Hydel plants cleaner: Himachal counters Supreme Court’s ecology concerns

Faced with the Supreme Court’s warning that the entire state may vanish in thin air, if unregulated development continues unabated, the Himachal Pradesh Government has defended construction of hydropower projects in the state, terming them a cleaner alternative to fossil fuel-based thermal power projects.

In an affidavit filed in the top court in response to a suo motu PIL on ecological imbalance and the court’s concern regarding alleged destruction caused by hydropower projects, the HP Government sought to emphasise that its economy depended majorly on hydropower projects and tourism. The Supreme Court had on July 28 said, “We want to impress upon the state government and the Centre that earning revenue is not everything. Revenue cannot be earned at the cost of environment and ecology. If things continue the way they are, the day is not far when the entire state of Himachal Pradesh may disappear from the country’s map.”

However, while acknowledging that various studies have attributed cloudbursts and subsequent flash floods to global warming, the HP Government said: “The utilisation of hydropower as a cleaner alternative to fossil fuel-based thermal power represents a positive step, as it not only safeguards the environment but also contributes to mitigating global warming.”

It said, “To preserve the environment, thermal power stations are not permitted in the respondent state (HP) as a state policy. The hydropower projects are the substitute for the thermal power stations in the country and the Centre, through its various policy decisions, has encouraged the setting up of hydropower projects wherever possible.”

“Hydropower projects may not be considered the primary cause of destruction in the state,” it said, adding, “Construction of such projects is undertaken only after detailed geographic, ecological and environmental studies through an environment impact assessment as well as a social impact assessment.”

The HP Government added: “Recent flash floods and cloudbursts occurred in areas far away from hydropower installations. These destructive events were mainly triggered by cloudbursts at higher altitudes and mountain peaks, where no hydropower projects exist.”

“On the contrary, it is an established fact that dams constructed on river basins play a crucial role in flood moderation by providing protection, regulating water flow and affording the necessary lead time for responsive action. Thus, dams serve as an important cushion in mitigating the impact of floods and flash floods,” it pointed out.

“In the case of the Parchu lake outburst, the Bhakra Dam played a crucial role in containing the impact. Without these dams, the devastation in the downstream areas would have been far greater,” the state government submitted.

The HP Government said it was adhering to recommendations from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change–approved cumulative environmental impact assessment (CEIA) studies for the Sutlej, Chenab, Beas and Yamuna river basins. It added that hydroelectric power projects were being executed on the basis of these CEIA studies, in line with best practices adopted in India.

“Moreover, the respondent state is proactive towards protecting the environment and, to ensure ecological balance, has foregone the opportunity of constructing hydropower projects with considerable potential of about 3,000 MW,” it submitted.