International BusinessPro-dam activists demand early resumption of suspended projects
Ahead of the first meeting of the Ganga River Basin Authority (GRBA) in New Delhi on October 5, intensive lobbying is on to build pressure on the Centre and the Uttarakhand government for the resumption of three hydel projects — 600-Mw Lohari Nagpala, 480-Mw Pala Maneri and 381-Mw Bhaironghati — which were suspended under the pressure of environmentalists and VHP leaders.
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With Prime Minister Manmohan Singh all set to chair the meeting of GRBA, which is likely to take up the issue of Bhagirathi river where a series of hydel projects have been proposed, RLEK, a Dehra Dun-based NGO, today announced a series of agitations including dharnas and indefinite hunger strikes from October 2 and said it would move the Supreme Court in this regard.
“RLEK will institute a law suit in the Supreme Court for taking action against the concerned officials of the state and the central governments, who ordered the closure of hydel plants. This also includes the then Chief Minister of Uttarakhand (B C Khanduri),” said RLEK Chairperson Avdhash Kaushal.
In the event of central and state governments not restarting these projects, Kaushal said he would return his Padamshree award to President Pratibha Patil.
While NTPC’s Lohari Nagpala — being built in Uttarkashi district with an investment of Rs 2,500-3,000 crore — was at a very advance stage, the state-run Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd (UJVNL) had also done considerable work on Pala Maneri and Bhaironghati.
NTPC had already invested Rs 550 crore in the Lohari Nagpala project and UJVNL Rs 100 crore in the Pala Maneri project.
Vijay Bahuguna, a Congress MP from Tehri along with other party leaders, have also organised protest demonstrations for the early resumption of these projects.
In May, the Uttarakhand High Court entrusted the responsibility of these projects to GRBA which was set up early this year by the Prime Minister, who also declared the Ganga as the national river.
Meanwhile, NTPC has said it would maintain the environment flow in the river Bhagirathi according to the recommendations of the expert committee from Loharinagpala project.
Significantly, there was no word from the anti-dam activists who had in recent times organised marches and dharnas against these hydel projects.