Dams

The role of the dams in reducing the damage during the 2018 floods in Kerala is looked at. Responding to the critiques, the authors note that the dams have produced enormous social, economic and even several ecological benefits and point out that benefits of the dams can be enhanced by improving weather forecasting capabilities.

There are important similarities and differences between the Kerala floods in 2018 and 2019 and the Himalayan floods of Uttarakhand and Kashmir in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Most importantly, floods in Kerala are likely to affect the local ecology in some parts of the Western Ghats, whereas floods in the Himalayan regions will affect North India as a whole. However, both the regions have a fragile ecology that is threatened by ecological destruction and industrial development. Thus, the Central Water Commission and other government agencies should take a holistic view towards addressing floods and dam management in these regions.

The dialogue principally aims at opening up the question of how decisions on dams, especially large dams, can be arrived at through an open, professional and innovative exchange among the diverse stakeholders and viewpoints. The dialogue also aims to address the social and environmental debate concerning large water projects.