India’s mapping activity dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization (c. 2500–1900 BCE) as per the famous geographer, Joseph E. Schwartzberg. His work is based on a couple of surveying instruments and measuring rods that were excavated from the Indus valley sites. Our mapping traditions were influenced by Vedic, Tibetan, Islamic and more recently, British cartography. One of the earliest maps of India is of the confluence of the Ganges and the Yamuna and is available as a wall sculpture in Udayagiri, Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh. It dates back to the Gupta empire in the 5th century.

India’s first modern maps were produced by the premier national survey and mapping organization of India, the Survey of India, in 1767. We have come a long way since then with the advent of modern mapping techniques like satellite imageries. While atlas cartography was prevalent in the country, according to Prithvish Nag and Smita Sengupta in 'Geographical Information System Concepts and Business Opportunities', "the Fifth Plan 1974-1979 marked a watershed in the history of thematic cartography in the country".

The National Atlas and Thematic Mapping Organisation (NATMO) began mapping land and water resources during the eighties, when satellite imageries, particularly from Landsat, became available. Several atlases depicting the vital resources of the country came up at this time. The user base that wanted thematic maps like those on water resources for precise applications also began growing during this time. P Nag the then Director of NATMO says that the “changing scenario of resources through time and space is a matter of great importance for spatial development of the country”.  

Water resource atlas of India

The water resource atlas contains information collected from several sources. It portrays a reasonably full depiction of the status of water resources in the various agro-climatic regions of the country. It comprises 33 plates that display a broad range of information related to water resources of the country.

This atlas begins with an introductory plate dealing with the administrative divisions of India, viz., states, union territories, district and tahsils and taluks with their headquarters. The detailed physiographic regions of India are delineated on the second plate while the third, fourth, fifth and twelfth plates deal with the spatial patterns of climatic conditions and variation of rainfall.

The sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth plate portray the soil texture, land use conditions, density of rural population and livestock distribution respectively. Plates ten, eleven, thirteen and fourteen deal with drought areas, detailed river basins of India, surface run-off condition and water balance analysis. Plates fifteen to thirty two depict the spatial distribution of water resources, on a scale of 1: 1,000,000.

These maps based on the meticulous plotting of the entire water resources of the country, unfurl the pattern of water distribution at a regional level. The pattern, character, texture, alignment, behavior and utilization of the streams, lakes and other water resources are indicated on these maps. These are very useful in planning at national, regional and local levels. More so, in the event of droughts and floods when strategies need to be prepared. The availability of groundwater resource is also depicted in the last plate (plate 33). 

Mapping has been done mostly on three scales as per the needs related to data analysis, precision as well as visual appeal. Plates one to fourteen are drawn on a scale of 1:6,000,000, while the rest, on a scale of 1: 1,000,000. Apart from this there is a plate with a set of four maps showing seasonal rainfall and livestock in the scale of 1: 12,000,000. 

Land resource atlas of India

Of all the resources, land is of particular significance as our economy is largely land-based. It is therefore important to know the capabilities and potential of this resource across the various regions of the country, through land-based mapping. The land resource atlas published by NATMO in 1996 comprises twelve multi-coloured plates each indicating a specialized theme related to land resources at a scale of 1:60,00,000, with insets at the scale of 1:180,00,000 wherever required. These maps have been supplemented with analytical notes and statistical tables. The general information pertaining to the administrative set up of the country is provided in the first plate.

Plate two deals with the physiographic features, which decide the availability of the resources to a great extent. Plate three portrays the drainage networks for purposes of irrigation, navigation, power generation, urbanization and industrialization. Plate four deals with the climatic conditions, which govern the agronomic set up of the country. Plate five deals with the soil while plate six pertains to rocks and minerals that have a great bearing on the industries.

Plate seven is related to forests, which play an important role in the life, economy and habitat of the country. Plate eight deals with land capability, a parameter that evaluates the potential of soils for optimal land use. The current status of the varied use of our vast land resources is highlighted in plate nine. Plates ten and evelen deal with the possible crop combination zones and crop association along with types of farming for systematic planning for agricultural development for the country. The last plate deals with the status of land resources of the country and attempts to present a generalized picture of complete resources in various parts of the country.

Plans to create power corridors for each river basin on its way

The expert team appointed by Central Electricity Authority and Power Grid Corporation of India Limited pushes the Himachal Pradesh government's proposal to develop separate power corridors for all river basins in the state. The suggestion came in the wake of the state government allowing a 230 km long power transmission line to the Jaypee Group for the Karcham Wangtoo hydel project on the Satluj river. This resulted in over 14,000 trees being felled.

Drip irrigation to become mandatory for growing cash crops

Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority plans to make drip irrigation compulsory for farmers growing cash crops, in order to reduce wastage of irrigated water and make an efficient irrigation system. In its draft bulk water tariff effective from July 1, 2015, the authority has proposed to charge 75% of tariff from farmers growing cash crops and give 25% extra rebate on adoption of drip irrigation. The penalty for not installing drip irrigation within the prescribed time limit is a 150% tariff. 

DJB plans to treat greywater 

Delhi Jal Board is all set to devise a policy to treat the city's greywater or sullage to augment the water supply in the capital. The recycled water will be made available to the consumers for non-drinking purposes. Decentralisation of Sewage Treatment Plants and commissioning of another plant of 23 MLD capacity in Kapashera will also be a part of the policy.

Politicians' kin to gain most from water allocation

Firms owned by family and close aids of Congress and NCP politicians are prime beneficiaries of the Maharashtra government's move to divert 186 million cubic metres of water from 23 dams to 34 industries in the state. The decision is taken at the cost of reducing the state's irrigation potential by more than 16,166 hectares. However, the state government denied permission to 15 proposals for allocating dam water to sugar mills charged with misusing and polluting water.

State govt proposes underground drainage for Karnataka's coastal towns

The Karnataka government has proposed to implement underground drainage and drinking water supply projects worth Rs.100 crore in five towns of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. The Centre will fund 80% of the project cost under the Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns while the remaining 20% of the project cost would be equally shared by the state government and local authorities. Kundapur, Moodbidri, Bantwal, Kateel and Kollur are the five towns selected for this project.

This is a weekly roundup of policy matters from  January 19-25, 2014. Also read last week's news update.

No sale of packaged drinking water without BIS mark: FSSAI

No person in the country shall produce or sell packaged drinking water without the Bureau of Indian Standards certification mark, declares the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. The assertion is made following the suo moto matter taken up by the National Green Tribunal in relation to the quality of water supplied by local bodies like Chennai Metrowater. The FSSAI took over the issue from the National Green Tribunal, as it is the competent authority for ensuring the availability of safe food for human consumption. 

President approves Maharashtra groundwater bill

Maharashtra Groundwater Bill of 2009, to plan and regulate the use of sub-surface water, gets President's nod. The top priorities under the bill is to constitute a regulatory authority, notify overexploited areas and develop watershed development plans. This is the first time that the Maharashtra government is taking an intiative to regulate grounwater resources in the state. However, environmentalists forsee serious hindrances in the implementation of the bill.

Govt stands against Central India's way of tackling climate change

Tribal farmers of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra convert to Bewar and Penda forms of shifting cultivation, to cope with the increasingly erratic rainfall patterns and resulting crop losses. These conventional agricultural practices are resilient to environmental stress and assure year-round yield. However, the government agencies consider these farming practices illegal and is bent on rooting them out without any proper scientific evidence of their demerits. 

NGT issues notice to hydel firm over damage during June floods

The National Green Tribunal has issued notice to the Alaknanda Hydropower Company Limited (AHPCL), alleged to have caused damage during the June floods in Uttarakhand. The Srinagar Bandh Aapda Sangharsh Samiti accuses the hydel firm of filling Srinagar and the Alaknanda river bed with muck, silt and debris from the dam construction site and also blamed the dam authorities for not opening the flood gates during the June 16 and 17 floods, causing additional damage in the town. The Samiti has demanded compensation for the affected residents.  

Essar's Singrauli plant asked to shut down

Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) issues closure orders to Essar Energy's Mahan-I 600 MW coal-fired power plant in Singrauli district.  The MPPCB is unsatisfied with the company's response on the large quantities of fly ash being discharged from the plant to the Garha stream and surrounding areas. The company will be allowed to restart operations only after building a permanent ash dyke, installing a continuous ambient air monitoring station, a sewage treatment plant and a tree plantation.

This is a weekly roundup of policy matters from  January 26- February 1, 2014. Also read last week's news update.

'Rural job profile observes a significant change'

A recent study by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) shows that the number of people in rural areas employed in agriculture and allied sectors have reduced from 11% to 49% during the last decade. In 2011-12, only 231 million people were engaged in agriculture as against the 261 million in 2009-10. Rural employment shows an improvement in the other sectors such as manufacturing, mining, construction or services, but has declined in agriculture.

Wildlife activists launch 'Save Wetland Save Sarus' campaign

The Society for Conservation of Nature (SCON) has initiated the 'Save Wetland Save Sarus' campaign, for protection of the Sarus crane (Grus antigone) in Etawah and Manipuri districts. The organisation has demanded that authorities declare the 35 km stretch spread across the five wetlands in the two districts as 'Sarus Safari'. Sarus crane, the state bird of Uttar Pradesh, is under threat as the state government takes no actions to protect the wetlands from being encroached upon by land mafia in the region.

Contaminated water kills 285 in Karnataka during 2010-13

285 people in Karnataka died of diseases caused by drinking contaminated water between 2010-2013. The deaths were the highest in 2012, informs the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Another survey by Eureka Forbes and research institution GFK found Bengaluru's drinking water as the most contaminated than other cities. Acute diarrhoeal diseases, enteric fever (typhoid), viral hepatitis, cholera and acute encephalitis are the five diseases attribting to deaths in the state.

More pollution for Kanhan river from Mahagenco's ash bund

The expansion of Khaparkheda power station of Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited (Mahagenco) in Nagpur poses a serious threat to the Kanhan river. The plant has started construction of a new ash bund for the disposal of fly ash without any approval from a competent authority and within the river's no development zone. The matter has come into the notice of Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, which will be issuing a show cause notice to the state-run plant for violation of norms. 

Mysore, Bengaluru lakes to get a new lease of life

The Rivers of the World Foundation (RWF), a US-based organisation, is all set to rejuvenate lakes in Bengaluru and Mysore by suggesting environmental measures and simple corrective steps for the lakes' revival. RWF's senior scientist has visited Kukkarahalli Lake in Mysore and various lake in Bengaluru and will be recommending simple techniques to clear the space around the lakes. Looking at its past success in cleaning the rivers around the world, RWF is hopeful of reviving lakes in Mysore and Bengaluru.

This is a weekly roundup of important news from January 26-February 1, 2014. Also read last week's policy matters updates. 

Aabid Surti who lives in Mira Road, a Mumbai suburb, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from Hindi Sahitya Sanstha by the Uttar Pradesh Government in 2007. He has multiple creative talents. He is a painter, cartoonist, author, playwright and water warrior.

Water warrior?!

In 2007, Aabid Surti read an article in the newspaper that mentioned how much water was lost for every drop wasted. "1 drop wasted in every second implies a 1000 litres of water being wasted on average. That's quite a count! I grew up in shanties in Mumbai when I came from Gujrat and I know the value of water. That led me to set up Drop Dead Foundation", he told me. The aim of the Foundation is to fix leaky taps and help save water. Every Sunday, Surti goes door to door doing just this.

Tejal Shah, the chief co-ordinator of the Foundation, joined Surti five years ago. She goes door-to-door to various apartment complexes to get permission to enter their premises come Sunday. Many apartments have already called them. "We don't enter the premises without permission. We understand that people are hesitant to open their doors". But getting prior permission doesn't imply that everybody allows them to fix their leaky taps.

The most common problem is that the washer has gone bad. She says, "It costs me Rs.20-35 to just buy the spare part. The expensive component of the repair is the plumber's labor cost and we provide that. But even then, we find people who don't want to fix it". Rather than get bogged down by such responses, they just go and save the next drop. Once they're done with the apartment, they make arrangements for their next visit and also drop off a poster the following Monday. 

Plumber Riyaz Ahmed also joined Surti three years ago. He found the painter's work and perspective of saving water drop by drop very interesting. So he offered his services for free. But over time, people have come forward to fund the foundation, so he takes away Rs. 500 every Sunday for his services. These funds come from philanthropists and people who see Surti at various conferences and want to support this simple but effective task.

Together, the trio manage to spread awareness on saving water. Once the leaky pipes are fixed, they stick a small poster right next to the wash basin. 

The poster reads: 'Save every drop or drop dead', a message Aabid Surti has carried on. After this poster is stuck, they take the name and address of the person whose pipe they have fixed. Till date, the trio has visited more than 6000 homes in Mira Road. Surti says, "What I am doing is not unachievable. It is simple. You can take up this cause too".

He has inspired a few people. They write to the painter, who promptly sends off his material- the poster- via mail. He says, "One only needs to be determined to continue this. You can join the team on any Sunday. Just call us on 09820184964 and save every drop or drop dead". 

Gamalibai is a farmer in Malkaipeta Thanda, a small tribal hamlet of the Lambadi community in Ibrahimpur village, Ranga Reddy district in Andhra Pradesh. She does not have much in common with the image of the hearty, prosperous farmer that beams at us from posters selling agricultural machinery. That is because in common with most tribals, she is a subsistence farmer- one who grows barely enough food to keep body and soul together.

Investing in her farm was an impossible dream. Naturally, Gamalibai did not own a borewell. She was dependent on rainfall for agriculture during the kharif, while the rabi crop was dependent on soil moisture or left to fate. When the monsoon failed, many of her family members were forced to migrate to Hyderabad or other distant towns to look for work as labourers on construction sites.

Those of her neighbours who could afford to drill borewells were not better off either. Groundwater exploitation in the area meant that drilling of borewells was risky and often led to heavy investment losses. The rural poor and marginalized farmers were the main sufferers due to the rampant overexploitation of groundwater by the richer farmers.

Is groundwater a common resource?

Yes, groundwater is a common pool resource and not something that belongs to each individual separately. It makes sense then that the most ethical and sustainable way of using it is to do it together as a community. Unfortunately, that's easier said than done. The ease with which a farmer can sink a borewell and pump up water makes it next to impossible to monitor and control a person's use of this resource. The only way this is possible is if it is driven by the farmers themselves. This means that a prosperous farmer has to make a conscious decision to dial back on using all the resources s/he can and instead distribute it among the other villagers.

As impossible as this might sound, it has happened in Malkaipeta Thanda.

WASSAN (Watershed Support Services and Activities Network), a network that works on resource management in Andhra Pradesh began to explore alternatives for conservation, efficient use, and equitable distribution of groundwater. They encouraged the village to pool the groundwater from farmers who had borewells and share it with all other farmers who don’t have access to water, thus providing critical irrigation to the rainfed crops.

Why did the borewell owners agree?

• They understood that pooling the borewells and sharing water would avoid competitive borewell drilling and further eliminate unnecessary investment and loss of capital.
• The borewell owners were assured irrigation for the area under crops at the time of the agreement, provided water intensive crops were not planted.
• Water saved by not planting water intensive crops would provide critical irrigation to the rainfed area, which included lands of both borewell owners and others.
• In case of a borewell failure, back-up arrangements were assured as the borewells were pooled.
• The community was also motivated to use micro irrigation systems (sprinklers and drips) thus further increasing the land that could be irrigated with a given amount of water.

WASSAN also facilitated the following:

• Trained the village level institutions on community management of groundwater, which included monitoring water levels, borewell yields and regulations.

• Improved the groundwater recharge through convergence with various other programmes and ensured protection of key recharge areas.

• Reduced water losses by adopting effective irrigation systems and methods.

 The following water sharing norms were part of the agreement:

• Pooling of borewells through a common pipeline network for sharing.

• Sharing of water among all irrespective of whether they owned the borewell.

• Planning crops based on availability of water in agreement with the members.

• Reducing the area under paddy cultivation.

• Sharing the water to protect the kharif crop of non-borewell farmers.

• Ensuring cultivation of acreage of borewell owner.

• Creating a general fund for maintenance of pipeline, repairs etc.

• Borewell owners contributed Rs. 200 per acre of irrigated land and others who used the water would pay Rs. 1000 per acre per year.

The farmers of Malkaipeta Thanda have realised that pooling resources leads to increased opportunities not just for poor farmers like Gamalibai, but also for their richer counterparts.

Will the rest of the country learn from their example?

Is there any law for minimum distance between two water wells in Maharashtra like that of WALTA in Andhra Pradesh? Also, is there any legal directions regarding minimum distance between two water wells for different purposes, such as drinking water/ irrigation.

Kindly help if you know something about such laws in Maharashtra. Please also mention the references, citations and their links.

285 people die in four years of drinking water contamination in Karnataka

Data by the Central Health Ministry between 2010 and 2013 shows deaths were due to five major water-borne diseases; maximum number of deaths, 113, in the year 2012

Fight over water in Nagpur

Scuffle ensued when a private water tanker reached a slum region in the city's Nandanvan area; those involved charged for outraging women's modesty and assault

Delhi Chief Minister to look into the Rs 10,000 crore Delhi Jal Board scam

Projects under scanner include privatisation of water treatment and supply, water metres and maintenance of treatment plants without tendering

Despite HC order, Maharashtra Government legalises slum on wetland

The 49 acre Dahisar wetland in Mumbai is twice the size of the famous Shivaji Park or Oval Maidan; environmentalists cry foul

Activists in Mangalore against Yettinahole project

Say with diversion of the Netravati and Yettinahole rivers, environment minister Veerappa Moily would be decieving the people of Dakshin Kannada, his home turf

Agriculture Minister claims to free Maharashtra of drought in five years

Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil says the State Government has earmarked 25,000 crores for irrigation; states that water from the Konkan should be diverted to step up irrigation in central Maharashtra

State Power company threatens Nagpur's major drinking water source

The Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited illegally constructing an ash bund to dispose off fly ash in the no-construction zone of the Kalhan river

Andhra Pradesh appeals to SC against raise in Almatti dam's height

Appeal against the Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal's award of November last year that allowed Karnataka to raise the height of the dam in North Karnataka

Work begins on National Waterway-4

Union Minister of Shipping GK Vasan launched the project worth Rs 123 crore on south Buckingham canal in Tamil Nadu; total length of the Waterway will be 1078 kms

This is a news roundup of January 24, 2014.

Who needs farming for food?

According to a study by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) the number of people opting for agriculture in rural areas has dipped by 11% in the last decade

SC says no to complete filling of the Tehri reservoir

Petitioners argued that the rehabilitation of dam oustees and construction of bridges to connect villages near the dam in Uttarakhand is still incomplete; filling the reservoir will put their lives in danger

Drinking water schemes worth Rs 853 crores for Tamil Nadu

The state Chief Minister Jayalalitha approves drinking water and underground drainage schemes for various municiplities under a JNNURM and a German funding project

Assam CM wants river and lake authority for the State

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi also discussed initiatives taken for river conservation with the State Environment and Forests Department

Rs 100 crore to make Kerala water-rich

Money set aside to prevent water-borne diseases and adress scarcity; will be given to people and local bodies interested in building check dams

Authorities dredge mouths of Cooum and Adyar rivers in Chennai

Residents near the rivers complain of mosquito menace; dredging would help better tidal wave action and drain river water into the sea

Rs 4.3 crores to tackle water scarcity in Bangalore rural

Money proposed to help the four talukas of Hoskote, Nelamangala, Doddaballapur and Devanahalli to install motor pumps for borewells

This is a news roundup of January 25, 2014.

Goa mining companies submitted false EIAs: Madhav Gadgil

According to the renowned ecologist, all companies hid information about existing water bodies in their mining lease area in their respective Environment Impact Assessment reports

Delhi scores worse than Beijing on air pollution

Particulate matter pollution in the Capital peaked above 500 in January on many days without causing a stir even as warnings were issued and highways closed in Beijing when it touched this figure

Award winning farmer in Tamil Nadu against concretisation of canals

N. Parameswaran from Erode, awarded for highest yield in the State, said concretisation prevents groundwater replenishment and seepage of water into the fields from bunds

NGT issues notice to dam company in Uttarakhand

Petition filed by resident group in the State's Shrinagar town states that the dam officials did not open gates until an artificial pond developed during the floods in June last year resulting in massive damage

Residents petition Delhi Environment Minister against Waste incinerator

Ask for the plant to be shut down as it emits pollutants like dioxins and furans and is causing breathing problems in the area

Telegu-Ganga project to irrigate 60,000 acres in Andhra Pradesh

About 6,000 crores have been sanctioned for the project in Kadapa district that will get water from the Srisailam reservoir in Kurnool

Activists ask Uttar Pradesh Government to revive the Order of water bodies in big projects

Say that the 2001 Order makes it mandatory for infrastructure projects of more than 20 acres to reserve 5% of their total area for development of water bodies

This is the news roundup of January 26 and 27, 2014

Overview:

WASSAN has established Resource Centre for Participatory Groundwater Management for last four years and making serious efforts to address the above concern. Over a period of time, WASSAN and its partners (government, communities and NGOs) are able to demonstrate few models that addressed groundwater management issues in few villages of RR District, Mehabubnagar and Ananatapur districts. These experiences are relevant for mainstream development initiatives such as IWMP, IJP, IGWDP, etc. These models were demonstrated with funding and administrative support from several departments of GoAP (Department of Rural Development/Agriculture) and others (NABARD; CRIDA/ ICAR, Arghyam Foundation and others).

Objective:

Through this workshop, WASSAN aims to spread the message of collective action for improving the groundwater management and governance in the context of IWMP, IJP and other mainstream government projects and also several initiatives by voluntary agencies/ academic institutions in the state. Partnering with potential agencies in the process of spreading some of the good practices is also on the agenda.

Date & Venue:

A sharing workshop on 12th and 13th Feb 2014 on “Constructing Groundwater Governance from the Emerging Field Level Experiences - A Travelling Workshop on Participatory Groundwater Management in Andhra Pradesh” at Dream Valley Resorts, Hyderabad. Two day travelling workshop which has both field visit (On 12th Feb 2014 to RR District/ Mehabubnagar District) and conference/ workshop (on 13th Feb 2014 at Dream Valley Resorts, Hyderabad).

Please contact Mr. C. Bakka Reddy (9440621862) for any details of the workshop. Travel expenses (2nd Class sleeper/ bus tickets) would be reimbursed for those participants from NGOs/ Community Based Organizations, on submission of original tickets. Also, view the tentative schedule from below.

It's been years since Bhutahi Balan, a small tributary of the Kosi river in Madhubani, North Bihar, has been causing devastation on both its banks. Dinesh Mishra in his book 'Story of a ghost river and engineering witchcraft' objectively analyses the failure of embankments, which are raised banks to contain the river's flooding.

He combines this analysis with questions of political economy while retaining a moving passion for the lives of people. With sharpness and conviction, Mishra takes a dig at the technical aspects of the embankments. “The engineers instead of routing the river’s sand routed the water”, he says. The article below is based on excerpts from this book.

Bhutahi Balan, a tributary of the Kosi is a small river of Madhubani, Bihar but the devastation it causes is, in actual fact, disproportionate to its size. The river rightly derives its name from ghosts (bhut). Local people say that the river rises abruptly in the rainy season, its waters enter the houses and communication goes out of gear. Before one can react to the situation, the river disappears leaving a trail of thick sand behind. The river did not have a definite flow path nor did it have any definite bed until recently. 

Change in the course and branching of various streams are the two main problems attached to the river. Most of the streams that have branched off from the river have done so on its right bank. The flow of the river contains excessive sediments, like any other river of north Bihar. This leads to a change in its course, a serpentine flow path, shallow beds, overtopping of the banks and instability of the channel. This causes great inconvenience to the people living on either side of the river. 

View Larger Map

Embankments on the Kosi

The problems of the Bhutahi Balan are tagged to that of the Kosi river, which was embanked between 1955 and 1957 as a result of a major initiative to control floods in post-independent India. The western embankments of the Kosi intercepted the flow of most of its tributaries. It takes time to construct sluice gates or bridges and hence gaps were left in the western embankment of the Kosi where the rivers were likely to cross it.

Before the construction of the embankment, the water of the tributaries used to spread to the adjoining land prior to emptying into the Kosi’s mainstream thereby moderating floods. After the construction of the embankment, the tributaries were forced to converge to the gaps left in the embankment, for constructing sluice gates. This led to the building up of the flood levels upstream and brought more areas under the sheet of water, apart from endangering the western embankment of the Kosi. The Bhutahi’s water flowed freely into the Kosi before the embankments were constructed.

Problems caused by the embankment

The construction of the embankment paved the way for raising of the railway track, which impeded flow of many tributaries in the area. The mess of the Bhutahi Balan was created by a mistake, whether willful or otherwise, of building the embankment only on one side of the river. It has pitted people against each other and created a conflicting situation in various hamlets of the same village because of their locations in relation to the river and the embankment. It has created a rift between the Water Resources Department and the people.

It further led to a competition between politicians and the political parties, the sole beneficiaries of this lapse, as they are always on the lookout for issues and the unsettled Bhutahi Balan issue gave them that opportunity. It is the people who have suffered the risk of their livelihood. Because the people did not know the consequences of the western Bhutahi Balan embankment, the resistance to it was not that vocal and the Emergency helped the Government in building the same. The protestors ran the risk of being thrown behind bars.

The Government of Bihar, having constructed the embankment on the western side of the Bhutahi Balan, has tied a snake around the necks of the people in the basin along with that of its own. It would have been better if the Government had evaluated the performance of the existing embankments and taken a decision on the findings of such a study. This study would have revealed the effectiveness of the existing embankments in the backdrop of the claims made in the project report. The claim that there would be a return of Rs. 3.28 against an investment of every rupee should have been verified. A similar assessment is needed of the claim that four times the maximum discharge of the Bhutahi Balan would pass through the Bridge Nos: 133-140 without any difficulty. The Railways should also come out with a clear position in the matter.

The evaluation would have revealed the reasons for straying from the target and fixed the responsibility for the lapses, if any. What were the steps needed to improve the situation? Without knowing all these facts and without planning for rehabilitation for those who are likely to be trapped within the two embankments of the Bhutahi Balan, if the eastern embankment is extended any further, the status quo will be maintained. 

What all has been done so far to tame the river and what is being proposed at the moment, amounts to a witchcraft to tame the river that behaves like a ghost. It is about time that the engineers are reminded that the problem lies not in routing the water but routing the sand. Unless that is done, engineering would be reduced to witchery. Until then, there is no other option than to tolerate the continued hissing of the snake silently. The final verdict, however, will come from the river and one will have to wait for that to happen. 

The mountain states are at a loss when it comes to a defined livelihood option for its inhabitants. Himachal Pradesh is no different. While the upper reaches of the state have excelled in growing niche products like apple and chilgoza (a variety of pine nut), areas like Chamba that are below 4000 metres, have to depend on farming. In that too, we have to compete with farmers of neighbouring plain states like Punjab and Haryana which can grow better wheat and paddy with lesser inputs.

This is why a Himachali wears multiple hats-to remain viable. He grows crops, rears livestock and also picks herbs from forests to supplement his income. While this cushions him from disastrous events like crop failures, it also makes him completely dependent on the forests for his daily needs. 

Fodder, fuelwood, herbs, wild fruits, construction material like mud and wood, besides the all important irrigation water from springs, forests help provide all this. But usually what is good for farmers and herders is not good for the authorities. The British introduced chir pine (pinus roxburghil) and other timber trees to India since they were in demand in the industrial world. They were useful especially for the expansion of the railways and for manufacturing ships.

Even after independence in 1947, we continued to follow the same practice. The situation worsened to such an extent that many of our pastures have now been converted to pine forests which don't yield any fodder. This is why we have to now buy fodder from Punjab at Rs 7-8 per kg thus increasing the input cost for herders.

Fighting for their rights 

In the late 1970s, villagers of the Garhwal hills in present day Uttarakhand were writing history through the 'Chipko Movement'. They hugged trees as a mark of non-violent resistance against rapid deforestation.

At that time, Himachal's Forest Department was also continuing to replace native tree species with what it used to ironically call 'improvement forests'. They removed the tree bark and let the trees dry out on their own. These were later replaced with acacia, pine and eucalyptus.

Not only were these new trees useless as fodder but they also didn't allow any undergrowth of shrubs or wild grass. The ground below chir pine is always full of the needled leaves of the tree and this was unsuitable for the growth of other trees and plants. On the other hand, eucalyptus depletes groundwater. 

The fact that the forest is an entity which provides environmental services including soil and water conservation was totally lost on the authorities. So, our campaign had to involve communities rather than officials. We held meetings with villagers across Himachal but the main area of activity was 18 Gram Panchayats of Sinhuta sub-tehsil in Chamba and Aut area of Mandi.

We were able to build a bond with the villagers through 'shram daan' (voluntary labour). Villagers used to decide some public work that they wanted to get done. It could be the repair of a water resource or the levelling of a dirt road. In the evenings, we would sing revolutionary and folk songs. Training workshops of 3-5 days were conducted. There were sessions on Gandhian economics and 'gram swaraj' (village self-rule).   

Nurseries were set up to grow traditional tree species, which were offered to the Forest Department officials who invariably refused to accept them. This resulted in the villagers taking direct action. Along with leaders of the movement, we would go to the forest, uproot the saplings of foreign varieties and plant the ones grown in our nurseries. All this would happen in full public view as a festival complete with drum beats and songs. Some of us were also arrested and put in prison for 2-3 months but were releasd soon without punishment.  

Impact of the movement

In 1984, the then Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who is also holding the post currently, called us for a meeting. The Forest Department officials accused us of damaging the forests by cutting trees and lighting fires. We submitted photgraphs, which showed how the villagers went about their task in a disciplined manner without damaging the fences. All they had done was to remove the small saplings of pine or eucalyptus and to replace them with bigger, better saplings of traditional varieties. 

We also had pictures of Forest Department workers removing the bark of fully grown trees of traditional varieties forcing them to dry out and die. We sought some limit to this 'improvement drive' so that at least forests near the villages, on which the locals were highly dependent, were left untouched. 

The Chief Minister accepted our contention and an order was passed banning eucalyptus plantation in government forests. Pine was banned from plantation in forests near villages. In fodder-sensitive areas, the trade of charcoal was also banned. The nurseries of the Forest Department also stopped nurturing pine and eucalyptus except in lower areas like Poanta Sahib and Una which were out of the ambit of the order since the communities there were not as dependent on the forest.

However, the impact of this wrong afforestation policy of the past is still visible across Himachal in form of the human-animal conflict. Due to the removal of traditional shrub trees, the animals don't get enough food in the forest and are forced to enter farms and other human habitat. 

The situation today

Thanks to the replacement of traditional shrub forests with commercial trees, monkeys and wild pigs have been forced to leave their original habitats and come to the fields in search of food. This infestation has turned farming almost impossible in our area. Many farmers now keep their land fallow or grow fodder grass as it is not possible to save much of the crops. Habitat restoration is the only real long term answer to this issue but the state government is more keen on mining and hydroelectricty projects, which will worsen the situation further. 

Even the Forest Rights Act (FRA), which ensures rights of locals dependent on surrounding forests, have not been fully implemented in Himachal. The state government keeps referring to the settlement done by the British in 1927, which recognised 24 'rights', including the right to graze animals. However, these so-called rights are actually concessions since they don't stand any legal ground. This is why FRA needs to be implemented in full spirit in all of Himachal. Various groups and activists are already campaigning for this and hopefully the state government will see reason soon and then decentralise forest management.

President approves Maharashtra Groundwater Bill

Recognition of groundwater as public property is the basic premise of the Bill introduced in 2009; will include formation of a regulatory authority and notification of overexploited areas

BIS mark mandatory for packaged water

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India declared that the Bureau of Indian Standards mark necessary for both production and sale of bottled water

Threatened Olive Ridle turtles washed ashore in Andhra Pradesh

Turtles caught in fishing nets along the 115-kms long coastline of Krishna district; most fishing boats in the region not equiped with Turtle Excluder Device

New BJP government in Rajasthan promises drinking water

The State Water Resources minister Sanwar lal Jat says an expert committee will look for solutions to drinking water needs including tapping water from neighbouring Gujarat

After CBI's chargesheet, summon against DJB engineer

Along with two private contractors, the engineer has been charged with causing the Delhi Jal Board a loss of 1.79 lakhs by submitting forged bills

Mangroves in Goa face sewage wrath

A study by the National Institute of Oceanography has found high level of nitrous oxide- a greenhouse gas more potential than carbon dioxide- in the mangroves of Divar region

MP Pollution Board tells Essar to shut thermal power plant in Singrauli

Large quantity of fly ash from the controversial Mahaan-I plant has been polluting streams in the region

This is a news roundup of January 28, 2014

NGO writes to Environment Minister Moily against Yettinahole river diversion project in Karnataka

The project involving deforestation of 100 hectares of forest and eight dams in the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats region does not have any environment clearance or impact assessment studies

Activists want UP wetlands to be declared Sarus Safari

Demand that the 35-kms stretch spanning five wetlands across Etawah and Mainpuri be protected to save wetlands and the Uttar Pradesh state bird

Maharashtra farmers to hold rally against water diversion

Farmers from Kolhapur will gather in Mumbai to protest against diversion of water from dams to industry, especially sugar, and abrupt cutting of their water connections

Kerala Water Authority to produce packaged water soon

Five bottling plants, beginning with a 10-crore project in Thiruvananthapuram, will be set up soon across the state followed by one in each municiplaity as per the State Government's plan

Pune Corporation opens riverbed to construction

With the Corporation proposing roads, playgrounds and sewage treatment plants, the three already polluted rivers of Pavani, Indrayani and Mula would received a further blow

Hyderabad administration to sell treated water from Hussainsagar lake

Seven million litres of treated water from the lake would be sold for non-potable purposes through three filling points besides being used by two railway stations

No water wars after the State's division: Andhra Pradesh minister

The State Irrigation Minister Sudarshan Reddy said allocation of waters to major and minor irrigation projects would be unchanged even after the division

Jail for those with illegal water connections in Hyderabad

Six cases booked and three people arrested in last two months for possessing illegal water connection in their houses

New ponds to help irrigate fields in Bihar's Munger district

The Water Resources Department to initiate four projects worth Rs 7.59 crores; include nullah desilting and building check dams

Water a daily struggle for those living on Yamuna banks

With high level of ammonia in the Delhi stretch of the river in past few days and dissappearance of water tankers by the Delhi Jal Board, 500 families living on Yamuna bank have to shell out Rs 1per litre to buy water from the DJB's water plant

This is the news roundup of January 29-30, 2014

Pudukottai gets crop insurance scheme to mitigate nature's fury

Both the Central and the Tamil Nadu governments have approved the modified national agricultural insurance scheme in all 13 blocks in Pudukottai. Under the scheme, compensation will be provided at revenue-village-level for losses of weather-based crops and coconut palm due to natural disasters. The scheme will benefit tenants while covering all food grain crops and will also grant compensation for monsoon failure at any stage. 

Defunct RWHs in Delhi's school to be revived 

The Delhi government is all set to revive non-functional rainwater harvesting systems in schools to enhance the groundwater level and combat the water crisis in the capital. More than 50% of 800 government schools have defunct RWHs due to lack of maintenance. A team of engineers, scientists and advisors along with two education coordinators have been constituted to find out the problems and suggest remedial measures in the RWH systems.

NGT against illegal coastal sand mining

The National Green Tribunal has ordered the governments of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa to monitor and stop illegal sand mining in areas falling under the Coastal Regulation Zone. In its order, the Tribunal has asked the state governments to seek the help of Coastal Police, home guards, NGOs and locals to stop the illegal activity and take strict action against the sand mafia as well as those extracting sand illegaly in the coastal zone.

Rs. 1,295 crore water supply scheme to Vellore to be tried out soon

The Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board plans to commence the trial run of the Combined Water Supply Scheme worth Rs. 1,295 crore, by August 2014. The project aims to provide Cauvery water to Vellore Corporation, 11 municipalities, 5 town panchayats and 944 rural habitations in Vellore district. It will be tried out for a minimum of 4 months to ensure that the water is supplied to the end user without any hindrance.

Water, sanitation to be the focus of India's Innovation Fund

The Government has announced the launch of 'India Inclusive Innovation Fund' that aims to focus on water and sanitation for promoting grass root innovation in socially relevant sectors. The fund will also encourage social returns from the venture that will be scalable, sustainable and profitable. A 20% grant will be provided to the funds while the rest of the money will be generated from banks, insurance companies and overseas-based financial and development institutions. 

This is a weekly roundup of policy matters from  February 2-9, 2014. Also read last week's news roundup.

Water for Mumbai a cost to ecology

All 12 dams planned to quench Mumbai's thirst fall in the ecologically sensitive region of Western Ghats; will submerge more than 22,000 hectares

We welcome tourists, not their plastice bottles

Lachen in Sikkim becomes the first village in India to ban bottled water; imposes fine on those bringing any

Anganwadi toilets in Kerala cleanest in the country

At 59%, the State stands much above the all India average of 9.9% followed by Himachal Pradesh at 45%

Enough water for Hyderabad VIPs

Raj Bhawan and other Government bunglows in Hyderabad get more than 60,000 litres water every day even as nearby localities get water supply only on alternate days

More funds to clean the Yamuna

The Urban Development Ministry has approved a second instalment of Rs 7128 lakhs to construct interceptor sewerage system on three major drains that enter the river in Delhi

Hydel project in Arunachal has no clearance yet even as its foundation stone was laid six years ago

PM Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone of the 3000 mega watt Dibang project in 2008 without forest and environmental clearance

Two lakh hectares of forest land diverted in four years

According to environmentalist Sunita Narain, over 8000 projects have been cleared by the Government in this period which is double the clearances given in three decades

Illegal debris dumping in Bangalore lake

For two years, a resident association has been working to clean up the Somasundarapalya lake; police complaints of illegal dumping fell on deaf ears

Camels less prone to fluorosis: Study

Conducted by an Udaipur College Scientist, the study could help find ways to protect other animals from the medical condition caused mostly by excess fluoride in groundwater

This is a news roundup of January 31, 2014

Contaminated water killed 13,000 in last four years

The data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare divided water-borne diseases into five types- acute diarrhoea, typhoid, viral hepatitis, cholera and acute encephalitis, with diarrhoea having claimed the most number of lives

Woman slaps AAP MLA over water supply issue in Delhi

Woman from Sangam Vihar, the biggest colony in Delhi with unmetered water connection, slapped the area MLA, Dinesh Mohaniya over the issue of free water; AAP's free water is not for unmetered connections

Tourism dept outsources Puri beach cleaning

Department hires an NGO to clean the beach that would use mechanised sweeping machines; environmentalists fear the machines will flatten sand dunes besides escalating cost and creating unemployment

Water Board agrees not to dump sewage in Bangalore lakes

The Board was dumping raw sewage in both Allasandra lake and the Puttenahalli lake in the northern part of the city; the promise came after the Karnataka Upayukta directed them to do so

No toilets, drinking water for Mumbai's swanky Monorail

Management says toilets and water not provided as Monorail equivalent to bus transport system; promises vending machines for bottled water

Shrimp and paddy give way to fish farming in Andhra's Krishna district

Shrimp farming earned people lakhs before a virus attack in the year 2000; high rent by fish cultivators has meant more than a lakh acres under fish farming

Crop insurance in TN district

Weather-based crop insurance scheme and coconut palm insurance scheme will be implemented at revenue village level in all 13 blocks of the drought-hit Puddukotai district

Madurai to get water once in four days

Measure taken to counter shortage; 125 new borewells to come up and 44 private wells identified to tackle water shortage in summers

No fear of Uranium contamination in Kadapa: Researchers

Thummalapalle region in this Andhra district has one of the largest uranium reserve in the World; researchers say that the level of uranium in water however is below the maximum limit prescribed by WHO

Lakhwar multi-purpose project in Uttarakhand gets clearance

The 300 mega watt project on the upper Yamuna river in Dehradun will also supply irrigation and drinking water to Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal and Uttar Pradesh

This is a roundup of news on February 3, 2014

Mumbai slums to get potable water 

Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan announced the scheme for the 50-lakh post-1995 unauthorised slum-dwellers in the city; political observers see it as a poll soap

Tamil Nadu village sets example in water conservation

Poongudi village in Tiruchi district has maintained its tank renovated three years ago only for drinking and irrigation even as groundwater is depleting in nearby areas

Lucknow water board claims purity of supplied water 

Residents livid at an RTI reply from the Board which stated that water supplied by it does not need treatment; blame Jal Sansthan for supplying water contaminated with sand particles, algae and sewage waste

Swedish embassy in Delhi sets up rainwater harvesting system

The system will help harvest 10.5 million litres of rainwater annualy and save Rs 15-20,00,000 lakh of water cost per annum

Goa appoints expert to document water diversion case by Karnataka

The state Government is fighting a case with Karnataka for constructing dams on the river Mandovi despite a stay order; appoints Chetan Pandit, a former Central Water Commission member for technical report

Pune administration questions Venky's. two others for river pollution

Venky’s, Ganga Paper Mills and Rama Krishi Rasayani were dumping untreated effluent in rivers; action part of a survey of all industries along the river by the District Planning and Environment Committee

Delhi colony dependent on tankers approaches Kejriwal for relief

Dwarka, since its inception, does not have authorized water supply; Kejriwal tells the Delhi Jal Board to see if it can take over water supply in Dwarka

NGT tells three coastal states to mount vigil on illegal sand mining

Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat told to alert coastal police stations and arrest those mining in the coastal zone regulation area

Madurai plans restoration of water bodies

Initially, three water tanks and their feeder channels will be restored; Government funds for restoration still awaited

This is a roundup of news from February 4 and 5, 2014

MP to interlink Narmada with Kshipra

The 432 crore project includes lifting water from the Narmada with pumps upto a height of 350 metres from a distance of 50 kms and bringing it to the origin of Kshipra river; project targetted to benefit 3,000 villages and 70 towns of the Malwa region in Madhya Pradesh

Drinking water biggest invention of last century

The Institution of Chemical Engineers, an international body of engineers, ranked chemically produced potable water first on a global list of inventions followed by petrol and antibiotics; sanitation was on number 8 in the top ten inventions

Tamil Nadu complains of less water from the Krishna river

The State Government alleges farmers in Andhra Pradesh illegally tapping water; getting only 300-350 cubic feet per second (cusec) instead of the promised 500 cusecs

Poles erected to prevent river pollution in Jharkhand uprooted

Five of the 20 iron poles erected last year on the entry of the Subernarekha river in East Singhbum district found missing this week; people found washing trucks, buses and cars, releasing oil and lubricants in the river

Phytoremediation to clean up Mir Alam lake in Hyderabad

Plants will be used to clean up the contaminated water besides diversion of sewage lines, removal of aquatic weeds and development of tourism infrastructure

10 people injured in clash between villagers and sand mafia in Uttar Pradesh

Incident occured when residents of a village in Shamli district protested against sand mining on the UP-Haryana border along the Yamuna river; 13 people arrested and JCBs and trucks used for mining impounded

Gurgaon plans to construct rainwater harvesting structures with construction waste

Environmentalists livid; see it as an encroachment on the Aravali eco-sensitive zone and administration's lethargy to construct a construction waste plant

Basmati in drought prone district of Tamil Nadu

Following the System of Rice Intensification, a farmer in Ramanathapuram grows organic Basmati, reaping generous profit

After rap from Pollution Control Board, power plant in Jamshedpur plugs leakage in ash pond

The ash from the plant was polluting rivulet that fell into river Subernarekha and was the only water source of 23 villages; also raises the height of the ash pond

Water supply hit in Delhi after crackdown on tanker mafia

Residents of Sangam Vihar, the biggest unmetered colony in Delhi, have to face water shortage as less tankers operate in the area after the crackdown; the AAP Government also seized illegal borewells in the area

This is the news roundup of February 6 and 7, 2014.