Posted on January 27, 2025
One of the biggest challenges the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) is likely to face as the project to desilt and dredge the Vishwamitri river, which faced massive flooding last year, takes off, is the relocation of nearly 300 crocodiles that have made the water body their home.
Among the 13-point priority list of flood-mitigation measures that the civic body will take up is the river-channel modification and straightening of the meanders in sections, the process for which is likely to coincide with the nesting period of the crocodiles.
While officials say it is possible to carry out the work as the crocodiles are “hardy species” that are unlikely to be harmed “merely due to shifting”, experts stress on the need for a plan B, reasoning that the “disturbance” may leave the animals, including other reptiles like monitor lizards, “agitated”.
On Tuesday, the Municipal Commissioner presented before the Standing Committee the three-phase plan of the Vishwamitri project, including immediate mitigation measures to be undertaken before the upcoming monsoon as well as the long-term activities to rejuvenate the river. The VMC has also convened a special General Board meeting with its corporators at the Sayaji Nagar Gruh on Friday in order to showcase the presentation and “seek opinions” before commencing the much-anticipated project that could help reduce the risk of annual floods in the city.
Even as the VMC has received environmental clearance, it is awaiting response from the Wildlife Department to a proposal to allow the civic body to “shift crocodiles” from the Vishwamitri for the proposed activity.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Agneeshwar Vyas, in-charge Vadodara district Deputy Conservator of Forests, said that the proposal of the VMC seeking the permission to shift crocodiles has been forwarded to the State Wildlife Board through the PCCF (Wildlife) and onward to the National Wildlife Board since crocodiles are a Schedule-I species of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972.
Vyas said that although the Vishwamitri river is not in the jurisdiction of the forest department and, therefore, the civic body does not need permission to begin work on the project, relocation of crocodiles cannot be done without the permission of the National Wildlife Board. Vyas said, “The forest department will be involved only if there is any potential threat to the crocodiles. If the VMC feels that it can carry out the work in sections without actually shifting the crocodiles, they do not need any permission. In case a relocation of crocodiles is planned, the VMC will execute the same under supervision of the forest department.”
Vyas said that one of the recommendations made by the forest department is that the VMC must leave certain areas along the river course undisturbed to allow the mugger (Crocodyluspalustris) to nest. The river stretch in the city limits had close to 300 crocodiles as of the 2021 census, while the entire stretch could have at least 1100 muggers.
Vyas said, “The VMC has plans to complete the entire work before May, but if the work extends beyond their estimated time period, it would coincide with the nesting period, when female crocodiles also turn aggressive. We have recommended that some parts of the natural rivercourse, where there are mounds, must be left undisturbed to allow nesting. If the civic body plans to shift crocodiles in phases, we can accommodate them in the rescue centre, where more than 50 crocodiles had been kept even during the flood at one time. We can also relocate some into the Sayajibaug zoo or create temporary shelters.”
Vyas said that the creation of temporary shelters is not difficult as it “requires a fenced enclosure with a water pond” although the forest department had “previously identified” areas along the river course that are known to be nesting spots.
Vyas added that the water body, which also has a significant population of the Schedule-I Indian Softshell turtles, can, however, be desilted without disturbing the natural habitat. “It is possible to carry out the work in sections as crocodiles can disperse in the long route… The crocodiles are hardy species and not delicate so they are unlikely to be harmed merely due to shifting. Even then, we have sought guidelines from the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF). As far as the turtles are concerned, they are not a dangerous species and are prone to naturally shift and drift away. The river has its natural deep and shallow pockets and turtles are most likely to find their way,” Vyas said.
‘Need to have a plan B’
Dr Ranjitsinh Devkar, Assistant Professor of Zoology at MS University, said that while the focus of the authorities has been only on the crocodiles, the Vishwamitri meanders are home to other species of animals such as the monitor lizards, Indian porcupines, and cobra. “As a researcher, I would say that altering the meanders would disturb the natural habitat of many species of animals like monitor lizards, Indian flapshell turtles, Indian cobra and Indian porcupines, which are a Schedule II species. The disturbance, whether by alteration of the course or by the mere presence of machinery, would also mean that these animals and reptiles would be agitated to move into the human settlement. The authorities need to have plan B to rescue the animals as needed.”
Stating that the task of relocating and rescuing animals will require multiple levels of cooperation, especially from citizens, Devkar added, “Crocodiles are highly territorial reptiles and will try to find their way back to the place where they have been removed from. Therefore, it is necessary that any relocation should be done in a scientific way with tagging and marking the muggers to release them back into their own areas. Although they appear robust, reptiles, too, have their own ways of showing stress. All living beings, including plants, come under stress when relocated from their original place. The stress of a reptile is manageable and therefore, scientific ways should be used to execute the project.”
In the proposal of the VMC, put forth before the Standing Committee on Tuesday and for deliberation of the General Board on January 24, much emphasis has been placed on the 13-point plan to mitigate floods in the upcoming monsoon by increasing the carrying capacity of the river as close to its original size of 1,100 cumecs (38,800 cusecs).
The flood-mitigation plan
The proposal states that the works to be accomplished before onset of monsoon this year include the modification of the river channel, along with straightening the meandering of Vishwamitri “at some places where government land is available”. The VMC has proposed to temporarily rehabilitate crocodiles in these portions. The civic body has proposed the straightening of the confluence point of the Vishwamitri with Dadhar river besides Jambuva river.
The VMC also plans to construct an additional spillway of Ajwa Dam with vertical gates on the downstream of the existing weir. Along with this, the crest level of Ajwa will be reduced from 214 feet to 206 feet. The civic body plans to conduct dredging along the periphery of Ajwa and Pratappura Sarovar when the water levels reduce during summer.
The civic body has proposed the construction of a new buffer pond with storage near Kotambi and Bhaniyara. The proposed works include increasing the capacity of three ponds by dredging in Dhanora, Vadadala and Haripura. The focus is also on the existing network of over 42 major and minor kaans (storm water drain) in the city, including the 2.5-kilometre Bhukhi kaans with a new channel diversion of three kilometres to divert the water along with a 5-kilometre channel diversion for the Ruparel kaans after dredging and resectioning to increase the carrying capacity. An additional kaans is proposed to be constructed in the Eastern part of NH-48 to prevent the water from flowing into the city that causes flooding.
Installation of flood-forecasting warning systems and piezometers along the length of Ajwa Dam as well as deep recharge by rainwater harvesting in the city has also been proposed.
Municipal Commissioner Dilip Rana said on Tuesday, “The Committee led by BN Navalawala has made recommendations for the Vishwamitri flood mitigation. We have presented the action plan for the implementation of the same — the most important part is dredging and desilting. We have created a detailed action plan and presented it to the Standing Committee, including an estimate of how much machinery would be needed. We are also putting it before a special General Board to bring consensus…”
Rana added, “We are looking at an action plan to see how we can divert the water that comes into the city from peripheral areas by creating sections or diverting water. Rainwater harvesting, storm water drains and diversion of kaans network is a priority. The various other channels that bring water to Vishwamitri will also be dredged and carrying capacity increased.”
