21 February 2012
YJA/CORRES/2/12
Sri Tejendra Khanna
Hon'ble Lt Governor of Delhi
Raj Niwas
Delhi
Sub: Sir, please do not disown the river Yamuna - YRDA as created by the Hon'ble PM was not time bound
Respected Sir,
Greetings from Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan.
Sir, please allow us to bring few matters regarding the PM appointed Yamuna River Development Authority, YRDA chaired by your honour as well as the final report submitted to the Hon'ble PM by the High Powered Committee (HPC) created for the same.
A. Yamuna River Development Authority
Sir, sub para (d) of para 2 dealing with the terms of reference (TOR) of the HPC in the O.M. dated 24th August 2007 issued from the Cabinet Secretariat provided that the HPC is to "Effect inter-sectoral coordination for planning and implementation until such time as a statutory arrangement is in place".
Thus unless a change in the said TOR had later been made, we understand that the said HPC under your honour's chairmanship is a standing committee and was not co-terminus (as we had been informed) with the submission of the HPC's final report to the Hon'ble PM.
Sir, it has often been lamented that multiplicity of regulatory authorities leading to "left hand not knowing what the right is doing" has been one of the reasons for the current sad state of the river. Thus when the HPC / YRDA was created there was a sign of hope that some order would now set in and a statutory final arbiter of matters regarding the river would be in place.
Accordingly in tune with the TOR of the HPC may we request your honour to kindly re-activate the YRDA / HPC if it has actually been put to rest with the submission of its final report to the Hon'ble PM.
B. Final report of the High Power Committee on Yamuna River Development
Sir, we have received (through RTI application) a copy of the "Report of the High Power Committee on Yamuna River Development" from the PMO as submitted by your honour's office to it in Sep 2010, and perused it with great interest.
Perusal of the report informs that between the HPC's first meeting held on 12th October 2007 and the 14th meeting of the TAG (Technical Advisory Group) held on 8th April 2010, your honour has consistently given your undivided attention to the issue even going to the extent of personally editing portions of the final report to put it in shape.
Sir, while we greatly admire your interest taken in the matter, we are constraint to observe that the report is at best a compromised document and breaks little new ground against high hopes that your opening statement at the first meet in October 2007 for an open mind on all issues followed by open invitation extended to one and all to suggest a list of studies (our suggestions then submitted is enclosed) required for a fuller understanding of the river.
Sir, pardon us for observing but on a hind sight It seems that the TAG finally became just an official group out to push its own limited agenda of building dams upstream on the river as some kind of a panacea.
Sir, the above seems like a strange and unfortunate irony when one reads your opening statement made at the first meeting of the HPC dated 12th October 2007, where your honour had observed:
" He pointed out that as per his experience of the Punjab rivers, viz. Sutlej, Ravi, Beas, the construction of dams for impounding water had reduced downstream flows considerably".
So Sir, when dams reduce downstream flows then how can they now be expected to revive an already struggling river?
Sir, we are saddened to note that even the YRDA under your honour's enlightened leadership has failed to do justice to the river and has shied away from addressing the real question of the impoundment and diversion of almost 100% of the river flows (during non - monsoon months) at the Hathnikund Barrage 200 km upstream of Delhi, both by Haryana and UP.
Sir, as in the words of Sri Ramaswamy Iyer, the noted water expert, our rivers have any hope only when a policy of minimum interference with them becomes the norm and not any squabble on minimum flows or by first killing them (through building of dams and barrage on them) to then try revive them again through more dams and barrages?
Sir, this is not to suggest that dams and barrages have no value. Just that a river like Yamuna (with limited founder basin) and in the threatened state that it is now has clearly no use of them.
We sincerely hope that your honour would take our words in the spirit it is made and not otherwise.
With warm regards,
Manoj Misra
Convener
CC:
Dr Manmohan Singh, Hon'ble Prime Minister – For your kind information and necessary action please.
Smt Jayanthi Natarajan, Hon’ble MOS (I/C), Ministry of Environment and Forests – For your kind information and necessary action please.
Sri T. Chatterjee, Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests – For your kind information and necessary action please.
SUGGESTIONS BY YAMUNA JIYE ABHIYAAN
RIVER ECOSYSTEMS
Rivers are not merely channels that transport water; they are complex ecological systems which interact with their drainage basins collecting from them water, nutrients and organic matter and redistributing these downstream.
They support large biological diversity, support the humans and their activities, and provide several services that no other ecosystem can.
The rivers, especially in tropical and monsoon driven countries like India are dynamic, three dimensional systems dependent upon longitudinal, lateral and vertical transfers of water, material, energy and biota.
The structure and functions of river ecosystems are determined by following inter-linked and delicately integrated five elements:
1) The physical character (Terrain, location etc)
2) Water quantity
3) Water quality
4) Condition of the riparian zone and floodplain
5) Diversity and population of plants and animals living in the stream.
Change in any one of the above is bound to impact the other.
River management, conservation or restoration must ensure that all the five components are taken into consideration together in an integrated manner.
It is fundamentally flawed and wrong to even talk in terms of ‘developing’ a river which in effect means killing a river slowly but surely!
Indian rivers are not European rivers and vice versa. So one is comparing ‘apple’ with ‘oranges’ when one getting over awed with images of ‘developed’ river fronts in western rivers attempt to ape the same here without realizing its dangerous implications.
For its revival the river needs an ecological restoration plan which highlights the value of its services and not any developmental plan which looks upon floodplain as a wasteland waiting to be developed and reclaimed as real estate / river front
REVIVING RIVER YAMUNA IN DELHI AS WELL ITS UPSTREAM AND ITS DOWN STREAM
First and fore most this river needs the following two urgent steps to be taken by the executive:
a) It needs its own water flow
The 1994 MOU for maintaining minimum flow in the river till Okhla barrage between riparian states (UA, UP, HP, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi) needs to be implemented with a sense of urgency and purpose.
b) An immediate clamping down of a stay and moratorium on any ongoing or planned construction in Zone O (including part Zone P) in Delhi so that any additional part of the river bed is not lost any more to ‘developmental’ pressures led by vested interests.
STUDIES THAT THIS RIVER DEMANDS FOR ITS COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING:
Standard Studies (many of these exist in some form and only need to be updated or refined):
a) Hydrology of the river including contribution of drains to it
Rationale: The water, its source, quantity, quality and its dynamics is the basic element that defines any river.
b) Geology of the river including underground formations
Rationale: A river is a three dimensional entity and hence to understand it fully one needs to trace its geological origins, changes over time and trends as they are perceptible at present.
c) Seismic peculiarity of the river
Rationale: River Yamuna bed in and upstream of Delhi being one of the most susceptible regions due to unstable substrata in the event of an earthquake (located in Zone IV)
d) River as source of annual recharge of ground water
Rationale: River Yamuna in Delhi and upstream is a major source of ground water needed and extracted for various uses including domestic and agricultural consumption
e) Cultural and economic role of the river
Rationale: The river Yamuna is an integral part of Indian mythology, culture and finds a prominent mention in our national anthem. It has played and continues to play an important role in the lives of millions of farmers whose livelihood is dependent on its flood plains.
f) Past and present status of aquatic and riparian life forms (flora and fauna) in the river and its flood plain
Rationale: River Yamuna like any other river has been a habitat to myriad life forms since ages and it is only now that it has become almost a lifeless water body due to over whelming pollution of its waters.
g) Lost or converted tributaries of river Yamuna in and around Delhi
Rationale: Not many are aware that there were perennial rivulets (Sahibi and Kushak within Delhi which used to originate from the Ridge and beyond and feed the river proper.
h) Past and present water bodies within the city and their role vis a vis the river Yamuna
Rationale: Work done by several NGOs notably the Tapas has identified a large number of water bodies in the city with important links with the river.
Special Studies (Many of these are new but highly relevant and urgent):
a) State and rate of siltation of the river and impact on future floods
Rationale: The river bed in the city has been greatly silted up and resultantly makes all previous studies done on it redundant and outdated in terms of their outcomes.
b) Status, condition and land use change of the flood plains between the embankments (Yamuna Pushta in east and Ring Road in west) in Zone O
Rationale: This is one of the most important studies for understanding and
planning for the future of Zone O (river Yamuna) in the city
c) Bridge cum roads over the river and their impact on the river’s hydrology
Rationale: Most unfortunately the fact is that none of the so called bridges over the river in the 22 km of the stretch in Delhi with the sole exception of Old railway cum road bridge is a true bridge which allows flood waters to flow down stream with ease. All new bridges are only raised roads which prove an impediment over water flow down stream and hence dangerous in the event of any devastating flood
d) Constructions in the river bed and their impacts on the river’s basic role of safe passage of flood waters, spread of flood waters and recharge of ground water
Rationale: This is self explanatory
e) Sewerage system and the abuse of storm water drains in the city
Rationale: It is most unfortunate that most storm water drains in the city has been converted into sewage drains and even at places been encroached upon by constructions including those by the Delhi Metro (Mayur Vihar phase I) hence lost their original purpose.
f) Areas in the city which are specially prone to flooding and their mitigation measures if any
Rationale: This is most important from planning for disaster prevention and management in the city
g) Traditional uses of the flood plains and their socio-economics
Rationale: This is self explanatory. Majority of city’s needs of vegetables, fruits and flowers is and can be met from seasonal farming (organic) in the flood plain
h) Legal situation and tenure cum ownership pattern and GIS mapping of the river flood plains and state’s trusteeship role in the Delhi stretch of the river
Rationale: It is a fact that for lack of any legislative regime there is no single easily identifiable agency or authority that owns and manages the river flood plains which has become the basis of all the ills facing the river flood plains all over.
i) Role of flood plain as an ‘open’ space, regulator of thermal currents in the city and as a welcome buffer of human habitations on either side of the river in the city
Rationale: Cities all over the world more so the megapolises like Delhi which have become huge ‘heat sinks’ in themselves are today starved of and looking for large open spaces and buffers to breath and rejuvenate themselves like living beings.
j) Climate change and its likely impact on the river in future
Rationale: This is becoming one of the most important reasons for least human intervention in natural systems like rivers. We need to understand it as best as possible before doing any kind of intervention in the flood plain.
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