Dams

DRP: 23 Nov. 2015 – Uttar Pradesh declares 50 districts as drought hit

November 23, 2015February 18, 2026 SANDRP1 Comment

Eight Indian States have already declared drought this year. Apart from UP the other states are Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand.

In 2015, India witnesses many weather extremes which can be linked to Climate Change. The unseasonal rains in March, then back-to-back failure of Southwest Monsoon that has led to severe drought conditions in many Indian states. Right now Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh are facing severe flood conditions caused by heavier Northeast monsoon rain. The year 2015 also saw record breaking heat. Clearly Climate Change have started unfolding abnormal weather incidences in India impacting millions of people lives who have become victim of Climate Change despite no fault of theirs. But Indian government is neither connecting these disasters with climate change, nor identifying the victims, leave aside asking for justice for these victims.

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Sorang Hydropower disaster: Will we learn any lessons?

November 22, 2015November 23, 2015 SANDRP2 Comments

Google Earth Image of the Area

A burst in penstock pipe of 100 MW Sorang hydro power project (HEP) in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh have played havoc with the lives and livelihoods of people of Burang and surrounding villages. On surface it may look like an accident. But deeper look raises doubts about many systemic loopholes that allowed the siutation that led to the disaster. Let us see the shortcomings and negligence exercised by project proponent and state government which finally resulted in the fatal accident. We urge the Himachal Pradesh Govt., other governments where such projects are coming up and Central Electricity Authority, to constitute a monitoring cell to inspect quality of construction of ongoing HEPs and form adequate safety standards and enusre their strict implementation to prevent such mishaps from becoming a norm. Continue reading “Sorang Hydropower disaster: Will we learn any lessons?” →

Dams · Fish Sanctuaries

Celebrating India’s Riverine Fisheries on the World Fisheries Day

November 22, 2015November 22, 2015 SANDRP5 Comments

Above: Women fishing in small pools near (सादिया घाट) Sadiya Ghat on (लोहित) Lohit and Dibang Rivers. Women use several gear, baskets and nets to catch fish from the slush. The activity is accompanied by laughter, chatter and songs. Photo: Author

21^st November is celebrated as World Fisheries Day. Since the past few years we have been trying to highlight the significance and richness of India’s riverine fisheries which support over 10 million people by providing livelihoods and nutritional security. Ironically, although India is the world’s biggest inland fish producer, our riverine fisheries are woefully neglected. We do not have a record of riverine fish catch and its trends, people dependent on riverine fishing, species of fish and their population trends, etc. Interventions like dams, water abstraction and pollution have severely affected riverine fisheries, which do not find a place in the dominant water management narrative. Continue reading “Celebrating India’s Riverine Fisheries on the World Fisheries Day” →

Dams · Interlinking of RIvers · Rivers · Sand Mining

Dams, Rivers & People: 16 Nov. 2015 (Tamil Nadu floods claim 95 lives)

November 16, 2015February 18, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

Incessant rains continued to disrupt normal life in Chennai and across Tamil Nadu on Monday, with the death toll rising to 95. Many areas in Chennai have been inundated, road traffic has been severely hit and schools and colleges are shut across Chennai as a result of the inclement weather. Boats are being used in flooded areas to rescue stranded people. Also see, Rain continues to batter Tamil Nadu, disaster response teams deployed

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Dams

India’s INDC will increase the water insecurity and problems of the vulnerable and the poor

November 10, 2015November 10, 2015 SANDRP1 Comment

No one can deny that the current Indian government is strong in one aspect: Symbolism. So they did release the India’s INDC[1] (Intended Nationally Determined Contribution) on 2^nd Oct (India time), the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. opening lines of the government in its public statement while releasing INDC reads: “On Gandhi Jayanti, India has submitted it’s (INDC).The approach of India’s INDC has been anchored in the vision of equity inspired by the Father of our Nation Mahatma Gandhi’s famous exhortation: “Earth has enough resources to meet people’s needs, but will never have enough to satisfy people’s greed””. Continue reading “India’s INDC will increase the water insecurity and problems of the vulnerable and the poor” →

Climate Change · Dams · Environment · Ganga · Narmada · Rivers

Dams, Rivers & People: 09 Nov 2015 (Maharashtra Drought-1420 more villages included in affected list)

November 9, 2015February 18, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

The State will now seek a Rs. 4,300-crore package for providing succour to over 16,000 drought-affected villages. Earlier State Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Eknath Khadse had declared over 14,708 villages drought-affected. He now said that the State’s assessment by October 31 showed that drought-like conditions also prevailed in 1,420 villages in Buldhana district in Vidarbha, and they would be added to the list of drought-affected villages.

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Agriculture · Climate Change · Dams · Drought · Environment · Ganga · Irrigation · Monsoon · Narmada · Rivers · South Asia

Dams, Rivers & People: Nov 02, 2015 (Festival Fishing on occasion of Kati Bihu in Assam)

November 2, 2015February 18, 2026 SANDRP1 Comment

People of a village in Morigaon district of Assam fish in groups to celebrate ‘Kati Bihu’ on Sunday. The festival is closely related to agriculture, celebrated on the first day of the Kati month of the Assamese calendar. It is that time of the year when paddy grows in the fields and cultivators work hard for a good harvest.— Photo: Ritu Raj Konwar, The Hindu

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Dams

IMD & MP govt provide shockingly different district rainfall figures: Will they explain, please?

October 28, 2015 SANDRPLeave a comment

On Oct 26, 2015, Madhya Pradesh declared drought[1] in 33283 villages in 228 tehsils in 35 districts (of total of 50 districts), affecting 4.4 m ha area and 4.8 m farmers. It sounded a bit strange since Western MP, comprising of 30 districts, had above average rainfall as per IMD (India Meteorology Department[2]) figures for the 2015 monsoon (rainfall during June 1 to Sept 30).

So we decided to cross check district wise rainfall figures. We found that as per IMD, in 29 of the 50 districts in the state, rainfall was Normal or Excess. In case of 21 districts, the rainfall was deficient, that is more than 20% below normal. Continue reading “IMD & MP govt provide shockingly different district rainfall figures: Will they explain, please?” →

Agriculture · China · Climate Change · Dams · Drought · DRP News Bulletin · Environment · Ganga · Irrigation · Monsoon · Nepal · Pakistan · Rivers · Sand Mining

Dams, Rivers & People: Oct 26, 2015 (Saving Tigers is Saving Rivers, Story of once dry Tamirabarani River )

October 26, 2015February 18, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

Tamirabarani teaches: Saving tiger is saving river After Kalakkad-Mundanthurai was declared tiger reserve in 1992, Tamirabarani river has regained its perennial status. Though shorter than Cauvery and Vaigai, Tamirabarani has always held a special place in the state. It started turning dry for four months every year. People of Tirunelveli and Tuticorin thought their river too was going the way of other state rivers. But a move to save the tiger inadvertently became a save the-river policy. The Union ministry of environment and forests declared the Kalakkad – Mundanthurai area as a tiger reserve in 1992. In three years, there was a noticeable change. A study on water inflow into the Karayar river, a tributary, inside the reserve was taken up. Records show that from 1946 till 1990, the river received only 13,000 cubic feet of water annually. After the area was declared as a tiger reserve, the inflow increased to 23,000 cubic feet.

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Dams

Scientist’s Open Letter to Karnataka CM: “Yettinaholé project is ecologically disastrous and economically unviable”

October 26, 2015October 29, 2015 SANDRP2 Comments

We are happy to publish full text of an Open Letter written by Dr. T.V. Ramchandra, Center for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, to Karnataka CM Shri. Siddaramaiah. The letter transparently questions Yettinahole Project, while strongly rebutting Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited’s (KNNL) propaganda against IISC Report which has established that Yettinahole Catchment does not have the 24.01 TMC water as per KNNL DPR, but only about 9 TMC water, which is used by the basin residents. (https://sandrp.wordpress.com/2015/05/21/yettinahole-diversion-project-literally-holds-no-water/). He does not limit himself to hydrology and ecology, but with detailed rainfall analyses, also debunks the fact that Kolar and Chikkaballapur face acute water scarcity. He staunchly bats for rainwater harvesting, rejuvenating lakes and tanks and afforestation with native species as cheaper and more reliable method to ensure water availability. Continue reading “Scientist’s Open Letter to Karnataka CM: “Yettinaholé project is ecologically disastrous and economically unviable”” →