The Tribune: Capacity cut not enough to address environment concerns: Activists

Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 20
Asserting that reduction in the capacity of the Luhri hydroelectric project from 775 MW to 600 MW is not a solution to environment-related issues, activists have urged the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to carry out impact assessment afresh in view of change in design.

In a letter to Minister of Environment and Forests Jayanthi Natarajan, Himdhara, an environment research and action group, and the Satluj Bachao Jan Sangharsh Samiti, a body of local people, said random change in the capacity of the project was no reason to celebrate. “Any change in the scope of the project calls for a fresh clearance and environment impact assessment as per the provisions of the EIA Notification, 2006,” they said.

The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) on the River Valley Projects had directed the SJVN, which is executing the project, to maintain higher environment releases from the dam as a result of which the capacity had to be reduced. With the reduction in discharge from 480 to 380 cumecs, the twin tunnels, each of 9-m diameter, was to be replaced by a single tunnel of 10.5-m diameter. But it will effectively wipe out a 50-km stretch of the Sutlej and this issue still remained to be addressed.

Further, by granting Stage-1 forest clearance to the project, the Ministry of Environment had diluted its stand of not allowing diversion of forests without the consent of the gram sabha and settlement of local rights under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, they said.

These issues were linked and needed to be seen as a whole. A mere reduction in size of the project would not address the deeper concerns related to ecological and social impacts of such destructive projects, they said.

Nek Ram Sharma of the samiti said, “If they are so concerned about environmental flows, they need to look at the cascade of 30-odd dams on the Satluj basin. The ICFRE, Dehradun, is conducting a cumulative impact study to evaluate environmental fallout of these projects”.

URL: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130321/himachal.htm#9