Similar to we wrote on Sept 1 2024[i], but possibly with even greater flood prospects and urgency, the situation in Narmada River Basin is once again moving towards a massive avoidable flood disaster due to imprudent management of Sardar Sarovar dam in Gujarat and dams including Indira Sagar, Omkareshwar, Bargi and Tawa dams in Madhya Pradesh. All of these dams are full or almost full with IMD Flash Flood Bulletin (FFB, bulletin is updated thrice a day) as at 0730 hrs on Sept 11 2024[ii] warning about the ongoing or imminent flash flood in Narmada Valley districts.
Continue reading “Imprudent management of SSP and other Narmada dams could create avoidable flood disaster in Sept 2024?”Category: Dam floods
Will Sardar Sarovar AGAIN create avoidable flood disaster in Sept 2024?
India Meteorological Department (IMD) Flash Flood Bulletin (FFB) at 11.30 hours on Sept 1 2024[i] for “24 hours Outlook for Flash Flood Risk till 0530 hrs of 02-09-2024” includes large number of Narmada valley districts of MP. All this water is likely to come to Sardar Sarovar Dam as Big upstream dams like Bargi (96% full), Tawa (94%), Indira Sagar (97%) and Omkareshwar (72%) are all almost full and the soil in the Narmada basin is already almost fully saturated, all figures from the daily reservoir bulletin of Narmada Control Authority as on Aug 29 2024 (https://nca.gov.in/dailyreports.htm).
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2023: Fly Ash Bund Breach Incidents in India
During 2023, we have found two incidents of fly ash bund breach in India. The first incident occurred in Waregaon under Kamptee taluka of Nagpur, Maharashtra in morning hours of July 19, 2023. The fly ashy pond belonged to Khaparkheda Thermal Power Station (KTPS) which is owned by Maharashtra State Power Generation Co Ltd (MAHAGENCO) a state-run power company.
The fly ash pond was brimful following heavy rainfall when a portion of its wall collapsed around 08:00 am. Resultantly, about 15 agricultural farms were flooded with toxic slurry damaging the crops. About 100 acres of agricultural land were filled with fly ash sludge which also entered the Kanhan River.
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2023: Incidents of Dam Induced Floods in India
(Feature Image: Flooded streets of Ankleshwar, Bharuch district, Sept. 19, 2023. Photo: Kalpesh Gurjar/India Today)
In this third annual overview on dams and hydro power projects, we have compiled the reports on flood disasters caused by unscientific or improper operation of dams, hydro and barrage projects in India in 2023. The report highlights criminal negligence by SSNNL and BBMP resulting in massive flood destruction in parts of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
Similarly, the sudden discharges from hydro power dams in Assam, Himachal and Uttarakhand have caused flash flood deluge damaging human properties along the respective rivers. The report also covers some incidents of barrage induced flood events along Ganga in Uttar Pradesh and along Yamuna in Delhi. The first part of the series on Hydro and dam related accidents and second part on People’s Protests against Hydro & Dam Projects in India in 2023 can be seen here and here respectively.
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सरदार सरोवर परियोजना निर्मित बाढ़: रिवर बेड पावर हाउस को 6 सितंबर से क्यों बंद कर दिया गया?
सरदार सरोवर परियोजना (एसएसपी) बांध के अनियोजित संचालन से 16 सितंबर, 2023 की रात से शुरू होकर गुजरात और मध्य प्रदेश में आई बाढ़, कई जिलों के लाखों लोगों के लिए अकल्पनीय आपदा बनकर सामने आई है। इस बांध निर्मित बाढ़ से हुए नुकसान की अभी भी पूरी जानकारी उपलब्ध नहीं है। इस बीच इस टाली जा सकने योग्य आपदा का एक और दिलचस्प पहलू सामने आया है। चौंकाने वाली बात यह है कि 6 सितंबर से 16 सितंबर 2023 तक एसएसपी के 1200 मेगावाट रिवर बेड पावर हाउस (आरबीपीएच) में कोई बिजली उत्पादन नहीं हुई।
इसका मतलब न केवल लगभग 270 मिलियन यूनिट (एमयू जिसकी कीमत यदि 3 रुपये प्रति यूनिट के निचले दर से भी आंकी जाए तो लगभग 80 करोड़ रुपये से अधिक है) के बिजली उत्पादन का नुकसान हुआ। साथ ही इस मात्रा में बिजली उत्पादन हेतु बांध से 1200 क्यूमेक्स या, 42000 क्यूसेक की दर से प्रतिदिन पानी छोड़ा जाता जिसकी मात्रा इन दस दिनों में लगभग 12000 क्यूमेक्स या 4.2 लाख क्यूसेक होती, यदि यह सारा पानी को 24 घंटे की अवधि में छोड़ दिया गया होता। एसएसपी बांध में इतनी मात्रा में कम पानी भंडार करके इस बाढ़ के प्रभाव को बड़े पैमाने पर कम किया जा सकता था।
Continue reading “सरदार सरोवर परियोजना निर्मित बाढ़: रिवर बेड पावर हाउस को 6 सितंबर से क्यों बंद कर दिया गया?”Avoidable flood disaster from unaccountable Sardar Sarovar operation: Why was River Bed Power House stopped since Sept 6?
The avoidable flood disaster brought in Gujarat and upstream Madhya Pradesh, starting from the night of Sept 16, 2023 by unaccountable operation of the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) Dam has created unimaginable impacts for lakhs of people in several districts, the full contours of the damage are still not fully available. But another intriguing aspect of this man-made disaster has come to light. Shockingly, there was no power generation at the 1200 MW River Bed Power House (RBPH) of the SSP from Sept 6 to Sept 16. This not only means loss of power generation of about 270 million units (MU), worth over Rs 80 Crores even at low price of Rs 3 per unit), but also it would have meant release of 1200 cumecs or, 42000 cusecs and over ten days, this would have meant reduction of about 12000 cumecs or 4.2 lakh cusecs from peak discharge for 24 hours, and this itself would have hugely reduced the flood disaster.
Continue reading “Avoidable flood disaster from unaccountable Sardar Sarovar operation: Why was River Bed Power House stopped since Sept 6?”
सरदार सरोवर बाँध संचालन की लापरवाही से गुजरात में फिर आई बाढ़
सरदार सरोवर परियोजना (एसएसपी) बांध संचालन अधिकारियों की लेटलतीफी और गैर-जिम्मेदार व्यवहार से गुजरात में बाँध के निचले इलाके एक बार फिर ऐसी बाढ़ की मार झेल रहे हैं जिसे काफी हद तक टाला जा सकता था। भरूच में गोल्डन ब्रिज पर जल स्तर आज 17 सितंबर, 2023 को उच्चतम बाढ़ स्तर (एचएफएल) के करीब पहुंच रहा है, लेकिन अगर एसएसपी अधिकारियों ने समय रहते उपलब्ध जानकारी के आधार पर और बाँध संचालन नियमों जैसे रूल कर्व सिद्धांत का पालन कर कार्रवाई की होती तो इस बाढ़ का एसएसपी बाँध से ऊपरी और निचले दोनों क्षेत्रों में बहुत कम प्रभाव होता।
Continue reading “सरदार सरोवर बाँध संचालन की लापरवाही से गुजरात में फिर आई बाढ़”Unaccountable Sardar Sarovar operators again bring avoidable floods in downstream Gujarat
Late, lethargic and unaccountable actions of Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) Dam operators have once again contributed to huge and largely avoidable downstream floods in Gujarat. The water level at Golden Bridge in Bharuch is approaching HFL (Highest Flood Level) today on Sept 17, 2023, but these floods could have been significantly lower and much less disastrous both for SSP upstream and downstream areas if SSP authorities had taken action earlier based on actionable information available and based on sound reservoir operation principles of following a rule curve.
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No dispute about role of Pong and Bhakra dams in Punjab Aug 2023 floods
Large parts of Punjab are facing flood disaster since about Aug 14, 2023. There is no doubt that these floods are due to sudden, untimely releases of massive quantities of water from BBMB managed Pong and Bhakra Dams. It is welcome news that even Himachal Pradesh Chief Secretary has now listed the three BBMB managed dams situated in HP, namely, Pong, Bhakra and Pandoh among the 21 dams that have violated the Dam Safety Norms and also the CWC Guidelines of 2015 and action will be taken against them.
Continue reading “No dispute about role of Pong and Bhakra dams in Punjab Aug 2023 floods”
Role of dams: 2021 Flood Management In MP’s Sindh River
Guest Article by: Aishani Goswami and Rahul Singh
Walking through Dhimarpura village, in Seondha block, Datia district, Madhya Pradesh, heaps of broken clay tiles, wooden logs and other construction materials could be seen. Temporary tent-like shelters made of plastic sheets were erected in place of the houses that fell due to the floods in River Sindh in 2021.
In this article we try and put together available information to understand the role played by the Madhikheda system of dams in worsening the flood disaster in Sindh River basin in first week of August 2021. It may be noted that whenever a dam proposed, one of the claimed benefits is that the dams can help moderate floods in the downstream area. This is indeed true, provided, the dam is operated with the objective. However, when the dam is not operated with that objective, then the dam can actually end up acting like a force multiplier for the flooded downstream areas. Let us see if Madhikheda dam played that role in August 2021.
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SANDRP 