ENVIS Madhya Pradesh Newsletter Vol. – 1, Issue - 5

Jan – Mar 2010

Preface

Water is life, in fact, life started from water. It generates energy, flourishes nature, sustains

biodiversity and brings us prosperity and happiness. Our health depends on it. It is used for transport,

irrigation, industries, domestic purpose, adventure sports and provides livelihoods to the people. It

sustains our life. We can not live without water; we could live better, if we knew more about it.

Hydrological aspects of rivers and streams are better known, but their biotic components,

which maintain their water quality, are comparatively less known. The biological diversity and ecological

integrity of water are closely linked with the vitality of freshwater streams embedded in the

landscape. For successful spatial planning of watershed, the management of streams plays a crucial

role, because streams and water bodies are down gradient of most human activities and they receive a

disproportionate burden of pollution and disturbance in developed region. Unplanned canal system for

irrigation has devastating effects on their water regime. Therefore, understanding the hydrology and

hydrobiology of streams and rivers is required to solve the problem of water crisis.

Unlike temperate region of the world, the run-off in streams and rivers of Indian sub-continent

is governed by the interaction of the monsoon with the uplands and the mountains. The increasing

frequency and severity of natural disasters like floods, droughts, cyclones and storms is directly

related to continuous environmental degradation in this region. Added to that global warming is also

playing a crucial role in severe weather patterns As a result the glacial melt from the mountains in the

Tibetan Plateau is increasing year after year. This plays a significant role in altering the ecology of the

whole Indian sub-continent. These rivers not only provide life-sustaining water, but also bring with

them fertile soils from the high Tibetan Plateau to the prime agricultural regions of the downstream

countries. Thus they are the lifeline of billions of people of this subcontinent.

Glaciers in the Himalayas are melting much faster than anticipated which will lead to disruption

in water supplies within the next 25 to 30 years. Due to continuous global warming severe weather

patterns may increase floods in rainy seasons and heat wave and draught in summer. Heavily populated

coastal regions, including the deltas of Ganges and other major rivers are likely to be at higher risk of

increased flooding. Such calamities are going to be more widespread and may hamper rapid economic

growth and urbanization. Increased disruption due to these climatic factors is likely to reduce crops

thereby increasing the risk of widespread poverty, hunger and death. Such calamities may also lead to

increased incidences of diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, malaria, dengue and many other life

threatening illnesses. This book is aimed at to know characteristics of hydrology and biotic components

of rivers and streams that are embedded in landscape of this Asian region, so that measures of use

and conservation of water can be taken for its sustainable development.

Impact of Climate Change on Wetlands of Madhya Pradesh

Upper lake is surrounded by Van Vihar

National Park on the south, human

settlements on the east and north, and

agriculture fields on the west whereas

lower lake is surrounded by human

settlements from all sides. They were

designated as a Ramsar site in November

2002. The Government of Madhya

Pradesh has passed resolution in 2010 to

undertake the improvement measures to

restore their ecological status by river

basin approach. During summer many of

them dry up and the inhabitants of the

City face water scarcity problems.

Chandapata Lake is used for tourism and potable water. The Tighra Reservoir and Ramoua

Reservoir are used for potable water supply and irrigation. From 2000 to 2008, the area of some

of these lakes is reduced e.g. Tighra (11.1189 to 5. 98561km2), Tekanpur (0.98038 to 0.862848

km2), Pehsari (3.9721 to 3.8549 km2), Harsi (17.1460 to 3.7944 km2) and Kaketo (7.2377 to

3.7725 km2). The other lakes are also reduced in area, which is mainly due to climate change and

drying out during summer. The Upper Lake of Bhopal was completely dried during summer of

2008 and the people voluntarily deepened the lake area which is filled up in 2009 because of

good mansoon rains. The recovery of water table solved the problem of water scarcity partially.

If the monsoon rains do not come in June of 2010, the lake would dry up again The other lakes of

Madhya Pradesh, which are considered important sites by the Ministry of Environment and

Forests, Govt of India are Purana Talab, Damoh (5 ha), Devisagar Talab , Dhar (12 ha), Rampur

Tank, Guna district (448 ha), Tawa Rervoir, Hoshangabad district (20,055 ha), Yaswant Sagar ,

Madhya Pradesh is very rich in wetlands. Its capital, Bhopal, is called a “City of Lakes”, because

it has, the Upper Lake and Lower Lake (important Ramsar sites), Shahpura Lake, Motia Tank,

Siddique Hasan Tank, Munshi Hussain Khan Tank, Sarangpani Lake, Kaliasod Lake, Laharpur

Reservoir, Hataikheda Reservoir, and Char Imli Pond, right in the city or adjacent to the city

area. The Bhoj Wetland consisting of two lakes (Upper & Lower lakes) are manmade

reservoirs. The Upper lake was created in the 11th century by constructing an earthen dam

across the Kolans river and the Lower lake was constructed nearly two centuries ago

immediately downstream of the Upper lake, with catchment of 361 and 9.6 km2, respectively.

Tighra Reservoir Ramsagar Reservoir

Gohad Talab

Kotwal and Piluwa Reserviors

Kaketo and Hasrsi Reservoirs

Tekanpur Lake

Dihaila Lake

Indore (720 ha) Sangam Sagar, Jabalpur (16,705 ha), Bhadur Sagar , Jhabua (122 ha),

Mandalewar Tank, Khargone district (107 ha), Parasram Talab, Narsingarh,(20ha), Barna

Reservoir, Bari Raisen district (7,700 ha), Devendranagar Reservoir, Panna (247 ha), Govindgarh

Talab , Rewa district (320 ha), Sagar Lake, Sagar (324 ha), Nagda Tank, Shivpuri district (349

ha), Mahendrasagar, Tikamgarh district (70 ha), Undasa Tank, Ujjain (258 ha. ).

Pachamarhi Jhil

Impacts of Climate Change

Climate change impacts on

inland aquatic ecosystems of Madhya

Pradesh ranges from the direct

effects of the rise in temperature

and CO2 concentration to indirect

effects through alterations in the

hydrology resulting from the changes

in the regional precipitation regimes.

Rising temperature will lower water

quality in lakes through a fall in hypo-

limnetic oxygen concentrations,

release of phosphorus (P) from

sediments, increased thermal

stability, and altered mixing patterns.

Climate change impacts such as more

frequent and severe floods and

droughts will affect the food and

water security of many people. The

impact of climate change on aquatic

ecosystems, fisheries and

aquaculture, however, is not as well

known. This policy brief, a joint

partnership between several agencies,

highlights this issue to ensure that

decision makers and climate change

negotiators consider aquatic

ecosystems, fisheries and aquaculture

at the UNFCCC COP-15 in Copenhagen,

December 2009.

Many fisheries -dependent

communities already live a precarious

and vulnerable existence because of

poverty, lack of social services and

essential infrastructure. The fragility

of these communities is further

undermined by overexploited fishery

resources and degraded ecosystems.

Adaptation measures are well known

by managers and decision makers, but

political will and action are often

lacking. To build resilience to the

effects of climate change and derive

sustainable benefits, fisheries and

aquaculture managers need to adopt

and adhere to best practices such as

those described in the FAO Code of

Conduct for Responsible fisheries.

These practices need to be integrated

more effectively with management of

river basins and watersheds. By

focusing on herbivorous species

aquaculture can provide nutritious

food with a low carbon footprint.

Farming of prawns and mussels is not

only good business, but also helps

clean surface waters, while culturing

aquatic plants helps remove wastes

from polluted waters. In contrast to

the potential declines in agricultural

yields in Madhya Pradesh , climate

change opens new opportunities for

aquaculture as increasing numbers of

species , like Magur, Singhi, Mahaseer,

besides the present practices of

culturing the Major Carps. The

culture of Prawn with herbivorous

carps is the best alternative proposed

by the Pawarkheda Center of Central

Institute of Fisheries Education,

Mumbai.

Release of ENVIS – Madhya Pradesh Newsletter

Shri Jayant Kumar Malliya, Hon’ble Minister, Govt of MP, Dept of Housing & Environment, released the ENVIS-Madhya Pradesh newsletter for the month of Oct-Dec 2009 during the inauguration of the new DMI office building on 29th of March 2010. Shri Alok Shrivastava, Principal Secretary, Govt of MP, Dept of Housing & Environment (second from Left) and Executive Director, Disaster Management Institute, Bhopal (extreme right).

Training Programme on MSW & PSW

A two days training programme on “Management of Municipal Solid Waste and Plastic Waste Management” was organized during February 17-18, 2010 at Hoshangabad district of Madhya

Pradesh. Ms. Maya Naroliya, Chairman, Municipal

Corporation, Hoshangabad Distrcit inaugurated

the programme. Dr. Rakesh Dubey, Director,

DMI, Hoshangabad SDM were also present during

the programme and informed us about the

importance of such training programme and use

of paper bags in place of polythene to avoid such wastes. Training programme was organized

for the officials of Municipal Corporation. Around 40 participants attended the training

Programme.

A training programme on “Disaster Management” was organized for the trainee officials on March 31, 2010 at Bhopal. Dr.

Rakesh Dubey, Director, DMI inaugurated the

programme and gave the lecture on the

management of disaster and briefed about the

special theme on disaster i.e. confined space

safety.

Training Programme on Disaster Management

Narmada River: The Narmada River gained

national prominence in the recent past when the

Indian government proposed to build a dam on

the river (see Amarkantak – Narmada & Sone:

Perennial Streams of Culture under Madhya

Pradesh). The Narmada is an important river as

it happens to be the most sacred of the five

holy rivers of India. Earlier known as Reva and

Mahakalasuta, the Narmada is also referred to

as the lifeline of Madhya Pradesh.

Originating in Amarkantak, the highest peak of the Vindhyan Range, it flows westward

through Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat before finally ending its journey in the Gulf of

Khambat, covering 1300 km distance.

Sone River:- Sone is also called Maikalsut

(whose source is in Maikal) as it originates from a

mountain called Amarkantak in the Maikal Ranges.

In ancient times, Sone was known as Shona. The

Narmada also originates from Amarkantak,

though it flows westward, while Sone journeys

towards the east.

Betwa River:- Originating in the Kumra village in

Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh, the river

Betwa flows for 380km. After meandering

through Madhya Pradesh, it enters the

neighbouring state, Uttar Pradesh, and joins the

river Yamuna in Hamirpur. The Betwa takes along

with it the water of the eastern Malwa plateau.

The tributaries of Betwa are Bina, Yamini,

Dhasan and Ken. In ancient times, the Betwa was

known as Vetrawati.

Ken River: Ken River is a tributary of Betwa River, which flows

in Panna district and enters Uttar Pradesh to meet Betwa River.

Important Rivers of Madhya Pradesh

Tapti River: Apart from the Narmada, the

Tapti is the only river that flows westward and

falls into the Arabian Sea, in the Gulf of

Khambat, to be precise. The 724 km long Tapti

is agriculturally very important as it drains an

area of over 65,145sq km spread over Madhya

Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. This river

originates at a height of 762m in Betul district

of Madhya Pradesh (to the south of the

Satpura Range).

Shipra River:- The Shipra starts its journey in

the Vindhya Range from a hill called Kokri Tekdi

situated at a distance of 11km from Ujjain. This

river is 195km long, out of which 93km flow

through Ujjain. It then touches Ratlam and

Mandsaur, before joining the river Chambal. The

main tributaries of Shipra are Khan and Gambhir.

The Shipra has been mentioned not only in

ancient Hindu texts, like the Puranas, but in

Buddhist and Jain scriptures as well.

These water bodies are used primarily for potable water, irrigation and also for capture

fisheries and fish culture. Majority of the water bodies have been promoted for the

development of fisheries. The fishermen cooperatives have rights on the fishing activities in

many reservoirs. Presently the wetlands face the problems of over exploitation for fisheries

& irrigation, and conversion of habitats for land use practices and pollution by pesticides

through run off water from agriculture fields. They are the main resource for livelihoods of

fisher-folks and rural poor.

The Tapti journeys almost parallel to the Narmada, though it is much shorter in length than

the Narmada and has a smaller catchment area.

Important Rivers of Madhya Pradesh

What can we do:

� Move to environmentally friendly and fuel efficient fishing and aquaculture

practices.

� Eliminate subsidies that promote overfishing and excess fishing capacity.

Provide climate change education in schools and create greater awareness

among all stakeholders.

� Undertake vulnerability and risk assessments at the local level.

� Integrate and a climate proof aquaculture with other sectors.

� Strengthen our knowledge of aquatic ecosystem dynamics and biogeochemical

cycles in freshwater such as carbon and nitrogen cycles.

� Encourage sustainable environmentally friendly biofuel production from algae.

� Explore carbon sequestration by aquatic ecosystems.

To, ………………………………………………………………………….…………

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If undelivered, please return to;

ENVIS–MP, Disaster Management Institute Paryavaran Parisar, E-5, Arera Colony, P.B. No. 563, Bhopal-462016 Phone: 0755-2466715, 2461348, 2461538, Fax: 0755-2466653 Website :- www.mpenvis.nic.in Email: mp@envis.nic.in

Disclaimer: The information in this newsletter has been compiled from various sources and does not necessarily depict the views of the ENVIS-MP or host Institute.