RECENT FLOODS IN KERALA HAS HIGHLIGHTED THE DANGERS OF EXCESS WATER ACCUMULATION IN DAMS. IN THIS CONTEXT INDIA'S POLICY ON DAMS HAS TO BE URGENTLY REVIEWED. DISCUSS.

RECENT FLOODS IN KERALA HAS HIGHLIGHTED THE DANGERS OF EXCESS WATER ACCUMULATION IN DAMS. IN THIS CONTEXT INDIA'S POLICY ON DAMS HAS TO BE URGENTLY REVIEWED. DISCUSS.

*  Tragedy of Kerala floods occured mainly due to accumulation of excess water in the Idukki dam. It led to opening of dam gates which swelled the Periyar river causing heavy floods. Hence there was an urgent need to review the India's policy on dams...

Purpose of constructing dams:
(1) irrigation-providig water for crops during summer season.
(2)power generation-more water is stored in dams to generate electricity.
(3)flood control-during excess rainfall.

Disadvantages of dams:
(1) today's dams are centuries old. Hence there are many defects in  dams which are to be addressed. According to a report, more than 100 dams in India are 100 yrs old and 500 large dams are between 50-100 years.
(2) More than 85% of dam water is used for irrigating commercial crops like sugarcane rather than using for drinking purposes.
(3) Blasting of dams can trigger heavy reservoir induced seismic activity causing earthquakes.
(4) Dams have been the cause for largest displacement of poorest of the poor since they are constructed by submerging many agricultural lands, forests, villages, livelihoods etc.
(5) Authorities acknowledging irrigation and power stores more amount of water in the dam before the completion of monsoon
(6)Lack of proper data and predictions related to amount of rainfall and cyclones.

Way forward:
(1)Keeping dam empty before onset of monsoon upto 50% for preventing excess water concentration in dams.
(2) Developing renewable energies like solar,wind,tidal etc for generating electricity rather than hydropower.
(3) Simultaneous release of water during monsoons increases the storage capacity of dams.
(4) people should be made aware of the water harvesting facilities and be encouraged to use renewable energies by providing incentives.

Government's proposal of Dam safety bill, to some extent can recover the old dams. The need of the hour is to keeping dams in a manner safer to public and nature. Need of electricity and irrigation can't compensate the huge loss caused by overflowing of dam water.
The state government, the state dam security authority and national water commission should all be prepared to take bold decisions to prevent any further disaster. A bottom level approach has also to be adopted to take resilience measures in people inhabiting areas where dams are constructed.

* THANK YOU AND ALL THE BEST..