Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Need for a Clear Techno-Legal Definition of Blue Gold:The River Floodplains in India


Affiliations
1 Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi 110 025, India
2 Department of Geology, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007, India
3 Discipline of Earth Sciences, IIT Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar 382 355, India
 

The present article highlights the need for a clear techno-legal definition of the river floodplains in India. In the context of environment protection, it reviews some of the recent judgements passed by the National Green Tribunal of India (NGT) pertaining to protection of the river floodplains. The inconsistency and differences in the legal arguments pertaining to the definition of river floodplains are highlighted. The geomorphic and hydraulic approach used for defining the floodplain of a river are discussed. It has emerged out from the discussions that the only abiding and faithful definition of the floodplain is its hydro-geomorphic character. This is manifested by sand, silt and clay and various geomorphic units associated with the depositional activity of the present day river.

Keywords

Embankment, Environment, Floodplain, Geomorphology, Hydrology, Hydro-Geomorphic, National Green Tribunal, Techno-Legal.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Joshi, D. D. and Bhartiya, S. P., Geomorphic history and lithostratigraphy of a part of eastern Gangetic Plain, Uttar Pradesh. Geol. Soc. India, 1991, 37, 569–576.

  • Rajagopalan, G., Radiocarbon ages of carbonate materials from Gangetic alluvium. In Gangetic plains: Terra Incognita (ed. Singh, I. B.), Army Printing Press, Lucknow, India, 1992, pp. 45–48.

  • Sinha, R., Friend, P. F. and Switsur, V. R., Radiocarbon dating and sedimentation rates in the Holocene alluvial sediments of the northern Bihar plains, India. Geol. Mag., 1996, 133(1), 85–90.

  • Soni, V., Shekhar, S. and Singh, D., Environmental flow for the Yamuna River in Delhi as an example of monsoon rivers in India. Curr. Sci., 2014, 106(4), 558–564.

  • Rao, S. V. N., Kumar, S., Shekhar, S., Sinha, S. K. and Manju, S., Optimal pumping from skimming wells from the Yamuna River flood plain in north India. Hydrogeol. J., 2007, 15(6), 1157–1167.

  • Shekhar, S. and Prasad, R. K., The groundwater in the Yamuna flood plain of Delhi (India) and the management options. Hydrogeol. J., 2009, 17(7), 1557–1560.

  • Shekhar, S., Mao, R. S. and Imchen, E. B., Groundwater management options in North district of Delhi, India: a groundwater surplus region in over-exploited aquifers. J. Hydrol: Reg. Stud., 2015, 4, 212–226; http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2015.03.003

  • Shekhar, S., Environmental flows and river rejuvenation. Geol. Soc. India, 2016, 88(6), 813–814.

  • Sarkar, A., Shekhar, S. and Rai, S. P., Assessment of the spatial and temporal hydrochemical facies variation in the flood plains of North-West Delhi using integrated approach. Environ. Earth Sci., 2017, 76(19), 665; https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-017-7019-5

  • Soni, V., Drought in India: conserving forests, effective use of floodplains can quell water shortage, interview to firstpost, 2017; http://www.firstpost.com/india/drought-in-india-conserving-forests-effective-use-of-floodplains-can-quell-water-shortage-says-prof-vikram-soni-3448708.html (accessed on 1 March 2018).

  • Soni, V., Shekhar, S., Rao, S. V., Kumar, S. and Singh, D., A new solution for city water: quality drinking water from the river floodplains. Curr. Sci., 2018, 114(3), 452–461.

  • Richards, K., Brasington, J. and Hughes, F., Geomorphic dynamics of floodplains: ecological implications and a potential modelling strategy. Freshwater Biol., 2002, 47, 559–579.

  • Gurnell, A. M. and Petts, G. E., Island-dominated landscapes of large floodplain rivers, a European perspective. Freshwater Biol., 2002, 47, 581–600.

  • Thoms, M. C., Floodplain–river ecosystems: lateral connections and the implications of human interference. Geomorphology, 2003, 56, 335–349.

  • NGT, Manoj Mishra vs Union of India, Original Application No. 6 of 2012, order pronounced on 13-01-2015, 2015; ielrc.org/content/e1504.pdf (cited 13 December 2017).

  • NGT, Pandalaneni Srimannarayan and Anr. vs State of Andhra Pradesh and Ors., Original Application No. 171 of 2015, order pronounced on 17 November 2017.

  • NGT, Uma Shankar Patwa and Anr. vs Union of India and Ors., Original Application No. 145 of 2015, order dated 23 January 2017; source: http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in (cited 13 December 2017).

  • NGT, Manoj Mishra & Anr. Vs. Union of India & Ors., Original Application No. 65 of 2016, (order pronounced on 7 December 2017).

  • Nanson, G. C. and Croke, J. C., A genetic classification of floodplains. Geomorphology, 1992, 4(6), 459–486.

  • Brierley, G. J. and Fryirs, K. A., Geomorphology and river management: applications of the River Styles Framework. Blackwell, Oxford, 2005, p. 398.

  • Bhowmik, N. G. and Stall, J. B., Hydraulic geometry and carrying capacity of floodplains, University of Illinois Water Resources Research Centre, 1979, Research Report No. 145.

  • Junk, W. J., Bayley, P. B. and Sparks, R. E., The flood pulse concept in River-Flood plain systems. In Proceedings of the International large River. Symposium (ed. Dodge, D. P.), Can. Spec. Publ. Fish. Aquat. Sci., 1989, vol. 106, pp. 110–127, https://www.nrem.iastate.edu/class/assets/aecl518/.../Junk_et_al._1989.pdf (accessed on 7 April 2018).

  • GOI, The Gazette of India (GOI): Extraordinary (PART II–SEC. 3(ii)], The River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016.

  • Soni, V., Naturally: Tread Softly on the Planet, Harper Collins India, 2015.

  • Jain, V. and Sinha, R., Geomorphological manifestation of the flood hazard. Geocarto Int., 2003, 18(4), 51–60.

  • GRBMP, Ganga River Basin Management Plan (GRBEMP) Reports 580 (http://nmcg.nic.in/Grbmpreports.aspx; 2011, Report 021_GBP_IIT_FGM_DAT_02_Ver 1_Dec 2011.

  • Sinha, R., Jain, V., PrasadBabu, G. and Ghosh, S., Geomorphic characterization and diversity of the fluvial systems of the Gangetic Plains. Geomorphology, 2005, 70, 207–225.

  • Soni, V., Gosain, A. K., Datta, P. S. and Singh, D., A new scheme for large-scale natural water storage in the floodplains: the Delhi Yamuna floodplains as a case study. Curr. Sci., 2009, 96(10), 1338–1342.

  • Soni, V. and Singh, D., Floodplains: self-recharging and selfsustaining aquifers for city water. Curr. Sci., 2013, 104(4), 420– 422.

  • Shekhar, S. and Rao, S. V. N., Groundwater management in Palla well field of Delhi using numerical modeling technique – a case study. Bhu-Jal News, 2010, 25(3&4), p. 46.


Abstract Views: 447

PDF Views: 143




  • Need for a Clear Techno-Legal Definition of Blue Gold:The River Floodplains in India

Abstract Views: 447  |  PDF Views: 143

Authors

Vikram Soni
Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi 110 025, India
Shashank Shekhar
Department of Geology, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007, India
Vikrant Jain
Discipline of Earth Sciences, IIT Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar 382 355, India

Abstract


The present article highlights the need for a clear techno-legal definition of the river floodplains in India. In the context of environment protection, it reviews some of the recent judgements passed by the National Green Tribunal of India (NGT) pertaining to protection of the river floodplains. The inconsistency and differences in the legal arguments pertaining to the definition of river floodplains are highlighted. The geomorphic and hydraulic approach used for defining the floodplain of a river are discussed. It has emerged out from the discussions that the only abiding and faithful definition of the floodplain is its hydro-geomorphic character. This is manifested by sand, silt and clay and various geomorphic units associated with the depositional activity of the present day river.

Keywords


Embankment, Environment, Floodplain, Geomorphology, Hydrology, Hydro-Geomorphic, National Green Tribunal, Techno-Legal.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv117%2Fi12%2F1958-1961