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.
Continue reading “Dams, Rivers & People: Oct 26, 2015 (Saving Tigers is Saving Rivers, Story of once dry Tamirabarani River )”Category: Dams
Scientist’s Open Letter to Karnataka CM: “Yettinaholé project is ecologically disastrous and economically unviable”
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””
Pulse Farmers: Custodians of Fertility, Water and Climate-friendly Agriculture
Above: A rainfed Tur (Arhar/Pigeon Pea) field in Amravati in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra Photo: Parineeta Dandekar, October 2015
Pulse prices are raging in Indian markets, leading to outrage from urban customers. Newspapers are full of coverage, cartoons and puns on pulse prices. The fate of rural population facing successive droughts which has to buy pulses is better left to imagination. If some benefits of this price hike were to reach actual pulse farmers, it would have been some consolation. But for now, as Pulse farmer Ashok Pawar from Osmanabad tells me, the Tur (Arhar/Pigeon Pea) that is in the market is last year’s. It was sold to the middle men (Adatya in Marathi) and market committee at a low rate as the production was dismal due to late rains and drought followed by unseasonal rainfall. This happened in 2013 too. Tur from 2014 is now being sold at a record price, the farmer watches this helplessly. Continue reading “Pulse Farmers: Custodians of Fertility, Water and Climate-friendly Agriculture”
Dams, Rivers & People: Oct 19, 2015 (Migratory birds keep away from NCR due to warm weather)
Sardar Sarovar Dam gates can’t be closed till last person displaced is rehabilitated: SC.
CIC tells centre to give Polavaram project info to RTI applicant
Scrap Renuka dam if Centre-HP row can’t be sorted out: SC
State orders release of Godavari water to drought-hit Marathwada
HC Bombay directs inquiry into release of Gangapur dam water for Shahi Snan at Kumbh Mela
Bhama Askhed dam project: Agitation turns violent
Pinjal-Gargai dam project in Mumbai faces protests
Amid heated arguments Nashik Municipal Corporation approved additional Rs 36cr for Makane dam plan
Continue reading “Dams, Rivers & People: Oct 19, 2015 (Migratory birds keep away from NCR due to warm weather)”
Dams, Rivers & People: Oct 12, 2015
Arunachal:- Siang People’s Forum writes to MoEF to not allow mega dam on Siang River, State Govt. supports the cause
Assam:- Locals, CM show stiff resistance to Lower Subansiri power project
Himachal:-Jispa Dam project faces opposition
Uttarakhand:- From 60 to 7000 patients in 3 years, Uttarakhand floods play havoc with mental health
Maharashtra:- Drought-Hit Maharashtra to generate 400 mw hydropower
Himalaya:- Dams, Hydro projects & other development works may wipe out many unknown species being discovered in Eastern Himalaya
Climate Change :- The Hydropower Methane Bomb No One Wants to Talk About
Dams, Rivers & People: Oct 05, 2015 (On Climate Agenda Govt. scale down targets but on ground still pushing hard many hydro projects)
HYDROPOWER
Hydro fast loosing sheen in renewable energy basket and the share of hydro is likely to decline further as through the past three years, the installed capacity of hydropower projects has remained around 40,000 Mw. While the report superficially may appear as a sigh of relief nevertheless on ground Indian Govt. is still in a hurry to push many big hydro power projects particularly in North-Eastern States. Last month only Piyush Goyal Power Minister cleared the Teesta-III and spoke of clearing Subansiri too. In Siang basin Pauk, Heo, Tato-I are recently approved by MoEF Panel. Protest against 780 Nyamjang Chhu HEP is going on. Similarly several projects in Ganga, Barhamputra and Satluj basin are being cleared and constructed in plain violation of stipulated green norms. Public and private developers are repeatedly ignoring environmental concerns and not addressing the issues raised by local people.
Dams, Rivers & People: Sep 28, 2015 (The reality behind much hyped Godavari-Kirshana Interlinking project)
Godavari Krishna River Linking: Are we celebrating an illegal, unnecessary & misconceived water transfer project? SANDRP recent blog investigates and exposes the reality behind much hyped Godavari-Kirshana Interlinking project which is in true sense mere a pumping of water projects that too without required legal clearances.
Continue reading “Dams, Rivers & People: Sep 28, 2015 (The reality behind much hyped Godavari-Kirshana Interlinking project)”
Book Review: GREEN SIGNALS: In search of a Middle Ground
(GREEN SIGNALS: Ecology, Growth, and Democracy in India; Jairam Ramesh; Oxford University Press; 605 pages; Rs 850)
Jairam Ramesh (JR for short) is arguably, India’s best ever Environment Minister. His book Green Signals is essentially providing records and some explanations of his own actions during his 25 month tenure at Paryavaran Bhawan, the Ministry of Environment and Forests. JR in general laments the industry mindset on environment and says the NDA government’s attitude is dangerous. Grow now, pay later mindset won’t work in India. He says in India sustainability & ecological issues are not luxury but necessity & he tries to explain what they mean in the context of economic growth. Continue reading “Book Review: GREEN SIGNALS: In search of a Middle Ground”
Bhatiyali: The Eternal Song of the River
ओ रे माँझी, ओ रे माँझी
मेरे साजन हैं उस पार, मैं मन मार , हूँ इस पार
ओ मेरे माँझी अब की बार ले चल पार, ले चल पार
Everything about this song: its words, its music, its picturisation and Sachin Deo (SD) Burman’s evocative voice mesmerizes me (I’m one of many others, I’m sure). I loved this song’s connect with rivers and used to repeat it over and over, till my (visibly exasperated) husband told me, “But did you not know? Rivers have influenced SD’s music a lot. He has talked about his lone ramblings on the Gumti in Tripura, listening to folk music based on rivers many times”. I did not know that. Continue reading “Bhatiyali: The Eternal Song of the River”
Godavari Krishna River Linking: Are we celebrating an illegal, unnecessary & misconceived water transfer project?
The national media seems to be celebrating linking of Godavari and Krishna River in Andhra Pradesh on September 16, 2015 as the first major step towards Inter Linking of Rivers in India. An emotional Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Shri N Chandrababu Naidu called it historic and Pavitra Sangam (Holy Confluence)[1].
What is the reality? Continue reading “Godavari Krishna River Linking: Are we celebrating an illegal, unnecessary & misconceived water transfer project?”
SANDRP 