(Feature Image: Pune: Pavana, Mulshi, Panshet, and Khadakwasla Dams Release Water Due to Heavy Rain in Catchment Areas. Source: Pune Now News, Sept 2024)
This annual overview focusses on how siltation, muck dumping related issues are affecting the safety and sustainability of Hydropower projects and dams in India. Some of the key dams facing crisis in this regard include Bhakra, Ratle, Gangasagar, Hathnur among others. Some of the states where this issue is acute include HP, J&K, Maharashtra, Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka & Punjab.
The part 1 of the yearend roundup has documented the accidents and disasters related to dam and HEP projects in India in 2024. The part 2 focuses on community resistance against hydro projects in Himalayan states. The part 3 covers the struggle of dam projects affected people. The part 4 highlights growing concerns against pump storage projects. The part 5 documents corruption cases involving dams and hydro projects. The part 6 reviews NDSA effectiveness regarding dam safety issues. The part 7 underlines looming climatic threats on dams and hydro projects in India.
2024: Reports on Siltation & Sedimentation of Dams
J&K Rattle HEP muck dumping in Chenab: NGT seeks report in 2 weeks The Joint committee report dated Nov. 25, has been filed through the CPCB. Project proponents stated that they want more time to file an objection to the joint committee report. Dumping of muck on the side of river is every day damaging, river hydrology, morphology and ecology and also affecting flora and fauna and requires urgent attention. The proponents who are carrying on such activities must be stopped from carrying out such activities, the court said.
Thus, more time in such matter would only encourage and continue with destruction of environment everyday which cannot be permitted, particularly, considering the fact that the area concerned is a fragile area of Himalaya, the court noted. However, since reasonable opportunity against the Joint Committee report needed to be granted to project proponents, the court allowed two weeks’ time to concerned respondents to file objections, if any, to the Joint Committee report. http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/content/477113/order-of-the-national-green-tribunal-regarding-dumping-of-muck-illegally-during-the-construction-of-rattle-hydro-electric-power-project-village-drabshalla-district-kishtwar-jammu-kashmir-03122024/ (03 Dec. 2024)
Himachal Pradesh Bhakra Dam capacity dips 25% BBMB has initiated a massive project to get portions of the reservoir desilted. “The proposal to desilt the reservoir has been approved by the board. Given the mountainous terrain and irregular depth of the reservoir, it would be a long-drawn and highly technical project. The BBMB official said the dry or shallow areas around the perimeter could be excavated when the water level was low during the depletion period.
According to BBMB, 38-39 million cubic meters (MCM) of silt flows into the reservoir annually, which is higher than the rate of 33-34 MCM envisioned at the time of the dam’s impoundment in 1958. Experts say if silt inflow continues and no remedial measures are undertaken, the capacity of the reservoir could be further reduced by 35-40% by 2050. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/silt-threatens-bhakra-dam-holding-capacity-dips-25/ (04 Sept. 2024)
Bhakra muck dumping: HC asks govt why no prosecution The high Court has directed the Himachal govt to explain why it has failed to prosecute those involved in the illegal muck dumping in the Bhakra dam reservoir and forest areas of Bilaspur district. A bench of Chief Justice MS Ramachandra Rao and Justice Satyen Vaidya has stated that the state govt should explain why “they are simply collecting fines and not prosecuting the people responsible for illegal muck-dumping.” The HC has also observed in its order that no steps have been taken by the state govt to clear the muck from the shores of Gobind Sagar lake in Bilaspur.
The HC, during hearing on May 31, had ordered the Bilaspur deputy commissioner and superintendents of police to initiate penal action against all violators found dumping muck in the Bhakra dam reservoir and its feeding nullahs in Bilaspur district. The HC had also directed Himachal CS to personally monitor the implementation of the court orders & file a status report. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/shimla/himachal-pradesh-high-court-questions-lack-of-prosecution-for-illegal-muck-dumping/articleshow/112479823.cms (13 Aug 2024)
Bhakra muck dumping: FIRs against 8 firms The forest department has informed the Himachal Pradesh high court that eight police cases have been registered against road infrastructure development companies for dumping muck unscientifically and illegally near Bhakra dam reservoir along the Kiratpur-Manali highway in Bilaspur district. The police cases have been registered under Sections 15 (penalty for contravention of the provisions of the Act) and 16 (environmental offences committed by companies) of the Environment Protection Act and for polluting public spring or reservoir under the BNS, on complaints filed by the Bilaspur Forest department.
In July, the high court had also imposed a cost of Rs 50,000 on the forest department for “trying to protect the guilty and failing to initiate prosecution against violators involved in illegal muck-dumping in the forests and along the Kiratpur-Manali national highway”. In its report, submitted to the advocate general, the forest dept has stated that it had deposited the amount with the high court. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/shimla/himachal-pradesh-high-court-orders-firs-against-8-firms-for-illegal-muck-dumping-near-bhakra-dam/articleshowprint/115232496.cms (13 Nov. 2024)
Bilaspur admin frames new rules on muck dumping The Bilaspur district administration has framed new rules for muck dumping in the district and put a temporary ban on as many as 75 private constructions along the Kiratpur-Manali highway due to illegal and unscientific disposal of debris by owners. Officials said that owners of these new construction sites along the highway were found to be violating environmental norms by disposing muck unscientifically in forest areas and nullahs that feed the Bhakra dam reservoir. The administration has also made it mandatory the submission of a muck-dumping plan and only after permission is granted by the departments concerned, construction activities will be allowed.
– The administration has also roped in local panchayats in its plan to curb this illegal activity. The panchayats have been authorised to issue no objection certificates to applicants, who have arranged for legal dumping sites. The DC has also ordered the officials of the pollution control board, town and country planning department, and mining department to visit these construction sites and issue challans. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/shimla/bilaspur-district-administration-frames-new-rules-on-muck-dumping/articleshow/109798310.cms (3 May 2024)
Punjab FAC puts riders on de-siltation at dams in Kandi area The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) has placed conditions on the state’s WRD for the de-siltation of 13 dams located in the Kandi forest regions of Hoshiarpur and Mohali districts. The dams, built nearly 35 years ago with the World Bank support, have seen significant silt accumulation, reducing their water-carrying capacity to less than 50% in most cases.
The WRD has been directed to submit a mining proposal and an undertaking to deposit the net present value (NPV) of the dam areas, as the de-siltation process has been classified as a re-diversion of land. Additionally, the extracted silt is proposed for use in national highway projects, it now requires environmental clearance under NGT guidelines.
The area of the reservoirs spans about 2,000 ha, and the accumulated silt has made the regions downstream of the dams vulnerable to floods. Last year, flash floods breached a check dam near Choti-Badi Naggal in Kharar, Mohali, causing widespread damage. Officials emphasised the urgency of obtaining the necessary NOC from the Forest Department to prevent further incidents. The reduced water capacity also impacted wildlife last summer, with Perch Dam in Mohali drying up. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/environment-ministry-puts-riders-on-de-siltation-at-dams-in-kandi-area/ (01 Oct. 2024)
Odisha Dams fueling coastal erosion Satabhaya village – whose displaced former residents have been officially recognised by the government as climate migrants – sits at the mouth of the mighty Mahanadi River Delta and its coasts were once replenished by earth carried by the currents from inland. But an upriver dam-building spree in the decades since India’s independence in 1947 drastically cut the amount of sediment deposited where the waterways met the sea. That left Odisha’s coasts vulnerable to erosion and lacking a critical defence against rising sea levels. https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/in-this-odisha-village-coastal-erosion-forces-people-to-abandon-homes-5525635 (26 April 2024)
West Bengal River refugees People living in villages along the Ganga River in Malda and Murshidabad regions have faced displacement for decades. The erosion by the Ganga River is attributed to natural dynamics, exacerbated by the construction of structures like the Farakka Barrage. Located in Murshidabad district, the intervention in the Ganga at Farakka has impacted the equilibrium of the river.
Since the flow of the river was intercepted by the barrage and the water level of the river was raised at Farakka, sedimentation on the riverbed has increased. The recurrent bank failures and consequent changes in the course of the Ganga upstream and downstream of the barrage have created a large population of environmental refugees. In recent years, 100s of sq kms of land has eroded in the Malda-Murshidabad region. Lakhs of people have left their homes and belongings. These environmental refugees lead their lives under the shadow of poverty and insecurity. https://www.outlookindia.com/national/the-river-refugees-of-the-ganga (23 Sept. 2024)
Rajasthan Does Bisalpur Dam need desilting? Environmentalist Himanshu Thakkar, who is a coordinator with the SANDRP— an informal network of organisations working on issues related to water, and focusing on issues associated with large dams — explained that the Bisalpur Dam is relatively new and did not require desilting so urgently and frequently. “There are bigger and older dams like the Bhakra Nangal and Hirakund Dam that have never been desilted. It is not economical to do so,” Thakkar said. He also pointed out that the dam has reportedly been filled to capacity only three to four times since becoming operational, making it less prone to impacts from silt formation.
– “Silt deposition affects water availability only when the dam frequently fills to capacity and excess water floods the surrounding areas. In such cases, you can claim that desilting can help increase the dam’s capacity and make it more efficient,” he added.
– Bhim Singh Rawat, another environmentalist from SANDRP, said that an environmental assessment is a scientific way of proceeding with the de-siltation process. It will ensure that excessive mining is not conducted and that the dam’s structure and aquatic life are not damaged. “How frequently a dam needs to be dredged and desilted depends on its location, geography, topography, and flooding areas,” he said. https://theprint.in/environment/why-has-desilting-of-rajasthans-bisalpur-dam-become-point-of-contention-between-govt-activists/2107925/ (29 May 2024)
SC vetos NGT’s stay on desilting of Bisalpur dam Supreme Court on May 24, 2024, stayed a NGT order that had halted the desilting and dredging of Bisalpur dam in Tonk district. The stay order brings much-needed relief to the state govt and Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project Corp Ltd. Bisalpur dam is a reservoir of drinking water for three districts—Ajmer, Jaipur, and Tonk. The desilting aimed at restoring the storage capacity of the dam, which has been reduced to 1029.9 million cubic metrrs (MCum) from its initial capacity of 1095.8 MCum in 2004.
– A PIL filed before NGT on Jan 10, 2023, had sought the quashing of the ‘request for proposal’ dated Nov 21, 2022, issued by ERCPL for ‘Reclamation of Storage Capacity by Desilting of Bisalpur Dam in Tonk’. NGT had, on Nov 24, 2023, restrained ERCPL from permitting dredging and desilting without taking environmental clearance. The state govt and ERCPCL argued on behalf of the successful bidder in the apex court and pointed out that the requirement for environmental clearance is exempted as per the notification and guidelines issued by the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) from time to time. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/supreme-court-stays-ngt-order-on-desilting-of-bisalpur-dam/articleshow/110408678.cms (25 May 2024) On 26 November 2023, the NGT had prohibited ERCPL from proceeding with desilting, dredging of mineral extraction and disposal at the Bisalpur dam in Tonk district. It had held that desilting or dredging activities under the guise of mineral extraction via mining operations could not proceed without adherence to environmental laws.
In its application for interim relief, however, the company had highlighted that before NGT’s stay order, it had already dredged one lac metric ton of sand from the dam. If the dredged material is not disposed of before the onset of monsoons, it is bound to cause harm to the dam as well as the nearby areas. Furthermore, if the dredging is not carried out before the rains, the dead capacity of the dam also increases, resulting in reduction of the live storage capacity of the dam, which ultimately leads to shortage of water supply. https://theprint.in/judiciary/rajasthan-facing-water-shortage-sc-allows-desilting-of-bisalpur-dam-despite-no-green-clearance/2105741/ (29 May 2024)
Maharashtra Eight more gates for Hatnur dam to solve siltation problem 8 more gates are being constructed at the Hatnur dam in Jalgaon district, adding to the 41 existing gates, to resolve the dam’s siltation problem. The WRD is constructing eight additional gates at heights lower than the 41 existing gates. “The gates, when opened at the appropriate levels, will lead to water flushing at lower levels,” said Jalgaon collector Ayush Prasad.
As per a senior officer of the WRD, the Hatnur dam’s capacity at the time of its construction in 1982 was 13.7 TMC. “Silting has reduced the capacity by over 4.5TMC. Since the desilting of a dam is costlier than the construction of a dam, desilting is inadvisable. The natural way of desilting is the activity of scrubbing, which will agitate the hardened soil & cause the soil to erode,” the WRD officer said. The desilting activity will take some time to show its effect.
“The process is likely to reclaim more than 3.5TMC of space. The important outcome of the process will be that residents in 11 villages upstream of the dam are unlikely to face flooding. Therefore, the Rs 301 crore project for the relocation of about 15,000 people will no longer be required. This would, however, be confirmed once the gates are commissioned and the effects are recorded practically. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nashik/new-gates-at-hatnur-dam-to-combat-siltation-and-prevent-flooding/articleshow/114176147.cms (12 Oct. 2024)
Cabinet okays Kikvi dam The cabinet on Oct 4 approved Kikvi dam at Brahmanwade village in Nashik’s Trimbakeshwar taluka, NCP minister Chhagan Bhujbal said. The minister said the need for the new dam arose because the storage capacity of Gangapur dam — the major source of water supply to Nashik Municipal Corp — has reduced considerably because of silt deposit. Desiltation of a dam is a mammoth task. Instead of desilting Gangapur dam, construction of Kikvi dam was proposed with a storage capacity of 2.1 TMC.
The new dam will ensure enough drinking water for the residents of Nashik city, considering the rise in population till 2041. A senior WRD official said the total land required for the project is 738 ha. Govt had already taken 174 ha for the project from the forest dept by allotting alternative land. The project cost was Rs283 cr in 2009, it has now gone up to Rs1,400 cr. The land acquisition will need Rs662 cr and the construction work will cost Rs738 crore.
State govt had sanctioned the dam over Kikvi in 2009. The environmental clearance for the project came in 2014. However, the project was challenged in high court on the ground that the water storage exceeded the total water availability in the upstream of Jayakwadi dam. In 2017, Kikvi dam was included in the water plan of Godavari and approved by govt. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nashik/maharashtra-cabinet-greenlights-21-tmc-kikvi-dam-to-secure-nashiks-water-supply/articleshowprint/113947694.cms (4 Oct 2024)
No takers for NMC’s plan to survey Gangapur dam The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has faced a setback in its efforts to use the dead stock of the Gangapur dam. The bids invited for conducting a survey of the dam did not receive good response as no agency came forward showing interest for the exercise. Now, the civic administration has granted a seven-day extension for bids — until March 12.
– To address this issue, the WRD has permitted the NMC to utilize the dead stock in the Gangapur dam, which amounts to around 0.5 TMC. By utilizing this dead stock, the city can receive water for an additional month. An NMC official said there is rock and silt near the jack-well in the dam. “As a result, the deadstock cannot reach the jack-well. To overcome this, we plan to employ dredging technology, to remove the silt and rock from the dam,” the official said. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nashik/no-takers-for-nmcs-plan-to-survey-gangapur-dam/articleshow/108377149.cms (11 March 2024)
‘Jalsamruddha Nashik’ initiative to clear Gangapur dam silt Various social organisations, including entrepreneurs and builders, have embarked on the ‘Jalsamruddha Nashik’ initiative. This concerted effort aims to remove five thousand cubic meters of silt daily from April 15 to June 15, significantly enhancing the dam’s storage capacity by approximately 100 crore litres. The extracted silt will be distributed free of charge to farmers for use in their fields, fostering agricultural productivity.
The scheme of the state government to remove silt from dams will extend beyond Gangapur dam to other reservoirs, rivers, and water bodies in the district. Previous efforts by Nashik city organisations to clear silt from Gangapur and other reservoirs, rivers, and streams have laid the groundwork for this collaborative endeavor. With the support of CSR funds and coordination among the Jain Association of India, Soil and Water Conservation Department, and Water Resources Department, the initiative seeks to mitigate water scarcity challenges by enhancing water storage through silt removal from reservoirs. https://www.freepressjournal.in/pune/nashik-jalsamruddha-nashik-initiative-to-clear-silt-from-gangapur-dam (14 April 2024)
NGOs join hands to remove silt from Gangapur, Darna dams Nashik District collector Jalaj Sharma inaugurated a mission on Apr 16 in which some Nashik NGOs have joined hands to remove silt from Gangapur and Darna dams to increase their water storage capacity. The NGOs initiated a desilting drive at Gangapur dam on Tuesday morning. “The objective of the drive is to remove as much silt as possible from the Gangapur dam through public participation and increase its storage capacity.” “The drive will continue until June 15, which will be extended further if it receives a good response from different stakeholders of the society,” said Sharma. This fertile silt will be made available free of cost to small landholding farmers.
– Jayesh Thakkar, a builder, said all stakeholders, right from industrialists, builders, and doctors to architects, have joined this drive. Sonal Shahane, executive engineer of the WRD, Nashik and other officials were present. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nashik/ngos-join-hands-to-remove-silt-from-gangapur-darna-dams/articleshow/109359567.cms (17 April 2024)
Desilting Khadakwasla to raise water holding capacity Lt Col Suresh Patil (retd), founder of Green Thumb Foundation, which is working on desilting Khadakwasla said it’s estimated that a three-tonne truck worth of silt equals to a tanker with a capacity to carry 10,000 litres of water. “We have till date cleared more than 25 lakh trucks full of silt from a 20km stretch of the dam. This has increased the capacity of the dam by 2,50,000 litres. The result is an approximate increase in the dam’s capacity by 0.20 TMC,” he added. “Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) or the irrigation department, or any other govt body, must employ sludge pumps to clear the silt at the centre of the dam. This is beyond our scope. Years of doing what we do, has allowed us to complete barely 1/8th of the work,” Patil said.
The biggest challenge Patil and his team face while desilting the dam is the restricted timeframe within which work has to be done. Desilting is an important process but a slow one. “There are benefits of desilting. But given the current water crisis, desilting such a big water body might not be the solution. Smaller water bodies like Pashan and Katraj lakes, for example, could be desilted faster and their capacities increased. This will also help in groundwater recharge,” said Upendra Dhonde, a scientist with the Central Groundwater Board. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/desilting-khadakwasla-to-raise-water-holding-capacity/articleshow/109239758.cms (12 April 2024)
Goa ‘Selaulim & Anjunem dams won’t be desilted’ Water resources department (WRD) has decided to discard the plan of desilting the Anjunem, Selaulim and Mhaisal dams after a study has found hard rock below the basins of these reservoirs.
“A WRD study has found hard rock below the reservoirs, and no silt. The desilting of these dams is not required though govt has planned it earlier to enhance the storage capacity,” water resources minister Subhash Shirodkar said. However, WRD will clear ridges that have formed upstream of Mhaisal dam as well as some silt that has accumulated at the mouth of the catchment area of Selaulim dam, Shirodkar said. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/selaulim-and-anjunem-dams-wont-be-desilted/articleshow/108657801.cms (21 March 2024)
Telangana Silt eats away 1/4 of water storage capacity In 14 projects, which have been surveyed over the past few years, sand, and other sediments, have slowly grabbed space that could have held 35.15 tmc ft (thousand million cubic feet) of water.
According to the 2020 ‘Compendium on sedimentation of reservoirs in India’ by the CWC, Himayatsagar is among the waterbodies to have lost 26.56 % of its storage capacity. Siltation has also affected Osmansagar with official figures putting the lake’s water spread at 6,300 acres, down from its original 10,000 acres. The worst has occurred at Nizamsagar, with the CWC report putting the loss of storage at this historic reservoir at 60.47 %; the Nagarjunasagar reservoir down by 23.52% & the Srisailam reservoir, 29.96%.
The Singur project on Manjira river which saw its gross storage reduced from its original 29.917 tmc ft to 29.178 tmc ft, the dead storage fell steeply from 0.872 tmc ft to 0.279 tmc ft. Similarly, the dead storage at Komaram Bheem project has halved from 1.785 TMC ft to 0.872 TMC ft. https://www.deccanchronicle.com/southern-states/telangana/silt-eats-away-one-fourth-of-telanganas-water-storage-capacity-1828122 (04 Oct. 2024)
Tenders floated for desilting of Kadam irrigation project The Irrigation department has floated tenders to remove silt from the Kadam irrigation project in Nirmal district. Officials plan to complete the tendering process by the end of this month, with the work set to begin in the summer season to ensure completion before the monsoon. The project’s full reservoir level (FRL) is 7.630 tmcft, but officials have identified that approximately 3 tmcft of this capacity is occupied by silt. Officials have been unable to accurately gauge the reservoir’s flood-handling capacity. In the past two years, water overflowed the dam during heavy rains.
– The desiltation process will involve separating silt into sand and soil. The sand will be sold for commercial purposes while the soil will be distributed for agricultural use. The officials have identified 100 acres of land for this purpose, with 20 acres allocated for processing and the remaining 80 acres for silt storage. The government has also announced a fixed price for desiltation per tonne.
– Along with Kadam, two other projects in the state are being taken up as a pilot desilting initiative. Tenders have been invited from private companies, with the last date for submissions set as January 27. https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/telangana/2025/Jan/17/telangana-tenders-floated-for-desilting-of-kadam-irrigation-project (17 Jan. 2025)
Desiltation drive to begin with Kaddam project Since its construction in 1949, the Kaddam Project has not undergone any desilting exercise, leading to a reduction in its gross storage capacity from 7.603 Thousand Million Cubic feet (TMC) to about 4.82 TMC, approximately 40 percent of its original capacity. This reduction has impaired its ability to provide irrigation water to 68,150 acres of agricultural land. Officials have estimated that approximately 135.92 million tons of silt has accumulated in the Kaddam Project. Nearly 40 percent of this silt consists of fine sand, which can be repurposed for construction and other uses, while the remaining 60 percent is clay, which is useful for application to soils in agricultural land to add up to their fertility.
The problem of siltation is not unique to the Kaddam Project. All major irrigation projects in Telangana have experienced a loss of 25 percent to 30 percent of their gross water storage capacity due to increasing silt accumulation. The State government, currently without a specific policy addressing siltation issues, is planning to follow guidelines from the Ministry of Jal Shakti to tackle the problem. Significant sand deposits have been identified in various projects. For instance, the Medigadda Barrage on the Godavari River was found to have over Rs 800 crore worth of sand deposits when the barrage was emptied for structural inspection earlier this year. Part of this sand has already been extracted. https://telanganatoday.com/telanganas-desiltation-drive-to-begin-with-60-year-old-kaddam-project (02 Nov. 2024)
Andhra Pradesh CWC may take up silt formation study in Srisailam Central Water Commission (CWC) is likely to take up another round of study on formation of silt in Srisailam reservoir following the request from AP government. The state government recently conducted hydro-metric survey and found loss of storage capacity to the tune of 50 tmc due to the additional silt formation. Taking the issue with a serious note as the latest finding will pose more troubles in sharing water with Telangana, AP government requested CWC to take up a scientific study and finalise the actual storage capacity of Srisailam project.
– The project designed with 315tmc ft capacity is now capable of storing just around 185-190tmc ft. First scientific study carried out in 2001-02 found loss of about 44 tmc ft of storage. Then, the state government declared that Srisailam could store just around 264 tmc ft. Subsequently, another round of study was conducted in 2009-10 which found loss of another 50 tmc due to the heavy formation of silt due to the massive floods of 2009. After losing nearly 94 tmc ft in a decade, Srisailam reservoir was left with around 215 tmc capacity. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vijayawada/study-on-silt-formation-in-srisailam-reservoir-cwc/articleshow/106499586.cms (03 Jan. 2024)
Karnataka Reservoirs lost 6% storage capacity The four Cauvery basin reservoirs – Krishna Raj Sagar, Harangi, Hemavati & Kabini have lost 6% of their total storage due to accumulated sediments between the first (1982) & most recent (2009) surveys. The cumulative gross capacity of these reservoirs was 3,244.26 MCM in 1982 survey, the last survey show that it has now gone down to 3,027.59 MCM. “Sediment accumulation in reservoirs is tricky as de-silting of dams is costly. The extracted silt has environmental impacts too. The only sustainable solution is to manage soil erosion in the catchment area,” said a hydrologist. https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/others/getting-sedimental/articleshow/114129331.cms (11 Oct. 2024)
Farmers urge govt to frame policy to desilt dams, water bodies Members of State Federation of Farmers’ Association & Sugarcane Cultivators’ Association urged the govt to frame a policy to desilt dams and water bodies in Karnataka. Association president Kurubur Shanthakumar and others met CM Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru on Sep 10. They submitted a memorandum urging him to conceive such a policy on a priority basis. Mr. Shanthakumar said the silt can be distributed to farmers for use as manure and Karnataka can emulate the govt of Telangana in this regard. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/farmers-urge-government-to-frame-policy-to-desilt-dams-water-bodies-in-karnataka/article68625678.ece (10 Sept. 2024)
Govt proposes new dam on Tungabhadra Deputy CM D K Shiva Kumar while stating that the Tungabhadra Dam was silted announced that the government has prepared a plan to construct a balanced dam at Navali. Discussions regarding this project will involve the governments of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, as all three states must collaborate to undertake this endeavour. Shiva Kumar stated that the project is slated for implementation in the next budget cycle.
-An irrigation department senior officer told Siasat.com that about 31 tmc ft of silt is accumulated on the Tungabhadra reservoir bed resulting in a reduction of its storage capacity. Thus, Karnataka Irrigation officials proposed to build a new dam for the Tungabhadra River in the Tungabhadra board meeting held in 2018. Officials said that due to silt buildup over many years, the capacity of the dam has declined considerably, and it is impossible to remove the silt. https://www.siasat.com/karnataka-proposes-new-dam-on-tungabhadra-river-akbar-owaisi-objects-2977386/ (14 Feb. 2024)
Govt speeds up efforts for supplementary project across TB The govt has put itself on the fast track for completing the formalities of a supplementary project across the Tungabhadra River, near Navali in Raichur district, in the upstream areas. Karnataka govt had reportedly planned another barrage along the Raichur borders and allotted Rs 158 crore in the recent Budget to prepare a DPR. However, the Karnataka govt needs to get consent from AP, TS and also a member of CWC at a TB board meeting. The project will not have clearance if a majority of the members oppose it.
The Karnataka govt was reportedly stressing that heavy siltation in the existing reservoir has reduced the water storage capacity in the dam and that it was unable to get more water during the rainy season. Irrigation experts from Karnataka proposed to build a new reservoir for water storage & utilise an additional 35tmc-ft. https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/karnataka-speeds-up-efforts-for-supplementary-project-across-tb-882837 (21 Feb. 2024)
Tamil Nadu 90 years on, Mettur dam to be desilted In a bid to make use of the low water level, the Water Resources Department has decided to kick start desilting works of the Mettur dam by the end of May. The reservoir has not been desilted since its construction in 1934. As of Thursday, the water level in Mettur stands at 57 feet against its full capacity of 120 feet. Official sources suggest that with funds from the state government, the department can hasten the process. However, approval from the Election Commission of India is pending due to the prevailing model code of conduct. Last year, WAPCOS had prepared feasibility report for this and it estimated desilting cost of Mettur at Rs 3000 Cr. It is estimated that upon desilting, the reservoir could potentially store an additional 30 tmcft of water within the next six years. https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2024/Apr/12/90-years-on-mettur-dam-to-be-desilted (12 April 2024)
Farmers worried over Minister statement on desilting Mettur dam On July 26, the government approved a project to restore the original capacity of the Mettur, Vaigai, Pechipparai, and Amaravathy reservoirs, which includes removing 13.75 million cubic meters of sediment from Mettur over four years. A project estimate of Rs 3.6 crore was prepared to obtain environmental clearance.
However, WRD Minister Duraimurugan stated that reservoirs are not desilted anywhere in the world and that sand would naturally wash away with the water flow. Farmers are concerned whether the state intends to abandon the desilting of Mettur Dam, which has not undergone maintenance since its construction in 1934. Meanwhile, the WRD on Sunday (Nov. 10) issued a release stating that the tenders to desilt Vaigai and Amaravathy will be floated on November 13 and 20, respectively. Additionally, the tenders for Mettur and Pechipparai have already been opened. https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2024/Nov/11/farmers-concerned-over-water-ministers-statement-on-desilting-mettur-reservoir (11 Nov. 2024)
Kerala KSEB to desilt two dams in Idukki According to KSEB dam safety officials, the board has received administrative sanction for a proposal to desilt the Kallarkutty & Vellathooval dams. A recent survey found that nearly 48% of the Kallarkutty dam and 75% of the Vellathooval dam had been accumulated with soil and sand. “The KSEB submitted the desiltation proposal for these dams as a pilot project in Idukki. The Kerala Irrigation Infrastructure Development Corp, a public sector entity under the Water Resources department, will conduct the process on a revenue sharing model,” an official said.
“Cutter-suction dredgers will pump the soil and sand out of the dam. The machine will also separate water from waste and sand. Recently, the KSEB conducted a survey to determine the amount of sand and soil accumulated in major hydel dams and found that silt deposits have affected the storage capacity of these two dams. In the case of the Idukki dam, the siltation was found to be less than 20%, which may not impact its storage,” he said.
Recently, the KSEB emptied the Kallarkutty dam after a leakage was detected on the sluice valve & to replace the old trash racks. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/kseb-to-desilt-two-dams-in-idukki/article69054400.ece (04 Jan. 2025)
Report Siltation a looming threats on dams Himanshu Thakkar of SANDRP, says, “As dams age, a major concern is that they get silted up, decreasing their storage capacity. Secondly, there is wear and tear of the gates and walls. But the more pressing issue is how the rainfall pattern has been affected by rapid and unprecedented climate change.” Speaking to mid-day, Thakkar explains, “Every dam is designed to be safe with certain inflows [how much water it takes in] and are typically designed for a one-in-100-year flood possibility. But now, because of siltation, erratic rainfall and inflow pattern, those designs have become outdated.” https://www.mid-day.com/sunday-mid-day/article/dam-you-23374094 (11 Aug 2024)
Muck worsens flood damage: NIDM When muck and boulders dumped at sites are not properly stabilised with retaining walls or plantation, heavy rains can cause them to wash away. A report by the NIDM noted that the mixing of muck in heavy flowing water “aggravates erosion and flooding” because of the “meandering and cutting force” of the boulders and other debris. In fact, the report, while assessing the causes of the catastrophic 2013 Uttarakhand floods found that “the muck dumped by the 330 MW Srinagar hydroelectric project might have intensified the factors responsible for the downstream damage”. https://scroll.in/article/1071853/how-construction-muck-worsens-flood-damage-in-himachal (11 Aug. 2024)
Compiled by Bhim Singh Rawat (bhim.sandrp@gmail.com)
