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Home , Barakar River, Damodar River, Panchet Dam

Damodar : A River Valley of Sorrow in state of

The Damodar is an inter-state river in the state of Jharkhand in India. In general rivers are feminine but Damodar is an exception. Like other two rivers -The Sonebhadra and The Brahmaputra Damodar is also categorised as a Masculine River. It emerges from the roots of an old tree, know as Pakar tree in local dialect, of extremists infested Boda Hills at "Kuru" Block of "Lohardaga " District in Jharkhand and merges into River "Bhagirathi " after traversing a total length of 541 Kms of which 258 Kms lies in the Jharkhand and the rest in West province. The total catchments area of the system is 22,528 Sq Kms of which 16,934 Sq Kms (76 percent) is in the state of Jharkhand. The average yield of the Damodar River basin is 12.20 and its total surface flow in Jharkhand is estimated to be 5.80 Lham at 75 percent dependability as reported by the Irrigation Commission, Govt. of India 1972.

Tributaries :-

Its important tributaries are , Konar and Gowai. The " " is its main tributary running almost parallel to it and joins it at 258 Kms near at the border of Jharkhand and where as its another left bank tributary "river Konar " merges into it at 180 kms from its origin near in of Jharkhand. The Bokaro and Konar rivers rise very near to each other on the plateau and the two together meet meet before they finally outfall into Damodar at above 5 Kms further downstream. it's major right bank tributary the "river Gowai" joins Damodar at 219 Kms.

Geology and Geomorphology :-

Different rocks type igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic of different geological periods are found in the Damodar Valley which make the geology of the Damodar Valley Region interesting. Broadly the geology of lower Damodar Valley is quite different from the middle and upper valley. The lower valley is thickly covered with thick veneer of alluviums over the solid rocks of tertiary age. A line joining town and Sainthia town in West Bengal completely demarcates the alluviums from the geological formations of Archaean period. The Archian Basement is considered to be part of the stable block of the earth's crust and the Archian rock types have a general east - west strike and are known as saturation strike. Other geological formations like Gondawana, Vindhyans of later ages are formed in the Archaean basement.

The Damodar Valley region has extensive plains, plateau and high lands with interesting geomorphic distinctions. The distinct geomorphic units of the river valley regions are related to three principal relief features of India as below :- 1. The peninsular region having the Archean basement. 2. The Gondawana basin filled in with the sediments and woody materials during the Gondawana period. 3. The Bengal basin filled in with alluvial deposits during the tertiary and Quaternary periods.

Antiquity of Damodar :-

The Damodar Valley is also very reach in terms of Antiquity. A number of Archeological excavations have unearthed valuable Antiquarian remains which has thrown new light on the study of Bihar- Bengal Archeology. The stray finds of tools from the region clearly indicate that the human settlement goes back as early as the palaeolithic. Presence of chalcolithic assemblage is also found together with a noticeable deposit of bone and stone tools and a limited use of copper. Evidences of the visit of Jain Muni Tirthankar Mahavir and a Jain text in the Archaranga Sutra dated the 5th century B.C. Narrating the travelling of 23rd Tirthankar in a pathless wilderness are also found here. Besides according to Sabha Parvati of Mahabharata Suhma was then the name of people living along with the Pundras , the Tamraliptas and the Vangas. The early Budhist and Jain traditions repeatedly refer to Tamraliptakas as a port of embarkation. Traces of Sunga- Kushan- Gupta period and Architecture and sculptors related to these periods besides strong evidences of brisk activities in temple architecture wth influence of orissa and sculptor images of Vishnu, Harihar mages, Surya images of Deo-Barunarkin Shahabad District of erstwhile Bihar of 7th A. D. We are found at several places in the valley.

The consequences of the grand design of the DVC :-

The River Damodar till the decade of 1950 was termed as river of sorrow in its down stream region of west Bengal owing to severe floods in monsoon season. With a view to convert the same waters which periodically cause floods and havoc , inflicting heavy damages annually into a potential source of renewable energy leading to bountiful wealth if properly planned, controlled and harnessed the concept of DVC was formalised on the basis of Tennessey Valley Authority (TVA) model of USA in the decade of 1940. A unified scheme for development of the Damodar Valley Area was drawn up by Mr. William L. Voorduin on the pattern of TVA. It marked the culmination of a century long efforts, mostly fitful and piecemeal, to tame this relatively small but wild river of exceptionally high destructive capacity.

Though a group of experts consisting of an imminent engineer Mr. Kapil Bhattacharya opposed the scheme and highlighted the likely prospective miseries and its progressively diminishing returns yet the Govt. of India persuaded the then Constituent Assembly to pass the DVC Act in 1948 to facilitate the construction of the scheme which various components were completed between 1959 and 1959 and inaugurated by imminent personalities such as pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Dr. S.Radhakrishnan and others. Pt Nehru while inaugarating the and guiding one Budhini majhiain to switch on the Dam called this Multipurpose Scheme as the temple of the Modern India.

Various large industries and economic activities of both the public sector and the private sector like Bokaro Steell Ltd. of SAIL, half a dozen Power Plants of DVC, JSEB,,Coal Mines and Coal Washeries of CCL, BCCL,ECL,Tata steel and others have come up during last five decades of the Evolution of the grand design of the DVC. Multiple economic activities of various kinds have cropped up on both the banks of river Damodar. Under the burden of the disputed and undisputed direct and indirect economic benefits of DVC and its role in boosting the growth and progress of the country the once mighty river Damodar is dying ast due to unscrupulous pollution of its waters and surrounding Air, Soil and atmosphere causing acute fatal hardships to people, animals, birds, and other living beings inside and outside the river. The River Damodar facilitated the growth of industrial umpires on its both the banks but these very so called temples of modern India are proving Bhshmasur for Damoder and are hail bent upon to devour the pious river and make it nonexistent in beneficial forms for humanity and civilisation.

Movement to save Damodar :-

Peeved with the acute pollution of Damodar and apathy of Govt. institutions and errand attitude of the public and private sector industrial establishments in the vicinity of the river a group of social and environments activists began an awareness movement under the leadership of Shri Saryu Roy, a well known crusader against corruption in Bihar and Jharkhand in May 2004 . In the first leg of the movement they undertook a study cum awareness march to get the shelves acquainted with the plight of river throughout its length and breadth.

The study cum awareness march began on the day of Ganga Dashahara ( 29 May, 2004 ) from the origin point of the river at revenue village chulhapani in the kuru block of the in Jharkhand and culminated at Kolkata, the headquarters of the DVC. Besides social and environmental activists the march was accompanied by a group of eminent environmental scientists such as Prof. R K Sinha, popularly known as the Dolphin Man throughout the world and Mr. Gopal Sharma, presently regional in-charge (Bihar and Jharkhand) of Zoological Survey of India (ZSI). The scientists accompanying the march also carried their mobile laboratories. They took samples of waters, sediments, aquatic lives etc. analysed the various pollution parameters on the spot. Rest components were later analysed at recognised environmental laboratories

The save Damodar Campaign leaders made the state and central Govts. aware about the alarming condition of the river due to acute pollution emerging from the industries like coal ,steel and power plants at various places and directly drained into river stream without any treatment. The anti pollution measures shown to be installed in the industries were completely non functional and were mere a show piece with a view to report to the regulator agency to complete the formality of environmental clearances. Undoubtedly the spate of pollution killing the river was in well know of the state and central pollution control boards and concerned district officials. In fact this illegality and crime to humanity was being committed under active patronage of the power that was.

The Save Damodar Campaign under the aegis of voluntary organisation the Yugantar Bharati intensified the agitation and even sat on Dharna before the Parliament also. Many members of Parliament addressed the agitators at Dahrna spot and voices were raised in the parliament leading to seriousness on the part of regulatory agencies and the Govt officials. The save Damodar campaign committee under the guidance of Mr. Saryu Roy is constantly active to put pressure on establishment. The committee by now has agitated before the offices of major polluting companies including DVC headquarters at Kolkata.

Yugantar Bharati, to provide teeth to the movement, has established a well equipped environmental analysis laboratory at Ranchi. The samples of Damodar water are collected annually and tested to know the health of the river. The Damodar river which is known as "Deonad" (river of God) upto 35 Kms from it's place of origin to village Kekrahi at the border of Ranchi and Latehar Districts starts getting polluted as it enters the Coalfields of CCL at Khalari and the condition deteriorates in the route as it moves forward and confronts steel plants and power plants established in its basin area.

It is distressing that initially the voice of Save Damodar Campaign was not given proper attention and the attempts of the campaigners were treated with content. But afterwards when the voice became strong and louder and the movement acquired momentum many of the industries adopted corrective measures and the regulatory authorities also tightened noose.

Irony of the fact is that the Govts. of the centre and the state are not at all serious at both the fronts of policy and execution of existing rules and laws. The process of Justice through courts are also proving time taking. The chairman of the Save Damodar Campaign Mr. Saryu Roy moved to the high Court at Ranchi against the attempts of mighty industrialists to encroach the major and minor rivers of Jharkhand one of whom was making huge illegal construction in the midstream of river Damodar. He also highlighted the criminal pollution of Bokaro Thermal Power plant of DVC by means of live photographs and videographs. The hon'ble high court directed the chief secretary of Jharkhand to act but since last one year the polluters and illegal construction makers have not been tamed and penalised.

Such an attitude of the administration and polluters is causing resentment among the people residing nearby the river front and such resentment may take violent turn if their callous attitude continues. One Vinod Kumar Sao, the Panchayat Member of the Bokaro thermal Panchayat , backed by activists of local Sacve Damodar Campaign unit has sat on indefinite fast there from March 9, 2013 against the acute criminal pollution of the Bokaro thermal power plant of DVC. Such more ventilation of public wrath may explode if the administration and regulatory agencies keep conniving with the mighty and powerful polluters.

The Yugantar Bharati and the Save Damodar Campaign are working hard to put check on inhuman acts of polluters and destroyers of Natural Resources and hope that tomorrow and day after tomorrow the sense will prevail on the system of administration and justice will be done to those actively engaged towards protection and conservation of environment and ecology in the state of Jharkhand

Saryu Roy Chairman, Save Damodar Campaign