RBORBO DrivenDriven CampaignCampaign toto PreservePreserve DownstreamDownstream EcologicalEcological FlowsFlows ofof aa WesternWestern GhatsGhats RiverRiver

Dr.A.Latha River Research Centre & S.Unnikrishnan Puzha Samrakshana Samithi , DamsDams AndAnd DisappearingDisappearing riversrivers

►►MajorMajor worldworld riversrivers –– Nile,Nile, Ganges,Ganges, Indus,Indus, YellowYellow RiverRiver…… failfail toto reachreach oceansoceans ►►RiversRivers physicallyphysically transformedtransformed ►►FlowFlow controlledcontrolled andand regulatedregulated ►►DyingDying riversrivers upsetupset oceanocean ecosystemsecosystems andand livelihoodslivelihoods ►►EvolutionaryEvolutionary purposepurpose ofof aa riverriver denieddenied DamsDams DominateDominate IndiaIndia’’ss WRDWRD

►►45,00045,000 largelarge damsdams onon globeglobe ►►IndiaIndia 33rd damdam builderbuilder afterafter ChinaChina andand USAUSA ►►346346 largelarge damsdams inin 19501950 –– 46004600 ++ nownow ►►80%80% budgetbudget forfor WRDWRD forfor bigbig projectsprojects ►►SilentSilent Valley,Valley, NarmadaNarmada,, TehriTehri issuesissues forerunnersforerunners ofof rethinkingrethinking ‘‘riverriver basinbasin developmentdevelopment’’ DamsDams inin KeralaKerala

►►RiversRivers dammeddammed atat 60+60+ placesplaces ►►AthirappillyAthirappilly HEPHEP-- 77th damdam -- plannedplanned acrossacross ChalakudyChalakudy riverriver raisesraises debatedebate ¾¾ RiverRiver basinbasin approachapproach toto waterwater mgmtmgmt ¾¾ HumanHuman alonealone VsVs EcologicalEcological needsneeds ofof riverriver ¾¾ NeedNeed forfor consultationsconsultations withwith primaryprimary riverriver dependentsdependents ¾¾ PeoplePeople ledled RBORBO takestakes initiativeinitiative toto startstart dialoguesdialogues WesternWestern GhatsGhats

►►‘‘BiodiversityBiodiversity HotHot spotspot’’ ►►SpreadSpread :: 55 southernsouthern statesstates 1.61.6 millionmillion sq.kmsq.km ►►16001600 kmkm NorthNorth--SouthSouth fromfrom GujaratGujarat toto KanyakumariKanyakumari ►►ScheduledScheduled tribetribe andand castecaste populationpopulation supportedsupported 55 millionmillion ►►ModulatesModulates climate,climate, riverriver waterwater flow,flow, groundground waterwater rechargerecharge ►►AddsAdds fertilityfertility toto riverriver valleyvalley andand deltadelta soilssoils ►►ProvidesProvides naturalnatural produceproduce forfor impoverishedimpoverished populationpopulation ►►RawRaw materialsmaterials forfor wood,wood, rayonsrayons andand newsprintnewsprint industriesindustries ►►EntireEntire cashcash cropscrops inin peninsularpeninsular IndiaIndia growngrown inin thisthis mountainmountain rangerange RiversRivers inin WGhatsWGhats

►►MajorMajor riversrivers –– GodavariGodavari,, KrishnaKrishna andand KaveriKaveri flowflow easteast toto BayBay ofof BengalBengal ►►Short,Short, perennial,perennial, torrentialtorrential monsoonmonsoon fedfed 4141 KeralaKerala riversrivers flowflow westwest toto ArabianArabian seasea •• TotalTotal catchmentcatchment –– justjust 43,00043,000 sq.kmsq.km •• CatchmentCatchment lessless thanthan halfhalf ofof KaveriKaveri •• MainstayMainstay ofof 3030 millionmillion peoplepeople andand habitatshabitats inin KeralaKerala PeoplePeople andand habitatshabitats inseparableinseparable ChalakudyChalakudy RiverRiver inin twotwo seasonsseasons OriginOrigin ofof riverriver AnamalaisAnamalais && NelliyampathiesNelliyampathies

►►HighHigh altitudealtitude sholashola grassgrass landland-- evergreenevergreen forestsforests ►►LongLong termterm conservationconservation valuevalue ►►>> 150150 yrsyrs historyhistory ofof deforestationdeforestation forfor coffee,coffee, tea,tea, cardamomcardamom plantationsplantations ChalakudyChalakudy RiverRiver -- ProfileProfile

►►5th5th LargestLargest RiverRiver inin KeralaKerala –– 144144 kmkm ►►BasinBasin Area:Area: 17041704 sq.kmsq.km (1404(1404 sq.kmsq.km inin KeralaKerala && 300300 sq.kmsq.km.. inin TamilTamil NaduNadu)) ►►FourFour MajorMajor tributariestributaries ►►AnnualAnnual RainfallRainfall:: 36003600 mmmm ►►ValparaiValparai andand NelliyampathyNelliyampathy highesthighest rainfallrainfall areasareas ►►TotalTotal UtilizableUtilizable yield:yield: 20332033 McumMcum outout ofof whichwhich 494494 McumMcum fromfrom TNTN

UniqueUnique featuresfeatures

►►12001200 sq.kmsq.km catchmentcatchment withwith ForestForest DeptDept ►►WildWild LifeLife SanctuarySanctuary –– TigerTiger ReserveReserve ►►HighestHighest fishfish diversitydiversity --104104 spsp (( 55 newnew toto science)science) proposedproposed FishFish SanctuarySanctuary ►►ProjectProject ElephantElephant areaarea ►►HighHigh avianavian diversitydiversity –– 33 IBAsIBAs ►►OnlyOnly homehome ofof PrimitivePrimitive ‘‘KadaKada’’ tribestribes ►►HighHigh ConservationConservation ValueValue ofof 75%75% WildWild andand ScenicScenic placesplaces

►►AthirappillyAthirappilly waterfallswaterfalls andand VazhachalVazhachal rapidsrapids inin WorldWorld TourismTourism mapmap ►►0.70.7 millionmillion touriststourists inin 20062006 ►►ParambikulamParambikulam WLSWLS ►►GoodGood wildwild lifelife habitathabitat DamsDams andand InterInter StateState DiversionsDiversions

Dam Period ht (m) Capacity Poringalkuthu 1949-57 26.21 48 MW Parambikulam 1959-67 73.15 PAP *

Thunacadavu 1963-65 25.91 PAP *

Peruvarippallam 1965-71 27.74 PAP * Kerala Sholayar 1961-66 57.60 54 MW TN Sholayar 1961-71 105.16 95 MW PAP * OtherOther StructuresStructures StructuresStructures PeriodPeriod CapacityCapacity

CRDSCRDS 19491949--5757 14,00014,000 ha.ha.

EdamalayarEdamalayar 19931993 InterInter BasinBasin AugmentationAugmentation DiversionDiversion SchemeScheme

DownstreamDownstream 19991999 ControlControl SalineSaline BarrageBarrage IngressIngress DownstreamDownstream ImpactsImpacts

► RiverRiver transformedtransformed intointo chainchain ofof reservoirsreservoirs ► 40%40% waterwater diverteddiverted byby 44 InterInter StateState InterInter basinbasin diversionsdiversions ► 33 tributariestributaries stoppedstopped flowingflowing downstreamdownstream ofof diversionsdiversions ► RiparianRiparian rightsrights ofof downstreamdownstream statestate denieddenied ► RiverRiver flowflow controlledcontrolled byby PowerPower BoardBoard ► OperationOperation andand efficiencyefficiency ofof CRDSCRDS affectedaffected ► SalinitySalinity ingressingress increasedincreased RiverRiver -- UseUse andand MisuseMisuse

Use/Use/ MisuseMisuse NumberNumber LocalLocal SelfSelf GovtsGovts 3030 DrinkingDrinking waterwater schemesschemes MoreMore thanthan 3030 LiftLift IrrigationIrrigation SchemesSchemes MoreMore thanthan 700700 TourismTourism WaterfallsWaterfalls TwoTwo WaterWater themetheme parksparks

PollutionPollution Urban,Urban, industrialindustrial agricultural,agricultural, tourismtourism SandSand MiningMining 1010 locallocal selfself govtsgovts PeoplePeople drivendriven RBORBO -- CPSSCPSS

InitialInitial activitiesactivities sincesince 19861986 ¾¾ FieldField visitsvisits toto studystudy riverriver basinbasin ¾¾ NatureNature campscamps inin forestsforests ¾¾ CampaignsCampaigns againstagainst devptdevpt projectsprojects thatthat impairimpair thethe ecologyecology andand riverriver flowflow SinceSince 20012001 ¾¾ CampaignCampaign againstagainst 77th damdam projectproject :: startingstarting pointpoint forfor RBRB dialoguesdialogues StakeholdersStakeholders InvolvedInvolved

►►RiverRiver BasinBasin locallocal selfself governmentsgovernments ►►KadaKada TribesTribes ►►ForestForest ProtectionProtection CommitteesCommittees ►►FishingFishing CommunitiesCommunities ►►WomenWomen groupsgroups ►►StudentsStudents –– schoolsschools andand collegescolleges ►►YouthYouth groupsgroups HowHow peoplepeople werewere sensitisedsensitised

►►WorkshopsWorkshops forfor LSGsLSGs ►►SmallSmall groupgroup meetingsmeetings forfor tribes,tribes, ForestForest ProtectionProtection groupsgroups (( VSS),VSS), womenwomen ►►NatureNature Camps,Camps, lectureslectures andand exhibitionsexhibitions forfor studentsstudents ►►‘‘RiverRiver forfor LifeLife’’ RiverRiver WalkWalk andand ‘‘WaterWater RightsRights’’ ConventionConvention ►►‘‘KidsKids forfor RiversRivers’’ formedformed SensitisationSensitisation……

►►DebatesDebates andand discussionsdiscussions throughthrough mediamedia ►►IndefiniteIndefinite SatyagrahaSatyagraha againstagainst thethe projectproject becomesbecomes learninglearning processprocess forfor womenwomen ►►EIAEIA reportsreports discusseddiscussed andand interpretedinterpreted amongamong peoplepeople ►►InteractionsInteractions andand sharingsharing withwith groupsgroups outsideoutside thethe statestate // countrycountry SensitisationSensitisation.... IssueIssue takentaken toto RBRB levellevel

PeoplePeople StartStart RespondingResponding………….... ¾ TwoTwo HighHigh CourtCourt orderedordered PublicPublic HearingsHearings heldheld inin 20022002 andand 20062006 forfor proposedproposed 163163 MWMW AthirappillyAthirappilly HEPHEP basedbased onon EIAsEIAs forfor thethe projectproject ¾ StakeholdersStakeholders useuse platformsplatforms toto stronglystrongly expressexpress oppositionopposition toto damdam proposalproposal ¾ downstreamdownstream socialsocial andand ecologicalecological impactsimpacts thethe projectproject wouldwould createcreate highlightedhighlighted RiverRiver BasinBasin IssuesIssues RaisedRaised

ViewView thethe 77th damdam proposalproposal against;against;

¾¾ OverallOverall waterwater useuse inin RiverRiver BasinBasin ¾¾ ImpactImpact onon existingexisting projectsprojects –– RBRB EIAEIA !! ¾¾ BasinBasin levellevel planningplanning forfor futurefuture needsneeds ¾¾ ConsiderConsider RiverRiver asas ecologicalecological entityentity ¾¾ RightRight ofof thethe riverriver toto flowflow toto seasea RiverRiver BasinBasin IssuesIssues……

► LackLack ofof hydrologicalhydrological datadata basebase forfor RBsRBs ► ManipulationManipulation ofof datadata basebase toto createcreate viabilityviability ► AA singlesingle agencyagency (( KSEB)KSEB) controllingcontrolling riverriver flowflow andand downstreamdownstream usesuses ► DeptsDepts && LSGsLSGs utilizingutilizing samesame riverriver systemsystem withoutwithout coordinationcoordination andand responsibilityresponsibility ► ConsultationConsultation andand participatoryparticipatory planningplanning withwith riverriver dependentsdependents lackinglacking BeforeBefore takingtaking upup newnew projects..projects..

►►KSEBKSEB hashas toto initiateinitiate CatchmentCatchment restorationrestoration ►►ParticipatoryParticipatory comprehensivecomprehensive PostPost FactoFacto damdam impactimpact onon riverriver ecologyecology neededneeded ►►SettleSettle InterInter StateState WaterWater DisputesDisputes (( PAP)PAP) ►►PreservePreserve remainingremaining ecologyecology andand biodiversitybiodiversity ofof thethe riverriver ►►EvolveEvolve consultativeconsultative processprocess CPSSCPSS evolvesevolves toto CPFCPF

¾¾ CampaignCampaign toto savesave thethe riverriver spreadsspreads ¾¾ 3030 locallocal regionalregional statestate levellevel groupsgroups alongalong withwith CPSSCPSS formform ChalakudyChalakudy RiverRiver ProtectionProtection ForumForum (( CPF)CPF) ¾¾ CPFCPF startsstarts interveningintervening inin SandSand Mining,Mining, WasteWaste ManagementManagement issuesissues ¾¾ RRCRRC providesprovides researchresearch supportsupport toto CPFCPF campaignscampaigns [email protected] [email protected] & Sincere thanks to Our constant inspiration : Chalakudy River Our constant inspiration : Chalakudy River & Sincere thanks to The People in Chalakudy River Valley The People in Chalakudy River Valley SANDRP SANDRP International Rivers Network International Rivers Network Global Green Grants Global Green Grants AID India AID India And all our colleagues And all our colleagues Contact: Contact: