Big dams in India face challenges from environmentalists

NI Wire

New Delhi

Sat, 09 Jun 2007: 

June 09: Under construction or commissioned, large dams in the state of Arunachal Pradesh received a major setback when Guwahati High court cepted a petition challenging their ‘environment friendly’ nature.

The Environment Protection and Sustainable Society EPS), a non-governmental organization working on environmental issues, filed a petition in the court against the construction of 13 proposed large dams in the state. In response to the petition, The Guwahati High Court has issued notice to the Centre, the state governments of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam and seven other government organisations, asking them to respond to the allegations raised by the EPSS.

EPSS has challenged the environmental viability of big dams proposed within the state of A.P. and Assam. Environment related group alleged these huge projects will damage the environment and displace tribal people from their habitats.

In its petition, EPSS raised the issue of seismic threat to the area. The observation group stated that these dams would pose a risk to the future of Arunachal Pradesh and neighbouring Assam which are located in a very sensitive seismic zone. The region witnessed two massive earthquakes in the past 100 years.

While forwarding their independent assessment, which bear the references of some of the experts, EPSS pointed out that the environmental impact assessments of these proposed hydro projects were faulty and did not take into account that they will destroy several game sanctuaries and bird parks that house some of the world's most endangered species.

Centre along with the state government plans to turn the region into the country's most important powerhouse by tapping its huge hydro-electric potential estimated at more than 40000MW.

Concerned ministry of the Central government has already finalised plans for the projects while projecting their generating capacity up to 23390MW and public sector companies are now issuing tenders for 13 projects capable of generating 7000MW.

As Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has related generation of cheap electricity as the key to sustain India's high economic growth rate, the EPSS might “jeopardize” the whole process within the proposed region.

Meanwhile the administration has claimed that the displacement within sparsely populated AP will be minimal which is being countered by the environmentalists. They argue that the region is one of the world's bio-diversity hotspot and that should be protected.

While quoting different experts media outlets in the area have put forth serious objections raised by them.

Environmentalist Dulal Goswami has been quoted as, "The database on the fallout of these huge dams on the region's ecology is uncertain because the environmental impact studies are clearly inadequate."

Neeraj Vagholikar of Environmental Protection Group, Kalpavrishk, said that the federal government's environment impact assessments did not take into account the risks of the downstream communities. " Assam is at grave risk from these dams," he reportedly said.

Meanwhile, state government has dismissed the objections as A P chief minister Dorjee Khandu said, “We are looking forward to the huge revenues.

“In case of displacement the small tribal communities will be adequately compensated and settled.”

Large dams have recently become a subject of controversy in India. Environmentalists of different countries have already raised questions about the negative impact of big dams on the environmental. According to a latest research conducted by the experts in Brazil, 25 per cent gas emission, responsible for global warming, from big dams has been reported from India.

The country has already been subjected to severe criticism due to non-committal attitude, towards global warming, shown by the country.