MoEF Committee Rejects the Adani Application and asks to apply afresh for Warasgaon-Warangi Project!

October 3, 2024October 3, 2024 SANDRP1 Comment

In a respite to forest dwelling communities, fragile biodiversity and community conservation areas in the Western Ghats, Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Union MoEF (Ministry of Environment and Forests) rejected Adani Energy’s application for 1500 MW Warasgaon-Warangi Pump Storage Project. The committee has asked the proponent to apply afresh for Stage I Clearance, adding several conditions to assessment.

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Yamuna River

Yamuna Manthan 031024: Threatened River Wetlands

October 3, 2024October 3, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Soor Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, along with the river Yamuna, is considered to be green lung of the Agra city. Source: ToI report Six-member committee to probe development of Agra Trade Centre in Soor Sarovar eco-zone. Nov. 01, 2018)

The waterbodies, lakes, wetlands in Yamuna basin continue to face damages and threats from many quarters, including concerned govt departments. In latest examples of this, there are reports of Uttar Pradesh govt’s plan to reduce the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of Keetham lake to zero. The wetlands also known as Sur Sarovar is a large ox bow lake formed by Yamuna River in Agra. It is a protected bird sanctuary and has been designated a Ramsar site in August 2020. In Sept. 2022, the Supreme Court had directed the govt to increase lake’s ESZ to 799 ha from 403 ha.

Similarly, the Uttar Pradesh govt departments have also been delaying process to notify Dhanauri wetlands as a Ramsar site in Greater Noida. The case is going on in NGT (National Green Tribunal) for the past many years. In the recent hearing held on Sept. 26, the NGT asked govt department to explain reasons behind delay in notifying the wetlands apart from directing it to remove water hyacinth chocking the wetlands. The next hearing will be held on Jan. 27, 2025.

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Yamuna River

Yamuna SW Monsoon 2024: Upper Segment Misses Flood

October 2, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Yamuna river at Mawi site in Kairana, UP in Sept. 2024)

After remarkable deluge in 2023, the upper segment of Yamuna river has seen no significant flood spell all through the just concluded southwest monsoon 2024. This is unusual as the river generally witnesses at least a couple of low or medium flood spells in this segment every year.

However, this year the discharges from Hathnikund Barrage (HKB) in Haryana did not cross 1 lakh cusec figure even a single time. The peak discharge from the barrage was 87,017 cusecs at 06:00 hour on 26.09.2024.

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DRP News Bulletin

DRP NB 300924: Focus on River Studies

September 30, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

Rivers are the most important ecosystems (eco here includes ecology and economy) and yet possibly least studied entities. Some news below this week about some river studies brings the focus on need to take up many more river related studies.

Most important aspect of river related studies is the need for credible, independent studies, not influenced by the needs of the governments. Otherwise, the government is likely to not only influence the study, but also decide not to make it public as they did in case of the studies related to Joshimath town and role of Chamoli disaster.

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Dams · Fish · Fish Sanctuaries · Fish, Fisheries, Fisherfolk · Hydropower · Western Ghats

Adani Pump Storage Dams: Defiling sacred pools and fish sanctuaries in the Western Ghats

September 25, 2024September 27, 2024 SANDRP3 Comments

Adani Energy proposes to build two large dams in the heart of Western Ghats as a part of Warangi-Warasgaon Pumped Storage Project. One of the dams will be located in Tekpowale Village, about 65 kms from Pune.

I actually could not believe my eyes when I read the name Tekpowale.

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DRP News Bulletin

DRP NB 230924: Role of rivers in the birth of governments

September 23, 2024September 23, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image Source: The Economic Origins of Govt)

Interesting research published in 2023 suggests that archaeologists and economists are now learning that dynamic, shifting rivers also created conditions that triggered people to develop some of the first organized govts on the planet.

In the research published in The American Economic Review Robert Allen and two co-authors found that Agriculture and large settlements emerged alongside rivers because they could tap into the gifts of rivers: close access to water and fertile soil. But rivers can move and take those gifts away. So, society developed organized govts to work collectively to regain their access to those gifts.

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DRP News Bulletin

DRP NB 160924: Urban Flood lessons from Vadodara, Vijaywada

September 16, 2024September 16, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Vadodara: A flooded area after heavy monsoon rainfall, in Vadodara, Tuesday, Aug. 27). Photo Credit: PTI/The Hindu)

Like every monsoon, a number of cities have faced catastrophic floods in SW monsoon this year. Vadodara and Vijaywada have got the media attention more than any other city for urban floods this year. In both cases a number of factors are common: role of upstream dams, encroachment on water bodies including rivers, lakes, streams, role of illegal sand mining particularly in Vijaywada, not having learnt any lessons from past flood disasters.

It is interesting to see Andhra Pradesh CM hinting at bringing HYDRAA like enforcement institution to remove encroachments on Budameru and other water bodies. Considering the nature of his politics and track record, it is doubtful if this NDA CM will take such a bold step, but it is certainly worthy of consideration for almost all urban areas in India.

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Highest Flood Level

Lower Yamuna Basin: 11 Rivers Crossed old HFLs in just 2 days in Sept 2024

September 14, 2024September 14, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Yamuna rivers in severe flood situation at Pachnada in Etawah, UP on Sept. 14, 2024. Image source Udaybhan)

It is interesting to see that at least 11 rivers at as many flood monitoring sites of Central Water Commission (CWC) located in Bundelkhand region (4 sites) and lower Yamuna basin (7 sites) have crossed old Highest Flood Level (HFL) just in 2 days on September 12-13, 2024. These sites are in 3 different states of Madhya Pradesh (7 sites), Uttar Pradesh (3 sites) and Rajasthan (1 site).

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Dam floods · Dam Induced Flood Disaster · Dam Safety

August 2024: Tonga Dam Breach floods Madhya Pradesh villages

September 11, 2024September 11, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Breach in Tonga dam. Source: ETV Bharat)

A breach in earthen Tonga dam has flooded half a dozen villages in Sabalgarh tehsil of Morena district in Madhya Pradesh. The breach occurred in intervening night of August 12-13, 2024. As per reports, the dam first overflowed following rainfall, leading to the breach.

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Dam floods · Narmada

Imprudent management of SSP and other Narmada dams could create avoidable flood disaster in Sept 2024?

September 11, 2024September 11, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

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.

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