COMMAND AREA DEVELOPMENT

A large number of studies have been carried out regarding command area development and environmental issues associated with it.

For balance command area development and to avoid water logging and salinity the measures have been suggested.

PUBLIC HEALTH

Studies  

A large number of studies have been carried out on the health profile of villages in the three beneficiary States. The key studies are summarised below:  

1. Narmada Programme - Schistosomiasis - Back-to-Office Report by Good land. 1986 described the schistosomiasis assessment carried out. Consultant to the World Bank, the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

2. Proceedings and Recommendations of the Meeting on Schistosomiasis Research and Surveillance held at NICD on 22nd November 1985.

3. Disease Profile of Command Area by the Commissariat of Health, Medical Services and Medical Education (SCHMS), 1986.

4. Health Statistics, GOM, 1987. The State department of health produced a report on the health profile of 33 project-affected villages in Dhule District, Maharashtra.

5. Health Statistics 1982-84, GOMP: This study, published by GOMP in 1985.

6. The Sardar Sarovar Narmada Project "Studies on Ecology and Environment" by Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU), Vadodara in 1983 considered public health in one Chapter.

7. Health Aspect and Water Quality by the NVDA, 1988.Environmental Impact Assessment study of Water Related Diseases in Sardar Sarovar Project command area, Gujarat, Volume-I & Volume-II.Baseline survey to assess the health & morbidity pattern in the rising of SSP. (Phase-I) 1995-96 by Department of preventive & social medicine of T.N. Medical College & B. Nair Charitable Hospital, Mumbai and Directorate of Health Services Maharashtra.

Findings  

1) The MSU study of 1983 and other studies concluded that the most of the important diseases In the Narmada Basin were malaria, scabies, dysentery and diarrhea of these diseases, only the threat of Increased Incidence of malaria is the prime concern of the SSP project authorities. Occurrence of the other diseases is, in general, results from poor hygiene, poor sanitation and the lack of drinking water. The study concluded that the incidence of these hygiene-related diseases would be reduced by better water availability.

2) Several other studies have also identified malaria and Japanese Encephalitis as the greatest potential health threats in the SSP affected areas, but have indicated that timely mitigative measures would greatly reduce any risk. The SCHMS report, for example, pointed out that much of the Command Area was already under Irrigation and that the addition of new areas would not have a marked impact on malaria Incidence. Moreover, the vector would not be able to breed in the irrigation branch canals under flow. The report did recommend, however, that the incidence of malaria should be subject to surveillance and recommended that practical measures to be Implemented where necessary, to protect agricultural communities.

SEISMICITY AND RIM-STABILITY

Studies   

The Geological Survey of India (GSI), Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS) have carried out studies of reservoir-induced seismicity (RIS) and rim stability. The principal studies are described below :  

Findings   

The data on earthquake occurrence In peninsular India show that the Maximum Credible Earthquake( MCE) can have a maximum magnitude of 6.5.
It has been concluded that reservoir impoundments may in some cases. trigger earthquakes where tectonic deformations already exist in the geological structures. The threat of reservoir-induced seismic activity by the SSP Is extremely low. The dam has been designed to accommodate the Maximum Credible Earthquake (MCE) Richter Mag. 6.50 and as It Is established that the levels of Reservoir Induced Seismicity have never exceeded 6.3, the safety requirements are adequately met with.
The rim of the reservoir has been found to be stable.

THE CULTURAL HERITAGE

Studies
 
The three State governments carried out a complete survey of cultural and religious sites within the submergence zone under the direction of the project proponents. The principal aim of these studies was to list all archaeological sites, identify and name any sites under state-protection and further identify sites of religious or cultural significance which, although not protected under national law, are of sufficient value to merit relocation.

Gujarat
Archaeological Survey of Nineteen Villages submerged by Sardar Sarovar Reservoir, 1989: - The Department of Archaeology was instructed to carry out a survey of archaeological sites In 19 villages of the proposed SSP submergence zone in Gujarat.

Maharashtra
State Department of Archaeology : A survey was carried out by the Department of Archaeology of cultural sites in 24 villages of Akkrani Taluk and nine villages from Akkalkuva Taluk, Dhule District.

Madhya Pradesh
State Department of Archaeology and Museum : The Archaeology Department of Madhya Pradesh compiled a detailed report of archaeological sites in 120 villages likely to be affected by SSP. A second study of 73 villages was completed in July, 1991.

In addition to baseline studies on archaeological aspects, work has been carried out on the anthropological heritage of the Narmada Basin including examination of evidence of ancient dwellings and cultural artifacts. The principal studies in this area are described below.

• Anthropological Survey of India. Narmada Salvage Plan : The Narmada Salvage Plan contains detailed background data on palaeo-anthropological, human ecological and other aspects of the Narmada valley.

• Anthropological Survey of India. Peoples’ of India : This project entailed a complete survey of 33 tribes of India including those of the Narmada Basin. The study covered all aspects of tribal culture in India and was published in 61 volumes in 1992.

• Parishad, A.K. Survey of Material Culture in the Narmada Valley : Work was completed and a report published by the National Museum of Humanity, Bhopal, on cultural objects from tribal artisans in Madhya Pradesh in 1990. Copies of the interim report were circulated to the Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Narmada Control Authority in April 1991.

Findings

No centrally or State-protected cultural sites are located in the submergence area of the SSP. Baseline studies, however, identified several sites which were considered of cultural value and should be relocated where practicable.

Gujarat
The Department of Archaeology concluded that the temples of Shoolpaneshwar and Hamfeshwar were important monuments and should be shifted to high ground.

Maharashtra
No State-protected sites were found in the villages surveyed; however, the Department of Archaeology and Museums recommended the relocation and proper preservation of the Shoolpaneshwar temple in the village of Manibeli, which lies on the border of Gujarat and Maharashtra states.

Madhya Pradesh
No state-protected anthropological sites were found within the submergence zone. However, the Survey and Action Plan of the State Department of Archaeology and Museums has identified 38 archaeological monuments / mounds for relocation / excavation.