20-7 River Health and Human Interference: A Study of the Haora River, Tripura, India

Abstract:

Traditionally, the term ‘River Health’ depends solely on the measurement of physical, chemical and some biological characteristics of the river. It is usually applied to the assessment of river conditions and is often found analogous to human health. River health is a relatively new branch within Geomorphology, Hydrology, and Environmental Science. The present study aims to define the term ‘river health’ and its application to the river Haora, which flows between two countries, India and Bangladesh.

The Haora River is widely regarded as the lifeline of Agartala, the capital city of Tripura. Originating in the Baramura Hills, the river descends onto the rolling plains at Chandrasadhubari, near National Highway 44, before flowing south-westward into Bangladesh, where it ultimately joins the Titas River. Since the 1950s, rapid population growth and urban expansion within the Haora River basin have imposed increasing pressure on the river system. Although the overall course of the Haora River remained largely unchanged between 1932 and 2005, significant channel modifications have been observed in three distinct reaches. The changes observed in the first reach are primarily attributed to localised tectonic movements and structural controls that altered the channel alignment. As a consequence, the Katakhal, one of the principal tributaries of the Haora River, has progressively become disconnected from the main channel. These geomorphic adjustments have also resulted in a shift in the confluence of the Haora River with the Titas River within Bangladesh. In contrast, the channel modifications observed in the other two reaches are predominantly the result of intense human intervention, including urban expansion, encroachment onto the floodplain, channel modification, construction activities, and other anthropogenic disturbances. These alterations have affected the geomorphic stability, hydrological behaviour, and ecological functioning of the river, thereby influencing its overall health.

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