RACE TO SAVE

RACE TO SAVE


The day is not very far when the denizens of this region will cry out saying, “Save this Power House”. This region of our country is resource rich but less explored. Due to abundant water resources, estimated hydro electric power (HeP) potential of this region is approx 60000 MW. Sadly, only 4029 MW (approx 6%) has been harnessed till date. Plans to make the most of the potential and distribute the same to power deficient areas are in place. Imagine the day, when this handy potential is depleted before it is harnessed.

Tsangpo (meaning purifier) River, originates at Man Sarovor in Himalayas, runs east ward (through Tibet), takes a hair pin bend at Namcha Barwa before it enters India and becomes Brahmaputra. The lower Brahmaputra enters Bangladesh as Jamuna River and empties in Bay of Bengal as part of Meghna River. China is planning to construct a major dam to block the water in the upper reaches of Namcha Barwa; generate 40000 MW of HeP for national and international distribution and also channel water to other regions of that country. This will encroach on HeP potential, irrigation potential and navigation potential of so far reliable Brahmaputra. The work is likely to commence in 2009.

Now! The concern; our plans are in place but execution and completion is always sluggish due to various inexplicable and explicable reasons. On the contrary our neighbor’s approach and
commitment is to be reckoned and emulated. To quote; StilWell Road; a back bone for much talked about Look East Policy, India is yet to complete its portion of 61 kms stretch where as China has already completed its share of 680 Kms on its side. India has already lost offshore gas exploration rights in Myanmar to China. That country is also developing Sittwe - Kunming energy highway for transportation of oil and gas. Sittwe is likely to be its front face in Bay of Bengal for rest of the world to its west. She has taken less than three years to complete 1150 Kms of strategic railway line to Lhasa.

It is high time to wake up to the call of time and make a model shift in community discipline and holistic responsibility for water harvesting and water management lest it is too late. Ancient India was known as hydraulic civilization. Excavations of Indus Valley Civilization in great Rann of Kutch at Dholvira prove this amply. Water harvesting was under taken even in those days (about 3000 BC) and every drop of rain was harvested in an innovative manner. Water Harvesting was encouraged by government as part of fiscal policy and concessions granted to encourage the public discipline.

As per conceptual report of Central Ground Water Board there is scope to harvest 36.4 BCM of surplus monsoon run off in an area of about 4.5 lakh sq km in various parts of the country. Master plan has envisaged construction of 2.25 lakh artificial recharge structures in rural areas at a cost of approx 20000 crores. In hilly areas like J&K, Himachal, NE states emphasis has been given for spring development and 2700 springs have been proposed. There is need to conserve the water usage, avoid water wastage and harvest every possible run off (monsoon, irrigation etc). Cherapunjee, a place of highest rainfall, faces water shortage in post monsoon periods because monsoon run off goes waste. Wish! It did not.

It is a good news that Assam is planning to install Gorlov Helical Turbines for power generation and consultations to acquire the technical know how are in progress. The Turbine is energy efficient (captures 75 % more water energy than conventional turbines), cost effective (400 to 600 US $ per KW), manageable size (36 inch by 40 inch), eco friendly, needs frugal infrastructure and manpower. It rotates only in one direction at twice the speed of water flow irrespective of direction of water flow. This has been successfully installed in Brazil, Korea and Amazon and more experiments across the world are underway. Even a remote village, that can not be covered by power grid, can generate its own electricity at a reasonable cost with negligible maintenance cost.

Efficient technology is one aspect, wherewithal is another. Availability of one meter deep water with minimum current of 2 knots is an important input for making Gorlov technology practical. This is only possible by efficient management and harvesting every possible ounce of water. North East region of our country is an ideal place for the same, where every village can generate power. Dr Tushar Sinha of International Water Management Institute says “India must stop investing huge sums in surface irrigation, instead spend the same money in recharging our ground water resources. In twelve years (from 1992-2004) a sum of approx 1, 00,000 crores had been spent, but not with much out put”. Another 1, 65,000 crores are being demanded in 12th plan for irrigation projects.

Master plans have been made, money has been allocated. Need is to be realistic, pragmatic and action oriented. Performance stands out like ton of diamonds; failures can be explained away. Let us not get busy in explaining our failures when our neighbor completes the
Dam and we buy electricity from her. There is a need to change our mind set from extravagance of water to conservation of water at every level. There is a need to instill water discipline in the society. There is a need to recognize collective responsibility to harvest every Drop lest we regret later. Water has long been called the ultimate renewable resource, but this will prove to be false when ‘Rivers run Dry’. It is needed to make a timely decision like swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim lest we lag behind in the race and peep across the Himalayas.

Geoffery
(Readers can reach out to the writer
Via email: jaey_geoffery@yahoo.co.in
OR jaey-geoffery.blogspot.com