Study calls for ‘reanimating’ catchment area of Banas River

JAIPUR: The

good monsoon

has once again failed to fill the Bisalpur Dam, built on the

catchment area

of

Banas River

, to capacity. Despite good rains, the dam is only filled to 70.95% of the total capacity after this year’s monsoon.

This alarming phenomenon is similar to what happened to Ramgarh Dam, which was earlier a principal source of water for Jaipur.

In a study, Dr Mark Everard, associate professor of ecosystem services, University of the West of England (UWE, Bristol), has pointed out urgent measures that need to be taken to prevent Banas River, the ‘life line of central Rajasthan’, from drying up in the future.

These include removing anicuts and preventing encroachments both by construction and increased agriculture in the upstream of the river.

“The paper as a whole shows the vulnerability of millions of rural, urban people who are dependent on the river for drinking water as well as for irrigation other than wildlife. It outlines the reasons for this: a techno-centric approach that has maximized water extraction and abandoned monsoon recharge. It also presents a strategic approach to ‘reanimate’ the catchment ecosystem for linked ecological and socio-economic benefit,” said Everard.

The Banas River, which got its name by virtue of being ‘Van Ki Asha’ (Hope of forest), plays an important role in bringing drinking water and irrigation across Rajasthan. Yet, given the depleting state of the river and the almost complete diversion of its water in the middle of its course, the service is now almost completely compromised.

“The

Bisalpur

Dam operates substantially below its design dependability (defined in terms of how many times a dam fills completely or spills over relative to the expected probability), putting at significant risk the urban centres and irrigated command areas to which it supplies water. The case study in the Banas catchment highlights the need to reorient water resource development on a more sustainable path. This is made more urgent by Rajasthan's increasing human population, including disproportionately rapid growth in urban areas,” points out the study.

“Assessing the feasibility of integrating ecosystem-based with engineered water resource governance and management for water security in semi-arid landscapes”, the study affirms that the Bisalpur dam and the cities and irrigated land that it serves are vulnerable to both the declining quantity and quality of water.

The Banas catchment area is caught in a cycle of linked ecosystem and socio-economic degradation as a result of intensifying water exploitation practices that are out of balance with the natural or enhanced water resource regeneration,” said Everard.

But he expressed his appreciation for the Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan programme which looks at rebalancing water management towards recharging rather than solely banking on efficient engineered extraction in the state.