Activist Farmers in Maharashtra

Three farmers charged by the police during their protest against diversion of irrigation water to thermal power plants, Nashirpur village, Amravati district.

The Upper Wardha dam provides irrigation to a projected area of 80,250 hectares of farmland in Amravati and Wardha districts. Between 2008 and 2009, the state government diverted 124 million cubic metres of water from the dam to thermal power plants, acknowledging this would deprive nearly 33,000 hectares of irrigation, or 41% of the total command area.

Unique identifier: GP040TC

Type: Image

Shoot date: 13/03/2012

Locations: Asia, India, Maharashtra

Credit line: © Vivek M. / Greenpeace

Ranking: ★★★★ (E)

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Water and Coal Conflicts in Central India

In the backdrop of a drought looming over some Indian regions, a new report titled "Endangered Waters" released by Greenpeace has found that large clusters of coal fired power plants proposed in Vidarbha region in Maharastra may bring down the future availability of water in the Wardha river by 40% and affect irrigation for about 1 lakh hectares of farmland in the future. Greenpeace recommends an immediate moratorium on further environment clearances to coal power plants in Vidarbha as well as all the inland districts in the country. The existing clearances must be reexamined on the basis of a cumulative water impact and availability assessment in the river basins so that water conflicts between various users can be avoided and irrigation needs of farmers are not jeopardized.

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