India Rivers Week 2016 to be organised at WWF-India during Nov 28-30 is just a week away. The theme of the event this year is STATE OF INDIA’s RIVERS. Groups from all the different states have put together reports about the status of rivers in their states with a view of classify rivers as Healthy (blue), Threatened (Pink) and Destroyed (Red) after assessing their health based on a large number of parameters, including Dams, Pollution, biodiversity, encroachment, mining, among others. This is the first ever attempt at such an exercise. The Event will also feature announcement of Bhagirath Prayas Samman Awards for exemplary work in river conservation, River Lecture Preview of a feature film and prominent speakers in inaugural and valedictory functions. Individuals and groups working for better future of our rivers will be travelling to the event from all over India.
Tag: Ken-Betwa Link
DRP News Bulletin 14 Nov 2016 (Northeast Monsoon Failing, Water Crisis in South India to Become Worse)
To provide much-needed succour to those reeling under severe drought and facing acute drinking water shortage, as part of temporary drought-mitigation measures, the district administration has established helplines in all seven taluks.
A look at impacts of failing Northeast Monsoon on 4 South Indian States
South India Northeast Monsoon Failing; Water Crisis To Become Worse Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala & interior Karnataka generally receives good rains during the Northeast Monsoon period that commences from Oct until Dec. However, this year, rains have remained scanty over entire Southern India region. Northeast Monsoon has also set in quite late during Oct end. As of now excluding scattered rain events, Monsoon like heavy rains are still far from coming to the southern region of the country. This is a clear indication of possibility of drought-like conditions that might prevail over south peninsula during Northeast Monsoon. In a nutshell, the picture is not very encouraging for next few days and also any significant increase in rains are not foreseen over the southern regions of the country.
DRP News Bulletin 24 Oct 2016 (Big Dams Ineffective, Will Help Villagers Build Small Check Dams: CM Jharkhand)
Big Dams Ineffective & Destructive, Will Involved Villagers In Building Small Check Dams: CM Jharkhand On Oct 21 making an important statement during a meeting in Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das has said that State Government will not construct big dams and will go for smaller check dams. While addressing the Asanpahari villagers in naxal affected Kathi Kund, the CM also said that he was against big dams as they entail catastrophic and cascading impact on environment and local people. Admitting that big dams have not benefited the farmers, he criticized the former Congress Government for allowing construction of big dams.
The CM has also made another important announcement that villagers would be involved in the construction of smaller check dams to meet water need for irrigation. Announcing funding of 15 small water recharge ponds in every village, he also stated that villagers will be be financially assisted to develop their own plan for construction of check dams. He also urged villagers to produce electricity from Bio-Gas and use its by-product the sludge as manure in fields.
Jharkhand CM here is making an interesting CLEAR statement that big dams have not helped Jharkhand and they would prefer to go for smaller dams.
DRP News Bulletin 11 Oct 2016 (Is there any justification for DESTRUCTION of Panna Tiger Reserve?)
Is there any justification for DESTRUCTION of Panna Tiger Reserve? Can we save our Natural Heritage like the Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR) from being destroyed in the name of baseless, questionable, non transparent, undemocratic and manipulated projects like Ken Betwa inter linking ? It will facilitate export of water from Bundelkhand to OUTSIDE Bundelkhand. Whatever little benefits are claimed, some of them are already available and much more can become available at much lower costs, faster and without destroying the Forests and Tiger Reserve. The project will actually lead to destruction of Ken catchment and hence the Ken River itself. Watch this FASCINATING, AWESOME story of tigers of PTR. This BBC film where Raghu Chandawat is the story teller and Pradip Kishen is lending his voice, tells the story of Tigers of Panna till 2003, it seems. Please watch and let us all try to save it from destruction that is now writ large in terms of Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP). One more short film by wildlife biologist Koustubh Sharma illustrates how the Daudhan Dam under KBLP will submerge and destroy the PTR.
Meanwhile, a new analysis of rainfall data reveals that monsoon shortages are growing in river basins with surplus water and falling in those with scarcities, raising questions about India’s Rs 11 lakh crore plan to transfer water from “surplus” to “deficit” basins. According to Himanshu Thakkar of SANDRP river basin interlinking should be considered only after exhausting the local potential for harvesting rain, recharging groundwater, watershed development, introducing better cropping patterns (non water-intensive crops) and methods (such as rice intensification), improving the soil moisture-holding capacity and saving and storing water. Raising alarm over significant increase in ground water use, increasing reliance and fast declining ground water table, he warns that inter-basin links would actually reduce groundwater recharge because forests would be destroyed, the river flow stopped and the local systems neglected.
DRP News Bulletin 23 May 2016 (WHY LARGE HYDRO IS NOT JUSTIFIED)
Chenab river runs its course amid spate of threats Chenab river’s money-spinner hydropower fate appears to run parallel to that of Sohni-Mahiwal – the legendary lovers who drowned into the river because their love was unacceptable. The govt as usual has shut its eyes to the needs of the river and its catchment area. There are multiple factors hidden below its surface. One is melting of glaciers sooner than anticipated. If glaciers lose their ice cover quicker, the Chenab would swell up abruptly before hitting a cruel, dried-up phase in as much deathly suddenness. There are several hydro projects coming up on the river which don’t have the approval of the Geological Survey of India. Once all the identified hydroelectric projects are installed, it will have a negative impact on the river. It may not get even a kilometre free space for running the course. At that point of time, it will not be a river, but a small stream. Meanwhile scientists have warned of large scale earthquake in J&K. The situation in Arunachal Pradesh is also grim. And yet the Parliamentary committee recommends further sops for Hydr. Misguided recommendations, to put is most charitably. There should be no question of subsidies to destructive Hydropower projects. Continue reading “DRP News Bulletin 23 May 2016 (WHY LARGE HYDRO IS NOT JUSTIFIED)”
Dams, Rivers & People News Bulletin, Sep 28, 2015 (The reality behind much hyped Godavari-Kirshana Interlinking project)
Godavari Krishna River Linking: Are we celebrating an illegal, unnecessary & misconceived water transfer project? SANDRP recent blog investigates and exposes the reality behind much hyped Godavari-Kirshana Interlinking project which is in true sense mere a pumping of water projects that too without required legal clearances.
SANDRP 