2020, Vol. 2, Issue 1, Part A

Author(s): Dr. Rajesh Kumari

Abstract: The Indian Himalayan region is abode of three major river systems viz Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra river system. These river systems provides with large volumes of water. This large volume of water has harnessed the present basic needs like availing water for the irrigation, domestic, industrial purpose and for the development of hydropower potential. The development of dams serves as a basic tool for properly channelizing these basic needs. Based on the importance of development of dams, the sustainability of construction of dams on the river Alaknanda has been analysed in this paper. River Alaknanda is one of the two head streams with river Bhagirathi which joins together at Devparyag in Uttrakhand forming the river Ganga. The river Alaknanda basin consists 82.2% of the area to be mountainous ranging between 1000 to 4000 m above sea level. These mountains consists three tectonically separable major litho-stratgraphical units known as Dudhatoli group, the Garhwal group and the Central Crystaline group. The Garhwal group consists of several shear and fracture zones which makes these region fragile to hold the large dams. The development of dams in the fragile and geo-dynamically sensitive zones will result in increased landslides, drying of the river or floods. In return it will result in ecological disturbances, loss of biodiversity, loss of productive lands, damage to forests, social and cultural change, change in socioeconomic status, etc. Thus this study focuses on the sustainability of construction of dams on river Alaknanda by analysing dams being built on river Alaknanda. Measures for sustainable development of dams should be taken care for constructing dams in Himalayan region.

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