constituted the Narmada Water Dispute
that this plan would provide large amounts
Tribunal [NWDT], with the solitary aim of
of
allocating the available river water between
desperately required for the purposes of
the contending states. In 1979, the NWDT
development. And the opponents of the dam
declared its award. M.P. was allotted 18.25
question
Million Acre-Feet per Year (MAF), Gujarat
the Narmada Valley Development Plan.
9
and
They question the basis and the assumptions
Maharashtra 0.25 MAF of the Narmada
of its planning and the cost-benefit analysis.
waters. The Tribunal also announced the
It seems it is grossly inflated in favour of
height of the two proposed kingpin dams:
building the dams.
MAF,
Rajasthan
0.50
MAF,
water
and
the
electricity
basic
which
assumptions
are
of
Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) at 455 feet,
SPECIAL FEATURE
and Narmada Sagar (renamed Indira Sagar)
Project at 860 feet, from mean sea level.
After the Award was declared, widespread,
Environmental Impact of Dams
spontaneous agitation erupted in the plains
The common notion is dams and reservoirs
of western Nimad, against the proposed
are used to supply drinking water, generate
submergence of its fertile tracts by the high
hydro-electric power, increase the water
dams. The protests against these dams
supply for irrigation, provide recreational
continued till the end, famous social activist
opportunities, and improve certain aspect of
Ms Medha Patkar led from the front with the
the environment. But they also create
tribal protesters.
adverse environmental and sociological
impacts. Few such negative impacts have
The controversy over large dams on the
been identified during and after many dams
River Narmada has raised the important
reservoir constructions;
question on the just and equitable society in
(a) River sediments:-
India. It is long and complicated story but it
Rivers carry sediment down their river beds,
has touched the life of millions of Indians
allowing for the formation of depositional
who are not even directly involve with it.
features such as river deltas, alluvial fans,
The Government's plan is to build 30 large,
braided rivers, oxbow lakes, levees and
135 medium and 3000 small dams to
coastal shores. The construction of a dam
harness the waters of the Narmada and its
obstructs
tributaries. The proponents of the dam claim
downstream. It increases the sediment
the
flow
of
sediments
to
7
Integrated River Basin Management Society