An analysis of the daily district wise rainfall data from India Meteorological Department (IMD) for the month of September 2024, the last month of India’s South West Monsoon 2024 shows that there were 546 (406 in Sept 2023[i], 417 in Sept 2022[ii] and 489 in Sept 2021[iii]) instances when district rainfall of a day was above 50 mm. Such high rainfall instances included 438 (330, 365 and 374 in Sept 2023, Sept 2022 and 2021 respectively) instances in Sept 2024 when rainfall was 50-100 mm, 73 (64, 47 and 84 in Sept 2023, Sept 2022 and 2021 respectively) instances in Sept 2024 when it was 100-150 mm, 30 (10, 3 and 20 in Sept 2023, Sept 2022 and 2021 respectively) times in Sept 2024 when it was 150-200 mm and 5 (2, 2 and 11 in Sept 2023, Sept 2022 and 2021 respectively) instances in Sept 2024 when rainfall in a day was above 200 mm.
Continue reading “High Rainfall days in India’s districts in Sept 2024: Highest numbers in East India”Tag: Climate Change
DRP 07×24: Global Dam Safety Challenge in Changing Climate
It is increasingly clear that Large Dams across the world are facing increasing challenge due to climate change. In recent years, we have already seen serious dam disasters in Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, Kenya, Libya, Nepal, Nigeria, Poland, Spain, Sudan and USA to name just a few.
All these are related to extreme rainfall events, which are going to only increase in intensity, frequency and spread. It is interesting that hydro industry platform has come out with this report highlighting this issue this week.
For a country like India, the third large dam builder in the world, this challenge is going to be even more daunting as we have been seeing the increasing number of dams related disasters in last few years. As we remember the Teesta 3 dam disaster a year ago, the nature and dimension of this challenge becomes even starker. This is also exemplified by the fact that the dam safety panel report about this disaster is not even out in public domain. And even now new theories are being proposed about what happened during the disaster.
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MoEF Committee Rejects the Adani Application and asks to apply afresh for Warasgaon-Warangi Project!
MoEF Committee Rejects the Adani Application and asks to apply afresh for Warasgaon-Warangi Project!
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.
Continue reading “MoEF Committee Rejects the Adani Application and asks to apply afresh for Warasgaon-Warangi Project!”
Yamuna SW Monsoon 2024: Upper Segment Misses Flood
(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 300924: Focus on River Studies
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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DRP 230924: Role of rivers in the birth of governments
(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 160924: Urban Flood lessons from Vadodara, Vijaywada
(Feature Image: Vadodara: A flooded area after heavy monsoon rainfall, in Vadodara, 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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DRP 090924: Question marks over Yettinahole should not be buried under money spent
(Feature Image: File photo of Yettinahole Project. Source: Daijiworld)
The Yettinahole project has seen protests and question marks right from the time when the project was proposed, none of them have been convincingly answered. As the Karnataka Chief Minister and his deputy commissioned a small part of it, those question marks remain as relevant today, including its hydrological viability, environmental impact assessments and sustainability, with hugely weakening of the western ghats by such major interventions without any credible impact assessments. (see: https://sandrp.in/2013/09/18/yettinahole-diversion-an-imprudent-rs-100-billion-proposition/)
It is good to see CWC and MoEF have also raised some questions and asked report even at this stage. One however expects CWC to raise such questions much earlier in the project cycle and before the project becomes fait accomplice. Else, it seems more like politicking. MoEF could have raised issues of violations before the violations happened on ground and should have refused to provide piece meal forest clearances as it has alleged.
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Flood Lines, Riverfront Development & Citizen Heroes: Story of Pune Floods
If a city deserved beautiful rivers only through the sheer will and efforts of its civil society, Pune would be a strong contender.
For decades Pune’s civil society has been remarkably active in protecting its rivers. Organizations like Gomukh, Parisar, Soppecom, ACWADAM, Vanrai, Jal Biradari, Ecological Society and newer, powerful people-led groups like Jeevit Nadi and Pune River Revival have put up studies, reports and protests at times. Experts, academics, musicians, poets, writers, historians, students have held the cause of Pune’s rivers high. At any given time, several public interest litigations are being fought by the weary yet hopeful groups, fueled by personal funds, time and passion.
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DRP N260824: Urban flooding plan welcome, Urban Water Sector needs attention
(Feature Image: Assam Floods: Commuters wade through a flooded road after incessant rains, in Guwahati, Friday, July 5, 2024. Image Source: PTI/ABP Live)
The Union Government plan to spend Rs 2517 Cr in 2 years in seven metro cities to mitigate floods is certainly welcome announcement. The key component of the plan, conservation and improving capacity of urban water bodies is noteworthy along with storm water drainage. Does it mean that the River Front Development projects that actually reduce the flood carrying capacity of the rivers will be closed, since one does not expect govt to be working at cross purposes in different schemes.
In fact, Urban Water Sector as a whole needs attention with National Urban Water Policy as a first step. This is because the groundwater aquifers that are fast being emptied out, can be least cost option for storing the excess rain water, serving the purpose of reducing storm water drainage load and also improving water conservation. There is huge scope for this in all the seven metros listed in the scheme as also in many other cities.
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