The development of major water resource projects like the Narmada Valley Scheme can lead to both positive and negative physical, economic, and social changes in the local environment, depending on the context. While the scheme aims to increase food production and provide irrigation and drinking water, it has also displaced many people, especially tribal communities, and risks becoming unsustainable due to issues like heavy silting reducing reservoir capacity over time. There are arguments on both sides as to whether the benefits outweigh the social and environmental costs.

1. K.I.3. The development of a major water resource
scheme can bring about linked:
Physical;
Economic;
Social changes in the immediate environment.
These may be positive and negative depending on
the context,
But can lead to conflict.

2. The
Narmada
Valley
Scheme
India
North of
Mumbai.

3. Pros and cons
• Indian food production rose from 50 to 200 million tonnes 1950-
1997; two-thirds of increase from irrigation but not make clear what
proportion of the increase was contributed by large dams: estimated
10%; Government claims 30%
• Before 1978 all dams built without an environmental impact
assessment (EIA). EIA became statutory only in 1994
• Estimates of those displaced by large dams in India in the last 50
years vary from 21 to 56 million people
• 40% of those displaced are adivasis (tribal people)
• Less than 50% of people displaced by large projects are rehoused
• The costs of dams are systematically underestimated and their
benefits are inflated
• Accepted cost-benefit ratio for large dams is not met(80% of cases)
• Heavy silting shortens the life of many dams
• There have been 17 cases of earthquake tremor induced by large
reservoirs in India

4. Narmada is the fifth largest river in India and largest west
flowing river of Indian peninsula originating from an
elevation of 900 m . It flows westwards over a length of
1,312 km before draining into the Gulf of Cambay. The
basin lies between east longitudes 72° 32 and 81° 45' and
north latitudes 21° 20' and 23° 45'.
The basin has an elongated shape almost like a thin ribbon
with a maximum length of 953 km east to west and a
maximum width of 234 km north to south.
The annual utilisable quantity of water of Narmada at
Navagam, in Gujarat, was estimated to be 34.537 million
cubic metre (MCM) at 75% dependability by NWDT. On full
development, the Narmada has a potential of irrigating
over 6 million ha (15 million acres) of land along with a
capacity to generate about 3,000 Mega Watt of hydro
electric power. www.nvda.nic.in/ Official website Narmada
Valley Deveopment Authority

5. The controversy over large dams on the River Narmada has
come to symbolise the struggle for a just and equitable society
in India. In brief, the Government's plan is to build 30 large,
135 medium and 3000 small dams to harness the waters of
the Narmada and its tributaries.
Opponents of the dam believe that the cost-benefit analysis is
grossly inflated in favour of building the dams. It is well
established that the plans rest on untrue and unfounded
assumptions of hydrology and seismicity of the area and the
construction is causing large scale abuse of human rights and
displacement of many poor and underprivileged communities.
They also believe that water and energy can be provided to
the people through alternative technologies and planning
processes which can be socially just and economically and
environmentally sustainable.
www.narmada.org/ Friends of the River Narmada

6. Initial Budget
(1986-87)Rs 6,400 cr
Expenditure so far Rs
14,000 cr
Projected Total cost
Rs 24,000 cr
Cost of main canal Rs
4,000 cr
Villages submerged 14
Families displaced
4,600
Irrigation for 1.91
million hectares
Drinking water for
8,200 villages, 135
towns
Diversion canal into arid Gujurat
Not just a dam!

7. Social Effects – Good…
‘‘Till last September, I was so
worried I would lose my crop when
there was no sign of a last spell of
rain,’’ says Bijalbhai. ‘‘Since my
village is barely 30 km from the dam
site, it seemed I had been hearing
of the Narmada waters forever. But
when the branch canal finally
brought the waters here, I realised it
was a miracle. My crop got a new
lease of life.’’
increasing his cotton yield from 250
kg to 700 kg = Farmers gain =
Better Standard of Living
India is a major
global cotton
producer. Organic v.
pesticides /
fertilisers

8. Rehabilitation and resettlement of Displaced
Peoples
- In New Jalud village infrastructure like School,
Dispensary, Seed-Storage, - Roads, Drainage,
Electrification and Water Supply is complete.
Old House
New house
New water
facility
Improved
Quality
of Life

9. • Project would meet the
drinking water needs of
8215 villages and 135
urban centres which are
today suffering from
acute shortage of water.
Clean water =
Reduced infant
mortality
Sardar Sarovar dam

10. Social Effects - Bad
A grim situation awaits more than 1500 families in Maharashtra
and 12000 families in Madhya Pradesh who face submergence
this monsoon due to the rise in the height of the Sardar Sarovar
dam to 100 meters in May of this year," the groups say.
Communities
displaced – up to
100,000 people

11. Residents of
Pendriapada
(Guj) look on
their
destroyed
homes and
fields
Stagnant water increased….
More mosquitoes breeding…
Increased levels of malaria…

12. A huge percentage of the
displaced are tribal people
(57.6 per cent in the case of
the Sardar Sarovar Dam).
Include Dalits and the figure
becomes obscene.
If you consider that tribal
people account for only
eight per cent, and Dalits 15
per cent, of India's
population, it opens up a
whole other dimension to
the story.
Tribal momadic people
displaced for settled
irrigated cash crop growers
Narmada Main Canal

13. Civil Unrest if
water management
system fails
With incessant rains in
Gujarat water logging is
threatening the standing
crops

14. Environmental : Good Points
Drought affected villagers in
eastern Gujurat,India,
construct a 'check dam' to
collect the monsoon rains that
they hope will arrive.
Low rainfall,
unreliable monsoon,
long dry season –
Difficulties overcome
by irigation
The fourth year of searing
drought in South Asia is
taking a heavy toll — dead
livestock are scattered
across a desiccated, dusty
landscape, wells have run
dry and thousands of people
are wandering from their
homes in search of food and
water..

15. The reservoirs would, therefore, offer tremendous
opportunities for fisheries development which would
ultimately benefit the fishermen socially and economically
in the respective areas.
Create new ecosystems e.g . in reservoirs.
Can be used economically.
Large water
bodies shall
be created as
a result of
various dams
being
constructed
on the river
Narmada &
its tributaries.

16. Environment: bad points
Good land and
vegetation
flooded and
destroyed
Drowning tree

17. Recent reports show
that larger dam
reservoirs are silting
up at rates far
higher than assumed
when the projects
were built, that the
life span of major
Indian dams is likely
to be only two-thirds
of their projected
life.
Reservoirs may silt up quickly …
Thick silt deposits left by the receding monsoon
waters at Domikhedi, Maharashtra. The near
stagnant waters of the SSP reservoir allow silt to
settle out, before this dries it creates a dangerous
and impassable layer of mud

18. Soils may become saline in desert areas :
i.e. new farming not sustainable
Of the total area to be irrigated by
Sardar Sarovar, only some 40
percent is classified as "suitable"
and "very suitable" for irrigation.
As to the remaining 60 percent,
there are more or less severe
problems related to high salt
content in the soil or in the
groundwater.

19. Economic: Good Points
Irrigation
pumps in a
village to the
Narmada
River allows
cultivation of
sugar cane, a
water
intensive crop.
This production is much coveted by the politically
powerful farmers in Gujarat where water is scarce who
will benefit from the construction of the SSP dam.

20. The estimates come
with an upward
revision, largely on
the strength of the
Narmada water
released through the
Integrated By-Pass
Tunnel (IBPT) into the
main canal system
irrigating some 2.50
lakh hectares. Gujarat
decided against
declaring itself
drought hit, despite
the late arrival and
early withdrawal of
monsoon this year.
This, despite 2,747
villages being
individually declared
drought hit.
Produce higher value
products reliably e.g.
cash crops of cotton or
tomatoes
Even if there is a
drought in the region

21. Sardar Sarovar dam: At
what price progress?
If the half-built dam is
not finished all the
money spent on it so far
will have been wasted
For the last three
years the people who
live on the banks of
the Narmada river in
India have managed
to halt the
construction of a dam
that threatens to
destroy their way of
life.
Good for the economy
HEP electricity created
Creates an industrial boom
e.g. textile factories processing
the cotton grown by irrigation

22. Economic : Bad Points Bargi dam,
Madhya
Pradesh. The
first major
dam to be
completed on
the Narmada
River. It
displaced
100,000
people
however, since
money ran out
before the irrigation canals were built only 5% of the
planned land has benefited from irrigation (about as
much land as the reservoir has taken). The large dam
produces 105MW of electricity, a pitiful amount.

23. Generators blocked with
silt
Reservoirs silt up
Production increase not as
great as predictions.
Pushed through against
massive public opposition
The rich gain And the poor
lose out? Could the money
be better spent?

24. Narmada: A
history of
controversy
Project began in 1979
3,200 dams to be built along
1,200km Narmada river
Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra and Rajasthan likely
to benefit
Opponents says it will displace
200,000 people and damage
ecology
World Bank withdrew in 1993
To be fully complete by 2025
Farmland will be
submerged. Poor
lose out