Precisely how increases in global temperature will affect extreme rainfall events remains unclear.

To assess how climate change might be driving a shift in precipitation patterns, researchers from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California combined data from climate observations from between 1950 and 2019 with future projections, up to 2100, taken from Earth system models. Their results suggest that warming is causing an increase in rainfall extremes within regions of high elevation in the Northern Hemisphere, particularly in regions usually dominated by snowfall. https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/intensity-of-extreme-rainfall-events-estimated-to-increase-by-15/article67027630.ece  (01 July 2023)

The study looked at only the heaviest rains each year over six decades in the Northern Hemisphere, finding that as altitude rose, so did the turbocharging of rain. The biggest increase in rains were noticed at about 10,000 feet (3,000 meters). That includes much of the American West, where Ombadi said “it’s very pronounced,” as well as parts of the Appalachian Mountains. Another big hotspot in Asia is the Himalayas, Tian Shan and Hindu Kush mountains, with the Alps also affected. https://apnews.com/article/warming-snow-rain-flooding-drought-climate-change-844da3efb28f2a236bb6192f39cf27fb  (28 June 2023)

The study came a day after Ian Fry, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in the context of climate change, said the number of people displaced by climate impacts “is rapidly increasing” and the global community “must realize its responsibility” to protect them. https://www.commondreams.org/news/climate-extreme-rain-mountains  (28 June 2023)

Report Large parts of eastern India saw a prolonged heatwave in June when experienced temperatures were high enough to be life threatening, experts said. Parts of Bihar and West Bengal experienced continuous heatwaves for 19 and 17 days, respectively, in June, according to the India Meteorological Department. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/prolonged-heatwave-in-eastern-india-raises-alarm-experts-warn-of-life-threatening-conditions-and-urgent-action-needed-101688237070941-amp.html  (02 July 2023)

2023 recorded extreme June temperatures across many Indian cities. Chennai & Chandigarh witnessed the lowest-ever maximum temperatures recorded on a June day in the last seven decades, while Thiruvananthapuram recorded its hottest June day in the same period. https://www.thehindu.com/data/data-a-june-with-extremes-maximum-temperature-hits-the-lowest-mark-in-chennai-highest-in-thiruvananthapuram/article67020878.ece (2 Jul 2023)

India’s trash mountains are contributing to climate change The country has over 3,000 waste mountains containing 1.3 billion tonnes of legacy waste, and emits the most methane from landfill sites in the world. https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/environment/how-indias-trash-mountains-are-contributing-to-climate-change-10889641.html  (02 July 2023)

Interview ‘Plants are evolving ways to slow down global warming’ Benton Taylor teaches organismic and evolutionary biology at Harvard University. Speaking to Srijana Mitra Das at Times Evoke, he explains how intelligently — and fast — plants react to climate change: My research has found terrestrial ecosystems do have a pretty strong system of response to even fairly large changes in climatic factors but the scale of plant loss due to human actions is very large. This is why the overall view is not optimistic, given how land use change is decimating species. While plants can react very well to altered CO2 or precipitation, they are not very good at responding to a chainsaw. When we clear a forest, that’s it — there is nothing the plant community can do anymore to guard against climate change. Our natural ecosystems have a surprising capacity to help humanity mitigate global warming — but only if we let them remain intact. The more land we clear, the more species are being driven to extinction. This is a massive tragedy and a huge setback to mitigating climate change, both currently & in the future.  https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/plants-are-evolving-ways-to-slow-down-global-warming-but-we-must-let-them-remain-intact/articleshow/101402411.cms (1 July 2023)

SOUTH ASIA

Bangladesh Music makes waves in river conservation Rivers are intrinsic to Bangladesh’s culture and economy, but they are increasingly under threat. After passing a judgment giving legal protection to the country’s rivers, Ashraful Kamal, a Supreme Court judge, noted: “Once upon a time, Bangladesh was home to over 1,300 rivers, but currently, it has only 405 rivers listed officially.”

-With its music, Nodi Rocks is seeking to highlight the urgent need to reverse this decline. It builds on a long tradition of songs about the magnificence and beauty of Bangladesh’s rivers, the many stories that they carry and the philosophical significance of the flowing water. This bringing together of music and environmental issues also introduces a new approach to reviving rivers that goes beyond engineering solutions, diplomatic efforts and protests. https://www.thethirdpole.net/en/culture/in-bangladesh-music-makes-waves-in-river-conservation/  (16 June 2023)

Water crisis that might be coming to you Bangladesh a river delta nation, is on the front line of climate change. Its coping strategies could offer lessons for the wider world. Now, its most profound threat is water, in its many terrible incarnations: drought, deluge, cyclones, saltwater. All are aggravated to varying degrees by climate change, and all are forcing millions of people to do whatever they can to keep their heads above it.

– What do you do when the rivers swell and drown your crops? If you’re Shakti Kirtanya, you grow your crops on top of the water. If the water rises, they rise, too. They float and bob. “If you see the harvest, it will fill your heart with joy,” he said. Mr. Kirtanya learned this farming technique from his father, who learned it from his. It’s been practiced for 200 years in his low-lying district, Gopalganj, where land is usually inundated for half the year. Now, because climate change is spreading the risk of flooding to many other areas, the floating gardens of Gopalganj are spreading. Over the past five years, the government has supported floating gardens in 24 of the country’s 64 districts.

– Mr. Kirtanya uses what he has. He cuts the stems of water hyacinths in the lake near his house, lets the pile stew in the sun, and shapes it into long, wide seedbeds on top of the water. He sows watermelon and amaranth in summer, cabbage and cauliflower in winter. The garden is a source of income and, for his family, a source of fresh produce grown without chemicals. “Whether the rains are late or early, it doesn’t affect it,” Mr. Kirtanya said. “It doesn’t get hurt in the heat either.”

– There is one looming threat. Seawater is coming farther inland. Today, the almost unthinkable is happening. The water is becoming too salty for the sundari. They are dying. Other mangrove species are taking over. The landscape is changing. Likely forever. Salinity is not going to decrease.

– Sheela Biswas faces the crisis of salinity every single day. Salt has intruded into canals and ponds that her village relies on for drinking and washing. An estimated 30 million people who live along the coast face the problem of saltwater intrusion to varying degrees. The area where Ms. Biswas lives is among the worst hit. It wasn’t like this when she came as a bride 30 years ago. Then, most people ate rice that they grew on their land. They drank water they collected in their pond. Then came “white gold,” shrimp. Shrimp farms spread. People let in saltwater through a canal from the river, so saltwater spread, too. Ms. Biswas’s pond turned too salty to drink. First, she hired a cart to buy water. Then she turned to a neighbor who built an underground tank to collect rainwater. She invented her own rainwater harvesting system with what she had at home, jiggering plastic pipes to channel rainwater from her tin roof through a fishing net and into earthen jars.

– Farther south, where the soil is too salty to plant crops, women have started growing vegetables in pots filled with compost and manure. Or they’ve turned empty rice sacks into planters, even plastic boxes that once took shrimp to market. Their slapdash efforts to secure the most basic human needs, food and water, are a glimpse into the epic struggle of hundreds of millions of people who are trying to cope with climate risks every day. Money for adaptation, $29 billion to all developing nations in 2020, is a small fraction of what is needed: at least $160 billion a year, according to United Nations estimates. This explains the fury of developing countries’ leaders in international climate politics. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/25/climate/bangladesh-water-floods.html  (25 June 2023)

CHINA

Tibetans displaced by World’s largest Hydro-Solar plant  The Chinese government has denied compensation for residents, including Tibetan nomads, affected by the construction of the world’s largest hydro-solar plant, residents living near the plant told Radio Free Asia (RFA). Nomadic Tibetans who once grazed their cattle in the area now covered by a sea of solar panels were forced away and offered nothing in return, a Tibetan resident living near Kela told the RFA.

“In order to build and facilitate these power plants, the Chinese government has displaced the local Tibetans in these regions in a land-grab and has not given any compensation yet,” he said as per RFA. The resident said that the displaced Tibetans were never informed before the project started. The nomads had filed complaints with the Chinese government to no avail, another Tibetan resident said.  https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/china-denies-compensation-to-tibetans-displaced-by-construction-of-worlds-largest-hydro-solar-plant-report-4164685  (30 June 2023)

The 27 June 2023 landslide at Miansi, Sichuan Province by Dave Petley https://blogs.agu.org/landslideblog/2023/06/29/miansi-landslide-1/  (29 June 2023)

ASIA

Yemen Dam collapse kills 4 Four people were killed in Yemen after the collapse of a water dam in the Al Mahwit governorate, about 111 km west of the capital Sanaa. Local authorities on Sunday confirmed that the Al-Aqabi Dam in the Hafash district of Al Mahwit governorate had collapsed, causing a flood that swept away a mosque with four people inside, killing all of them. The flood also damaged nearby houses. The governorate has been under the control of the Houthi group since 2014, Xinhua news agency reported. Adel Issa, an official appointed by the Houthis in the governorate, attributed the dam’s collapse to heavy rains and torrential flows.  https://www.siasat.com/dam-collapse-kills-four-in-yemen-2579972/  (01 May 2023)

MEKONG Study Dams at Fault for Fish Disappearing from Mekong New research reveals an alarming decline in the number of fish species in the critical Mekong River system, a change connected to dam development on the world’s most productive river system. Two tributaries of the river in Southeast Asia showed declines of the number of fish species, while an increase in diversity was noted in a third, largely free-flowing tributary.

-“This is one of the first studies to show reduced fish diversity following dam construction, contrasted with increased diversity in less fragmented rivers in the Mekong River system,” said Sarah Null, water resources expert in the Utah State University Department of Watershed Sciences, and an author on the study.

-The findings are especially important because the Mekong River, which runs through six Asian countries, supports the highest levels of fish harvest from any inland fishery in the world, sustaining the livelihoods of tens of millions of people. The region’s rapid pace of hydropower development, which includes 129 commissioned dams in the Lower Mekong Basin, threatens this remarkable productivity. https://www.usu.edu/today/story/dams-at-fault-for-fish-disappearing-from-mekong-river-research-shows  ( 27 June 2023)

THE REST OF THE WORLD

Report ‘Slow water’ could transform the Southwest, one little rock wall at a time Choosing to return land to water might seem wasteful to some. But by restoring drylands to wetlands, or ciénegas in Spanish, Clark and Austin have shown how healthy slow-water systems can repair delicate desert landscapes that humans have destroyed. 

-By placing rocks across a stream channel to slow water, Clark and Austin had intuitively re-created a technique that Indigenous peoples in the Southwest and northern Mexico had deployed for centuries to slow water, buffer against drought, and reverse desertification.

– Indigenous rock structures similar to those at El Coronado can be found throughout the Southwest. Over the last decade, Pulliam saw several on land purchased by Borderlands Restoration in Arizona, and was struck by how different the watersheds looked from others in the region that were severely washed out. “All of the little side draws in this area have almost no erosion,” he says. “If you look carefully, there are ancient rock structures at least 1,200 years old still working.”

-Indigenous peoples are still creating and using slow-water structures for various purposes today. Michael Kotutwa Johnson is a member of the Hopi Tribe and has a Ph.D. in natural resources. But his most important credential, according to his University of Arizona profile, is that “he continues to practice Hopi dry farming, a practice of his people for millennia.”

-The Hopi, like most Indigenous cultures, are “place-based societies,” says Johnson. Their place receives just 6 to 10 inches of precipitation a year, so they have developed methods designed to conserve soil moisture. Johnson explains some of them.

-Hopi read the landscape and natural water flows, then build rock dams at the bases of mesas to divert runoff into fields. They also use rock detention structures to capture nutrient-bearing sediment to hold moisture, allowing farmers to plant different varieties of crops without fertilizers or irrigation. “Crops always need new soil with nutrients,” Johnson says. Contour farming—planting across the slope of the land at a certain angle—also slows water and wind. Another strategy includes leaving the stalks, cobs, and leaves on the ground after a corn harvest to catch snow, allowing it to melt and be absorbed into the soil.

-Studies from atmospheric scientists have found that, in the Colorado River basin, the warmer climate is creating a thirstier atmosphere, which could evaporate more water out of the soil and plants and sometimes turn snow directly to water vapor. They predict that Colorado River flows could be 20 to 30 percent lower by 2050, meaning state negotiators of the river’s sharing agreement should be planning for even less water than they have today.

-But Norman and other experts studying water cycle restoration assert that it’s not just climate change making the West drier. People have also dried out the land over the last two centuries by killing beavers, cutting forests, overgrazing grasslands, and cutting off rivers from their flood plains and wetlands with levees, channels, and diversions. What if slow water interventions, including Natural Infrastructure in Dryland Streams, were deployed widely across the West? Could they heal the land-water relationship and reverse desertification? “Yes,” Norman says, without hesitation.

-Nature-based solutions are gaining ground worldwide, including in the US—incentivized by the Biden administration’s Infrastructure and Inflation Reduction acts. But they are still often dismissed as insignificant in the challenge of buffering human communities from flood, drought, and climate change. That attitude reveals a misunderstanding of the scale of human disruption to the water cycle, and therefore, the scale needed for projects like NIDS to repair that damage.

-Local Indigenous communities have shown what close attention to nature’s ways can yield. “Water is really life to us,” says Johnson, the Hopi farmer, contrasting that attitude with the dominant society’s view that water is a commodity. “People are so far removed from the relationship that we have with water that they just don’t understand the complexities, and they keep making the same mistakes over and over again.” https://headtopics.com/us/slow-water-could-transform-the-southwest-one-little-rock-wall-at-a-time-40420354  

We have forgotten what a ‘natural’ river even looks like -More complex and “messy” rivers tend to store and slow down the flows of water, sediments and nutrients. This creates a better habitat for plants and animals. It also means these rivers don’t strip as many nutrients from the surrounding landscape, and are able to store more carbon in the form of living and dead plants (as peat, for example). Messy rivers release water slowly like a sponge, protecting against both floods and droughts.

-That said, modified rivers can provide efficient transport of bulk goods via shipping, in some cases they can protect from floods and provide hydroelectricity and food security for millions of people. The restoration of more natural rivers therefore involves trade-offs. As far back as 2004, a government report concluded that the UK needed to do something other than build higher and more expensive flood defences in the face of a future of more extreme and frequent floods. But too often the multiple benefits provided by more natural rivers are ignored in these discussions. https://theconversation.com/we-have-forgotten-what-a-natural-river-even-looks-like-206443 (27 June 2023)

USA Land loss due to human-altered sediment budget in the Mississippi River Delta Abstract:-Land loss in the Mississippi River Delta is due to the human-altered sediment budget, yet the relative contributions of building dams, levees and extracting subsurface resources are unknown. Here, using numerical models, we show how each cause contributed to the land loss crisis in Barataria Basin within the Mississippi River Delta. Before human interference, Barataria Basin had a sediment budget surplus, and the excess sediment would have grown the wetlands at 7–13 km2 yr−1. Dam building in the Mississippi River basin decreased overbank fluvial sediment deposition in Barataria by a third, yet the basin-wide sediment surplus persisted.

The installation of flood-protection levees eliminated overbank sediment deposition and created an annual basin-wide sediment deficit, leading to land loss of 7 km2 yr−1. During its peak, subsurface resource extraction enhanced the deficit and doubled the land loss rates. Our findings show that these three causes can explain the land loss crisis, and the recent slowdown in land loss is linked to the declining rate of resource extraction. Finally, we find that the effect of dams is secondary to levees and resource extraction, which implies that sediment supply reduction may not be as detrimental to sediment diversions and coastal restoration as previously thought. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-023-01081-0  (6 March 2023)

Japan River turns red after food colouring leak Residents in Japan’s Nago city were alarmed when a river suddenly turned deep red in colour due to a food colouring leak in a nearby port. Visuals of the river’s blood-red colour caused concern among locals about the mysterious transformation. Many people shared photos of the river on social media as well. Later, a beer factory came forward with an explanation about the river suddenly turning red in colour. Officials from the factory said that a dye used for food colouring had seeped into the river through a rain gutter but assured residents that it did not pose any health risks, according to a report by The Independent. https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/river-japan-port-red-alarming-beer-factory-food-colouring-leak-2399909-2023-06-30  (30 June 2023)

Compiled by SANDRP (ht.sandrp@gmail.com)

Also see: DRP News Bulletin 26 June 2023 & DRP News Bulletin 19 June 2023 

Follow us on: www.facebook.com/sandrp.in; https://twitter.com/Indian_Rivers