South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People
(Feature Image: Experts object elevation work on Yamuna floodplain in North East Delhi. Source: ToI, March 29, 2024)
This is an open letter to concerned government officials regarding restoration of Yamuna floodplain illegally raised and levelled by Forest Department, Delhi and DDA at Bela Farm near Shashtri Park, Delhi.
Continue reading “Restore Yamuna Floodplain Raised by Illegal Soil Dumping near Shashtri Park, Delhi”(Feature Image: Ganga river at Garhmukteshwar in March 2024. Bhim Singh Rawat/SANDRP)
The demand of NAPM to political parties going to the National elections in next couple of months to include protection of rivers and communities dependent on rivers in their manifestoes is most appropriate and urgently required.
Some key components of the demand include strengthening of decentralized river governance, role in decision making related to rivers for the fisherfolks, boats people and other river dependent communities. A draft of the People’s River Protection Bill has also been sent to the political parties. The NAPM also opposed indiscriminate construction of dams, hydro projects, embankments, barrages, river front developments, illegal sand mining, dumping of solid and liquid waste in the rivers and also interlinking of projects, all being done in the name of development, with least concern for the rivers. The draft bill also demands removal of unjust encroachments into riverbeds and floodplains. NAPM also demands continued flow in the perennial rivers by way of adequate environment flows throughout the length of the rivers from origin to its confluence with other rivers or sea.
Continue reading “DRP 080424: Demand to include River protection measures in election manifestoes”(Feature Image: Screenshot of Bundeli Junction video report dated Nov. 19, 2023 on large scale mechanized, instream sand mining in Ken river in Banda district. )
Ken is lifeline of Bundelkhand and among key tributaries of Lower Yamuna basin. The river is relatively clean and free of industrial pollution. However, its existence is under threat due to catchment degradation and the proposed Ken-Betwa interlinking proposal. Apart from this, the river eco-system and dependent people have been at receiving end of large scale mechanized and unsustainable, mostly illegal mining practices for the past many years.
Some recent short video clips, media reports and satellite images have again revealed that sand miners continue to indulge in river destructive mining activities in government approved mine sites in three districts of two states namely Panna and Chhatarpur districts of Madhya Pradesh and in Banda district of Uttar Pradesh. The miners here have blatantly violated the existing mining rules, MoEF guidelines and NGT orders while the respective regulatory agencies have miserably failed to enforce the laws and ensure compliance.
Continue reading “Why Existing Rules, Regulations Fail to Deter Illegal Sand Miners of Ken River?”(Feature Image: Huge part of Yamuna floodplain raised by massive soil dumping near Bela Estate just upstream Shashtri Park Metro Depot in North East Delhi. Photo Credit: Vivek Nigam, Photo Journalist Amar Ujala, Source: Principal Correspondent in Amar Ujala, Delhi)
In latest example proving Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA) utter failure in protecting Yamuna River floodplains from abuse and encroachment, a large part of floodplain land has been levelled by soil dumping thus raising it by several meters at Bela Estate farm near Shashtri Park Metro Depot. As per the reports, the DDA has allotted about 19.5 ha of floodplain to forest dept for compensatory plantation. The plantation work at the site like at most of the sites on Yamuna floodplain in Delhi has suffered damages during July 2023 floods. And the levelling at the Bela Estate site is being done in the name of protecting the compensatory plantation.
The site is among few remaining floodplain patches available for spread of flood waters. The floodplain area on western bank at the location is less and already developed. Due to natural gradient, the part of floodplain on eastern side undergoes periodic floods. The patch was under several feet floodwater in July 2023. The floodplain immediately downstream the site has already been encroached by the bridge road, metro depot and buildings. Hence, raising of floodplain here would not only reduce spread of flood waters but also hamper the groundwater recharge.
Continue reading “Yamuna Manthan 030424: DDA Continues to Destroy River Floodplains”(Feature Image: PKC link index map. Source: Feasibility Report of Parbati Kalisindh Chambal Link Project. NWDA)
Yamuna the largest tributary of National River Ganga has already been succumbing on account of dams, hydro projects, unsustainable riverbed mining and ever-increasing pollution load in Himalayan, upper and middle segments. Despite this, the river has managed to be in better shape and size in its lower segment mainly due to its tributaries network including Chambal, Sind, Kali Sindh, Betwa, Ken etc. However, now there are river interlinking plans threatening the remaining relatively flowing and living stretch of the river in this very lower segment.
The push for country’s so called first river interlinking plan namely Ken-Betwa River interlinking is going on ignoring the norms, clearances and better viable alternatives. Now, the state governments of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have signed agreement to prepare DPR for Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal (PKC) river interlinking under modified Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP).
The central government has termed the project of national importance and would share the 90 precent of it cost. The entire project is estimated to cost Rs. 72,000 crore and claimed to be built in 5 years. The project proposes interlinking of 6 Chambal rivers namely Parbati, Kalisindh, Kshipra, Kuno, Lakhunder, Mej, Kyul by at least 17 big and small dams and barrages.
Continue reading “Yamuna Manthan 060324: Linking Plans Threatening Yamuna”(Feature Image: Waterlogged Red Fort after heavy rainfall and rising Yamuna river water level in New Delhi on Friday (July 14, 2023). Image Credit: ANI/Gulf News)
In absence of any official report so far, the causes behind unusual flood spell in Delhi in July 2023 remains to be fully explained, understood and addressed. Amid this, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water Resources in its 27th report which was presented in Lok Sabha on February 06, 2024 has in a welcome step, deliberated on the issue under Chapter X titled “Role of Barrages on River Yamuna and Flood Management in Delhi” (60 to 66 pages) and has recommended some measures (page 86-88) to avoid its reoccurrence.
A careful reading of the chapter has only compounded the flood mystery and thrown some questions on the operation and management of Wazirabad and ITO barrages. The report has also revealed some contradictory and confusing statements by Central Water Commission (CWC), Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) and Haryana Government.
Continue reading “Delhi July 2023 Floods: Parliamentary Committee Report Raises More Questions”(वज़ीराबाद बैराज, दिल्ली के समीप यमुना नदी. भीम सिंह रावत/SANDRP, 09 जनवरी 2024)
(यमुना जिये अभियान के संयोजक स्वर्गीय मनोज मिश्रा द्वारा किये गए यमुना संरक्षण कार्यों की विरासत को आगे बढ़ाते हुए, SANDRP यमुना नदी से संबंधित समसामयिक मुद्दों पर समाचार रिपोर्टों और अन्य सूचनाओं का फरवरी 2024 से संकलन प्रकाशित कर रहा है। यह इस श्रृंखला का पहला संकलन है और हम इसे हर महीने के पहले बुधवार को जारी करने का प्रयास करेंगे। इसका का मुख्य उद्देश्य राष्ट्रीय नदी गंगा की सबसे बड़ी सहायक नदी यमुना को प्रभावित करने वाले सभी विषयों की निगरानी, दस्तावेजीकरण एवं शोध करना और सभी संबंधित पक्षों को नदी की जमीनी स्थितियों से अवगत और समस्याओं के प्रति जागरूक करना है। आप सभी से इसे पढ़ने, साँझा करने और बेहतर बनाने हेतु सुझाव देने का निवेदन है।)
संसद की जल संसाधन पर स्थायी समिति (2023-24) ने 06 फरवरी 2024 को संसद में ‘दिल्ली तक ऊपरी यमुना नदी की सफाई परियोजनाओं की समीक्षा और दिल्ली में नदी तल प्रबंधन’ शीर्षक से अपनी रिपोर्ट जारी की है। इस रिपोर्ट में यमुना नदी को प्रभावित करने वाले कई मुद्दों की जमीनी स्थिति को विस्तार से प्रस्तुत किया गया है और इनके निराकरण के लिए सम्बंधित विभागों, सरकारों को कई सिफारिशें की हैं। नीचे दी गई मीडिया रिपोर्ट्स में इन बिंदुओं का जिक्र किया गया है। हम जल्द इस रिपोर्ट की एक विस्तृत समीक्षा भी अलग से प्रकाशित करेंगे।
मोटे तौर पर, रिपोर्ट में पाया गया है कि हरियाणा के हथिनी कुंड बैराज के नीचे की ओर यमुना नदी में अपर्याप्त प्रवाह है और इसे 10 क्यूमेक्स (क्यूबिक मीटर प्रति सेकंड) से बढ़ाकर 23 क्यूमेक्स करने की आवश्यकता है जैसा कि राष्ट्रीय जल विज्ञान संस्थान ने अपने हालिया अध्ययन में पहले ही सिफारिश की है। रिपोर्ट में नदी सफाई परियोजनाओं की धीमी गति और यमुना नदी के पानी की गुणवत्ता में कोई महत्वपूर्ण सुधार नहीं होने पर भी प्रकाश डाला गया है क्योंकि हिमाचल प्रदेश, उत्तराखंड, हरियाणा, दिल्ली और उत्तर प्रदेश में फैले 33 स्थानों में से केवल 10 स्थानों पर यमुना की पानी की गुणवत्ता निर्धारित मानदंडों के अनुसार पाया गया है।
Continue reading “यमुना मंथन 07 फरवरी 2024: नदी संरक्षण, पुनरुत्थान के अपर्याप्त प्रयास”(Feature Image: Part of Yamuna river & its floodplain downstream Geeta Colony bridge in Delhi in June 2023. Bhim Singh Rawat/SANDRP)
In a welcome decision, the Supreme Court of India has rejected Delhi Police’s petition seeking permission for construction of the Police trainees’ accommodation in the floodplains of Yamuna River in Delhi. The plea was rejected by the Bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan on January 2, 2024.
The Bench was hearing the Civil Appeal (No. 000002 of 2024 (Arising out of Diary No.44256 of 2023) by Commissioner of Police Delhi which was represented by Mukesh Kumar Maroria, Senior Government Advocate against National Green Tribunal (NGT) dismissal of same proposal on 28 September 2020.
Continue reading “SC & NGT Reject Delhi Police’s Plea for Construction on Yamuna Floodplain”(Feature Image:- Boats tied to Yamuna river bank at Wazirabad Barrage in June 2023. SANDRP)
In this detailed interview by Questions of Cities; Bhim Singh Rawat, associate coordinator, SANDRP talks on multiple issues affecting the Yamuna and offers some corrective measures to improve the overall condition of the river. The interview has already been published by Question of Cities and can be seen here. The interview also covers possible reasons behind unusual floods in Yamuna in Delhi in July 2023 and the detailed SANDRP blog on the issue can be seen here.
Continue reading “The 2023 Yamuna floods of Delhi only a trailer of bigger floods to come in future?”(फीचर इमेज: कौशाम्बी उत्तर प्रदेश में यमुना की ऑक्स बो लेक अलवारा में भ्रमण के दौरान मनोज मिश्र। फोटो: डॉ एस आर टैगोर, दिसंबर 2012)
“मेरे जीवन काल में तो यमुना की हालत में सुधार संभव नहीं है पर आने वाली पीढ़ी शायद एक जीवित नदी देख पाएं”, यह बात मनोज मिश्र जी ने वर्ष 2013 में उस समय कही थी जब वे यमुना में आई बाढ़ का मुआयना कर रहे थे। आज यमुना नदी संरक्षण को समर्पित प्रख्यात पर्यावरणविद मनोज मिश्र हमारे बीच नहीं हैं। विगत दो माह तक करोना से जूझने के बाद, 04 जून 2023 को मनोज जी का निधन हो गया।
देश की राजधानी दिल्ली में सालभर मृत अवस्था में रहने वाली यमुना, केवल बाढ़ के समय ही थोड़ी अवधि के लिए खुद को साफ़ करते हुए उद्गम से संगम तक एकरूप में बहती है। इसे मनोज जी नदी के लिए वरदान मानते थे और सरकारों से यमुना बाढ़ क्षेत्र (खादर) को बचाने और नदी में अविरल बहाव को लाने के लिए समग्र सोच के साथ गंभीर प्रयास की अपेक्षा रखते थे। वास्तव में नदी खादर का बचाव एवं नदी में प्राकृतिक बहाव की बहाली मनोज जी के यमुना शोध एवं संरक्षण कार्य का केंद्र बिंदु रहे।
Continue reading “मनोज मिश्र: नदियों के संरक्षण को समर्पित एक वनाधिकारी”
SANDRP 