World Fisheries Day 2024: Important Studies, Reports on River Fish, Fisherfolks

November 21, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Prized catch of a fishman at Yamuna bank in Kairana, UP in Sept 2024)

During past one year, there have been several new studies and reports published amplifying the adverse effects of developmental projects including dams, waterways, river interlinking, invasive fish species, degradation of rivers and climate change on river fish and fisherfolks in India. In the last part of the annul overview on the World Fisheries Day on Nov 21 2024, we focus on these important studies and reports highlighting the threats and challenges on freshwater fish and fisherfolks.

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Fish, Fisheries, Fisherfolk

WFD 2024: MASS FISH KILL in Indian Rivers, Wetlands Continue…

November 21, 2024November 21, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

Over the past several years Indian rivers, wetlands have been witnessing mass fish death incidents primarily due to decreasing flows, increasing pollution and other anthropogenic activities. As we celebrate World Fisheries Day 2024, SANDRP compiles the reports revealing mass fish kill incidents in our rivers and wetlands over the past one year across. The first part of year end analysis has covered positive development on fish, fisheries and fisherfolks and the second part has highlighted how fish and fisherfolks have been facing existential crisis on account of adverse impacts of developmental activities in the country.

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Yamuna River

यमुना में पर्यावरणीय प्रवाह बढ़ाने के हों ठोस प्रयास

October 31, 2024November 6, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Bone dry Yamuna riverbed at Mawi, Kairnana. (Image Bhim Singh Rawat, June 2010)

सर्दी शुरू होते ही दिल्ली में यमुना नदी में झाग की समस्या चरम पर पहुँच जाती है। इसी के साथ कई दिनों तक ओखला बैराज के नीचे नदी सतह पर तैरते ‘आइस बर्ग’ की भांति दिखने वाले झाग के बड़े-बड़े खंड लोगों के आकर्षण और मीडिया की सुर्ख़ियों का केंद्र बन जाते हैं। बढ़ते नदी प्रदुषण पर नागरिकों की बढ़ती चिंताओं और नदी प्रेमियों के बढ़ते सवालों के बीच राजनितिक दोषारोपण का दौर शुरू होता है। समस्या का फौरी निराकरण करते दिखने के प्रयास में संबंधित सरकारी विभाग आनन-फानन में कुछ आधे-अधूरे कदम उठाते हैं। त्यौहार और खास तौर पर छठ पर्व समाप्त होते ही, लोगों की नदी पर जाने वाले भीड़ कम हो जाती है और दो-तीन सप्ताह बाद सब यमुना नदी में बढ़ते प्रदुषण और झाग की समस्या को भूल जाते हैं। लगभग एक साल बाद फिर से यह क्रम दोहराया जाता है जब सर्दी के समय झाग के आगोश में लिपटी प्रदूषित यमुना, नागरिकों की उदासीनता और नदी सफाई योजनाओं की नाकामी को उजागर करती है।

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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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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 Safety

Andhra Pradesh: Prakasam Barrage Damaged by ‘Sand Boats’ Again

September 4, 2024September 11, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Sand boats hit Prakasam Barrage gate no 69 while irrigation officials release 11.24 lakhs cusecs of flood water in Vijayawada on Monday (Sept. 02, 2024). Image Source: Deccan Chronicle)

Amid the unprecedented flood spell in Krishna river passing through the Prakasam barrage located in Vijaywada city of NTR district in Andhra Pradesh, an incident of ‘sand boats’ getting stuck and damaging the barrage in early morning of Sep. 2, 2024, has been reported. The number of boats varied from three to five. The incident became a cause of worry for the structural safety of the barrage.

The New Indian Express report mentioned above reported, quoting irrigation officials that all 70 gates of the barrage were lifted at 2200 hours on Sept. 2, 2024, passing 11.03 lakhs cusecs of water, highest in 70 year history of the barrage. The report stated: “Previously, the Krishna River saw historic floods from October 2 to 13, 2009, when the maximum inflow recorded at Prakasam Barrage was 11,10,404 cusecs at 11 pm on October 5.”

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Yamuna River

Yamuna Manthan 080824: Welcome Judicial Decisions for River Floodplain

August 8, 2024August 8, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Yamuna floodplain downstream old railway bridge Delhi. March 2024, SANDRP)

In the past one month there have been some interesting judicial interventions taking up the matters of floodplain, pollution and aquatic eco-system of the Yamuna River in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. Of these, the most significant one is the NGT order on July 11 fining MoJS & CWC of ₹50 000 each for the non-demarcation of floodplain in Agra.

The fine was to be submitted before Aug. 06,2024 hearing but there is no update available so far on this. It is also not clear whether Yamuna floodplain has been demarcated and officially notified in Agra stretch or not. Earlier in May 2019 and March 2022, the NGT had asked for demarcation of Yamuna floodplain in Agra and Mathura respectively.

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Dam Induced Flood Disaster

July 2024: NMDC’s Iron Ore ‘Check-Dam’ Flood Disaster in Chhattisgarh

July 26, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Screenshot of NMDC’s ‘check-dam’ in flooded condition. Image Credit: NDTV MP/Chhattisgarh)

An iron ore check-dam of the National Mineral Development Corporation (NDMC) has breached and created flood disaster in downstream area of Kirandul town in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh. The breach of earthen dam located between mines 11 B & 11 in eastern ridge of Bailadila range occurred around 3 pm on Jul 21, 2024 following heavy rainfall.

The subsequent deluge has affected several homes and vehicles in Bengali camp located downhill the dam in Kirandul town. There was chaos among the residents who fled to their safety seeing the flash flood. A six-year-old kid on his way to attend tuition class was washed away. The child was later rescued safely and hospitalized as per the Amar Ujala report.

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Water Options

World Water Day 2024: Top Ten Positive Actions from Rural India

March 21, 2024March 22, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

The World Water Day is celebrated on 22^nd March annually across the globe. The theme selected for 2024 is ‘Water for Peace’. On this occasion, this report puts together the top ten positive water stories from Rural India during past one year. The compilation underlines the successful collective actions from village communities in the creation, protection and revival of local water sources including ponds, lakes, tanks etc. which are far better, sustainable and cost-effective measures for meeting potable and irrigation water requirements at local levels.

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Hydro Disaster

March 2024: 3 Hydropower Workers Killed in Avalanche in Kinnaur-Himachal Pradesh

March 12, 2024March 12, 2024 SANDRP1 Comment

(Feature image: Rescue work being done at Selti-Masrang HEP site in Kafnu, Kinnaur on March 11, 2024. Image Source: News 18 Hindi)

A snow avalanche has killed three workers of under construction Selti-Masrang hydroelectric power (HEP) project in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh. The incident occurred in after noon hours reportedly around 01:00 pm on March 11, 2024.

The 24 Mw project is being built by Hyderabad based Ramesh Hydro Power Private Limited on Wangar khad, a tributary of Sutlej River near Kafnu village panchayat in Bhaba valley of the district. The basic information about the project can be seen here. A forest land of 4.75 ha was diverted for the project wide permission given in May 2013. In 2016, 0.64 ha more forest land was applied for. The project cost then in 2016 was Rs 154. 27 cr.

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