Dams · Ken River

Ken River Yatra: A Glimpse into the Lives of River People

This multi-media report by Siddharth Agarwal based on a walk along the majestic Ken River in central India, now part of a contentious river-linking project, shows how essential it is to the communities living around it.

The idea of walking along a river has many key reasons, but the most important of them is to interact, discuss with and document the life of the actual stakeholders of this natural system. Traversing flood plains and riverbanks on foot takes us right where the story is, not in a far removed space, where even a few kilometres away from it can be a major shift. Location plays a wonderful role in rejigging memory and helps people imagine past situations. The discussions on the scale of the importance of a river suddenly have a realism and depth.

Continue reading “Ken River Yatra: A Glimpse into the Lives of River People”

DRP News Bulletin

DRP: 3 Dec. 2018: Ken Betwa Link-Push to Dilute Forest Clearance Conditions

Ken Betwa river interlinking project is back to drawing board with Union water resources ministry approaching the ministry of environment and forest to relax conditions imposed as part of forest clearance accorded in May 2017 for diversion of forest in the Panna Tiger reserve (PTR).

Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) while according Stage-I clearance to the project had recommended that the project proponent and state govt should consider equivalent non-forest area (6,017 ha) adjoining to PTR from the revenue and private land and add to the PTR as a part of core/corridor (for tiger movement) with other areas or satellite core area. According to water resources ministry, they are unable to find land adjoining to PTR.

Will the forest department buckle under pressure to dilute the forest clearance conditions?  http://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/2018/nov/25/first-river-linking-project-coming-undone-1902890.html  (25 Nov. 2018)

Continue reading “DRP: 3 Dec. 2018: Ken Betwa Link-Push to Dilute Forest Clearance Conditions”
India Rivers Day · Rivers

Amazing India River Day 2018 celebrations in Pune

Several organisations of Pune came together this year to celebrate the India Rivers Day in an unprecedented way. The events started from Nov 24 onwards and continued to Nov 28, and even on Dec. 1 morning, Jeevitnadi key persons had a 90 minutes Muthai River walk with some of the top officials (PMC Commissioner Saurabh Rao, Asstt Commissioner & all department heads) of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). Jeevitnadi- Living River Foundation started celebrating Nov 28 as India Rivers Day in Pune from 2015 onwards in the name of “Muthai Mahotsav”. Continue reading “Amazing India River Day 2018 celebrations in Pune”

Dams · Rivers

अनुपम मिश्र मेमोरियल मैडल 2018 से सम्मानित अरुण तिवारी जी से बातचीत

श्री अरुण तिवारी जी वरिष्ठ पत्रकार-लेखक हैं। आप  लगभग पिछले तीन दशकों से नदियों को बचाने और जल संरक्षण के लिए उल्लेखनीय लेखन कार्य करते आ रहे हैं। आपका पानी पोस्ट हिंदी ब्लॉग काफी चर्चित है जिसपर आप नियमित तौर पर नदियों और पानी से जुड़े विभिन्न पहलुओं और समकालीन विषयों पर जानकारियां साँझा करते रहते हैं।  आपके अनवरत प्रयासों को देखते हुए आपको 25 नवंबर 2018 को अनुपम मिश्र मेमोरियल मैडल से सम्मानित किया है। आपके विचारों को अधिक से अधिक लोगों तक पहुँचाने के लिए, प्रस्तुत है,  भीम सिंह रावत,  SANDRP द्वारा आपके साथ ईमेल के जरिये हुए बातचीत के प्रमुख अंश।  

अनुपम मिश्र मेमोरियल मैडल देश में नदी संरक्षण पर उत्कृष्ठ मीडिया काम के लिए प्रदान किया जाता है। यह सम्मान प्रख्यात पर्यावरणविद और गांधीवादी स्व. अनुपम मिश्र की स्मृति में, वर्ष 2017 से, इंडिया रिवर्स फोरम (भारतीय नदी जनसभा) के द्वारा वार्षिक तौर पर आयोजित भारतीय नदी दिवस के अवसर पर दिया जाता है।

भीम सिंह रावत: अनुपम मिश्र मैमोरियल मैडल के लिए बधाई। आप पिछले तीन दशकों से निरंतर अपने लेखन से नदियों की दुर्दशा और संरक्षण की ज़रूरत का मुद्दा उठाते रहे हैं। आज नदियों की क्या स्थिति है ? नदियों पर मुख्य संकट क्या है ?

अरुण तिवारी नदियां, पृथ्वी की नसें हैं। ये नसें निरंतर सिकुड़ रही हैं। नीली की बजाय, काली, पीली और भूरी पड़ती जा रही हैं। भारत में यह चित्र तेजी से बढ़ रहा है। 

नदी संकट के नाम पर प्रदूषण, वैश्विक तापमान में वृद्धि आदि कई कारणों को गिनाया जा सकता है, लेकिन भारतीय नदियों पर आसन्न प्रमुख संकट यह है कि हम नदियों की बहने की आज़ादी को तेज़ी के साथ छीनते जा रहे हैं। नदियां आज़ाद बहें; इसके लिए ज़रूरी है कि हम अपनी नदियों को उनका प्रवाह, उनका वेग, उनकी भूमि तथा प्रवाह के उनके साथी वापस लौटाएं। 

Continue reading “अनुपम मिश्र मेमोरियल मैडल 2018 से सम्मानित अरुण तिवारी जी से बातचीत”

DRP News Bulletin

DRP: 26 Nov. 2018 (INDIA RIVERS WEEK 2018: BPS to Rainman Vishwanath; AMM to River Journalist Arun Tiwari)

At a well-attended function at India Rivers Week {IRW} 2018 at WWF-India in Delhi on Nov 25, 2018, the hall reverberated with resounding claps from the audience when suspense over who gets this years’ Bhagirath Prayas Samman (BPS) and Anupam Misra Medal (AMM) was broken. Vishwanath Srikantaiah, popular as Zen Rainman was the unanimous choice of the IRW Jury for the exemplary work on River conservation over the last 25 years.

The Anupam Misra Medal for path breaking media work on Rivers with focus on Ganga, the theme of IRW 2018, was given away to Shri Arun Tiwari by late Anupam ji’s life partner Manju Misra ji. Abhilash Khandekar, a well known journalist, also member of IRW organising committee and also member of BPS-AMM Jury, while interacting with the award laureates, called Arun Tiwari as INDIA’sRIVER JOURNALIST OF 2018.

Famous Chipko leader Shri Chandi Prasad Bhatt, giving the BPS award to Vishwanath, including Citation, Shawl and Plaque and, congratulated the six organisations that are in the organisation committee of IRW, said the India Rivers Week needs to be celebrated by every household and family.

Continue reading “DRP: 26 Nov. 2018 (INDIA RIVERS WEEK 2018: BPS to Rainman Vishwanath; AMM to River Journalist Arun Tiwari)”
Dam floods · Dams

Dams Floods 2018: Filling up Dams well before Monsoon end, Invitation to Disaster

The tendency of filling up reservoirs in the beginning and middle of monsoon season have been leading to avoidable flood disasters in the country. Apart from Kerala flood 2018, which was aggravated by mismanagement of reservoirs, various reports show that reservoirs in river basin of Cauvery, Krishna, Godavari and Ganga were also filled up well before the end of South West monsoon season. Resultantly there were many man made flood spells in downstream areas affecting lives and livelihoods of people.

After highlighting role of dams in floods in Kerala and how improper dam operation affected people in Assam and Himachal Pradesh, this third and concluding part throws light on other dam induced flood (and canal breach) incidents in 2018. Continue reading “Dams Floods 2018: Filling up Dams well before Monsoon end, Invitation to Disaster”

Dams · Fish, Fisheries, Fisherfolk

WFD 2018: RIVER FISH UPDATE FROM INDIA

We would like to begin this long update on River Fish in India on Nov 21, World Fisheries 2018, on a positive note. What better way can there be then mention our own blog in this last year that portrays the fisherfolks as mascots of river conservation: https://sandrp.in/2017/12/15/riverine-fisherfolk-as-mascots-of-flowing-rivers-and-how-4-projects-treat-them-today/. Unfortunately, the struggle to get some place for the fisherfolks in the decision making continues. There are many positive developments here, though!

Continue reading “WFD 2018: RIVER FISH UPDATE FROM INDIA”

Dams · Fish, Fisheries, Fisherfolk

World Fisheries Day 2018: India’s Increasing Fish Kill Incidents

21 November is celebrated as world fisheries day across the world. Apart from crucial source of food and livelihood to lakhs of fisherfolks in India, fish diversity determines the health of the water body including lakes, ponds and rivers. However with growing threats and pollution mass fish mortality has been taking place in various rivers and lakes in the country every year. On World Fisheries Day 2018 SANDRP has put together known mass fish kill incidents that took place this past year to highlight the gravity of threat so that corrective measures can be taken by respective Governments and others concerned.

Continue reading “World Fisheries Day 2018: India’s Increasing Fish Kill Incidents”

Dams · DRP News Bulletin

DRP: 19 Nov 2018: India Rivers Week 2018 to focus on Ganga Rejuvenation

The India Rivers Week 2018, in fifth year, will be held at WWF, Delhi during Nov 24-26, 2018. The focus of the IRW this time is: “Can India Rejuvenate Ganga?“. Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Director General of the National Mission for Clean Ganga will address the inaugural session with Chief Guest Shri Jairam Ramesh, former Union Minister, in Chair. The meeting will see over 150 people from all over India participate to discuss state of India’s rivers at the only meeting in India focussing exclusively on rivers.

The Annual River Lecture will be given by Prof Rajiv Sinha of Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur. The Bhagirath Prayas Samman award for the best work on River Conservation and the Anupam Mishra Medal for exemplary media work on River conservation will be given away by famous Chipco leader Shri Chandiprasad Bhatt.

Shri U P Singh, Secretary, Union Ministry of Water Resources has agreed to the chief guest at the concluding session on Nov 26, Monday. Started in 2014, the meeting is collectively organised by Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan, WWF-India, INTACH, Toxics Link, People’s Science Institute (Dehradun), Peace Institute and SANDRP.

For more information, please see: https://indiariversforum.org/2018/11/19/india-rivers-week-2018/. Follow IRW at: https://www.facebook.com/IndiaRiversWeek/ and https://twitter.com/IndiaRiversWeek

Continue reading “DRP: 19 Nov 2018: India Rivers Week 2018 to focus on Ganga Rejuvenation”