Volume I: Part I: Section 1: Chapter: 1
1.1.1
Section 1: Chapter 1: Executive Summary 1.
Introduction
1.1 We, M/s Naik Environment Research Institute Ltd. (NERIL) were allotted the work for ‘Preparation of a Comprehensive Catchment Area Treatment Plan for entire Satluj Basin in HP’. A Memorandum of Understanding for preparation of Comprehensive Catchment Area Treatment Plan for Satluj Basin was signed between Government of Himachal Pradesh through Pr. Chief Conservator of Forests, HP and Chairman & Managing Director, Naik Environment Research Institute Ltd. (Consultant) on 25th March, 2009. The duration of the project was 18 months the work commencement date was 1st April, 2009. However due to some compulsive factors it was extended to 21 months. 1.2 The Satluj Basin has a total catchment area of 20,000 sq. km. NERIL’s study area starts from Bilaspur district and extends up to Spiti valley, i.e., the Satluj basin above Kol Dam and its tributary Spiti. The spatial unit of this study is a Micro-watershed. In all we have 179 micro-watersheds in the study area from Kol Dam to Wangtoo and 31 sub catchments from Wangtoo to Spiti region are not demarcated into their micro-watershed. Hence, the sub catchments have been considered as a unit of study for this region. NERIL team of field investigators have visited all the MWSs and SCs. (both inhabited and uninhabited) to collect primary and secondary data in respect of the demography, topography, plantation, status of current treatment measures, pressures on the MWS from various sources etc.
1.3 In order to obviate any subjectivity and to provide a template for uniform observations, a set of 14 check lists was made during the inception stage of this project. These check lists were deliberated upon and approved by the HPFD together with the inception report. Additionally, in order to increase people’s participation NERIL has conducted Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) s. The field investigators by themselves and also accompanied by our experts / consultants, have undertaken stakeholders’ consultations at various levels. Additionally our Sociology and Agricultural experts have independently done RRA / PRA consultations. 1.4 As topographical maps are an essential requirement for generating the base map, NERIL has prepared the base map for the entire project area. The base map was then overlaid with the data collected during primary field Survey. All the deliverables are presented in the GIS application which is helpful to analyze the progress, the changes and requirement of any updating. This developed GIS system is called as NERIL’s Catchment Information System (Satluj) (NCIS). The overlaying of the surveyed data has been completed for all the MWS and sub catchments.
Comprehensive CAT Plan of Satluj River Basin
Volume I: Part I: Section 1: Chapter: 1 1.5 In order to analyze the current situation, NERIL treatment measures for individual micro-watershed are presented in the NCIS for Plantation Area, Conservation Measures for Forest Areas, as well as for Non Forest Areas and Landslides. The Comprehensive CAT Plan along with Implementation Arrangements, Financial Plan and Monitoring & Evaluation Mechanism is prepared. Silt monitoring system and implementation monitoring sheets for various stakeholders has been prepared and attached.
Structure of the report on “Comprehensive Catchment Area Treatment plan for Satluj basin”. 1.6
1.6.1 This section describes in brief about the structure, flow and the content of this report and the corresponding task covered in keeping with the ToR. In the planning, conduct and preparation of the comprehensive Catchment Area Treatment Plan for the Sutlej, NERIL’s endeavor has been to remain closely aligned to the Terms of Reference at every stage of this project. The final report is also arranged in a manner that it’s Volumes, Sections and Chapters represent fulfillment of the Terms of References. The studies as well as the prescription are location specific. The treatment measures are also location specific. Considering the large geographical area of the catchment, this report is submitted in 15 Volumes. 1.6.2 Volume I largely represents the Tasks A, Task B, Task D3 and Task D4 of the Terms of References. It would be prudent to first examine the Contents Page which displays the flow of this Report. It can be seen that preparation of Base map using G.I.S., collection of baseline data from the Forest Department, collection of all other secondary data are in Volume I, Section-1. Volume II relates to the most hazardous of the damages to the
1.1.2
Catchment Area i.e. the landslides. NERIL has chosen to submit the landslides with their description, mitigation and estimates separately in the form of a Red Book which means that while it complies with Tasks D1 of the Terms of References, it warrants utmost urgency as its action plan pertains to the most endangering landslides, land slips and debris flow. 1.6.3 Volume III of the Report refers to deliverable No. 3; which expects NERIL to provide a separate report documenting all Stakeholders Consultations. It will be noticed that the contents of this Volume are intentionally left uncorrected, as it intends to bring out the actual expressions of Stakeholders during such consultations. The Terms of References Task B relates to ‘analysis of the current situation’, whereas Task C asks for preparation of a Plan for prevention of further degradation of the catchment. Similarly, the Task D demands development of CAT Plan Actions in the Catchment in the form of Specific Action Plans (D1), Implementation Arrangements (D2) and Monitoring Plan with Revenue and Evaluation Mechanism (D4). Since these Action Plans relate to specific location, they are not generic in order but are location specific. The study Area from Kol Dam to Wangtoo consists of 10 SubCatchment, comprising of 179 Microwatersheds. These are clubbed in 9 volumes from Volume IV to Volume XII, wherein one such Sub-Catchment represents one Volume, within which all data pertaining to Tasks B, C, D1 and D2 are sequentially provided. (It may be noted that Sub Catchment Sf has only one micro-catchment and, therefore, it is combined with subcatchment Sh in Volume IV. The microcatchment specific collection of information and providing prescriptions to prevent further degradation are given in 14 tabular formats per micro-
Comprehensive CAT Plan of Satluj River Basin
Volume I: Part I: Section 1: Chapter: 1
1.1.3
watershed in these volumes (Vol. IV to XIV)
ready instruction software
1.6.4 The All India Soil and Land Use Survey has not yet delineated the Micro-watersheds in areas between Wangtoo to Spiti. As such the Kinnaur Region is distributed in 23 subcatchments and Spiti is delineated in 8 sub catchments. This delineation was done in the year 1991 by Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishva Vidyalaya, Palampur (by Dr. S.D.Verma and Dr. P.D. Sharma). NERIL has adhered to the same delineation in its approach. Volume XIII contains the 23 subcatchments of Kinnaur Region and Volume XIV contains 8 sub-catchments of Spiti Region. The methodologies for these sub-catchments remain nearly the same as the methodologies applied for the micro-watersheds in the lower region (i.e. as in Volume IV to Volume XII).
UNIT OF STUDY:
1.6.5 NERIL has provided all this data in its software named as “NERIL’s Satluj Catchment Information System-SCIS”. This goes far beyond the demand of the Terms of References which requires under Task A1 and A5 that a base map using GIS is to be prepared and further GIS Overlays are to be finalised, to represent such data on the base map. NERIL has provided this and in addition has provided its application software which is not merely a soil and moisture survey system but is a dynamic system for keeping an inventory of natural resources together with human habitation.
manual
of
this
METHODOLOGY FOR DELINEATION AND CODIFICATION OF WATERSHED SYSTEMENT IN INDIA: The All India Soil and Land Use Survey (AISLUS) initiated work on delineation and codification of watersheds in India on a macro level drainage map on 1:1 million scales. The delineation has been done in five stages starting with Water Resources Regions (WRRs) and their subsequent division and sub division into basins, catchments, sub catchments and watershed. Each of these terms indicates decreasing size of the delineated hydrologic unit. Each WRR has been divided into basins which constitutes individual big river. Each basin is then divided into number of catchments which mostly pertain to main tributaries or a group of contiguous small tributaries or individual streams. The catchment is further divided into number of subcatchments which are mainly smaller tributaries and streams. Sub catchment is divided into no. of watersheds which are the smallest sized hydrologic units in the macro level category and can be cartographically delineated on a base map of 1:1 million scales.
The SCIS has the ability to record and monitor access levels to ensure updating the data, its verification, its monitoring at superior authority level and its modification at the senior most levels of intervention. The details of operating instructions of this Information System are in Volume I and also in all 14 Volumes so that the Department officials at all levels have a Comprehensive CAT Plan of Satluj River Basin
Volume I: Part I: Section 1: Chapter: 1
CODIFICATION SYSTEM: Alpha-numeric symbolic codification system consisting of combination of alternating Arabic Numbers and English capital alphabet
are used delineation.
to
1.1.4
designate
different
The system followed by AISLUS for delineation of boundaries is as follows:
Comprehensive CAT Plan of Satluj River Basin
Volume I: Section 1: Chapter: 1 (a) Demarcation of big tributary catchment code. Each of the subcatchments in Satluj catchment is indicated as Sa, Sb and Sc etc. (b) Sub division of subcatchments into watersheds is indicated by Arabic numerical. Each watershed in each subcatchment is thus coded as Sn1, Sn2, Sn3 etc. The numbering is made from downstream upwards; (c) The watershed is further divided into sub-watershed and differentiated by a small English Alphabet. Thus a complete symbol for sub-watershed gives the information about the catchment, sub-catchment and sub watershed such as Sn1a, Sq1b, Sk1c etc.
1.1.5
For the purpose of Department of Forest delineation in nomenclature, the sub watershed is considered as microwatershed as it is the most convenient size of a hydrologic unit. In case of Satluj this hydrologic unit admeasuring an average of approximately 2000 hectares is named as micro-watershed for the purpose of this study. It must finally be noted that the objective of the soft ware or the volumes of CAT plan continues to remain: “Conservation of Soil and Water�
Comprehensive CAT Plan of Satluj River Basin