Bhutan’s Kurichu Dam releases floods Assam, again in 2016

October 14, 2016July 25, 2019 SANDRP1 Comment

Above: Google Map showing relevant locations (Map by Bhim Singh Rawat of SANDRP)

Several media reports have alleged that sudden water releases from Kurichu Dam in Bhutan has led to floods in Beki and Manas rivers in Assam on Oct 13, 2016 (Thursday), affecting thousands of people in Barpeta district & also reportedly Baksa district. This is not the first time that Kurichu water releases have led to this kind of situation, it has happened in the past including in 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009 (150 villages affected[i]), among other instances. The Indo Bhutan joint mechanism, established in 2004-05, following the July 2004 floods, has clearly failed to effectively address this issue. Continue reading “Bhutan’s Kurichu Dam releases floods Assam, again in 2016” →

Dams · Monsoon

Welcome development: River basin wise rainfall maps from IMD!

October 13, 2016October 13, 2016 SANDRP8 Comments

We have noticed during just concluded South West monsoon season that IMD (India Meteorological Department) has started a new and welcome feature in rainfall data reporting[i]. The Data is available in maps, on daily, weekly and seasonal basis. We are not sure when this practice started, we noticed it only during 2016 monsoon season.

This is most welcome development, since getting rainfall data at basin level is most appropriate and useful, since basin is the hydrological unit that will experience the impact of rainfall or lack of rainfall in the basin, in form of floods or droughts. It can also be very useful for flood forecasting and preparedness, among many other uses. We hope IMD will develop and refine this further.

In each map, the actual rainfall for the given period is given for each basin, as also the normal rainfall & % departure from normal. Usual colour code is used to show the basin as blue if rainfall is more than 120% of normal rainfall, green if rainfall is 81-119 %, brown if rainfall is 60-80% of normal and yellow if rainfall is below 60% of normal rainfall.

Continue reading “Welcome development: River basin wise rainfall maps from IMD!” →

Dams · DRP News Bulletin

DRP: 11 Oct 2016 (Is there any justification for DESTRUCTION of Panna Tiger Reserve?)

October 11, 2016February 19, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

Is there any justification for DESTRUCTION of Panna Tiger Reserve? Can we save our Natural Heritage like the Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR) from being destroyed in the name of baseless, questionable, non transparent, undemocratic and manipulated projects like Ken Betwa inter linking ? It will facilitate export of water from Bundelkhand to OUTSIDE Bundelkhand. Whatever little benefits are claimed, some of them are already available and much more can become available at much lower costs, faster and without destroying the Forests and Tiger Reserve. The project will actually lead to destruction of Ken catchment and hence the Ken River itself. Watch this FASCINATING, AWESOME story of tigers of PTR. This BBC film where Raghu Chandawat is the story teller and Pradip Kishen is lending his voice, tells the story of Tigers of Panna till 2003, it seems. Please watch and let us all try to save it from destruction that is now writ large in terms of Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP). One more short film by wildlife biologist Koustubh Sharma illustrates how the Daudhan Dam under KBLP will submerge and destroy the PTR.

Meanwhile, a new analysis of rainfall data reveals that monsoon shortages are growing in river basins with surplus water and falling in those with scarcities, raising questions about India’s Rs 11 lakh crore plan to transfer water from “surplus” to “deficit” basins. According to Himanshu Thakkar of SANDRP river basin interlinking should be considered only after exhausting the local potential for harvesting rain, recharging groundwater, watershed development, introducing better cropping patterns (non water-intensive crops) and methods (such as rice intensification), improving the soil moisture-holding capacity and saving and storing water. Raising alarm over significant increase in ground water use, increasing reliance and fast declining ground water table, he warns that inter-basin links would actually reduce groundwater recharge because forests would be destroyed, the river flow stopped and the local systems neglected.

Continue reading →

Inter State Water Disputes

Inter state River Water Disputes in India: History and status

October 6, 2016October 6, 2016 SANDRP9 Comments

Water sharing disputes across the country (and even beyond) are only going to escalate with increasing demands, and also with increasing pollution & losses reducing the available water. Climate change is likely to worsen the situation as monsoon patterns change, water demands going up with increasing temperatures, glaciers melt and sea levels rise. The government’s agenda of interlinking of rivers would further complicate the matters.

The ongoing Cauvery Water Dispute [iv] has once again brought the focus on interstate river water sharing disputes in India and what has been our experience so far. There is no solution of Cauvery water dispute in sight and the engineer-dominated Cauvery Management Board that the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal Award has recommended is unlikely to help matters. Continue reading “Inter state River Water Disputes in India: History and status” →

Dams · Indus

So who will suffer in the Indus water imbroglio?

October 4, 2016February 19, 2026 SANDRP5 Comments

Diplomatic and military strategies, by definition, are not decided through public debates. So the jingoism around Indus treaty with Pakistan seems more like an attempt at sending threatening signals. But it will have multiple serious ramifications in any case, so it is worth deliberating about.

The 1960 Indus treaty has allocated rights of development on three eastern tributaries (Sutlej, Beas & Ravi) to India, and we have exhausted that entitlement almost fully. Attempts to use the occasional remaining flow will mean a huge impact in Indian Punjab, which is unlikely to resonate well with the people of Punjab. The treaty gave Pakistan dominant right of development of the three western tributaries (Chenab, Jhelum and Indus), India has limitations about water use (both in terms of quantity and manner of use) in case of the western rivers. India has not yet exhausted the entitlement in this case.

Continue reading →

Dams · DRP News Bulletin

DRP: 3 Oct 2016 (Role of Uttarakhand Hydro Projects in Kedarnath Disaster 2013)

October 3, 2016February 19, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

Book Review: Rage of the Rivers: Role of Uttarakhand hydro projects in Kedarnath disaster 2013 by Hridayesh Joshi Rage of the River reads not unlike a gripping thriller. Thing is, it is not fiction. It is a true ‘story’ of a cataclysmic event, exacerbated by greed, and twisted notions of development manifested in blasting fragile hills, tunneling rivers, denuding forests, and encouraging illegal encroachments and mindless construction and tourism infrastructure. This is an important chronicle of one of the worst disasters of our times. Joshi has thoroughly analysed the role of endless, ill-planned hydel projects, but inexplicably fails to take into account the wreckage wrought by unrestrained tourism. Joshi points a finger at the unethical practices of construction companies, contractors and operators of hydel dam projects, even in the face of this monumental disaster. The officials of the Vishnuprayag project refused to listen to the pleas of the villagers to open the dam gates and allow the excess water to flow safely from under the barrage. The advice was ignored, either in ignorance of the gravity of the situation, or with an eye on the opportunity to generate more power. The rising waters broke the barrage flooding the valley and its villages.

Continue reading →

Dams

शौचालयी स्वच्छता से संपूर्ण शुचिता की ओर-2 (जल-थल-मल पुस्तक सारांश)

October 2, 2016October 2, 2016 SANDRP2 Comments

आज गॉधी जंयती है और स्व्च्छ भारत अभियान को भी दो वर्ष पूरे हो गए हैं। दो दिन पूर्व, 30 सितम्बर को इंडोसैन समारोह का उद्घाटन करते हुए प्रधानमंत्री श्री नरेन्द्र मोदी जी ने देश को स्वच्छ बनाने के लिए स्वच्छाग्रह चलाने का मंत्र किया है। स्वच्छ भारत मिशन के तहत आयोजित इस समारोह में उन्होंने सीमित संदर्भ में ही सही दो ओर बड़ी अच्छी बातें कहीं, एक स्वच्छता को लेकर हमें अपने आचरण में बदलाव लाना चाहिए और दूसरा जैविक कूडे़ कचरे से खाद बनायी जा सकती है। दूसरी ओर शहरी विकास मंत्री वैंकया नायडू के अनुसार देश में 1 लाख से ज्यादा गॉव खुले में शौच से मुक्त हो गए हैं।

भारत के पहले प्रधानमंत्री श्री जवाहरलाल नेहरू ने भी एक बार कहा था कि जब तक भारत में सब लोगों के पास शौचालय सुविधा उपलब्ध नहीं होती, वो तब तक भारत को आज़ाद नहीं मानेगे। इसी प्रंसग में राष्ट्रपिता महात्मा गॉधी जी का भी जिक्र अनायास हो आता है जिंहोने सैनिटेशन को आजादी से भी बढ़कर बताया और मैला प्रथा के विरोध में सब मानवों को अपने मैले का निपटान खुद करने के लिए भी कहा।

Continue reading “शौचालयी स्वच्छता से संपूर्ण शुचिता की ओर-2 (जल-थल-मल पुस्तक सारांश)” →

Dams

शौचालय निर्माण से शुचिता की ओर-1 (जल-थल-मल पुस्तक समीक्षा)

October 1, 2016October 2, 2016 SANDRPLeave a comment

खुले में शौच की आदत से निजात दिलाने के लिए केन्द्र सरकार शौचालय बनाने का काम 1980 के दशक से लेकर अब तक चलाती आ रही है। 1999 में इस अभियान का नाम टोटल सैनिटेशन कैंपेन और 2013 में निर्मल भारत अभियान हो गया। आज इसे स्वच्छ भारत अभियान के नाम से जाना जाता है। बदले नाम के साथ हाल में स्वच्छ भारत मिशन भी 2019 तक भारत को खुले में शौच से मुक्त कराने का बीड़ा उठाए हुए है। ऐसा करने वाले गाॅवों का निर्मल ग्राम पुरस्कार भी दिया जा रहा है। 2003 से लेकर अबतक करीब 28 हजार से ज्यादा गाॅवों को इस ईनाम से नवाजा जा चुका है।

सरकारी आॅकड़ो के मुताबिक देश में 10 में से 3 व्यक्ति आज भी खुले में ही शौच जाते हैं। जो सरकार के लिए अतंर्राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर बड़ी शर्मिंदगी का विषय है। सयुक्त राष्ट्र के अनुसार गरीबी में भारत से निचले पायदानों पर खडे़ देश नेपाल, पाकिस्तान, बांग्लादेश आदि पडौसी मुल्क शौचालय बनाने में भारत से कहीं आगे निकल गए हैं।

केंद्रीय पेयजल और स्वच्छता मंत्रालय के अनुसार इस अभियान के तहत अब तक 8 करोड़ 7 लाख शौचालय बनाए गए हैं। यानी 12 करोड़ 5 लाख शौचालयों के लक्ष्य का 70 फीसदी बन चुके हैं। परंतु 2011 की जनगणना के हिसाब से महज 5 करोड़ 16 लाख शौचालय ही पाए गए। मामला साफ है शौचालय ज़मी पर कम और कागज़ों में ज्यादा बने। 2008 के सर्वे में बड़ा खुलासा हुआ की 132 निर्मल गाॅव ईनाम पाने वाले में से केवल 6 गाॅव ऐसे निकले जिनमें कोई भी खुले में पखाना नहीं जाता था। योजना आयोग द्वारा तैयार 2013 की रपट इससे अधिक दिलचस्प है जो बताती है 73 फीसदी शौचालयवाले घरों में अब भी कम से कम एक सदस्य खुले में ही शौच जाता है।

इन सब के बीच प्रश्न उठता है, क्या शौचालय बनाना ही सैनिटेशन है और क्या मात्र शौचालय बनाने से ही भारत स्वच्छ हो जाएगा ? कहीं शौच मुक्त भारत के लक्ष्य का पीछा करते हम लोग प्राकृतिक संसाधनों का नाजायज दोहन और प्रदूषण तो नहीं कर रहे हैं ? मानव मल का प्रकृति और माटी से क्या संबंध है ? कहीं मात्र शौचालयी स्वच्छता के कारण ही तो पानी की बर्बादी और नदियों का प्रदूषण नहीं बढ़ रहा है? मल के जल और थल से बिखरे संबंधों से फिर रूबरू कराते हुए इन्हीं सब सवालों का जवाब तलाशती है, सोपान जोशी द्वारा लिखित जल-थल और मल पुस्तक!

Continue reading “शौचालय निर्माण से शुचिता की ओर-1 (जल-थल-मल पुस्तक समीक्षा)” →

Dams · Maharashtra

Tracing the Maharashtra Irrigation Scam: From 2012 to 2016

September 30, 2016September 30, 2016 SANDRP1 Comment

Above: Retaining wall of Gosikhurd RBC slid down from its location Photo: Jan Manch

Aftermath of the irrigation scam exposed in 2012 in Maharashtra still continues. Roots of the scam were pointed out time and again by Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG) and also by several other committees set up by the Government. The scam was finally unveiled in May 2012 with a combined effort of several whistle blowers from inside & outside the government as civil society groups including SANDRP. Unjustified cost overruns, forged tenders, tweaking the norms of tendering process, incomplete projects laden with inferior quality work were brought to light and the unholy nexus of corrupt leaders, government officials and contractors became visible like never before.
Continue reading “Tracing the Maharashtra Irrigation Scam: From 2012 to 2016” →

Dams · DRP News Bulletin

DRP: 26 Sep 2016 (Victory to tribals protest; Jispa HEP calls back staff)

September 26, 2016February 19, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

Finally, tribals struggle wins, sends Jispa HEP company packing up Facing stiff opposition from the tribal community against the construction of 300 MW Jispa Dam in Lahaul-Spiti valley has forced the Himachal Pradesh Power Corportaion Ltd (HPPCL) to suspend the project for the time being. The dam which was declared a project of national importance now has residents from 14 villages oppose it. HPPCL has invested Rs 3 crore and has stated that it would begin study work only when locals extend their support.

Since 2009, people from the Todh valley in Lahaul-Spiti district were opposing the Jispa Dam project proposed over Bhaga river, a tributarJy of Chenab at Jispa village. The government had sanctioned Rs 7,000 crore for this project but local residents did not allow officials to work in smoothly for three years now.

Confirming the development, managing director, HPPCL, D K Sharma told that some people were continuously opposing the project without realizing that construction of project could have ushered development in the area. He said constant opposition of local people had resulted into wastage of limited human resource so HPPCL board had decided to withdraw the manpower as project was only at investigation stage.

Continue reading →