Dam Safety

2025: Govts, Judiciary Actions on Dam Safety in India

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Floods

August 2024 Tripura Floods: Questions over Disaster Management

Tripura is facing one of its worst floods, possibly worst since 1983, affecting all districts, at least since 19th August. South Tripura, Gomati and Unakoti are worst affected districts. According to latest estimates, at least 24 people have lost life with two more missing, 65400 people are in 450 relief camps, landslips at 2032 locations, 1.25 lakh ha crops submerged among other extensive damage. Total of around 1.7 million people or about 40% of state pulation are affected. 3 columns of army, 11 NDRF & 26 SDRF teams, 4 MI 17 helicopters and other emergency service teams are involved in rescue and relief works. The actual rainfall that started on Aug 19 gave enough warning for the state to prepare for the approaching disaster, but once again disaster management has failed to respond using this warning.  

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Dams

Why are we still building Large Dams?

Analysis of official information shows that Big dams are not longer necessary or viable or optimal in India. Most (over 95% of India’s 5701 large dams (5264 completed and 437 under construction as per CWC’s National Register of Large Dams[i]) are built for irrigation, but most of our irrigation now comes from groundwater. In fact, about 90% of additional irrigation in last four decades has come from groundwater.

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