Dredged silt drips back into Yamuna (Times of India 28 June 2012)

NEW DELHI: The recent dredging exercise at the Okhla barrage to deepen the Okhla pond was welcomed by environmentalists till they figured out that all the silt pulled out was being dumped along the banks and allowed to flow downstream with the river. "For one thing, it is a complete waste of money and time to desilt the river and then allow the silt to flow back into it. For another, the silt would have contained high levels of toxins considering how polluted the river is, so it was the government's responsibility to ensure that it was dumped at a safe location," said Manoj Mishra of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan.

Uttar Pradesh irrigation department officials say the original plan was to leave the silt along the banks since transporting it would have increased the cost of the project. "The project cost, which is about Rs 12 crore right now, would have gone up to about Rs 17 crore if it was decided to move the silt. Also, it would have been impractical as there is a lot of traffic on the Noida road from where the trucks would have moved. A technical committee comprising chief engineers took this call based on financial and technical aspects," said an official. He added, "In any case, where else could we have left the silt if not in the river? We could have disposed it of downstream but to cut costs left it from where it was taken out."

The argument failed to convince environmentalists who are now asking for an environment impact assessment of such activities. "This is no way to carry out desilting. Allowing silt to flow downstream would make sense only in case of rivers that have a good flow. Yamuna is a completely sluggish river and the reason these silt islands formed in the first place is because the water flow is not sufficient to carry the silt further down. Heavy monsoon flows in the river are still a few months away and either the silt will get deposited downstream or dissolve right here again," said Ravi Agarwal, director, Toxics Link.

Mishra, who visited the site last week, added: "If the silt is clean, then it can be used like ordinary mud. If not, then it has to be disposed of safely or used for construction. In order to know how toxic it is and what possible impact it can have, it is imperative to carry out an EIA. By allowing the silt to flow downstream, the UP government has put several people in potential danger. The most likely scenario is that it will get deposited downstream where farming takes place, the toxins will find their way into vegetables and subsequently into the food chain. And all through this neither the government nor the farmers will even realize what is happening. How can the government free so much toxic material and let it loose?"

Massive shortfall in rains triggers monsoon worries (The Hindu 28 June 2012)

Serious doubts are emerging over the fate of the monsoon this year as the first month of the four-month season is nearing its end with a massive deficiency in rains over most parts of the country.

As of Wednesday, the cumulative rainfall since the beginning of the season continues to be deficient over 74 per cent of the country’s total geographical area: in 37 per cent of the area, the deficiency exceeds 60 per cent.

The situation is particularly grim in North India — rainfall is deficient by 90 per cent over the Haryana-Delhi-Chandigarh region, 87 per cent over West Uttar Pradesh, 69 per cent over East Uttar Pradesh, 78 per cent over Punjab, 67 per cent over Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, 75 per cent over West Rajasthan and 69 per cent over East Rajasthan.

The situation is also far from being rosy over northern parts of west India, and several parts of Central India — rainfall is deficient by 71 per cent over Gujarat, 70 per cent over Saurashtra-Kutch region, 61 per cent over West Madhya Pradesh, 43 per cent over East Madhya Pradesh, 60 per cent over Marathwada and 52 per cent over Madhya Maharashtra.

In addition, rainfall has been well below normal in some parts of the south peninsular region. Rainfall is deficient by 57 per cent over Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, 54 per cent over Rayalaseema in Andhra Pradesh, 49 per cent over south interior Karnataka, 46 per cent over north interior Karnataka and 31 per cent over Kerala.

What makes the overall situation worrisome is that there appears to be no possibility of much relief in the deficient areas except for some parts of Central India for at least the next one week.

According to a bulletin of the India Meteorological Department, the present pattern of widespread rains over a narrow belt of about 100 km width along the west coast and over the north-east and eastern part of the country and scattered to isolated rains over the remaining parts of the country is likely to by and large would continue till July 4.

Low pressure area

The only difference that is likely is some increase in rain over some parts of Central India adjoining the east coast from July 1.

“There are some signs for the formation of a low pressure area in the northern part of the Bay of Bengal around July 1. If that happens, it could lead to increase in rainfall over areas in Central India that adjoin the east coast,” senior IMD scientists told The Hindu .

Given the present situation, it seems very difficult for the forecast of a normal monsoon this year, particularly since international models and nationals have indicated that the El Nino phenomenon could emerge in August-September and have an adverse impact on the rains then, according to some IMD meteorologists who chose to remain anonymous.

The IMD, however, continued to stick to its forecast. Senior officials of the Department exuded confidence that the deficiencies would get neutralised in the coming days and weeks.

“The forecast has factored in the El Nino. We still have three months to go. Some goods spells of rain down the line would be able to overcome the deficiencies, ” they said.

·  The situation is particularly grim in North India

·  The deficiencies will get neutralised in the coming weeks: IMD

DJB says new water bills to come in 2 weeks (Times of India 24 June 2012)

NEW DELHI: Delhi Jal Board is expected to start issuing fresh bills towards the end of the month or the first week of July. Billing in the last cycle had been cancelled after the water utility received hundreds of complaints of incorrect bills and DJB had to launch camps across the city to sort out the problem.

However, the new system that is expected to streamline the meter reading and billing system is yet to be implemented. Sources said that the new revenue system is in the final stages of a security audit and will be ready within a week. Handheld meter readers with which bills will be generated on the spot will be procured shortly and pressed into service in the next billing cycle.

"Meter readings are being carried out as per the old system right now and the process is almost complete. Fresh bills will be generated by the end of June or latest by first week of July. We have already missed one cycle and do not want to delay issuing bills any further," said an official.
Under the new revenue system, all billing data is first being uploaded on a central server. DJB revenue staff has been getting computer training since the past few months to familiarize them with the new system. Apart from this, self reading of meters will also become the norm though it will first be implemented only on a trial basis. "Consumers will read their own meters and feed the data into DJB's online system on the basis of which bills will be issued. DJB will verify details once or twice a year. Hand-held meter readers will also be given out to DJB's meter readers with which they would be able to generate bills on the spot. Acquiring these instruments is taking a while but we hope to have them before the next billing cycle," said an official.
DJB started the billing camps on May 19 and has been holding them every Saturday since then. Initially the plan was to hold on to bills till the new system was implemented but since it is taking longer than expected, a decision has been taken to proceed with the new billing cycle.

A colony in Bawana that's off DJB's radar (Times of India 24 June 2012)

NEW DELHI: Every day at 5.30pm, 10-year-old Soni rushes out of her single-room house to be the first to fill water from a corroded iron pipe jutting out from the roadside. Such is the scene at the Bawana resettlement colony-home to almost 1 lakh residents but deprived of Delhi Jal Board water supply. Other children even younger than Soni come running to quench their thirst, hopping over open sewers to reach the pipe.

Some emerge from their houses holding buckets, while others come with utensils of all shapes and sizes. The older children follow with the bigger vessels as their mothers jockey for a position close to the pipes jutting out from different points along the lanes.

The resettlement came up in 2002 but still doesn't have proper water supply. For meeting their water requirements for bathing, drinking and cooking, there is a common supply line through tubewells installed by the slum and JJ wing of the erstwhile MCD and now manned by the Delhi government's Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) in areas under its jurisdiction.
The common supply system was actually an interim arrangement for residents relocated from different slums in the city to this far-flung area. But more than a decade later, the tubewells are the only source of water. Water comes thrice a day but the low pressure and teeming numbers leave many thirsting for more.
The water hour unravels poverty at its worst. The taps provided in common areas have all disappeared; those relatively well off have resorted to either illegal boring or are drawing water from the common supply line using electric motors. The majority have no fall-back options. They can be seen filling their buckets, utensils and every kind of vessel that can store water from small pipes linked to the common supply line that runs along open sewers.
Kashmira, who is in her early 20s and pregnant, told TOI that their life depends on the pumphouse located in a dilapidated room at a vacant plot earmarked for building a park. Similar pumphouses are located in other blocks too.Mohd Inaam, a Class XII student, led TOI to empty enclosures which once had taps. "They have all been filched," he says while pointing at the water gushing out of a pipe. Inaam is part of a youth group called Shakti, formed by NGO Jagori. The group comprises about 40 boys. An equal number of girls from the resettlement build awareness and collect information on the problems of the area under the banner of Saathi. The women, too, raise issues through Nigrani Samiti.
Kailash, a resident who is associated with Jagori, points out that the youth group and the women's collective meet every week. "These groups identify the problems in various blocks. So far, we have focused on building awareness.
Water has been a serious issue here and we have taken it up with the authorities from time to time. The water is not fit for drinking and people keep falling sick. At times, the water stinks, but only few can afford clean drinking water," Kailash added. The residents recently met MLA Surinder Kumar to discuss water shortage. Kumar told TOI that funds have been sanctioned by DUSIB and released to DJB for laying pipelines. He claimed that work would begin soon. According to DUSIB sources, the board has assessed the conditions in the various resettlements under it. Top sources say the resettlements have been neglected for over a decade now.
"Funds to the tune of Rs 87 crore were sanctioned earlier this year for various developmental works in 24 resettlements, including Bawana. Of the total sum, Rs 27 crore is to be used by DJB for water supply lines," sources said.
It has been learnt that DUSIB is planning to transfer the maintenance of resettlements to the three new municipal bodies later this year.

Bridge over troubled waters (Times Of India 24 June 2012)

The Hindu Son of the soil: Farmers should be encouraged to adopt practices that retain moisture in the soil for longer periods. Photo: S.K. Mohan

AP Parched earth: Resilience to climate change can be addressed through better water management and conservation of bio-diversity.

There is an urgent need to study the impact of climate change on water and protect water sources

A new report on water sector options in the face of changing climate has called for fresh approach to studying alterations in the patterns of rainfall and snowfall, availability of surface and ground water and the existing water infrastructure.

The report—Water Sector Options for India in a Changing Climate-- laments the lack of studies in the country on the impact of climate change in the water sector, but at the same time is optimistic about the situation offering a `unique opportunity’ for revisiting the sector for better understanding, planning and management.

Dedicated to communities around the world whose lives have been disrupted by climate change brought about due to high consumption lifestyle of the elite, the report, published by the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People, reviews the situation in the context of the international framework of climate change vis-a-vis adaptation, mitigation, technology and economics.

India needs to immediately come out with a report on the state of impact of climate change in the water sector, it says. Trends in quantum, peaks and pattern of long-term annual rainfall, resultant impact on river flows and ground water recharge are crucial issues for equitable distribution of water and its management. Transparency and sharing of data is the key to finding solutions.

Seeking top priority to rain-water harvesting, ground water recharge and incentives for changing cropping patterns and methods, the report points out that the irregularity in monsoon rains is hugely impacting farmers, particularly the rain-fed ones who form 60 per cent of the entire farming community.

``By way of adaptation strategies, we need to make local rainwater harvesting and ground water recharge our top priority in our water resources policy, programmes and practices,’’ it points out.

The document extols the government to take water related issues to the grassroots and spread good examples of resilience (adaptation) to climate change with local communities and use of traditional knowledge and techniques.

Documenting some of the case studies on innovative ways to mitigate the impact of changes in rainfall patterns, the report highlights the potential of up-scaling such examples to find solutions to adaptation, sustainable and democratic water management, conservation of biodiversity and poverty alleviation.

Stressing the need for switching to cropping patterns and techniques that conserve water (as in system of rice/crop intensification), it emphasises the need for the system of forecasting rains to be made more accurate. “This key information should be made available to farmers, decision-makers and people.’’

Farmers should be encouraged to use practices that increase the carbon content in soil so that moisture is retained for longer periods, especially during gaps between rainfalls. The use of reservoir operations should be transparent, accountable and participatory to reduce the flood disaster potential during unforeseen changes in climate.

At the same time, the report touches upon a hitherto ignored aspect of impact of climate change: Compensation to farmers who suffer the impact of climate change, which is not of their making.

Referring to the melting of Himalayan glaciers, the report says that no clear picture is available of the extent of loss of snow in area and volume, but research provides some indicators of how the different basins were going to be affected.

“However, there are still a lot of variables and even the available information is not all in public domain. Our knowledge base is poor. The answer is not in building big storage dams to compensate these losses as that would actually increase the problems as such projects destroy the forests, rivers, biodiversity and also emit methane in tropical and sub tropical climates. Destruction of all these resources would reduce the adaptation capacity of the communities near the glaciers and society in general.’’

The better option, the report points out, would be to create small, localised storages that can serve local communities and can be maintained by them. The country requires urgent action to protect existing groundwater recharge systems and to create more by saving every drop of rain where it falls.

Even as the Water Resources Ministry is working out a new water resources policy, the report sets the agenda for a revamped policy: “It should be equitable, sustainable, participatory, decentralised, democratic with a transparent approach to water management based on sound knowledge and data.”

Further, this approach would need to include a protection strategy for the rivers, forests, wetlands, water bodies, biodiversity, critical ecological habitats and groundwater reserves, as well as demand-side management.

Clearly, the need of the hour is to prioritise on how to manage the scarce resource that water is.