We must question 'management' of our rivers

[bimal pandia]

Dear elders and friends,

Pranam !

Another flood - this time in Bramhani, Baitarani and other north-Odisha rivers. While people suffer, these floods in quick succession, do point accusing floods at the way attempts are being made to 'manage' our rivers. The Mahanadi flood did give enough enough evidence to give a thumbs-down to dam-centric and embankment-centric flood management. Both these floods prove one thing quite categorically - that dams aggravate flood problems, especially if rainfall occurs in the late-monsoon. 

The Rengali reservoir was above its Full Reservoir Level (FRL) much before its catchment started getting this phase of rainfall. Thankfully, unlike Hirakud, this reservoir has some space for flood moderation as its Maximum Reservoir Level (MRL) is 1.9 meters higher than the FRL, and thus allows some extra space. But since the Rengali reservoir was already having a very high level, higher than  its FRL, it failed to moderate flood inflow from the upper catchments. While the dam was expected to provide flood cushion, on the contrary, it was discharging more than what it was getting from the upstream, because in no time it reached the MRL. In the process it aggravated downstream floods even more. 

Dam managers are no doubt qualified engineers with many years of experiences behind them. But some of their recent managerial competencies must have to be questioned. Either they are under intense pressure from other section to maintain dangerous water levels or they do not have the competency to manage reservoirs. In both cases, the ramifications can be very very serious.

Time has come, we must question 'management' of our rivers. 

Regards

Bimal
--
Bimal Prasad Pandia
Regional Center for Development Cooperation (RCDC)

A/68; 1^st Floor, Sahid Nagar, Bhubaneswar – 751 007, Odisha

Mobile: +91-9438488563, Office: +91-674-2545250, Fax: +91-674-2545252

URL: http://rcdcindia.org/
Blog: http://bimalpandia.blogspot.com/

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