NGOs trash assessment study

Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 24

NGOs have trashed the government’s environment impact assessment study (EIAS).

They said environmental clearances given to power projects in the Sutlej river in Kinnaur would spell doom, adding that the 30 proposed projects might worsen the situation.

They sought answers to the queries raised by the locals. With this, the tussle between the NGOs and the IPPs in the Sutlej basin (where 30 projects have been proposed) has intensified.

The Environics Trust, Himalayan Niti Abhiyan (HNA) and Himlok Jagriti Manch, Kinnaur, supported by the Duleep Mathai Nature Conservation Trust (DMNCT) carried out an independent EIAS of the Sutlej river basin in 2014 and came out with a finding that would impact both the river and the tribals of Kinnaur, claimed Ramamurthi Sridhar, managing trustee, Environics Trust, a promoter of mine minerals and the People Alliance and Indian Ethics and Climate Change in India, supported by the DMNCT, an international NGO.

They released the finding today, a copy of which is with The Tribune.

They reached nine conclusions in their study, rejecting the government’s study and recommended the scrapping of power projects in upper Kinnaur, citing maps and satellite imagery to support their claims.

“There should be a dedicated well-equipped disaster management authority in the basin. At present, adequate arrangements are not in place to deal with flash floods, lake/dam breaches and tremors,” said Sridhar and Ranjit Negi, convener, Himlok Jagriti Manch, yesterday.

The joint front of the NGOs has called for a ban on power projects in Kinnaur. But they have failed to map the actual dimension of the damage done by the existing power projects in Kinnaur in the Sutlej basin and its claims are being contested by independent power producers.

“There may be more disasters as 30 more projects have been proposed upstream,” feared Ramamurthi Sridhar, a geologist, who carried out the EIAS of the Sutlej river with the help of the HLJM, Kinnaur, and HNA.

“Most of the villages in Kinnaur are located about 2 to 5 km from the power project sites and are bound to be affected,” Srimuhti claimed.

Debris had blocked the Sutlej river near Urni and silting was dangerous for the downstream communities, he observed.

“The actual study highlights how power projects have resulted in miseries for the locals but the conclusions presents a rosy picture of the projects in Kinnaur, which is untrue,” he said.

IPPs’ take 

The IPPs said the country was facing shortage of power and that NGOs were only seeking publicity and funds. Studies are carried out by independent experts taking all aspects into account.  “The government should take a call on whether it wants to execute a particular project.”The NGOs should not interfere,” said Manoj Kumar, general manager of an IPP.