It raises from a myth that there are not enough dams/regulators in Kaveri.
But there are more than 28,000 artificial constructions across Kaveri & its tributaries as Dams,Weirs,Regulators so that water could be stored/diverted for consumption- Agri, Energy, drinking
2/n
But there are more than 28,000 artificial constructions across Kaveri & its tributaries as Dams,Weirs,Regulators so that water could be stored/diverted for consumption- Agri, Energy, drinking
2/n
Even the main branch of Kaveri has numerous dams and regulators to control and divert waters. The water in the river barely reaches the sea for most of the time except in extreme flood years. It is these extreme years many want to exploit
3/n
3/n
But the fact is whenever a new dam is built, it wont assure steady flow in river or canals, it would be used to irrigate newer lands. Kaveri watershed is filled with such canals which divert water. So when a new dam is built, consumption increases & stress remains- a paradox
4/n
4/n
Take an example for the Mettur - Grand Anicut scheme, when the dam is built, It was not about regulating water flow for the existing delta, it created a new delta! It is the same case with any other major dam. KRS took the water to Mandya and therefore consumption increases.
5/n
5/n
The problem is that when consumption increases, stress also increases in an already overexploited river which means the original problem doesnt get solved. When more consumption exists, wetter years would go down normal but drier years would go down in acute stress
6/n
6/n
Is river taking water to the sea a problem? When rivers dont go near the coast, coupled with natural causes, it leads to sea water / salt water intrusion into the groundwater tables and it affects water resources near coast. It is a tug of war betwen fresh & salt water.
7/n
7/n
It is the sediment from the river which provides both nutrients as well as the essential building material for beaches. Without the sediment supply, beaches can face erosion. Longshore drift is continuously acting on our shore line and it requires sediment suppply from rivers
8/n
8/n
And with a highly controlled river, many native species of fish like the hump-backed Mahseer are facing extinction. They are present only in the small sections that have free flowing water (which is way too little in Kaveri)
9/n
9/n
If not a dam, then what is the solution for Kaveri. We cant increase water supply forever; we have to start using water judiciously. Agriculture is the predominant user of water in the region and it is in irrigation we need to achieve efficiency
10/n
10/n
Think about how much water can be saved if the waterproductivity (water used per unit of agricultural product) is increased. Crops like paddy use huge amount of water and irrigation has to be made efficient
11/n
11/n
Trees like Coconut are planted in the basin in places which are not native to it
12/n
12/n
Mandya which had been historically arid got water from KRS and it resulted in it being a major sugarcane producing area, a highly water intensive crops. These dont mean we have to stop planting them, but we need to figure out ways to irrigate them better.
13/n
13/n
Without working on the irrigation efficiency and conservation, the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka would never be able to solve the Cauvery crisis fully. Adding a dam wont save anyone and it could just make things worser for the states
The End
The End
Loading suggestions...