Since May 2017, several flood related incidents have taken place in the North East showing how our shortsightedness in understanding the rivers, how our thoughtless construction along the rivers in the name of flood control and how our careless operation of dams have converted floods into a disaster.At the same time, there have been incidents raising suspicion over quality of construction of built and ongoing dams. Then the news of NHPC being accused of forging Gram Panchayats signs to build 520 MW Teesta IV dam is shocking revelation in itself. Contribution of such factors in worsening the floods is always underplayed.
The countless landslides and Cyclone Mora (http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/cyclone-mora-reaches-northeast-many-houses-damaged-in-mizoram/story-UzcDuPOge0drAklftXW38L.html) have already left the region crippling, despite this there is no regular monitoring of flood situation and no timely warning being issued by States or Central Agencies about the rainfall and floods. All this is enough to prove that the ongoing flood devastation in North East has very much to do with the way we are destroying rivers with hydro projects, dams and embankments and disturbing the fragile environment of North East. These incidents also put question mark before govt agencies which are first pushing the destruction in the sensitive region and then lagging way behind in monitoring and issuing timely precautionary warnings.
Firstly an informative piece has underlined various reasons from deforestation to climate change in making flood situation worse in Assam. It rightly highlighted how ill planned and aging embankments are turning floods a boon of nature into a bane.
As per report, the embankments built along the Brahmaputra and its 103 tributaries cover over 4,475 km. Most of these structures, constructed 25 to 30 years ago based on the 1954 recommendations of the Rashtriya Barh Ayog, show visible signs of ageing.
The flood situation has been compounded by ageing embankments and other protection measures collapsing. As per officials the embankments in Assam were designed on the basis of flood data of 15 to 20 years prior to their construction and were to remain fit for 25 to 30 years.
It is worth to mention that about 40 years ago, then Assam CM Sarat Chandra Sinha had appealed to the people to learn to live with the river in spate. http://indianexpress.com/article/india/assam-floods-annual-scourge-with-no-sign-of-solution-in-over-7-decades-4749674/
In second grim incident, improper operation of Ranganadi dam in Assam has created flood in Assam. According to news, the water released from the dam has washed away a 50-metre stretch of an embankment at Bogalijan in Lakhimpur district, about 5km from North Lakhimpur town this morning, flooding new areas of Lakhimpur and posing a threat to the North Lakhimpur town. http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=jul1017/state050
The indigenous people of the affected areas have been rendered homeless and are not even getting drinking water. They held NEEPCO responsible for this and demanded compensation for the affected people. They have also warned NEEPCO to be ready to face dire consequences and have to leave Assam and Arunachal Pradesh if it does not compensate the affected. https://www.telegraphindia.com/1170712/jsp/northeast/story_161463.jsp
Further in a clear statement, North East Dialogue Forum has stated that NEEPCO, by releasing huge quantity of water without notice to the downstream areas, is guilty of human rights violations and also ILO convention and has demanded a review of the project operation rules, among other things. http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=20..150717.jul17
The situation in the north-east state has turned from bad to worse as the rising water levels of the Brahmaputra, Barak and their tributaries has left 39 people dead. At least 23 districts have been inundated and around 15 lakh people are affected because of the heavy rain. Over 48,483 people shifted to 208 relief camps in 16 worse affected districts. 2,498 villages are under water and over 1.4 lakh hectare crop area affected http://indianexpress.com/article/india/assam-floods-heavy-rains-leave-kaziranga-national-park-inundated-animals-being-shifted-to-safe-spots-4746716/
On July 11, 2017 afternoon, 14 people have reportedly died in a massive landslide triggered by flash flood due to incessant rains for last three days in Papumpare district of Arunachal Pradesh. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/14-people-feared-dead-in-massive-landslide-in-arunachal-pradesh/articleshow/59547064.cms Here is the link for frightening videos of landslide in Arunachal Pradesh just before July 10, 2017. http://blogs.agu.org/landslideblog/2017/07/10/arunachal-pradesh/
So far Manipur has witnessed 1388.7 mm of rainfall as on July 11 against last year’s record of 1852.4 mm. So far nearly 40,000 hectares of agricultural land, which is about 20% of Manipur’s total agriculture area (1.95 lakh hectare), have been affected by floods. http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/manipur-fresh-flood-threat-looms-large-again/story-wLpDfOSh1TEJmuOzboFuxN.html
Meanwhile, precarious cracks have shown on Umiam hydro dam along the NH 40 that connects Guwahati to Shillong creating alarm. http://www.theshillongtimes.com/2017/07/10/cracks-are-showing-on-umiam-hydro-electricity-dam-along-the-busy-national-highway-that-connects-guwahati-to-shillong-and-the-lifeline-of-meghalaya/
In another shocking development, three Lepcha gram panchayats of North Sikkim have accused the district administration of forgery and suppression of facts in furnishing consent under the Forest Rights Act for the 520 MW Teesta stage IV hydel power project. http://indianexpress.com/article/india/teesta-project-panchayats-in-sikkim-accuse-govt-of-forging-their-approval/ It is worth to mention that NHPC has been forced to shut down operation of 132 Mw Teesta Low Dam III project at Ramdi in Darjeeling hills as a precaution after violence in the area due to on goig Gorkhaland stir. http://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/power/nhpc-shuts-down-hydel-power-plant-after-mob-gheraos-plant/59576140
It is also strange that while North East is battling floods, there is no timely updation of flooding monitoring system under National Disaster Management Authority. Till July 12, 2017 the site was updated upto June 04, 2017. Now it has updates for 24 June 2017 and then for 02 July 2017. The website is maintained only twice in the month of June 2017 in place of every week. http://www.ndmindia.nic.in/flood-2017/floodsJune-2017.htm
Similarly Central Water Commission has failed in issuing timely flood warning in the affected areas. In fact, there was no update for floods in Ranganadi river, last week. http://www.india-water.gov.in/ffs/current-flood-forecast/
It is worth to mention that BANGLADESH HAS BETTER FLOOD FORECASTING system than that of India, as SANDRP wrote long back. “India provides data from two points on the Ganga, five on the Brahmaputra, and one each on the Teesta, Feni and Barak rivers, while China provides river flow information from three points on the Brahmaputra river in Tibet.” http://www.sify.com/news/data-from-india-helps-bangladesh-prepare-for-floods-but-assam-reels-news-others-rhnoaghjhcaed.html – Courtesy: – South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People – SANDRP
