I-3-Changing Environment versus Urban Development -A Case Study

Abstract

Largeness of Ukai Project can be felt only by standing on the top of the dam, taking views around and fathoming the mind shaking depths downstream and feeling the charging breeze coming from miles off the mighty reservoir. Project is standing tall on mythological soothing river called `Taptil. Not only soothing, its tamed water is so useful making this project a multipurpose project in nature and biggest one so far constructed in Gujarat. Untamed water of river carried devastation potential, which was minimized, during post project era. Large projects are taken more as a threat than giver of arrays of benefits in the form of direct irrigation and power and series of indirect benefits. Most of the times, looking globally and large dams have proved as saviour. The changing environment has forced the managers at every level and at every sector to think and act differently. Water managers are forced to look beyond stored water and throwing the excess down the drain after milking the water for various purposes. Change in environment is a broad term under which comes the climate in its micro and macro form. Thus climate change will touch water resource projects at every level from the water at its source till its destination via project setup. However three stages are important i.e water in catchments, its handling at project in the form of storage and lastly downstream journey. As seen in the cases of water resource projects in India environment / climate change has least affected the normal working of projects? Changing environment in its visible presence in the form of global warming which melts to the average rise in temperature has hardly shown its effect in the form of drying of river or excessive of run off so as giving alarming trend to worry immediately. However variances which are overall felt may be given benefit of doubts, till global warming shows marked presence. However changing environment (not so climatic) in the downstream of major projects has warned the water managers and planners to think and act otherwise. As extremities in the form of floods has dramatically affected the lives of people in the flood plains downstream covering Surat city. Ukai project is one such project where on the downstream side lives of the people of Surat city is largely dependent on the flood releases. Haphazard urbanization of flood plains in the absence of adequate laws, awareness and coordination has made the situation for the time being worse. This paper highlights the pros and cons of matter, analyses challenges and suggests the actions so as to make the development and urbanization in flood plains sustainable.