DRP: 21 May 2018 (World Over New Renewables Are Making Large Hydro Unviable & Unnecessary)

May 21, 2018February 24, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

According to an energy expert, 6,000 megawatts’ worth of wind and solar contracts had been signed in Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Laos in the last six months, seriously challenging the financial viability of major hydropower projects on the river. Buoyed by a recent Thai government decision to delay a power purchase deal with a major mainstream Mekong dam, clean-energy proponents and economists told the third Mekong River Commission summit that the regional energy market was on the cusp of a technological revolution.

A six-year Mekong River Commission Council study on development plans for the Mekong, which was the focus of the summit, suggested catastrophic impacts upon the health of the river system if all planned hydropower dams — 11 mainstream projects and more than 100 on tributaries — were built.

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South Asia

SOUTH ASIA 2017: MISS YOU, RIVERS & FISH! As Dams and Water sharing dominate

May 6, 2018May 6, 2018 SANDRPLeave a comment

India-Bangladesh-Myanmar face big quake threat A giant fault in the earth’s crust in one of the world’s most densely populated areas could kill tens of millions of people, scientists have warned according to a new paper in the journal Nature Geoscience. Researchers placed hundreds of highly accurate GPS receivers in locations across India, Bangladesh and Myanmar and monitored them over a ten-year period. Now the scientists fear the location is home to a mega-thrust fault which could unleash a 8.2-9.0 magnitude earthquake. More than 140 million people live within a 60-mile area of the potential disaster zone in Bangladesh. The scientists, led by Dr Michael Steckler from Columbia University published their findings in the journal Nature. This is also a warning against major interventions in the North East India. http://www.indiaspend.com/cover-story/india-bangladesh-and-myanmar-face-big-quake-threat-99557, July 19, 2016, http://thenortheasttoday.com/earthquake-of-9-0-magnitude-could-be-unleashed-anytime-from-a-major-fault-underneath-bangladesh/, July 22, 2016, http://www.nature.com/ngeo/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ngeo2760.html Continue reading “SOUTH ASIA 2017: MISS YOU, RIVERS & FISH! As Dams and Water sharing dominate” →

Asia

ASIA-2017: Surplus power, cancelled Hydro and dam risks dominate

May 5, 2018May 5, 2018 SANDRPLeave a comment

SOUTH EAST ASIA Rivers are invaluable INTERESTING QUESTION: HOW MANY DIFFERENT WAYS CAN YOU MEASURE A RIVER? “Perhaps the most important – and largely overlooked – measure of a river is its value to the economy and wellbeing of a nation, a region, and its people. Simply put, large healthy, productive rivers like the Mekong and Ayeyarwady (or Irrawaddy) are unifying geographic features that serve as economic juggernauts, essential to long term growth and in maintaining the quality of life for millions of people.”

“These (FLOOD) benefits are valued annually at US$8-10 billion (K10.8 trillion), while floods in the Lower Mekong basin cause a much lower $60-70 million in damage every year.” “Floods and sediment are the artisans of river systems. If you lose them you are left to human-engineered solutions. That is now the only option for the US government in the Mississippi River. A $50-billion program has just been launched to rehabilitate the Mississippi delta. Conserving the natural processes that created it in the first place would have been a much more cost efficient option.” https://www.mmtimes.com/news/rivers-are-invaluable-south-east-asia.html Continue reading “ASIA-2017: Surplus power, cancelled Hydro and dam risks dominate” →

Europe

EUROPE-2017: Dam Removal, Hydro Threats & Cancellations, River Restoration in focus

May 3, 2018May 3, 2018 SANDRPLeave a comment

FRANCE Largest dam removal project of the continent launched With thousands of proposed dams threatening Europe’s few remaining free flowing rivers, France’s decision to remove two large dams could signal the start of a new era on the continent – with countries focusing on reviving their rivers and on large scale dam decommissioning rather than construction.

With France leading the way, countries from Spain to Finland have taken down many small and obsolete dams in recent years, but freeing up the Selune represents the largest dam removal project so far in Europe – and a major step towards bringing life back to the river, including wild salmon and eel whose migrations have been blocked by the dams for decades. http://www.eubusiness.com/focus/17-11-212 Continue reading “EUROPE-2017: Dam Removal, Hydro Threats & Cancellations, River Restoration in focus” →

Dams · Rivers

Review of fascinating Dams, Rivers related developments in American continent in 2017

April 28, 2018April 30, 2018 SANDRPLeave a comment

Brazil Announces the End of Mega-Dams in the Amazon The Brazilian government has announced it will stop building mega-dams in the Amazon, according to reports in the Brazilian newspaper O Globo and in an article published in Mongabay. This is great news indeed. Congratulations to everyone in Brazil Campaign. https://www.internationalrivers.org/resources/brazil-announces-the-end-of-mega-dams-in-the-amazon-international-rivers-statement-16587 (3 Jan 2018) Continue reading “Review of fascinating Dams, Rivers related developments in American continent in 2017” →

Floods · Rivers · USA

US Dams, Rivers and People in 2017: There is so much to learn!

April 27, 2018April 27, 2018 SANDRP1 Comment

DECOMMISSIONING OF DAMS

Map of dams removed since 1916 Dams cause considerable harm to rivers. Dams have depleted fisheries, degraded river ecosystems, and altered recreational opportunities on nearly all of our rivers. Today, many dams that were once at the epicenter of a community’s livelihood are now old, unsafe or no longer serving their intended purposes. Learn how USA is working to remove dams and restore the rivers. (Map above is from Ameerican Rivers website, depicting the location of decommissioned dams in USA.) https://www.americanrivers.org/threats-solutions/restoring-damaged-rivers/dam-removal-map/ Continue reading “US Dams, Rivers and People in 2017: There is so much to learn!” →

Dams · Ken River

अनुपम केन नदी पदयात्रा का यादगार अनुभव

April 19, 2018December 4, 2018 SANDRP5 Comments

सैनड्रप व वेदितम, प्रेस विज्ञप्ति ,पन्ना, वीरवार 19 अपै्रल 2018

1 केन नदी पदयात्रा के बारे में

केन नदी का नाम भारत की स्वच्छ नदियों में शुमार है। 427 किमी लंबी केन नदी, रीठी विकासखण्ड़, कटनी जिला, मध्यप्रदेश से निकलकर चिल्ला घाट, बांदा जिला उत्तरप्रदेश में यमुना नदी में समाहित हो जाती है। केन नदी राष्ट्रीय नदी गंगा के जलागम क्षेत्र का हिस्सा है। इसे करीब से देखने व समझने के लिए नदियों पर अध्ययनरत संस्थाओं साउथ एशिया नेटवर्क आन डैमस्, रिवर्स एंड पीपल (सैनड्रप) दिल्ली और वेदितम इंडिया फाडेशन, कलकता ने मिलकर केन नदी पदयात्रा का आयोजन किया। इससे पहले दोनों सस्ंथाए गंगा और यमुना नदी पर भी लंबी यात्राए कर चुकी हैं।

The field which is believed to be origin of Ken River in Rithi block, Katni district. (All pics taken during Ken River Yatra, SANDRP & Veditum)

कठिन भोगौलिक क्षेत्र के चलते इस पदयात्रा को तीन चरणों (जून 2017, अक्तूबर 2017 एवं अपै्रल 2018) में पूरा किया गया। इस यादगार पदयात्रा को पूरा करने में 33 दिन लगे। लगभग 600 किलो मीटर पैदल सफर के दौरान बांदा, पन्ना जिलों में केन नदी के तटों पर स्थित 100 ये अधिक गावों से गुजरना हुआ और 60 से अधिक गाववालों से केन नदी के अतीत एवं वर्तमान स्थिति, नदी क्षेत्र में जल स्रोतों की स्थिति, भूजल स्तर, खेती-सिंचाई, वन-वनस्पति, पशु-पक्षी, केन-बेतवा नदी जोड़ योजना, नदी बाढ़ प्रकृति, केन नदी जैव विविधता आदि नदीतंत्र संबंधी अनेक विषयों पर बात ग्रामीणों, किसानों, मछुवारों, मल्लाहों, महिलाओं से विस्तृत चर्चा की गई।

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Dams · Ken River

Amazing experience of Yatra along the Majestic Ken River

April 19, 2018July 4, 2019 SANDRP2 Comments

SANDRP & VEDITUM: Press Release, Panna, Apr 19, 2018

About the Yatra: The Ken River is considered to be one of India’s cleaner rivers. It is part of the Ganga basin and meets the Yamuna at Chilla Ghat in Banda District, Uttar Pradesh. To closely understand the Ken, this walk along the Ken was organised by SANDRP – South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) from Delhi and Veditum India Foundation from Kolkata. In the past, these organisations have also undertaken long journeys along rivers Yamuna and Ganga.

The difficult terrain of the Ken River and the harsh weather required this journey to be undertaken in multiple parts (June 2017, October 2017 and April 2018). It required a total of 33 days to complete this over 600 km journey on foot, where we discussed issues of the river, water, agriculture, the proposed Ken Betwa project and other socio-environmental topics with villagers in over 60 villages.

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Dams

WORLD WATER DAY 2018: INDIA’S POSITIVE WATER STORIES

March 22, 2018 SANDRP4 Comments

On occasion of World Water Day 2018, SANDRP put together reports of remarkable water conservation work done by individuals, villager community and organizations across the country.

Good that UN report this WWD says[i]: “The efforts by local communities in India to improve water availability have been lauded in a UN report that highlights the importance of finding nature-based solutions to meet global water challenges…. The report notes that reservoirs, irrigation canals and water treatment plants are not the only water management instruments at disposal. It also cited the example of China’s Sponge City which aims to recycle 70 per cent of rainwater.”

But the UN report[ii] does not mention that local options should be the top priority and should be exhausted before going for large projects. Unfortunately, Indian water resources establishment’s priority is Large dams and river linking. The UN report also does not say that local systems are bound to be neglected and destroyed in the shadow of large projects and where the governance is top down, unaccountable, non transparent and non participatory.

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Dams · DRP News Bulletin

DRP: 19 Mar 2018 (PM Abandons Inauguration of Mapithel Dam in Manipur Following Protests)

March 19, 2018February 23, 2026 SANDRP2 Comments

In an important development in Manipur this week, PM Narendra Modi could not commission the controversial Mapithel dam due to local protest. As per, the official statement notifying The PM was was supposed to launch is the Mapithel dam, part of the Thoubal Multipurpose Project.

As per CRA Manipur blog report, the forum of Mapithel dam affected “Joint Action Committee Against Forced Inauguration of Mapithel Dam had threatened a 48-hour shutdown to coincide with the dam’s scheduled inauguration by Modi. The committee withdrew its call late on March 14, reportedly after the Manipur government agreed to shelve the inauguration.

The action committee is primarily demanding compensation for the people displaced by the project as mandated by the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

Apart from complaints of inadequate compensation, opposition to the commissioning of the dam itself has grown louder over the years. Local communities claim the project violates the Forest Conservation Act of 1980 and its new avatar, the Forest Rights Act of 2006. https://cramanipur.wordpress.com/2018/03/16/as-local-communities-protest-manipur-government-cancels-plan-of-modi-inaugurating-mapithel-dam/

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