ISSN: 2456–4397 RNI No.  UPBIL/2016/68067 VOL.- VIII , ISSUE- XI February  - 2024
Anthology The Research

Monitoring and Strategy For Combating Floods (A Case Study of Eastern Rajasthan)

Paper Id :  18537   Submission Date :  14/02/2024   Acceptance Date :  23/02/2024   Publication Date :  25/02/2024
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DOI:10.5281/zenodo.10836672
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Gopal Lal Gupta
Professor
Geography
Govt. College, Malpura,
Tonk,Rajasthan, India
Abstract

The floods are natural phenomena, they had taken place even before the men appeared on the scene and they will continue to take place in future. The man cannot control floods absolutely. One place may be protected but latter it is seen that it has been done so at the cost of other places. The question of economic availability does not allow embanking all the flood prone rivers throughout their length within a Country or even in a state, the recurring cost of maintenance will naturally add to the initial one if the embankment proposal is taken for granted, the problem will be much more complex. The protection areas may avert floods but the unprotected stretch will have a chance of getting flooded twice the normal depth. Even the area free from floods may be flooded. Since an embankment consists of the normal spill over an area, the water will either spill over a greater area or cause floods in those areas where floods are generally unexpected. Floods, being a natural phenomenon, will play their role in the natural area and every natural phenomenon has some good as well as bad effects, Floods not only bring silt as a nutrient, but they also bring sand and gravel to ruin rich agricultural land. Besides these, flood prevention has some adverse effects which have been elaborated in the chapter on Ecological imbalance/damages and losses from floods, later on, in this study.

Keywords Monitoring, Strategy, Combating Floods, Natural Phenomena.
Introduction

The immediate submission is that floods have occurred and will continue to occur. man has to control their destructive forces to minimize losses in terms of life and property. The question is how to achieve all these. The answer lies in a two fold approach because man cannot and should not stop floods only by engineering measures and at the same time he cannot be a helpless victim of them. The best way would be a combination of flood control measures and human adjustments. Man has to adjust with floods. W.R. derrick & Sewell and Gilbert F hile have suggested several possible human adjustments like accepting the loss public relief emergency action, structural changes in flood-protection, flood insurance, flood-zoning etc. Some of these are practiced in our country but some others are not relevant to our situation. People residing in a flood prone area naturally develop some sort of immunity against floods but it needs proper education, more awareness and large-scale provisions for fighting floods. Since all these need a huge amount of money, we cannot expect that they will be automatically generated. So our greater concern should be towards the human adjustment side.

Aim of study

Flood plains have been a spontaneous choice of the man for settlement through the history of the mankind in spite of the associates flood hazards. This is particularly true in deltaic and plain areas. With the rapid increase in populations, the man continues to encroach upon more and more areas in the flood plains even to the extent of using the flood channels of rivers. naturally, he has had to suffer from the imminent consequences. The mankind has been constantly fighting it. Number of flood control measures have been taken up to mitigate the fury of the flood. Paradoxically, despite the maximum efforts and money spent, losses resulting from floods are sustained not only in India but almost all over the world. The eastern Rajasthan which has also suffered from the fury of the floods is not exception to it.

Review of Literature
A running water is more responsible for sculpturing the landscape than any other surface process. Rostwedt (1968) defines flood as "A flood is anyhigh streams flow which develops natural or artificial banks of a stream". Rodd (1968) is of the opinion that short- term rainfall characteristics such as storm size intensity and duration and channel stop rather than basin slope prone more significant which explain the incidence of floods. In India, study of floods is recognized by Rastriya Badha Ayog. Badchik (1955- 1957) Banerjee E.A.R. (1957), P.K. Sirkar (1954-1956) Mahalanobis (1927) A.S. Ramamurthi and P. Subba Rao Studied the inundation maps of Sahibi river flood of 1977 from the Remote Sensing techniques. On the floods of the Rajasthan, climatic factors, physiographic factors from various points of view relating to the floods have been studied. Shrivastav, K. N. (1943) studied the Rajputana Floods. Dr. H.S. Sharma (1973 - 76) studied the migration of rivers of Rajasthan. Sharma M.L. studied the Ghambhir river basin Rajasthan. 
Main Text

The study region of the Eastern Rajasthan lies between 24˚45' and 28˚4' North latitude and 74˚55' & 78˚77 ̕ East longitude. The study region consists of Alwar, Jaipur*, Sawaimadhopur and Bharatpur** districts of the eastern Rajasthan. It has been aptly called the "Eastern Gate-Way to Rajasthan". It forms boundarie swith Gurgaon and Mahendragarh districts of Haryana in the North and the North-East, Nagaur, Jodhpur and Ajmer districts in the West, Mathura and Agra in the East. Madhya Pradesh stats in a South East, Tonk district in the South west and Kota and Bundi districts in the South. The chambal river separates the region from Madhya pradesh. Most of the tehsil boundaries are made by rivers. The region comprises the Aravallies and the Vindhyan formations. These two types of formation are separated by great boundries fault. Geological structures affects the development of drainage patterns. Almost all the area is covered with alluvium form which projects a few isolated hills of schist and quartzite belonging to Aravallis and Delhi systems. The quartz are well exposed in the Bayana hills.

The vindhayan sandstones cover most of the rocky parts of Sawaimadhopur and Bhartpur districts. The sand stone has been used as building material for many centuries. The Sawai Madhopur and karauli sub divisions are also hilly tracts while the remaining parts of the region is charactrized by plain surface. The plains are fertile. The

soil in most parts of it is light in texture, sandy and black and brown in colour.

The chambal, Banas, Morel, Gambhir, Banganga Sabi, Ruparail or Barach, Bandi, mashi, Mendha and Parbati rivers constitute the river system of the region .The districts are very well connected by rail routes (Meter gauge and broad gauge ), and roads in all the directions. The climate of the region is semi-arid. The average annual rainfall is 644.33mm. The rainfall generally increases from the north west to the south-east in the region. The mean monthly temperature increases from the month of March to June. The months of May and the first half of June is the hottest period of the year The Eastern Rajasthan  district has been facing the problems caused by Floods for the many years.During the course of research, numerous drawbacks and loopholes in flood controlling measures have been  noted. In the lack of adequate river gauge sites in the region, it is very difficult to arrive at a correct run-off and discharge of all the sub basins.

The self recorded rain-gauge stations are located only at Kanota and Sanganer of Jaipur district. Where the manual rain-gauge stations are settled, they are not working properly,  so the data was recorded only by Manipulation.

From the foregoing analysis and discussions many fact have come to light. Primarily adequate measures to control the devastating phenomenon of flash floods in the semi-arid and sub humid ecological units are badly needed.The existing means and methods for checking floods have to be changed and modified The drawbacks should be removed and new flood proof methods be devised For this, the administrative and organizational perspective is to be attuned to the base parameters of semi-arid environment. besides techno-scientific device.

Following measures may be taken for controlling floods and mitigating the flood hazards in the study region

(1) The Construction of Ring Bunds

A number of villages and towns were marooned during the floods. Some villages are still likely to get affected in the event of floods of higher magnitude. It is therefore recommended that ring bunds may be constructed around villages and towns so as to protect villages abadiesSome villages in Baswa and Sikrai Tehsils of Jaipur district need ring bunds to be built. In the Sahibi basin, Badsara, Newall and Raniwas can be saved by ring bunds.

(2) The Construction of Small Tanks/Bunds

There are many tanks and bunds in the region which are directly filled by river or Nalla and canals. They are not in series. To check floods in the region and to reduce water flow, it is necessary to construct tanks and bunds In

series. Construction of 21 tanks in the upper catchment of Sahibi river with a gross storage of 18852 ac. ft. is going a long way to control the flood hazards. A number of tanks should be built in the morel-Banas basin also.

(3) The Construction of Storage Dam

The construction of storage reservoir is an effective protection to the flood prone areas. The storage, reservoir would help in flood moderation during the year of excess rainfall. There is a site for such a reservoir near Bayana town in the Bharatpur district. The total catchment area of the project is 3032 Square Kilometre. With a proposed storage capacity of 203 hectares A storage dan is to be constructed on the Sahibi at Ajmeripura with a storage of 35000 ac.fts. Kanota project is also proposed in the Jaipur district at the Dhund river. The catchment area would be 155.3 Square Kilometre. This project will utilize the surplus water of the Dhund river. Similar projects should be under taken to kill two birds with one stone 1.e. to control the flood and for irrigation.

(4) Widening and Strengthening of Feeders and Canals

There is a network of canals in the district of Bharatpur and Sawai Madhopur. These feeders of the canals during flood period or rainy seasons are filled with silt which obstructs the regular flood of water. Therefore it is essential to widen and strengthen these feeders, so that they may resist flow of water during flood period. The Important feeders are Kot flood control drain and Jagranpura feeder in Sawai Madhopur district and Kurkad feeder in Bharatpur district

(5) Soil Conservation Measures

In order to minimize the silting of the existing and proposed storage in the basin as well as to prevent gulley and ravine formations as well as for proper management of soils, soil conservation measures are essential on inter state basis. It is recommended that the following soil conservation measures should be undertaken as centrally sponsored program of soil conservation

1. The inter state river basin or canals should be built.

2. There should be a longterm flood control schemes for Eastern Rajasthan.

(111) A scientific study of monitoring by Remote Sensing techniques can be undertaken. It is very essential to give a permanent solution to this flood problem.

(iv) Artificial canals and channels may be constructed as every year Banganga changes its course near Kamalpur village to Nekpur village so the water should be diverted to the artificial canal timely.

(6) Others

(1) Proper drainage system for Bharatpur city and Jaipur city should be introduced so that in any emergency, diversion of flood water is arranged without any delay.

(11) Sewerage lines should be cleaned so that the water In rainy season may not be choked and flow freely.

(111) The Banganga and Gambhir rivers are very shallow and are prone to shifting of their courses. These -courses therefore, should be restricted by construction of embankments and afforestation. A detailed survey of the Catchment areas also should be undertaken and more bunds on Morel, Gambhir, Banganga should be constructed on upstream site.

(iv) The study should be conducted whether existing bunds require any modifications, especially in those bunds where gates have been provided in old system of pulling the gates by chain should be replaced by more efficient one.

(v) Wireless sets should be provided at the appropriate on the general flood routes during the probable period of floods so that even when telephone lines are continued to be maintained. Also sirens should be provided at important tanks to alert the people whenever floods are apprehended.

(vi) Families which have lost their earning member, should be provided with some gratuitous relief in cash and to rehabilitate themselves.

(vii) Immediate repair of irrigation dans, embankments, roads and bridges which get breached due to flood be done. This would not only restore the irrigation system but also provide much more needed employment to the flood affected people.

(viii) More galvanized canvas sheets are required to cover all the families whose houses have been washed away or completely collapsed.

(ix) Remission of land revenue for kharif crop and suspension of all types of recoveries in flood prone areas on the eastern Rajasthan in flooded years be exempted. Reclamation of silted agricultural land is required for this purpose; a scheme would have to be worked out in detailed.

(x) It is very essential to divert the flood or river in its original course and to prepare suitable marginal bund with proper spur and pitching. So that the bunds could not breach and trouble may not arise in further. For construction of both side, marginal bunds be protected with pure and pitching and repair of banks of canals is required.

Conclusion

The immediate submission is that floods have occurred and will continue to occur. man has to control their destructive forces to minimize losses in terms of life and property. The question is how to achieve all these. The answer lies in a twofold approach because man cannot and should not stop floods only by engineering measures and at the same time, he cannot be a helpless victim of them. The best way would be a combination of flood control measures and human adjustments. Man has to adjust with floods.

W.R. derrick & Sewell and Gilbert F hile have suggested several possible human adjustments like accepting the loss public relief emergency action, structural changes in flood-protection, flood insurance, flood-zoning etc. Some of these are practised in our country but some others are not relevant to our situation. People residing in a flood prone area naturally develop some sort of immunity against floods but it needs proper education, more awareness and large-scale provisions for fighting floods. Since all these need a huge amount of money, we cannot expect that they will be automatically generated. So, our greater concern should be towards the human adjustment side.

References

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2. Sharma, H.S. (1976): Role of Geomorphology in Human Settlement.A Case Study of Jaipur, Paper Presented at Interdisciplinary Seminar on Human Ecology Univ. of Rajasthan, Jaipur.

3. Sharma H.S. (1983): Environmental Degradation in Jaipur UrbanComplex. pp. 307-316. Environmental Management(ed.) Savindra Singh.

4. Sharma, M.L. (1986): Geomorphology of Semi-arid Region. A Case Study of Gambhir River Basin Scientific Publishers, Jodhpur.

5. Sharma N.K (1981): Mapping for Flood Control Management byGanga Flood Control Commission, Map User'sSeminar, Dahradun.

6. Sharma S.N. Twenty Five Monsoons in Rajasthan (1961-1985), (ed.)Hydrology Irrigation Deptt., Govt. of Raj.Jaipur.

7. Sen, P.K., (1985): The Genesis of Floods in the Lover Damodar Catchment, Sen, P.K. (ed.).

8. Smith, G.H., (1971): Conservation of Natural Resources 4th ed.New York., John Wiley.

9. Srivastava, I.C., (1983): Census of India 1981, Series 18, Part XIII A+B; District Census Hand Book of Sawai- Madhopur, Jaipur, Bharatpur, Dholpur and Alwar. Director of Census Operation, Rajasthan.

10. Upadhyaya D.S. and Jaipal, (1973): A Study of Heavy RainfallOver Rajasthan During August, 1972; Influenced by two Successive Depression: A Journal Studies in Geography. University of Rajasthan, Jaipur1972-73, pp 55-62.

11.  Verma, R.P. and Roy, P.K., (1981): Palaeo Drainage Studies and its utility in Flood Problem, A Case History of Lower Luni Basin in Perspective in Geomorphology (ed.) H.S. Sharma, Concept Pub. New Delhi Vol IV pp. 137-143.

12. Verma V.S. (1972): Census of India 1971, Series 18, Part XA + B District Census Hand Book of Sawai-Madhopur, Jaipur, Bharatpur and Alwar Distt. Director of Census Operation, Rajasthan.

13. Yadav, U.K., (1961): role of Rain Drops in Soil Erosion, Journal of Soil and Water Conservation inIndia, Vol 9, (3 & 4) pp. 180.

14. Report of Hydrological Study on Sabi river Basin Irrigation Deptt., Govt. of Rajasthan, 1979.

15. Reports on Indain Irrigation Commission 1901-1902 (Minutesof Evidence Native States).

16. Report of Sediment Control In River and Cannals, Governmentof India, By Dr. H.L. Uppal, 1966. Report on Flood, Ministry of Irrigation and Power, Govt. of India, Annual.