Skip to main content

Don't make much of power benefits from Narmada dam; nod for full height "fraught" with inter-state dispute

Suhas Paranjape
By Our Representative
In the years to come, will the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) on the Narmada river no more remain an inter-state project, as has been widely claimed? If so far Gujarat government officials have been saying this (read HERE), of course of the record, now a senior water resources expert has suggested that this may well happen once the two states – Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh – fully utilize their share of water. Suhas Paranjape, who has long been associated with people’s movements on sustainable development, has told Counterview that the benefits of power – the factor which makes SSP inter-state – will not last forever, and the neghbouring states should better realize this.
In a mail to Counterview, Paranjape has said, much is made of the power benefit from the Narmada dam. However, he warns, “We should note that power (other than run of the river) is a transitional benefit.” Basing on his analysis of utilization of water from Narmada, he underscores, if Gujarat picks up nine million acre feet (MAF) share of the Narmada water, and Madhya Pradesh picks up its share of 18 MAF, as awarded, there is going to be no water left for power. “Power benefit accrues only so long as some share of water of the states is unutilized. So we should not make too much of it”.
Under the Narmada Water Dispute Tribunal (NWDT) award, Gujarat is supposed to get just 17 per cent of the 1,450 MW of power that will be produced at the river-bed power plant (1,200 MW) and the canal-head power plant (250 MW). Significantly, power distribution is the only major factor which makes the SSP inter-state. As for irrigation, Gujarat is the only beneficiary of the SSP on getting one-third or nine MAF of water of the Narmada river. Rajasthan is supposed to be getting very little of water from the SSP – just about 0.5 MAF.   
At one point, even Gujarat government officials said the state was “not interested” in taking the dam height beyond 121.92 metres, where it was stationary for so long, because it knew that, at this height, not much power can be produced, and water could be utilized at will. The force of water to ensure that six the Japan-produced turbines run in full capacity has to be pretty strong in order to produce 1,200 MW of power, and this can happen only in case the dam height reaches full reservoir level, 138.68 metres. With the permission for raise the dam height by putting up sluice gates given by the Narmada Control Authority (NCA).
Producing power would, however, mean allowing huge amount of water to flow down the Narmada river, cutting into water flow into canal to irrigate Gujarat’s parched lands. According to an estimate by a senior official, if power is produced to full capacity, canals wouldn’t get enough water, it would mean Gujarat may be able to irrigate half of the land it is supposed to irrigate from of the Sardar Sarovar  dam’s water – just about 9 lakh hectares (ha) as against 18 lakh ha, which is supposed to be cultivated once the Narmada command area is fully developed.    
 Paranjape, in his mail, has also said that at the present 121.92 metres dam height, “Gujarat can easily utilize its share of 9 MAF waters the tribunal has awarded.” Irrigation to full capacity is possible “without raising the height of the dam any further if they systematically plan to combine local storages with Narmada water”, he adds. However, he thinks that consequences of raising the dam height have not been fully understood – its adverse impact would be felt on Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra the most, especially in the immediate upstream of the Narmada dam.
“As we go higher, the valley gets shallower and shallower, and for every metre reduction (in dam hegith) the benefit in terms of submergence saved is much larger. It makes sense to stop where we are now (around 120 mtres in the gorge portion) and trade off the power benefit against saved submergence”, Paranjape advises the Madhy Pradesh government, adding, it should make a strong plea against raising the dam, “because it is going to be affected by submergence, not Gujarat.”

In fact, Paranjape insists, Madhya Pradesh should “offer to forgo the power benefit, as it once contemplated”, adding, “If that happens we also bypass the issue of gates and their technology”, an issue which has become a hot subject of debate among Narmada engineers (clear HERE). He adds, “Up till now there was a possibility of incremental additions to height. Now because of the gates, the decision will have to be 120 or 138, a 0-1 decision, no intermediate height is possible within the design with gates. Because of this it is even more urgent to stop right now and think hard on ways to utilize Gujarat 9 MAF share and not bother with power issues.”

Comments

TRENDING

Reducing emission? India among top nations whose coal as energy source going up

By NS Venkataraman*  The State of the Global Climate report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed that the year 2023 was the warmest year on record, with the global temperature of 1.4 degree celsius above pre-industrial 1850-1900 base line.

Lockdown 'total failure' of science more than of politics: Open letter on 4th anniversary

Counterview Desk  In an open letter to fellow academicians, scientists and medical practitioners in India, marking the fourth anniversary of India's lockdown (25 March 2024), the Managing Committee* of the Universal Health Organisation (UHO) has insisted on the need to "repair two years of immense damage to science".

Insider plot to kill Deendayal Upadhyay? What RSS pracharak Balraj Madhok said

By Shamsul Islam*  Balraj Madhok's died on May 2, 2016 ending an era of old guards of Hindutva politics. A senior RSS pracharak till his death was paid handsome tributes by the RSS leaders including PM Modi, himself a senior pracharak, for being a "stalwart leader of Jan Sangh. Balraj Madhok ji's ideological commitment was strong and clarity of thought immense. He was selflessly devoted to the nation and society. I had the good fortune of interacting with Balraj Madhok ji on many occasions". The RSS also issued a formal condolence message signed by the Supremo Mohan Bhagwat on behalf of all swayamsevaks, referring to his contribution of commitment to nation and society. He was a leading RSS pracharak on whom his organization relied for initiating prominent Hindutva projects. But today nobody in the RSS-BJP top hierarchy remembers/talks about Madhok as he was an insider chronicler of the immense degeneration which was spreading as an epidemic in the high echelons of th

Magnetic, stunning, Protima Bedi 'exposed' malice of sexual repression in society

By Harsh Thakor*  Protima Bedi was born to a baniya businessman and a Bengali mother as Protima Gupta in Delhi in 1949. Her father was a small-time trader, who was thrown out of his family for marrying a dark Bengali women. The theme of her early life was to rebel against traditional bondage. It was extraordinary how Protima underwent a metamorphosis from a conventional convent-educated girl into a freak. On October 12th was her 75th birthday; earlier this year, on August 18th it was her 25th death anniversary.

Savarkar 'criminally betrayed' Netaji and his INA by siding with the British rulers

By Shamsul Islam* RSS-BJP rulers of India have been trying to show off as great fans of Netaji. But Indians must know what role ideological parents of today's RSS/BJP played against Netaji and Indian National Army (INA). The Hindu Mahasabha and RSS which always had prominent lawyers on their rolls made no attempt to defend the INA accused at Red Fort trials.

'Flawed' argument: Gandhi had minimal role, naval mutinies alone led to Independence

Counterview Desk Reacting to a Counterview  story , "Rewiring history? Bose, not Gandhi, was real Father of Nation: British PM Attlee 'cited'" (January 26, 2016), an avid reader has forwarded  reaction  in the form of a  link , which carries the article "Did Atlee say Gandhi had minimal role in Independence? #FactCheck", published in the site satyagrahis.in. The satyagraha.in article seeks to debunk the view, reported in the Counterview story, taken by retired army officer GD Bakshi in his book, “Bose: An Indian Samurai”, which claims that Gandhiji had a minimal role to play in India's freedom struggle, and that it was Netaji who played the crucial role. We reproduce the satyagraha.in article here. Text: Nowadays it is said by many MK Gandhi critics that Clement Atlee made a statement in which he said Gandhi has ‘minimal’ role in India's independence and gave credit to naval mutinies and with this statement, they concluded the whole freedom struggle.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

'Wrong direction': Paris NGO regrets MNC ArcelorMittal still using coal-based steel

By Rajiv Shah  A new report by Paris-based non-governmental research and campaigning organization, Reclaim Finance, has blamed the MNC ArcelorMittal – formed in 2006 following the takeover and merger of the western European steel maker Arcelor (Spain, France, and Luxembourg) by Indian-owned Mittal Steel – for using use “climate destructive” metallurgical coal for its projects in India.

Attack on foreign students: Gujarat varsity's reputation, ranking at stake, say academics

Counterview Desk  Expressing anguish over the attack on international students in Gujarat University hostels, a letter claimed to have been signed by 122 current and former academics has asked the Gujarat Vice Chancellor, Dr Neerja Gupta, to provide emotional support to the attacked students and to ensure their physical safety.  

Poor private sector engagement 'impacting' carbon pricing policy in Global South

Counterview Desk  The joint report by Environmental Defense Fund and Observer Research Fund, "Navigating Carbon Pricing: The G20 Experience and Global South Prospects", delves into the complex landscape of carbon pricing, examining its application within the G20 nations and the potential implications for emerging economies in the Global South.  The report claims to provide insights and recommendations for effective carbon pricing strategies in diverse economies.  A note: The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and Observer Research Foundation (ORF) have launched the Navigating Carbon Pricing: The G20 Experience and Global South Prospects” report. The report delves into the complex landscape of carbon pricing, examining its application within the G20 nations and the potential implications for emerging economies in the Global South. The report offers a comprehensive analysis of various carbon pricing instruments currently in existence, providing valuable i