Flood Management by the Stakeholders Along Mayurakshi Basin: a New Perspective

Flood: Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri 2017 FLOOD MANAGEMENT BY THE STAKEHOLDERS ALONG MAYURAKSHI BASIN: A NEW PERSPECTIVE SAYANI MUKHOPADHYAY ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY, ASUTOSH COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY OF CALCUTTA Flood in Birbhum, 2015 •BACKDROP •Flood disaster in the state of West Bengal : An annual feature. •42.30% of its geographical area is flood prone. •30,607 km2 area flooded in 1978 followed by 23,971 km2 in 2000. Historical record of flood in West Bengal Flood affected Years during which the Flood occurred Total Area (in Km2 ) No. of Years < 500 1985,89,92,94,97,2001,2005, 2006, 2013 & 2014 10 500 - 2000 1962,63,64,65,66,72,75,96,2003,2004,2007,2009,2011 & 2015 14 2000 - 5000 1960, 61, 67, 69, 70, 74, 76, 80, 81 & 82 10 5000 - 10000 1973,77,93,95,98 & 2008 6 10000 - 15000 1968, 79, 83, 90 & 99 5 15000 – 20000 1971, 86, 87 & 88 4 > 20000 1978, 84, 91 & 2000 4 Source: Annual Flood report, 2016,West Bengal TREND OF FLOOD RESEARCH MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES During the 20th century, Flood Management has been dominated by scientific or technocratic viewpoint. Shift of paradigms from technology oriented flood protection measures with focus on defending against floods towards flood risk management, with focus on managing flood risks. Flood Risk Management (FRM) is the latest approach. In recent years, Knowledge of the public risk perception is considered as a crucial aspect in modern flood risk management. CASE STUDY River Mayurakshi has become infamous for its widespread flooding and long duration water logging in the lower reach of its basin. The worst flood happened in the year 2000. Selection of the study area • This river beyond the Massanjore experiences regular floods, the river is having such important structural measures like Massanjore Dam, Tilpara barrage and canal under Mayurakshi River Project. • After the independence, Prime Minister Nehru’s commitment was to construction of large dams, addressed by him as ‘Temples of modern India’ and Massanjore dam was an outcome of this vision. • The Massanjore dam and Tilpara barrage played a very significant role in millenium flood in September 2000 in West Bengal. 5 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FLOOD SITUATION OF SEPTEMBER’ 2000 IN THE MAYURAKSHI RIVER BASIN 17th to 21st September 2000: Incessant rainfall of 1004mm, in the upper basin of the river near Massanjore dam, 1153mm in the basin between Massanjore dam and Tilpara barrage and 596mm in the basin area between Tilpara barrage and Mayurakshi-Babla. Resulted in water discharge by Mayurakshi in the 2000 flood was 2,62,000 cusec. 6 OBJECTIVES To find out the perception of flood damage and its causes from the point of view of the bank dwellers of Mayurakshi river. To assess the risk perception about flood and its management among the inhabitants. To examine the nature of variation of human response in upper, middle and lower basin area . METHODOLOGY AND DATA BASE: A model questionnaire covering a wide range of flood- related issues was prepared to examine the perception of the bank-dwellers. The questionnaire survey was carried out in 21 villages, with a sample size of 907 during 2003- 2007. The official records and journals provided the secondary data to examine the perception at organizational level. Q. According to your opinion what are the causes of Flood? UPPER BASIN 90 80 80 LOWER BASIN 70 60 70 50 60 40 50 30 20 40 % of respondents 10 30 0 20 % of respondents 10 0 Panchthupi Godapara Purandarpur SabitriNagar MIDDLE BASIN LEGEND 120.00 COLLAPSE OF GUARDWALL 100.00 EXCESS RAIN 80.00 60.00 DECREASE IN 40.00 RIVER/RESERVOIR DEPTH OTHER REASON % of respondents 20.00 0.00 DON’T KNOW NO ANSWER Source: Primary Survey during 2003-2007 COMPARATIVE SCENARIO OF AVERAGE RESPONSES 35 25 60 55.08 70 64.49 32.36 50 47.2 60 30 20.69 20 50 25.56 40 25 16.33 40 14.4 30 30 15 28.27 responses 20 30 20 15 13.2 20 12.21 10 10 average 10 averageresponses % of average responses % of average responses 10 % of 0 0 % of 5 5 0 0 UPPER MIDDLE LOWER UPPER MIDDLE LOWER BASINS BASINS BASINS BASINS 2.5 40 LEGEND 33.89 2.08 35 2 30 COLLAPSE OF resposes 25 GUARDWALL 1.5 20 EXCESS RAIN 15 DECREASE IN RIVER 1 10 5.76 DEPTH/RESERVOIR 5 % of AVERAGE % of averageresponses OTHER REASON 0.5 0.43 0 0.35 0 DON’T KNOW 0 UPPER MIDDLE LOWER BASINS BASINS NO ANSWER Source: Primary Survey during 2003-2007 Q. Do you think Tilpara Barrage and Massanjore Dam are effective? UPPER BASIN 100 90 LOWER BASIN 80 80 70 60 70 50 60 40 30 50 20 40 10 0 30 20 Percentage respondentsof 10 Percentage respondentsof 0 Panchthupi Godapara Purandarpur SabitriNagar MIDDLE BASIN 100 90 LEGEND 80 70 60 50 40 BENEFICIAL 30 20 10 NOT BENEFICIAL 0 percentage respondentsof NO ANSWER Source: Primary Survey during 2003-2007 COMPARATIVE SCENARIO OF AVERAGE RESPONSES 20 80 17.96 70.92 18 70 64.28 16 60 14 48.2 12 50 10 8.75 40 8 30 6 20 4 % of averageresponses 1.75 % of average responses of average % 2 10 0 0 UPPER MIDDLE LOWER UPPER MIDDLE LOWER BASINS BASINS 50 45 43.06 40 LEGEND 35 30 27.33 25 20 17.76 BENEFICIAL 15 10 NOT BENEFICIAL % of averageresponses 5 0 NO ANSWER UPPER MIDDLE LOWER BASINS 11 Source: Primary Survey during 2003-2007 Q. Has the rate of occurrence of flood increased due to Tilpara Barrage? UPPER BASIN 120 LOWER BASIN 100 80 80 70 60 60 40 50 20 40 % of respondents 30 0 20 % of respondents 10 0 MIDDLE BASIN LEGEND 120 100 80 INCREASED(YES) 60 40 DECREASED(NO) 20 % of respondents 0 NO ANSWER Source: Primary Survey during 2003-2007 COMPARATIVE SCENARIO OF AVERAGE RESPONSES 80.00 30.00 68.15 68.33 70.00 24.58 25.00 60.00 20.00 50.00 14.47 40.00 15.00 12.64 29.86 30.00 10.00 20.00 5.00 % of averageresponses % of averageresponses 10.00 0.00 0.00 UPPER MIDDLE LOWER UPPER MIDDLE LOWER BASINS BASINS 70.00 LEGEND 60.00 57.50 50.00 INCREASED(YES) 40.00 30.00 DECREASED(NO) 17.38 20.00 NO ANSWER 10.00 7.09 % of average responses of average % 0.00 Source: Primary Survey during 2003-2007 UpperUPPER MIDDLE Middle LOWER Lower BASINSBasin 13 Perception of Condition before Dam Q. what is your perception about the condition before the construction of Massanjore dam ? Upper Basin 70 Lower Basin 100 60 90 50 80 70 40 60 30 50 40 20 30 % Respondents of 10 Respondents % of 20 10 0 Ghoramara Latasare Bazar Dhwajapara Ektala Raniswar 0 Rahamatganj Panchthupi Godapara Purandarpur SabitriNagar Condition before Dam Condition before Dam Better Worse Can't Say No answer Better Worse Can't Say No answer Middle Basin 100 LEGEND 90 80 70 BETTER 60 50 40 30 WORSE 20 10 % Respondents of 0 CAN’T SAY NO ANSWER Condition before Dam Better Worse Can't Say No answer Source: Primary Survey during 2003-2007 COMPARATIVE SCENARIO OF AVERAGE RESPONSES Better Worse 48 46.06 45 41.63 46 40 35 44 42.5 30 42 25 40 39.17 20 15 38 8.17 10 7.03 36 5 0 % % of average Responses 34 UPPER MIDDLE LOWER % of average Responses UPPER MIDDLE LOWER BASINS BASINS No Answer Can't Say 40 16 36.33 13.68 35 33.23 14 13 30 12 25 10 7.94 20 8 6 15 11.26 10 4 2 5 0 % % of average Responses % % of average Responses 0 UPPER MIDDLE LOWER UPPER MIDDLE LOWER BASINS BASINS Fig. : Comparative Average Responses of Perception of Condition before Dam Upper, Middle and Lower Basin. Source: Primary Survey during 2003-2007 Q . What damages flood have done? UPPER BASIN Lower Basin 120 120.00 100 100.00 80 80.00 60 60.00 40 40.00 20 20.00 % of Respondents 0 0.00 Panchthupi Godapara Purandarpur SabitriNagar Percentage Respondentsof LEGEND MIDDLE BASIN 120 SANDSPLAY 100 80 WATER LOGGING 60 DAMAGE OF PONDS 40 20 CROPLAND LOSS & DEATH OF CATTLE 0 PROPERTY & LIFE LOSS Percentage Respondentsof NO ANSWER Source: Primary Survey during 2003-2007 Q . Are the flood preventive measures effective? UPPER BASIN 90.00 MIDDLE BASIN 80.00 80.00 70.00 60.00 70.00 50.00 60.00 40.00 30.00 50.00 20.00 40.00 % Of % Of Respondents 10.00 30.00 0.00 20.00 % Of % Of Respondents 10.00 0.00 LOWER BASIN LEGEND 80.00 70.00 EFFECTIVE 60.00 50.00 NOT EFFECTIVE 40.00 30.00 NO ANSWER 20.00 % of Respondents 10.00 DON’T KNOW 0.00 Source: Primary Survey during 2003-2007 Q . What is your concept about the nature of future flood? UPPER BASIN LOWER BASIN 100 90 90 80 80 70 70 60 60 50 50 40 40 30 20 30 % of respondents 10 20 0 %of respondents 10 0 MIDDLE BASIN 100 LEGEND 90 80 70 NO CHANGE 60 50 40 LESS HAZARDOUS 30 20 % of respondents MORE HAZARDOUS 10 0 DON’T KNOW Source: Primary Survey during 2003-2007 CONCLUSION Existing functional gap between the thinking patterns of the flood victims and the flood management authorities . In general, bank-dwellers' perception is that flood in this basin is a man-induced phenomenon to a certain extent in this regard they blamed the Massanjore Dam and Tilpara Barrage in particular.

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