Lower Yamuna Basin: 11 Rivers Crossed old HFLs in just 2 days in Sept 2024

September 14, 2024September 14, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Yamuna rivers in severe flood situation at Pachnada in Etawah, UP on Sept. 14, 2024. Image source Udaybhan)

It is interesting to see that at least 11 rivers at as many flood monitoring sites of Central Water Commission (CWC) located in Bundelkhand region (4 sites) and lower Yamuna basin (7 sites) have crossed old Highest Flood Level (HFL) just in 2 days on September 12-13, 2024. These sites are in 3 different states of Madhya Pradesh (7 sites), Uttar Pradesh (3 sites) and Rajasthan (1 site).

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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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Sand Mining

Uttar Pradesh Yamuna Aug 2024: NGT Com Finds Sand Mining Rules Violated

August 24, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Feb. 2024 screengrab of a video clip shows instream mechanized sand mining going on in Yamuna river during night hours at Mandawar village in Kairana tehsil of Shamli, UP)

A joint committee formed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) Delhi has found gross violations of several rules in a sand mining project on Yamuna river in Shamli district of Uttar Pradesh. The joint committee was formed by principal bench on NGT comprising Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Chairperson, Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and Justice Dr. A. Senthil Vel on May 13, 2024, to ascertain the correct factual position through ground visit while hearing a petition filed by local resident Farukh Chouhan.

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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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Hydro Disaster

July 2024: USDMA Clueless on Flashflood Disaster at Vishnugad Pipalkoti HEP

July 18, 2024July 19, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Screenshot of social media video showing flash flood imapct at HCC’s batching plant during intervening night of July 15-16, 2024.)

The batching plant at the controversial under construction Vishnugad Pipalkoti Hydro Electric Power (HEP) project site in Uttarakhand has suffered significant damages due to a flash flood incident during the intervening night of July 15-16, 2024. The plant belongs to the Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) and has been set up by the Alaknanda river downstream the dam of 444 Mw HEP project adjacent to it dumping yard at Gulabkoti in Helang area of Joshimath tehsil in Chamoli district.

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Sand Mining

May-June 2024: Sand Mafias Mowed Three Policemen to Death

June 30, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

Three policemen have lost their lives in three different incidents related to illegal sand mining activities in May-June 2024. In the first incident a policeman Rohit Kumar Pancholi was killed at night on June 8 in Uttar Pradesh. The 24-year-old Constable was trying to stop a tractor-trolley involved in illegal sand mining in Nagla Chandan area of Farrukhabad district.

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Dams · Yamuna River

Photo Blog II: Asan Rivers Struggling to Survive in Dehradun

June 25, 2024June 26, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Asan river being trained near Sumeru Enclave to reclaim river space for road & real estate actvities. Bhim Singh Rawat/SANDRP, May 29, 2024.)

The first part of the photo blog has tried to shed some light on the pathetic condition of water sources, springs and streams forming the Asan River in Dehradun. This second part of the series covers the state of affairs all along remaining length of the river till it joins the Yamuna River.

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Sand Mining

Secret of Goa River Network’s success: Fight Collectively, Consistently to stop the menace of illegal sand mining

June 15, 2024June 27, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Illegal sand extraction in Mandovi river in late evening hours at Amona village on Dec. 12, 2022. Image Credit: GRSPN)

The Goa River Sand Protector Network (GRSPN) has been doing exemplary work in checking adverse impacts of unsustainable and illegal sand mining in Goa rivers. This interview with Adv. Viraj Bakre, one of its key members, highlights the impact of the network’s work, struggle, successes and suggestions for river activists fighting against riverbed mining menace in the country.

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