MULTIPURPOSE RIVER VALLEY PROJECTS-DISADVANTAGES.

1. ‘ In recent years, multi purpose projects and large dams have come under great scrutiny and opposition for variety
of reasons’. explain and examine the ecological(four points),social (four points)and economic impact of large dams./
define a dam. describe any two problems that caused due to multipurpose projects.

ECOLOGICAL
 Regulating and damming of rivers affect their natural flow causing poor sediment flow and excessive
sedimentation at the bottom of the reservoir, resulting in rockier stream beds and poorer habitats for the rivers’
aquatic life.
 Dams also fragment rivers making it difficult for aquatic fauna to migrate, especially for spawning.
 The reservoirs that are created on the floodplains also submerge the existing vegetation and soil leading to its
decomposition over a period of time, which might cause global warming
 Irrigation has also changed the cropping pattern of many regions with farmers shifting to water intensive and
commercial crops like rice and sugarcane. This has great ecological consequences like salinisation of the soil.
 Sedimentation also meant that the flood plains were deprived of silt, a natural fertiliser, further adding on to the
problem of land degradation.
SOCIAL
 Multi-purpose projects and large dams have also been the cause of many new social movements like the
‘Narmada Bachao Andolan’ and the ‘Tehri Dam Andolan’ etc.
 Resistance to these projects has primarily been due to the large-scale displacement of local communities.
 Local people often had to give up their land,livelihood and their meagre access and control over resources for
the greater good of the nation.
 Perhaps, the landowners and large farmers, industrialists and few urban centres benefit more as compared to
landless in a village increasing the social gap between the richer landowners and the landless poor.
 the dams did create conflicts between people wanting different uses and benefits from the same water
resources.
 In Gujarat, the Sabarmati-basin farmers were agitated and almost caused a riot over the higher priority given to
water supply in urban areas,particularly during droughts.
ECONOMIC
 they are expensive to construct.
 Ironically, the dams that were constructed to control floods have triggered floods due to sedimentation in the
reservoir at the time of excessive rain and have devastated life and property

POLITICAL
 Inter-state water disputes are also becoming common with regard to sharing the costs and benefits of the multi-
purpose project.
 Krishna-Godavari dispute is due to the objections raised by Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh Governments
 It is regarding the diversion of more water at Koyna by the Maharashtra government for a multipurpose project.
This would reduce downstream flow in their states with adverse consequences for agriculture and industry

2. What are the adverse effects of regulating and damming of rivers.give three points.

 Regulating and damming of rivers affect their natural flow causing poor sediment flow and excessive
sedimentation at the bottom of the reservoir, resulting in rockier stream beds and poorer habitats for the rivers’
aquatic life.
 Dams also fragment rivers making it difficult for aquatic fauna to migrate, especially for spawning.
 The reservoirs that are created on the floodplains also submerge the existing vegetation and soil leading to its
decomposition over a period of time, which might cause global warming

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3. How do dams affect spawning,vegetation and soil? Same as ans no.2

4. Why are large dams under scrutiny these days”? Mention any three ill – effects caused by this on the
environment./‘construction of dams on rivers has caused environmental degradation’. give four points to support this
statement. Same as ans.no.1

5. Multipurpose projects and dams have been the cause of many new social movements’. Name two such movements
and state underlying causes for these movements./ Why have multipurpose projects and large dams resulted of many
new social movements ? Explain with examples.
 Multi-purpose projects and large dams have also been the cause of many new social movements like the
‘Narmada Bachao Andolan’ and the ‘Tehri Dam Andolan’ etc.
 Resistance to these projects has primarily been due to the large-scale displacement of local communities.
 Local people often had to give up their land,livelihood and their meagre access and control over resources for
the greater good of the nation.
 Perhaps, the landowners and large farmers, industrialists and few urban centers benefit more as compared to
landless in a village increasing the social gap between the richer landowners and the landless poor.
 the dams did create conflicts between people wanting different uses and benefits from the same water
resources.
 In Gujarat, the Sabarmati-basin farmers were agitated and almost caused a riot over the higher priority given to
water supply in urban areas,particularly during droughts.

6. Name any two movements that have been started to oppose multi – purpose projects. Who are benefitted from
such projects ?
 Multi-purpose projects and large dams have also been the cause of many new social movements like the
‘Narmada Bachao Andolan’ and the ‘Tehri Dam Andolan’ etc.
 Resistance to these projects has primarily been due to the large-scale displacement of local communities.
 Local people often had to give up their land,livelihood and their meagre access and control over resources for
the greater good of the nation.
 Perhaps, the landowners and large farmers, industrialists and few urban centers benefit more as compared to
landless in a village increasing the social gap between the richer landowners and the landless poor.

7. What is Save Narmada Movement ? what are its main objectives ?

 Narmada Bachao Andolan or Save Narmada Movement is a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) that mobilised
tribal people, farmers, environmentalists and human rights activists against the Sardar Sarovar Dam being built across
the Narmada river in Gujarat.
 It originally focused on the environmental issues related to trees that would be submerged under the dam water.
 Recently it has re-focused the aim to enable poor citizens, especially the oustees (displaced people) to get full
rehabilitation facilities from the government.
8. State four social consequences of multipurpose projects. Same as ans.no.5

9. Who are the people who gain from m.p.r.v.p?

 Perhaps, the landowners and large farmers, industrialists and few urban centers benefit more as compared to
landless in a village increasing the social gap between the richer landowners and the landless poor.

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10. How does construction of dams results in social disparity in a society?
 Resistance to these projects has primarily been due to the large-scale displacement of local communities.
 Local people often had to give up their land,livelihood and their meagre access and control over resources for
the greater good of the nation.
 Perhaps, the landowners and large farmers, industrialists and few urban centers benefit more as compared to
landless in a village increasing the social gap between the richer landowners and the landless poor.
 the dams did create conflicts between people wanting different uses and benefits from the same water
resources.
 In Gujarat, the Sabarmati-basin farmers were agitated and almost caused a riot over the higher priority given to
water supply in urban areas, particularly during droughts.

11. Development of large dams for irrigation has created many problems’. list out four such problems./ “Large multi -
purpose projects also lead to land degradation.’’ explain.
 Irrigation has also changed the cropping pattern of many regions with farmers shifting to water intensive and
commercial crops.
 This has great ecological consequences like salinisation of the soil .
 Sedimentation in dams also meant that the flood plains were deprived of silt, a natural fertiliser, further adding
on to the problem of land degradation as farmers have to use more chemical fertilizers.
 Perhaps, the landowners and large farmers, benefit more as compared to landless in a village increasing the
social gap between the richer landowners and the landless poor.

12. Explain three ways in which irrigation schemes have changed the social landscape .
 Irrigation, has transformed the social landscape i.e. increasing the social gap between the richer landowners and
the landless poor.
 the dams did create conflicts between people wanting different uses and benefits from the same water
resources.
 In Gujarat, the Sabarmati-basin farmers were agitated and almost caused a riot over the higher priority given to
water supply in urban areas, particularly during droughts.

13. Why is irrigation necessary in India ? How has it changed the cropping pattern of many regions ? Explain./ How
has irrigation changed the cropping pattern in many regions of India ? Explain with three suitable examples./How has
irrigation affected cropping pattern?

Irrigation is necessary in India as:

 Indian monsoons are highly erratic . Depending on rain might not yield better crop results .
 Rice which is grown both as a commercial and staple crop requires a lot of water .
 HYV seeds which have been introduced , require a lot of irrigation .
 Indian economy is an agrarian economy , thus irrigation is necessary to produce good quality yields.

Rest same as ans.no.12.

14. Mention any two consequences of the changed cropping pattern due to irrigation. Why were the farmers of
Sabarmati basin in Gujarat agitated ?
Same as 12.

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15. Why are inter state water disputes becoming common .give e.g.

 Inter-state water disputes are also becoming common with regard to sharing the costs and benefits of the multi-
purpose project.
 e.g Krishna-Godavari dispute is due to the objections raised by Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh governments.
 It is regarding the diversion of more water at Koyna by the Maharashtra government for a multipurpose project.
This would reduce downstream flow in their states with adverse consequences for agriculture and industry.

16. What is the reason behind krishna-godavari water dispute ? Name the multipurpose river valley project
constructed on river krishna. Same as ans.no.15

17. How do dams create conflicts? Give three points.

 Irrigation, has transformed the social landscape i.e. increasing the social gap between the richer landowners and
the landless poor.
 The dams did create conflicts between people wanting different uses and benefits from the same water
resources.In Gujarat, the Sabarmati-basin farmers were agitated and almost caused a riot over the higher
priority given to water supply in urban areas, particularly during droughts.
 Inter-state water disputes are also becoming common with regard to sharing the costs and benefits of the multi-
purpose project. e.g Krishna-Godavari dispute is due to the objections raised by Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh
governments.It is regarding the diversion of more water at Koyna by the Maharashtra government for a
multipurpose project. This would reduce downstream flow in their states with adverse consequences for
agriculture and industry.

18. State eight indirect objections arising against multipurpose projects .

 the landowners and large farmers, industrialists and few urban centres benefit more as compared to landless in
a village increasing the social gap between the richer landowners and the landless poor.
 the dams did create conflicts between people wanting different uses and benefits from the same water
resources.
 In Gujarat, the Sabarmati-basin farmers were agitated and almost caused a riot over the higher priority given to
water supply in urban areas,particularly during droughts

 Irrigation has also changed the cropping pattern of many regions with farmers shifting to water intensive and
commercial crops. This has great ecological consequences like salinisation of the soil.
 Sedimentation also meant that the flood plains were deprived of silt, a natural fertiliser, further adding on to the
problem of land degradation.
 Inter-state water disputes are also becoming common with regard to sharing the costs and benefits of the multi-
purpose project.
 Ironically, the dams that were constructed to control floods have triggered floods due to sedimentation in the
reservoir.
 It was also observed that the multi-purpose projects induced earthquakes, caused waterborne diseases and
pests and pollution resulting from excessive use of water.