Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Banu’s
Paper)
By Prof. Bijon B. Sarma
Source : http://www.persecutionbd.org/news/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-
tipaimukh-dam-a-critical-analysis-of-dr-banus-paper/
01. DR. NARGIS BANU SAYS : At the beginning (probably Introduction, where Abstract
is missing) Dr. Nargis Banu narrated the background story of Tipaimukh project.
Here she mentioned two notable issues: (Quoted).
(a) WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF TIPAIMUKH DAM, INDIA WOULD BE DIVERTING THE BARAK’S
WATER FLOW FROM ITS NORTH TO ITS SOUTH AND EAST. IT WILL HAVE ADVERSE IMPACTS ON
NATURE AND LIVELIHOOD IN THE NORTH-EASTERN DISTRICTS IN BANGLADESH.
(b) NOW INDIA HAS STARTED ANOTHER INTERVENTION ON THE INTERNATIONAL RIVER BARAK AT
TIPAIMUKH AND WILL CONSTRUCT A DAM AT FULERTAL (100 KILOMETRES DOWNSTREAM FROM
TIPAIMUKH) BY 2012.
(a) In the high rocky mountains water is deposited in cavities and on the picks as
ice during the winter. In the summer season those melt and flow down.
(b) The earth-made hills and mounds get wet during rains and release that water as
spring or fall, resulting in small canals (local name “Chhara”). Depending of the
size of the mounds, this water may flow throughout the year.
While the main source of water in Barak river is the first type, that locally used
in Monipur region belongs to the second type.
02. DR. NARGIS BANU SAYS : The author has given some information to prove that
there is probability of severe earthquakes in this region. MY SUBMISSION : It is
an established fact that
(b) Large deposit of water at heights intensifies vibration during earth-quake and
(c) Breaking of dam during such hazard would cause havoc. It is obvious that when
such a site is found economically feasible and ecologically superior (in
comparison with other means of generation of electricity) for a hydro-electric
project, the engineers would go for the construction of a safe dam, even if it is
costly. In case of breakage of this dam the most affected country will be India
due to the following two major reasons :
03. DR. NARGIS BANU SAYS : The author mentioned (quoted) “THE EXPERT APPRAISAL
COMMITTEE OF INDIA REVEALED THAT THE DESIGN OF THE DAM CONTAINS MANY ERRORS, AND
OMISSIONS, AND FALLS SHORT OF COMPLIANCE OF STANDARDS SET BY THE SCIENTIFIC AND
ACADEMIC COMMUNITY IN INDIA AND THE WORLD”.
MY SUBMISSION : The fact is, the design of Tipaimukh dam has not been finalized.
No one should wonder about such comments by various corners (like, expert
appraisal committee) during the preliminary stage of its preparation.
04. DR. NARGIS BANU SAYS : (quoted) “INDIA CONDUCTED DETAILED STUDIES, COMPLETED
THE FINAL DESIGN AND ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT WITHOUT CONSULTATION WITH
BANGLADESH AS A DOWNSTREAM STAKEHOLDER”.
05. DR. NARGIS BANU SAYS : (quoted) “INDIAN GOVERNMENT HAS NOT CLEARLY STATED THE
AMOUNTS OF WATER THAT WILL BE STOPPED OR DIVERTED WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE
TIPAIMUKH DAM”.
MY SUBMISSION : The author’s statement is not only untrue, but also misleading
because the Indian government has stated that it would not divert any water.
06. DR. NARGIS BANU SAYS : (quoted) “THE EROSION JUST DOWNSTREAM OF THE TIPAIMUKH
DAM WOULD BE EXCESSIVELY HIGH AND THIS EROSION WOULD CONTINUE AS LONG AS HUNDRED
KILOMETRES DOWNSTREAM OR MORE IN THE SURMA-KUSHIARA SYSTEM”.
07. DR. NARGIS BANU SAYS : (quoted) “THE … DEPOSITION …. WILL RAISE THE OVERALL
BED LEVEL OF THE RIVERS”. About the affects of silting she commented (01) “… AN
EXTREME CASE IT WOULD BLOCK THE MOUTH OF CERTAIN TRIBUTARIES, and (02) “WILL
INDUCE THE AVERAGE MONSOON FLOOD TO BECOME MODERATE TO SEVERE FLOOD IN THE SURMA-
KUSHIARA FLOODPLAIN”.
MY SUBMISSION : All these are against the natural rule of science. The fact is,
the water carried by the river after the dam would create less siltation because
(i) It would erode less due to the reduced velocity of water and (ii) The dam
would arrest the entire sedimentation particles coming from above.
08. DR. NARGIS BANU SAYS : (quoted) “ABOUT 71 PER CENT OF THE UPPER SURMA-KUSHIARA
BASIN AREA WOULD NO LONGER BE FLOODED. … THE KUSHIARA-BARDAL HAOR …. WOULD BECOME
COMPLETELY DRY. THE KAWARDIGHI HAOR …. LOSE AROUND 2,979 HA (26 PER CENT).”.
MY SUBMISSION : If it really happens like it, then the people of this area would
think them fortunate to become free from flood hazard and to get new land.
09. DR. NARGIS BANU SAYS : (quoted) “ … KUSHIARA WOULD CUT ITS CONNECTION WITH ITS
RIGHT BANK FLOODPLAIN …… AND THIS PART WILL BECOME ‘RESERVOIR RIVER’ RATHER THAN A
MOST VALUABLE ‘FLOODPLAIN RIVER” (prophesy).
10. DR. NARGIS BANU SAYS : (quoted) “MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE DEPENDENT ON … BARAK
FOR AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES. THE DAM WOULD CAUSE THE SURMA AND KUSHIARA TO RUN DRY
FROM NOVEMBER TO MAY”.
MY SUBMISSION : This is a wrong statement. The fact is, release of submerged land
due to lower level of water in the rainy season and straightening of rivers may
release more land, such that more people may be engaged in agriculture. Before
making such a statement the author should have studied the basic principle on
which a dam for hydraulic project works. Let me explain briefly.
In hydro-electric project the available height of water in the reservoir above the
exit-hole is of extreme importance. For the running of the generators water has to
be constantly released from the reservoir. The quantity of power generated is
proportional to the height of water in the reservoir. With normal discharge let
the height of water during the rainy season is (all arbitrary numbers) say, 100
Feet and that in the lean period (i.e. winter) say, 50 Feet. For optimum
production and economic feasibility the designers would have to arrange generators
to run by a height in between these two figures (not necessarily the average). Let
us say this number is 60 Feet. In this case the generators would not be able to
run at full swing unless during winter nonths unless there is arrangement for
storing additional water in the reservoir. This indicates, what the Tipai-
authority would do for the smooth-running of their plant throughout the year is,
storing extra water during the peak period and releasing the same during lean
period. This is exactly what the experts employed by Khaleda Zia’s BNP government
opined, and to which any scientist or expert would have to agree.
11. DR. NARGIS BANU SAYS : (quoted) “SHORTAGE OF WATER IN THESE FEW MONTHS WOULD
DECREASE THE BOOST OF GROUNDWATER. OVER THE YEARS THIS WOULD LOWER THE GROUNDWATER
LEVEL, WHICH IN TURN WOULD AFFECT ALL DUGOUTS AND SHALLOW TUBE-WELLS. AGRICULTURE
DEPENDENT ON BOTH SURFACE AS WELL AS GROUNDWATER WOULD ALSO BE AFFECTED. ARABLE
LAND WILL DECREASE AND PRODUCTION OF CROPS WILL FALL, LEADING TO AN INCREASE IN
POVERTY”.
MY SUBMISSION : After we know the report of the expert committee formed by BNP
government during FAP (Flood Action Plan) project, we have to ignore her
prophesies.
12. DR. NARGIS BANU IN HER PARAGRAPH ON “BIODIVERSITY AND ECOLOGY” SAYS : (quoted)
“CONSTRUCTION OF A HIGH DAM WILL OBSTRUCT THE MIGRATORY PATH OF FISH AND OTHER
AQUATIC FAUNA… (AND SILT, “MICRONUTRIENTS”)”.
MY SUBMISSION : This comment on FISH AND OTHER AQUATIC FAUNA is correct, the claim
of preventing of “MICRONUTRIENTS” however, is not. What is true is, as soon as the
flowing mountain-river water would come to a stand-still at the reservoir, there
will be considerable changes in the micro-nutrients, fish and other aquatic
animals. The dam would not arrest the micronutrients, even though it would not be
possible for larger fish to escape. However, nowadays it is made possible by using
fish-pass.
13. DR. NARGIS BANU SAYS : (quoted) “ABOVE IMPACTS WOULD DESTROY THE NATURAL
INTEGRITY OF THE ECOSYSTEM, LOSING RIVERINE HABITAT AND SPECIES, AND A LACK OF
ENRICHMENT OF LAND WITH THE NUTRIENT-FULL SILT. THIS WOULD LEAD TO THE ULTIMATE
DECLINE IN THE NATURAL PRODUCTIVITY OF THE TWO MOST ABUNDANT RESOURCES OF
BANGLADESH – LAND AND WATER”.
MY SUBMISSION : From what I have explained above, the above statement is wrong.
However, even though we do not know what type of changes would take place in the
micro-nutrients, from the experience of Kaptai dam we may guess, it would not be
anything hazardous.
14. DR. NARGIS BANU IN HER PARAGRAPH “CLIMATE CHANGE” DAYS (quoted) : “THE
TIPAIMUKH DAM WILL PERMANENTLY SUBMERGE AN AREA OF 275.50 SQUARE KILOMETRES IN
INDIA”.
15. OTHERS : The author’s claim on “DAM BREAK AND HUMAN CATASTROPHES” has been
answered earlier. In her paragraph on “WATER QUALITY” she said : (quoted) “THE
EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION DOWNSTREAM OF THE TIPAIMUKH DAM WOULD BE EXCESSIVELY
HIGH AND WOULD CONTINUE AS LONG AS OVER 600 KILOMETRES DOWNSTREAM IN BANGLADESH.
THIS EXCESSIVE EROSION DOWNSTREAM OF THE DAM WOULD INCREASE THE OVERALL SILTATION
AND WATER TURBIDITY IN THE SURMA-KUSHIARA SYSTEM. THESE WILL ADVERSELY AFFECT THE
WATER QUALITY OF THE ENTIRE SURMA-KUSHIARA-MEGHNA SYSTEM IN BANGLADESH”. I have
already mentioned why the author’s conceptions of increased siltation and erosion
are wrong.
She also said, “THE DAM WILL HAVE WARMING IMPACT DUE TO METHANE DEGASSING FROM THE
RESERVOIR”. Those who are aware of the quantity of degassing from (i) Huge marshy
lands throughout the world, (ii) Water-dipped rice fields and domestic cattle in
Asia and Africa, (iii) Rotten leaves and algae deposited in the oceans would just
laugh to hear about the “additional methane gas generated in 275 Square Kilometre
area”. I failed to understand the comment “CARBON EMISSIONS OF LARGE DAM
CONSTRUCTION”.
The author has mentioned some information in the paragraph “VIOLATION OF LAWS AND
AGREEMENT” about which I have nothing to say.
ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF DAM FOR BANGLADESH : DISADVANTAGES : (i) Due to the
construction of the dam Bangladesh would lose silt, sand and fish coming through
Barak river. By special arrangement and design, however, the movement of fish can
be retained.
ADVANTAGES :
(i) Due to its construction it will be possible to control flood due to Barak
river and its tributaries in Sylhet region.
(ii) Considerable portion of land can be saved from inundation during the rainy
season.
(iii) During winter irrigation may be easier due to higher level of water.
(iv) There will be less silting in the tributaries of Barak river. (iv) There will
be less erosion in these rivers.
As I mentioned, scientific papers are different from the column writer’s essays.
Such papers are revelations of facts. Here the scientist does not keep any
preconceived idea like “I will prove it, or disprove that”. The approach of the
scientist will be, “I believe this is the truth. So I shall try to prove it with
the knowledge and revelations so far made by science. In case I do not get defence
from these sources, it will be my hypothesis”.
Once again I beg to state that I have little interest regarding the construction
of Tipaimukh. I know many important and essential projects are not taken up
because “those do not fulfil the personal interests of the dishonest group among
the concerned authorities”. On the other hand, a project that in no way is
justified in the overall condition of the country is taken, because it satisfies
the above condition. “Underground rail line in Dhaka city” is one such project.
Probably this project is going to be materialized because it is capable of
ensuring financial benefit for some.
For the above reason, when I write about Tipaimukh, I only endeavour to show the
science-based truth to the best of my knowledge and experience. I believe, the
scientists and experts should continue in their predestined track, which is so
pure and true, and which is so different from those of the politicians and column
writers. Seeing “column writers’ essays” as scientific papers is really painful.
Lastly I express my sorrow to those who may be hurt due to my writing.