Seven police personnel, including the Station House Officer of New Ashok Nagar, were injured after residents of colonies in Kondli in East Delhi staged a violent protest against the water scarcity in their locality on Tuesday morning.
The protesters, mostly residents of Rajbir Colony and Gharoli, blocked the road connecting Kondli and Kalyanpuri at about 8.15 am. They soon started pelting the police as well as passing vehicles with stones.
“Initially, there were about 150 protesters, but once they became violent, others joined in, leading to a riot-like situation,” a senior cops said. Though additional forces were called in from nearby, the protesters refused to budge and kept throwing stones at the police. “After some of our men were injured, we had to resort to a lathi-charge,” a police officer said.
SHO Shah Noor Khan, Sub-Inspector Narender, Hawaldars Vijay Nath and Man Chand as well as constables Mahender and Ranbir were injured in the melee. Seven vehicles, including two police bikes and a Gypsy, were destroyed by the protesters.
However, the locals claimed they were protesting peacefully, and it was the police who started the violence. “We were sitting on a dharna demanding water as there has been no supply for around ten days. But the police started cane-charging us,” said Vinod Gautam, a local resident.
After the police picked up local residents for the protests, locals complained many of those detained were innocent. “They took away my sons saying they had assaulted policemen, but they were not at fault,” said one Krishna Devi. “They have detained innocent people instead of catching the culprits,” said Munni Khatoon.
However, Ranjit Singh, a resident of B-block, said the protests seemed politically motivated. “The water problem has been there for the past one-and-a-half years, but this protest has been arranged by politicians,” he said.
Additional Commissioner of Police (East) K C Dwivedi said 11 people have been arrested on charges of rioting and attempt to murder while four others were let off after questioning.
Dwivedi said no innocent people have been detained, adding that all those responsible will be behind bars soon.
DJB: borewell by tomorrow
A DJB spokesperson said Rajbir Colony is unauthorised but was still getting water from the underground reservoir at Kondli. Since the colony is at the tail end of the water distribution system, supply used to be supplemented through a borewell. However, the borewell went dry in June. A new borewell was dug and operationalised on July 1. But, despite flushing, the water was found to be muddy and consequently supply from it was stopped on July 3, leading to a shortage in area. The work of deepening the borewell will be over by July 8, said the spokesperson, adding that arrangements like water tankers have been made to supply water in the area till then.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Activists say dam it! to CM for Renuka barrage (Hindustan Times 05 July 2010)
Civil society activists have written to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit opposing what they call an ‘unnecessary’ step for solving Delhi's water woes — the Renuka dam in Himachal Pradesh Giri river, a tributary of Yamuna.
Drawing Dikshit's attention to a number of issues — Delhi’s avoidable distribution losses, non-essential water guzzling activities, lack of rainwater harvesting, groundwater use and recharge, wastewater treatment and issues related to environmental & social costs/destruction due to the dam in Himachal Pradesh — the activists have urged her to “review Delhi government's position”.
More than 30 activists including Vandana Shiva, Manoj Mishra, Himanshu Thakkar, Rajendra Singh, Amita Baviskar and Ramaswamy R Iyer (former secretary, Ministry of Water Resources) to name a few, have endorsed the letter dated June 30.
Magsaysay award winner Rajendra Singh, one of the signatories, told HT, “Tomorrow the entire western Uttar Pradesh would be up in arms as they would be deprived of their share of Yamuna.”
Dikshit claimed she had not received the letter but nevertheless said she would be “willing to meet the activists and listen to their viewpoint.”
She however asserted, “Renuka dam was not meant only for Delhi, many other states too would benefit.”
Dikshit also said with more and more people coming daily to the national capital, “it is not for immediate use. The dam is being constructed with the future in mind.”
Dikshit also said she did not think that Rajasthan (a riparian state of Yamuna basin) not signing the original 1994 agreement was a problem. “For some reasons, they do not want to contribute."
But Himanshu Thakkar of South Asia Network on Dams, River & People (SANDRP), another signatory of the letter, points out, the Ministry of Law & Justice had in 2008 said the 1994 agreement is not legally valid and enforceable as Rajastan had not signed.
“Moreover, in early 2010, Haryana, Rajasthan and UP all asserted the right for sharing the benefits. (of Renuka dam). This way Delhi will hardly get any water.”
Drawing Dikshit's attention to a number of issues — Delhi’s avoidable distribution losses, non-essential water guzzling activities, lack of rainwater harvesting, groundwater use and recharge, wastewater treatment and issues related to environmental & social costs/destruction due to the dam in Himachal Pradesh — the activists have urged her to “review Delhi government's position”.
More than 30 activists including Vandana Shiva, Manoj Mishra, Himanshu Thakkar, Rajendra Singh, Amita Baviskar and Ramaswamy R Iyer (former secretary, Ministry of Water Resources) to name a few, have endorsed the letter dated June 30.
Magsaysay award winner Rajendra Singh, one of the signatories, told HT, “Tomorrow the entire western Uttar Pradesh would be up in arms as they would be deprived of their share of Yamuna.”
Dikshit claimed she had not received the letter but nevertheless said she would be “willing to meet the activists and listen to their viewpoint.”
She however asserted, “Renuka dam was not meant only for Delhi, many other states too would benefit.”
Dikshit also said with more and more people coming daily to the national capital, “it is not for immediate use. The dam is being constructed with the future in mind.”
Dikshit also said she did not think that Rajasthan (a riparian state of Yamuna basin) not signing the original 1994 agreement was a problem. “For some reasons, they do not want to contribute."
But Himanshu Thakkar of South Asia Network on Dams, River & People (SANDRP), another signatory of the letter, points out, the Ministry of Law & Justice had in 2008 said the 1994 agreement is not legally valid and enforceable as Rajastan had not signed.
“Moreover, in early 2010, Haryana, Rajasthan and UP all asserted the right for sharing the benefits. (of Renuka dam). This way Delhi will hardly get any water.”
Halt power project on Assam, Arunachal border: Experts (Hindu 03 July 2010)
Guwahati: The Expert Group constituted to study the downstream impact of the ongoing 2,000-MW Subonsiri Lower hydro-electric power project of the National Hydro-electric Power Corporation (NHPC) at Gerukamukh on the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border has recommended that the mega dam not be built at the present site.
From the geological, tectonic and seismological points of view, the Expert Group has suggested in its report not to consider the Himalayan foothills for any mega hydro-power project.
The All Assam Students' Union (AASU), which distributed copies of the over 400-page report to journalists here, asked the Centre, the Assam Government and the NHPC to immediately halt ongoing construction of the project.
“The present investigations carried out to examine the downstream impact of the project reveal gross inadequacy in the relevant facts relating to construction of the dam at the present site by the concerned authorities. The selected site for the mega dam of the present dimension was not appropriate in such a geologically and seismologically sensitive location. The seismic design parameter is not properly chosen for the project…. Therefore, it is recommended not to construct the mega dam in the present site,” stated the Expert Group report.
It also recommended redesigning of the project by sufficiently reducing the dam height and production capacity.
The proposed height of the dam is 116 metres.
The eight-member Expert Group comprised two experts from IIT Guwahati, four from Gauhati University and two from Dibrugarh University. The decision to constitute the expert group was jointly taken by the Union Ministry of Power, AASU, the Assam Government and the NHPC following a vigorous movement by AASU and several other organisations demanding a halt to the dam.
The Expert Group is of the view that even after redesigning the dam, its operation will have many environmental and socio-economic problems in the downstream. To minimise these, the Expert Group has made 31 recommendations.
From the geological, tectonic and seismological points of view, the Expert Group has suggested in its report not to consider the Himalayan foothills for any mega hydro-power project.
The All Assam Students' Union (AASU), which distributed copies of the over 400-page report to journalists here, asked the Centre, the Assam Government and the NHPC to immediately halt ongoing construction of the project.
“The present investigations carried out to examine the downstream impact of the project reveal gross inadequacy in the relevant facts relating to construction of the dam at the present site by the concerned authorities. The selected site for the mega dam of the present dimension was not appropriate in such a geologically and seismologically sensitive location. The seismic design parameter is not properly chosen for the project…. Therefore, it is recommended not to construct the mega dam in the present site,” stated the Expert Group report.
It also recommended redesigning of the project by sufficiently reducing the dam height and production capacity.
The proposed height of the dam is 116 metres.
The eight-member Expert Group comprised two experts from IIT Guwahati, four from Gauhati University and two from Dibrugarh University. The decision to constitute the expert group was jointly taken by the Union Ministry of Power, AASU, the Assam Government and the NHPC following a vigorous movement by AASU and several other organisations demanding a halt to the dam.
The Expert Group is of the view that even after redesigning the dam, its operation will have many environmental and socio-economic problems in the downstream. To minimise these, the Expert Group has made 31 recommendations.
Less water for farming, more for drinking (Hindu 03 July 2010)
JAIPUR: Rajasthan is trying to reduce its water consumption in agriculture while ensuring productivity. The farm sector consumes as much as 83 per cent of the available water in this arid State and even a five per cent reduction in water use can help mitigate the drinking water problem in thousands of villages, it is pointed out. The initiative has come from the Rajasthan Planning Board.
“The State is facing a severe water crisis and we have to look for best use of the available water. As irrigation claims the bulk of the water consumed in the State, there is ample scope for saving some for drinking purposes,” says Prof. V. S. Vyas, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Board, who recently brought together experts and officials of agriculture and irrigation for rationalisation of water use. Dr. Samra, Director of the Rainfed Agriculture Development Authority, and agriculture expert R. S. Paroda also attended the meeting.
“The idea is to increase the productivity of water in agriculture,” said Prof. Vyas, who was recently nominated by the Reserve Bank of India as chairman of the advisory committee on flow of credits to agriculture. “There will be short-term and medium-term steps prior to the onset of the monsoon in the State followed by long-term measures,” he said.
“The immediate steps would include large-scale promotion of micro irrigation (drip and sprinkler) techniques besides trying out conservation farming with furrow irrigation, SIR method of rice production and plastic mulching. We want to introduce incentives as well by offering priority farm power connections only to those who agree to adopt micro irrigation,” Prof. Vyas said. Target areas in reduction of water use would be the Indira Gandhi Canal Project area and the Chambal Project area.
“The State has to discontinue with flood irrigation. A project for promotion of drip and sprinkler irrigation methods could be prepared and submitted to international funding agencies,” he suggested. The experts feel that introduction of hybrid and water efficient seeds of major crops for Rajasthan -- maize, millet, cotton and arhar -- could also make a big difference.
As has been tried out in Punjab, the attempt would be to make farmers utilise the maximum rainwater available. For this they would have to be informed in advance about the time needed for each crop/seed variety and the possible weather conditions. Decisions on release of water in the canal area as well as the dates for purchase of the produce under support price would be made keeping in mind the time-span needed for this kind of cropping.
“Those who sow the seeds early before the rains and then make use of the ground water to reach the market early for better prices will be discouraged,” Prof.Vyas said.
He said future planning could include enactment of legislation on groundwater use, diversification of crops, large-scale plantation of trees and linking of rivers in neighbouring States. “I am not talking about the national river grid programme. If rivers flowing in M.P. and Rajasthan are linked it is going to benefit both States,” he said.
“The State is facing a severe water crisis and we have to look for best use of the available water. As irrigation claims the bulk of the water consumed in the State, there is ample scope for saving some for drinking purposes,” says Prof. V. S. Vyas, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Board, who recently brought together experts and officials of agriculture and irrigation for rationalisation of water use. Dr. Samra, Director of the Rainfed Agriculture Development Authority, and agriculture expert R. S. Paroda also attended the meeting.
“The idea is to increase the productivity of water in agriculture,” said Prof. Vyas, who was recently nominated by the Reserve Bank of India as chairman of the advisory committee on flow of credits to agriculture. “There will be short-term and medium-term steps prior to the onset of the monsoon in the State followed by long-term measures,” he said.
“The immediate steps would include large-scale promotion of micro irrigation (drip and sprinkler) techniques besides trying out conservation farming with furrow irrigation, SIR method of rice production and plastic mulching. We want to introduce incentives as well by offering priority farm power connections only to those who agree to adopt micro irrigation,” Prof. Vyas said. Target areas in reduction of water use would be the Indira Gandhi Canal Project area and the Chambal Project area.
“The State has to discontinue with flood irrigation. A project for promotion of drip and sprinkler irrigation methods could be prepared and submitted to international funding agencies,” he suggested. The experts feel that introduction of hybrid and water efficient seeds of major crops for Rajasthan -- maize, millet, cotton and arhar -- could also make a big difference.
As has been tried out in Punjab, the attempt would be to make farmers utilise the maximum rainwater available. For this they would have to be informed in advance about the time needed for each crop/seed variety and the possible weather conditions. Decisions on release of water in the canal area as well as the dates for purchase of the produce under support price would be made keeping in mind the time-span needed for this kind of cropping.
“Those who sow the seeds early before the rains and then make use of the ground water to reach the market early for better prices will be discouraged,” Prof.Vyas said.
He said future planning could include enactment of legislation on groundwater use, diversification of crops, large-scale plantation of trees and linking of rivers in neighbouring States. “I am not talking about the national river grid programme. If rivers flowing in M.P. and Rajasthan are linked it is going to benefit both States,” he said.
Consultation on climate change impact on Indus Basin (Hindu 03.July 2010)
An international expert consultation on climate change impact on Cryosphere of the Indus Basin and its implications on future water scenario has begun here at headquarter of International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Nepali capital Kathmandu on Friday. An expert consultation organized by ICIMOD has brought together international as well as regional researchers from different disciplines and geographic region. Workshop will discuss over the establishment of an “Indus River Basin Initiative” to coordinate collaboration between different institutions and organisations.
The Indus River Basin will collect and analyse recent and ongoing research interventions and approaches. It will also provide platform for sharing knowledge gained from this analysis as well as for sharing current state-of-the-art approaches and interventions planned for future work on climate change and water resource management in the Indus River Basin, according to ICIMOD. During the workshop, presentations and discussions will focus on study design and methodologies used in field work, modelling, and scenario analysis. The Indus River Basin is one of the most sensitive basins to impacts of climate change on water supplies and loss of livelihoods. Runoff is generated predominantly by melting snow and ice, and a large number of economic activities and human lives in the basin.
The Indus Basin covers an area of about 1,140,000 sq. km. A large part of the upper basin lies within the Hindu Kush, Karakorum,and Himalayan mountains. Afghanistan, China, India and Pakistan share the basin territory, according to ICIMOD.
The Indus River Basin will collect and analyse recent and ongoing research interventions and approaches. It will also provide platform for sharing knowledge gained from this analysis as well as for sharing current state-of-the-art approaches and interventions planned for future work on climate change and water resource management in the Indus River Basin, according to ICIMOD. During the workshop, presentations and discussions will focus on study design and methodologies used in field work, modelling, and scenario analysis. The Indus River Basin is one of the most sensitive basins to impacts of climate change on water supplies and loss of livelihoods. Runoff is generated predominantly by melting snow and ice, and a large number of economic activities and human lives in the basin.
The Indus Basin covers an area of about 1,140,000 sq. km. A large part of the upper basin lies within the Hindu Kush, Karakorum,and Himalayan mountains. Afghanistan, China, India and Pakistan share the basin territory, according to ICIMOD.
Consultation on climate change impact on Indus Basin (Hindu 03.July 2010)
An international expert consultation on climate change impact on Cryosphere of the Indus Basin and its implications on future water scenario has begun here at headquarter of International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Nepali capital Kathmandu on Friday. An expert consultation organized by ICIMOD has brought together international as well as regional researchers from different disciplines and geographic region. Workshop will discuss over the establishment of an “Indus River Basin Initiative” to coordinate collaboration between different institutions and organisations.
The Indus River Basin will collect and analyse recent and ongoing research interventions and approaches. It will also provide platform for sharing knowledge gained from this analysis as well as for sharing current state-of-the-art approaches and interventions planned for future work on climate change and water resource management in the Indus River Basin, according to ICIMOD. During the workshop, presentations and discussions will focus on study design and methodologies used in field work, modelling, and scenario analysis. The Indus River Basin is one of the most sensitive basins to impacts of climate change on water supplies and loss of livelihoods. Runoff is generated predominantly by melting snow and ice, and a large number of economic activities and human lives in the basin.
The Indus Basin covers an area of about 1,140,000 sq. km. A large part of the upper basin lies within the Hindu Kush, Karakorum,and Himalayan mountains. Afghanistan, China, India and Pakistan share the basin territory, according to ICIMOD.
The Indus River Basin will collect and analyse recent and ongoing research interventions and approaches. It will also provide platform for sharing knowledge gained from this analysis as well as for sharing current state-of-the-art approaches and interventions planned for future work on climate change and water resource management in the Indus River Basin, according to ICIMOD. During the workshop, presentations and discussions will focus on study design and methodologies used in field work, modelling, and scenario analysis. The Indus River Basin is one of the most sensitive basins to impacts of climate change on water supplies and loss of livelihoods. Runoff is generated predominantly by melting snow and ice, and a large number of economic activities and human lives in the basin.
The Indus Basin covers an area of about 1,140,000 sq. km. A large part of the upper basin lies within the Hindu Kush, Karakorum,and Himalayan mountains. Afghanistan, China, India and Pakistan share the basin territory, according to ICIMOD.
Here lived the Yamuna. R.I.P.(Hindustan Times 23 June 2010)
Baghpat (Uttar Pradesh) Anand Sharma would begin his day with a dip in the Yamuna, continuing a centuries-old Hindu tradition.
But for the past seven months, Sharma (62), a devout Brahmin and resident of Baghpat town, around 40 km northeast of Delhi, has stopped going to the river. Because, for a 100-km stretch between Delhi and Saharanpur district in western Uttar Pradesh, the Yamuna has disappeared. Only miles and miles of sand remain.
The once mighty Yamuna has been effectively reduced to a seasonal river for the past three years.
Instead of boats, one sees trucks and jeeps plying on the dead stretch of the river, with commuters using the sandy terrain as a shortcut to Haryana.
Residents here blame Haryana and Delhi for the waterless river. According to an agreement between UP and the two states, Haryana and Delhi draw water from the Yamuna from the Hathinikund barrage in Saharanpur district.
“The Yamuna has turned into an open desert in our area because of unlawful overdrawing of water by the two states,” said Swami Ramswaroop Brahmchari, who is spearheading a campaign to resurrect the river in Baghpat.
On Sunday, the district administration stationed a water tanker on the riverbank on the day of the Ganga Dussehra to provide pilgrims water for the holy bath.
“To meet the demand for water, engineers are exploiting the Yamuna,” said Ravi Chopra, member of the Ganga River Basin Authority, which is chaired by the Prime Minister. “For them water is only a substance, not a live ecosystem.”
Chopra said engineers manning dams should realise that rivers need at least 70 cent of free-flowing water to preserve their ecosystem.
Baghpat MLA Nawab Kokab Hamid admitted he had failed in his efforts to protect the river. “My efforts in the (UP) Assembly and with concerned officials to save the river got little response,” he said.
For Sharma, who now bathes at home, the drying of the river he once worshiped is a personal tragedy. “The death of the Yamuna here is like a disaster in my life,” he said in a choking voice.
But for the past seven months, Sharma (62), a devout Brahmin and resident of Baghpat town, around 40 km northeast of Delhi, has stopped going to the river. Because, for a 100-km stretch between Delhi and Saharanpur district in western Uttar Pradesh, the Yamuna has disappeared. Only miles and miles of sand remain.
The once mighty Yamuna has been effectively reduced to a seasonal river for the past three years.
Instead of boats, one sees trucks and jeeps plying on the dead stretch of the river, with commuters using the sandy terrain as a shortcut to Haryana.
Residents here blame Haryana and Delhi for the waterless river. According to an agreement between UP and the two states, Haryana and Delhi draw water from the Yamuna from the Hathinikund barrage in Saharanpur district.
“The Yamuna has turned into an open desert in our area because of unlawful overdrawing of water by the two states,” said Swami Ramswaroop Brahmchari, who is spearheading a campaign to resurrect the river in Baghpat.
On Sunday, the district administration stationed a water tanker on the riverbank on the day of the Ganga Dussehra to provide pilgrims water for the holy bath.
“To meet the demand for water, engineers are exploiting the Yamuna,” said Ravi Chopra, member of the Ganga River Basin Authority, which is chaired by the Prime Minister. “For them water is only a substance, not a live ecosystem.”
Chopra said engineers manning dams should realise that rivers need at least 70 cent of free-flowing water to preserve their ecosystem.
Baghpat MLA Nawab Kokab Hamid admitted he had failed in his efforts to protect the river. “My efforts in the (UP) Assembly and with concerned officials to save the river got little response,” he said.
For Sharma, who now bathes at home, the drying of the river he once worshiped is a personal tragedy. “The death of the Yamuna here is like a disaster in my life,” he said in a choking voice.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)