2023: ‘Cloudburst’ Incidents in J&K, Ladakh & North East

November 24, 2023November 24, 2023 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image:- Locals walk across a damaged road following flash floods due to cloudburst in the Naginar area of Faqir Gujri, on the outskirts of Srinagar, Saturday, July 22, 2023. Photo: PTI/S. Irfan)

This article is about ‘cloudburst’ incidents that have taken place in Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakah in North West Himalayan states and in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim in North East Himalayan states during south west monsoon 2023 season. SANDRP has earlier published detailed analysis on ‘cloudburst’ incidents in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh states in SW Monsoon 2023.

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DRP News Bulletin

DRP NB 180923: Floodplain loss, the biggest in Asia, disaster in the making

September 18, 2023September 18, 2023 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Ongoing ghat work along Yamuna at Qudsia ghat, ISBT Dellhi. SANDRP, June 2023)

A floodplain, according to the US Federal Emergency Management Agency, is “any land area susceptible to being inundated by floodwaters from any source”. According to the report “Human alterations of the global floodplains 1992–2019”, over 460,000 sqkms of floodplain area was lost to agriculture, while another 140,000 sqkms was redeveloped to new areas over the existing floodplain. Continent-wise, Asia lost the biggest area of floodplains — a little over 200,000 sqkms — among all the continents. It was followed by South America (92,000 sqkms) and Africa (73,000 sqkms).

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Hydro Disaster

More Himachal Pradesh Hydro Projects damaged in flashfloods in July-Aug 2023

September 13, 2023January 3, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Heavy vehicles stuck in Machchhetar nulla near Kuther HEP Adit 3 tunnel in Bharmour tehsil of Chamba after August 25, 2023 cloud burst induced flash flood. Image Source: Screen shot of Himachali Vlogger Balwant Kapoor You Tube video)

In July and August 2023, two more hydro electric power (HEP) projects have faced cloud burst induced flash flood destruction in Himachal Pradesh. The first one is Kuther HEP in Chamba district and the second one is Pittkari HEP in Mandi district. The details of 2 HEPs (14 MW GreenKo HEP in Sutlej basin, Shimla and 66 MW Dhaulasiddh HEP in Beas basin, Hamirpur) earlier impacted by cloudbursts induced deluge in last week of June 2023 can be seen here.

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DRP News Bulletin

DRP NB 280823: Defund nature destroying activities

August 28, 2023August 29, 2023 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Construction work of World Bank funded 444Mw Vishugad-Pipaltkoti hydro dam project is going. The Developer have been found dumping muck in massive amount in river and carrying out blasting work evening during monsoon time. Image Source: Social Media)

This is indeed the key message if we are serious about tackling climate change with any sincerity. The adverse impacts of mindless activities in the name of development, are acting as force multipliers for climate change impacts as we are experiencing first hand, latest example being in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.

Particularly when the “development” activities are done without credible project specific and cumulative impact assessment, genuine public consultation process and confidence inspiring monitoring and compliance processes, as is the norm.

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DRP News Bulletin

DRP NB 140823: A year after Karam dam disaster: people suffer, engineer set free, contractor building more dams

August 14, 2023January 3, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Breach in Karam dam, Madhya Pradesh. Source:- Social Media)

It was on Aug 13, 2022, a year ago when the Karam dam wall in Dhar district in Madhya Pradesh started leaking water. Two days later it collapsed. The people who suffered during the disaster continue to suffer. The engineers who were supposed to ensure proper construction of the dam, following all the norms, did not do that, were supposed to be suspended, but got reinstated elsewhere. They kept quiet in the courts. The black listed contractor continues to build more dams.

A clearer evidence of the nexus that supports unwanted, destructive, costly, corruption ridden and disastrous dams would be difficult to find. As the destruction due to dams and such other unaccountable infrastructure development plays out in Himachal Pradesh & elsewhere this year, the nexus that thrives on opaque, unaccountable and non-participatory governance continues to happily grow even as the changing rainfall patterns bring greater disasters before our eyes.

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Dams

DRP NB 070823: Forests & Biodiversity amendments: Gap between intent & application

August 7, 2023August 7, 2023 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Dense Dudhatoli forest range near Peethsain in Thalisain block of Pauri Garhwal. Feb. 2023/ SANDRP)

As editorial comments in two different national newspapers given below shows, the biodiversity and forest conservation amendment bills passed by the Parliament last week weaken the cause of biodiversity and forest conservation, when it is most pressingly required to strengthen them.

Both amendments pave the way for ease of doing business and reducing role of local communities, both in terms of legal norms and practical implications.

The need for conservation of these resources was never more urgent than now considering the impacts of climate change on them and their importance for not only livelihood security of vast millions, but also for hydrological implications, food security, protection against increasing frequency and intensity of disasters, but also for adaptation in the context of changing climate. We hope against hope that better sense will prevail sooner rather than later to ensure the amendments do not lead to destruction of forest and biodiversity resources.

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DRP News Bulletin

DRP NB 310723: Disastrous SHORT TERMISM in Urban India

July 31, 2023July 31, 2023 SANDRP1 Comment

(Feature Image: Earthmovers on restoration work as massive landslide damaged buildings at Shamti after heavy monsoon rainfall, in Solan district, on July 11, 2023 | Photo Credit: PTI/The Hindu)

The Supreme Court’s notice on Shimla development plan that lacks balance between development and environment is welcome and one hopes the apex court takes the issue to its logical conclusion. The consequences of unplanned and ill planned urban developments are a clear invitation to major disasters, including floods, landslides, traffic congestions, air and water pollution, health hazards and also water shortages. The Shimla Master plan also violates the NGT directions with complete impunity.

This is exactly what the EDIT in the Times of India on Mussoorie misery, dangerous short termism that pervades across sectors in Urban India with no policy to guide Urban Water sector or for that matter any other sector.

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Hydro Disaster

Himachal Pradesh 25 June 2023: Cloud Bursts Damage 2 Hydro Projects

June 27, 2023June 27, 2023 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Under construction 66 Mw Dhaulasiddh hydro project site in Hamirpur. Image Source: ETV Bharat)

With the onset of south west monsoon 2023, Himachal Pradesh has witnessed multiple incidents of ‘cloud bursts’ leading to destruction in Solan, Shimla, Hamirpur and Kullu between June 24-25. The extreme rainfall and resultant flash flood spells have caused widespread destruction to farms, cowsheds, local roads, bridges, vehicles and other public infrastructural in these districts.

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DRP News Bulletin

DRP NB 260623: National Framework for Sediment Management

June 26, 2023June 26, 2023 SANDRPLeave a comment

A National Framework for Sediment Management is certainly a long standing requirement and any move in that direction would have been welcome. Not only because the sediment accumulation destroys storage capacity of India’s Dams, created at such massive costs. But also because sediment is an integral part of river flow and also very important for the rivers to stop or reduce erosion at deltas. There are other issues related to sediment including creation and disposal of toxic sediment and impact of sediment free water flowing downstream from the hydropower projects.

But we need much more serious and sincere efforts in this direction than what has been suggested in following government press release. The movement on such an important subject is so snail paced, half hearted, non-comprehensive, unscientific and non-sincere that it is not clear how this is going to help.

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Yamuna River

Vyasi Hydro: Village Drowned; River Dried but little power generation

June 26, 2023June 26, 2023 SANDRP2 Comments

(Featured Image: Submerged Lohari village houses in Vyasi HEP ‘RoR’ dam reservoir. SANDRP, June 2023)

The 120 Mw Vyasi HEP built by Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd (UJVN Ltd.) in Vikas Nagar tehsil of Dehradun is on its way to become the textbook example of how thoughtlessly pushed hydro power projects are proving a nightmare for local people, a costly affair for the state and the nation and a disaster for free-flowing living river.

The project offers some bitter lessons for the policy-makers, experts and society who have been assuming that hydro power is a cheap, green source of energy and the Run of River (RoR) projects don’t dam and cause much harm to the environment, people or rivers.

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