Mumbai Dam Cover 4-4-2014
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Dams in tribal belt of Western Ghats for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Unjustified projects when better Above: Villages in the submergence of proposed Bhugad Dam on Damanganga River in Nashik Photo: Parineeta Dandekar, SANDRP options Mumbai Metropolitan Region is planning and building over 12 dams in the ecologically fragile, biodiversity rich Western Ghats region. This is a predominantly tribal belt. By very conservative estimates, these dams will submerge more than 22,000 hectares land, exist including over 7000 of forests and 750 hectares of Tansa Sanctuary. They will together affect more than one lakh tribals. Are these mega dams the only answer to Mumbai's water problems? Are any sustainable water supply options being studied? Parineeta Dandekar Are they even being considered? How large is the footprint of our urban areas? Himanshu Thakkar Do we have democracy, equity or justice in our Urban Water Sector? This report explores the affected regions and critically looks at Mumbai's existing water management. Foreword by Prof. Madhav Gadgil South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) 86 D/AD Block, Shalimar Bagh, Delhi 110088 http://sandrp.in/, http://sandrp.wordpress.com/ Existing & Proposed Dams in Western Ghats Region of Maharashtra The list of Proposed and Existing Dams is given on inside back cover Map by www.sandrp.in Based on River Basin Map by Water Resources Information System of India inside front Cover Dams in tribal belt of Western Ghats for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Unjustified projects when better options exist Parineeta Dandekar Himanshu Thakkar March 2014 Support from A GROUP FOR ECO-DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES Dams in tribal belt of Western Ghats for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Unjustified projects when better options exist March 2014 Authors: Parineeta Dandekar, Himanshu Thakkar, SANDRP Maps: Amruta Pradhan, SANDRP Cover Photo: Seeta bai from Ogade village, submergence of proposed Gargai Dam by Parineeta Dandekar Back Photo: Submergence region of proposed Bhugad Dam on Damanganga by Parineeta Dandekar All photos: SANDRP, unless stated otherwise Covers designed by: Vinay Aditya Published by: South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) 86 D/AD Block, Shalimar Bagh, Delhi 110088 http://sandrp.in/, http://sandrp.wordpress.com/ [email protected], [email protected] Support from Keystone Foundation, Keystone Centre, PB 35, Groves Hill Road, Kotagiri 643 217, Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu India Designed and Printed by: Systems Vision A-199, Okhla Ph-I, New Delhi 110020 [email protected] This document has been produced by South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (a YUVA Project) with support from Keystone Foundation, Kotagiri, Tamil Nadu. The views stated herein are not necessarily the official views of Keystone Foundation. Material from this publication can be used, with acknowledgement to the source Contents Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................................................... v Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................................... vi Foreword .............................................................................................................................................................. vii Executive Summary .............................................................................................................................................. x Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................... xii 1. Mumbai Metropolitan Region’s water demand ..................................................................................... 1 1.1 Chitale Committee Report on future water scenario of Mumbai .............................................. 2 1.2 Justification for new sources based on exaggerated per capita and population projections ........................................................................................................................ 3 1.3 Current MCGM has no supply shortfall ......................................................................................... 3 2. Dams planned around Mumbai Metropolitan Region ....................................................................... 6 2.1 Details of Dams planned for Mumbai Metropolitan Region ...................................................... 8 • Kalu • Khargihill • Shai • Barvi • Pinjal • Bhugad • Gargai • Middle Vaitarna • Balganga • Poshir and Shilar • Susari 2.2 Serious Issues concerning planned and under construction projects ..................................... 25 • Exclusion from Environmental Appraisal Process • No Options Assessment • Unstudied Cumulative Impacts • Climate change perspective • Illegalities and irregularities • Unbelievable cost escalations • Favoring a single contractor iv 3. Prevalent Water management in MMR: Are Options being considered? .................................... 30 Annex 1: Report: Brainstorming workshop on Issues about Dams for MMR ....................................... 39 Annex 2: Letter to MoEF opposing FAC’s decision to recommend clearance to Kalu Dam ............... 46 Annex 3: Letter from Loksangram Samiti requesting FAC to revoke Stage I FC recommended to Shai Dam ........................................................................................ 52 Annex 4: City Water profiles of MMR Cities, as reflected in City Sanitation Plans (CSP), Environment Status Reports and other official documents ....................................................... 55 Abbreviations BKC : Bandra Kurla Complex CDP : City Development Plan CSP : City Sanitation Plan DPR : Detailed Project Report EC : Environmental Clearance EIA : Environment Impact Assessment EMP : Environmental Management Plan ESR : Elevated Storage Reservoirs ESR : Environmental Status Reports ESZ 1 : Ecologically Sensitive Zone I ESA : Ecologically Sensitive Area FAC : Forest Advisory Committee FC : Forest Clearance FIR : First Information Report FRA : Forest Rights Act, 2006 GSR : Ground Storage Reservoir HLWG : High Level Working Group on Western Ghats Ha : Hectares ILR : Interlinking of Rivers JNNURM : Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission KIDC : Konkan Irrigation Development Corporation Lpcd : Liters per capita per day MCGM : Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai MoEF : Ministry of Environment and Forests MMRDA : Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority MCM : Million Cubic Meters MJP : Maharashtra Jeewan Pradhikaran MLD : Million Liters per day MPAPRA : Maharashtra Project Affected Persons Rehabilitation Act NWDA : National Water Development Agency PESA : Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 SGNP : Sanjay Gandhi National Park STEM : Shahad Temghar Water Authority STP : Sewage Treatment Plant TOR : Terms of Reference UFW : Unaccounted for Water WRD : Water Resources Department WGEEP : Western Ghats Expert Ecology Panel WTP : Water Treatment Plant Acknowledgements e would like take this opportunity to thank the remarkable groups working with Wthe tribal communities in Western Ghats near Mumbai, for holistic development and environment protection. The leaders of these groups have been fighting a long struggle for this region which is so near Mumbai, and yet so far. They include Indavitai Tulpule of Shramik Mukti Sangathana, Brian Lobo of Kashtakari Sangatha, Surekhatai Dalvi of Shramik Kranti Dal, Prashant Sarkhot of Loksangram Samiti, Anjalitai Damaniya of AAP, Milind Thatte of Vayam, Rajanitai Pandhare from Jawhar, to name a few. We would like to thank proactive groups from Mumbai and neighboring regions who are supporting tribal communities in their struggles and looking for sustainable solutions to urban water crisis. They include Shripad Dharmadhikary of Manthan Adhyayan Kendra, Janak Daftari of Jal Biradari, Sitaram Shelar of YUVA, Stalin Dayanand of Vanashakti, members of Saha Astitva and many enthusiastic groups from Mumbai who have proactively objected to unjustifiable projects. We also thank the groups from Mumbai and remote places who participated in the workshop on Dams around Mumbai held on the 18th December 2013, and Father Savio from Don Bosco School for his gracious help in organizing the workshop. We are grateful to Prof. Madhav Gadgil for writing a foreword and providing a perspective to this report. We take this opportunity to thank Keystone Foundation, Kotagiri, for their generous support and push to work on this report and the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation for unstintingly supporting SANDRP’s work as a YUVA project for over a decade now. Amruta Pradhan, SANDRP worked on city profiles for MMR and maps amongst other things. Her contributions are gratefully acknowledged. Lastly and yet most importantly, we would like to acknowledge the tribal communities from the mountains and forests of Jawhar, Mokhada, Shahpur, Murbad, Pen, Dahanu, Harsul and many other places, who are trying their best to stand up for their forests, their land, their rivers and their culture. We hope this report and our effort helps them in some way. We dedicate this effort to them. Any part of this report can be used in any form, with an acknowledgement to the source. SANDRP Foreword warmly congratulate Ms. Parineeta Dandekar and Shri Himanshu Thakkar, of South IAsia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP)