The World Water Day is celebrated on 22nd 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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DRP 180324: Electoral Bonds disclosures confirm political economy of large dams
(Feature Image: A controversy over alleged engineering lapses in the ₹1 lakh cr Kaleshwaram project on Godavari triggered an electoral slugfest. HT, 03 Nov. 2023)
The Electoral bonds details now in public domain, thanks to the Supreme Court of India orders, has once again highlighted the political economy of large dams, hydropower projects and irrigation projects. It has once again confirmed what was publicly known that such large water projects involve kickbacks to political parties.
The details so far available involves companies like Megha Engineering, Rithwick Projects Pvt Ltd, Navayuga Engineering Company Ltd, among others. The projects so far that seems to be involved include Polavaram Dam, Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, Sunni Dam and Hydro projects, Kundah Pump Storage Hydropower project in Tamil Nadu and Silkyara Tunnel, almost all of them also involved in some kind of disaster or other.
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Yamuna Manthan 060324: Linking Plans Threatening Yamuna
(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.
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DRP 040324: Ganga Water not fit for even bathing in Uttarakhand, UP, Bihar, W Bengal
(Feature Image: A drain falling into Ganga in Varanasi. Source: Amar Ujala)
A number of reports given below from this week shows that Ganga River water is not fit for even bathing at a number of locations in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and W Bengal. These are all official statements, mostly given in reports submitted to judicial bodies or statements by the judicial bodies.
This shows how little progress has been achieved by the government, including by the Prime Minister, central and concerned state governments including by schemes like Namami Gange and scheme of National Mission for Clean Ganga and expenditure of tens of thousands of crores of rupees. This is in spite of the promises given in the past by the Prime Minister and Union Ministers including Nitin Gadkari to clean the river by deadlines that have come and gone.
The worst part is that if we look at the trajectory of various work being done in this regard, we see no hope of any improvement in the foreseeable future unless there is major change in the way this problem is dealt with. But how will such a major change happen?
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DRP 260224: Karnataka faces Drought, Farmer Distress, water scarcity
(Section 144 imposed near Bhadra Canals to stop illegal water lifting amid supply crisis. Representational image. TNIE)
As the two reports from media today shows, Karnataka is facing drought in 223 of 236 talukas, water scarcity and even farmer distress and suicides. The state government is aware of the situation and taking necessary measures. The situation could be similar in a number of states including Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and even some of the eastern and northern states. The North Himalayan states have experienced hugely below normal snowfall in the ongoing winter. The Winter Rainfall at all India level for the period Jan 1 2024 to Feb 25 2024 is already 31% below normal.
There is role of global warming and El Nino in this and these factors are going to persist at least till the end of Indian Summer. So the governments both at centre and in states needs to be ready for the crisis.
The current Karnataka govt is awake to reality and seems to be taking the appropriate steps. Karnataka had deficit rainfall in SW Monsoon 2023.
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DRP 190224: NBWL decision of no clearance without compliance of previous projects
The decision of National Board of Wild Life (NBWL) not to clear any projects affecting wildlife areas till there is compliance certificate from previous such projects is certainly welcome, was long overdue. We hope NBWL comes out with clearly defined norms for implementing this decision and also implements the decision in letter and spirit. Needless to add, the compliance certificate must come through an independent assessment done by a body that involves no conflict of interest and has independent track record.
Unfortunately, the news this week that NBWL has given green light to the Jamrani Dam in Uttarakhand without a clearance from National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a significant dampener. Similarly, the past track record of NBWL, including the way it gave clearance to Ken Betwa River Link Project does not inspire too much confidence that NBWL is serious about this.
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WWD 2024: Lot of schemes for India’s Wetlands-Little Credible Action
(Feature Image: A view of the Bahour Lake near Puducherry. Photo Credit: S.S. Kumar/The Hindu)
On the World Wetlands Day (WWD) 2024, this report compiles top ten developments related to Central and state govt actions for wetlands in India. The year 2023 has seen release of first water body survey and launch of Amrit Dharohar & MISHTI schemes by central govt. India has signed institutional framework agreement for the Central Asian Flyway (CAF) to strengthen conservation efforts for migratory birds and their habitats.
The state govts have announced more wetland plans which are becoming a routine with no change in ground situation. Despite judicial intervention the respective govts have not taken necessary actions to protect and restore Najafgarh jheel, Dhanauri wetlands and wetlands in Goa. Broadly, the year 2023 has passed with no remarkable achievement on govt front which provide hope for better future for India’s wetlands. Please see the first and second parts of yearend overviews covering the status of Ramsar sites and other wetlands in India.
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WWD 2024: Top Ten Ramsar Wetland stories from India: Participatory Decision Making needed but totally absent
(Feature Image: Loktak fishers holding meeting at Champu Khangpok floating island village. Photo Credit: Vikalp Sangam)
World Wetland Day (WWD) is celebrated on February 2 annually to signify the environmental as well as socio-economic services and benefits provided by the wetlands both natural and man-made water bodies including rivers, lakes, ponds, reservoirs, swamps, marshlands deltas, coral reefs and mangroves. The theme of WWD 2024 is ‘Wetlands and Human Wellbeing’.
Ramsar Wetlands Convention selects Wetlands of International Importance, basically depending on nominations of the respective national governments and includes them under what is also known as the Ramsar List. However, it is not clear what exactly the Ramsar does for the protection of such designated wetlands. There are currently 75 Ramsar wetlands in India. In fact, the Ramsar sites have seen nearly a three-fold rise in the country in the past eight years decade (26 in 2014 to 75 in 2022). The complete list of 75 Ramsar wetlands in India can be seen here. The state of large number of these designated Ramsar Wetlands is pretty sad for years and decades and deteriorating, but it is not known if Ramsar convention is doing anything in this regard.
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DRP 220124: Welcome news about Rainfall related issues
There are a number of welcome developments this week related to rainfall. Firstly, forecasters say that the El Nino may start weakening from Feb and may weaken by June 2024 and neutralize thereafter. This can possibly mean good rainfall in SW Monsoon 2024.
Second bit of welcome development is that IMD, on turning 150, has declared that it will set up more doppler radars, rainfall measuring stations and use supercomputers to predict state and district level rainfall, currently it only does at national and four regions.
The study of tehsil level rainfall trends over the last four decades is the third piece of welcome development on rainfall. We need many more studies like this, possibly from IMD itself. More details given below.
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DRP BANGLADESH 2023: Rivers dominate in a River Intense Nation
In this overview of 2023 issues related to Dams, Rivers and People in Bangladesh, we see how rivers dominate the discourse in one of the most river intense nations of the world. As expected, as India and Bangladesh share the rivers in so many ways, the bilateral issues also dominate. These includes fisheries, power sharing, navigation, besides of course water sharing. As expected, Teesta water sharing issue dominates more than others.
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SANDRP 