Tehelka, September 9, 2010
With around 160 hydal power projects planned on Brahmaputra, there is a
need for a holistic environment assesment
By Pradyut Bordoloi, Power Minister, Assam
As a power minister in the state of Assam – I probably have practically
understood the meaning of a bipolar syndrome. On one hand I constantly
need to mobilise power in the face of a demand growth explosion in my
State – on the other hand I cannot turn blind eyes to the other side of
development problems. How does one not get worried knowing that nobody is
seriously studying the ramification of allowing reckless construction of
river dams in the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra water system. The
Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has apparently identified as many as
160 assorted hydal power projects to be put up in the highlands of
Arunachal Pradesh without carrying out a holistic study.
Hydel power projects like the one on Lower Subansiri River will enable us
to get 600 megawatt power from 2012. At the moment, Assam has a deficit of
300 megawatt, which will grow every year. But when you look at the gamut
of sanctioning projects in totality, you realise that there are several
lacunas in the system of allotting power projects in a remote area.
Environment and Forest ministry carries out an Environment Impact
Assessment (EIA) study for every single project. Usually a small group of
experts would fly down from Delhi, Mumbai or Kolkata to a location in the
North East for EIA study. They stay for a night in a hotel in Gauhati, or
in a nearest urban centre. Maybe the entity, which is going to promote
this power project, would have a helicopter commissioned for such a study.
They will fly around the zone; they will have an aerial view of the
proposed site. Then they will get back to Delhi and they will file their
EIA, which may not see all dimensions of an environmental impact. An
individual EIA will cover only 20-25 km radius of that project site. But
has anybody imagined what would be the cumulative effect of 160 hydel
power projects in the region? Twenty years from now when 160 power
projects in various capacities are ready, what will be the combined
adverse effects on a downstream state like Assam?
This is one point that gets us worried. That's why the government of
Assam, despite my being a power minister, we have raised this issue again
and again in different forums.
What we keep saying is that before the CEA (the Central Electricity
Authority) allows anybody whether it is a government or a private entity
to put up any hydal project in the highlands, a comprehensive EIA should
be carried out to see dimensions of the cumulative effects in the entire
area. Once you carry out the comprehensive study, you should identify
which part of the highlands would be safe, where probably the downstream
adverse affect will be minimal and where probably you can take some
redressal measures.
Arunachal Pradesh government is apparently signing MoUs with all sorts of
fly-by-night operators. Prospectors are pouring in, paying upfront value
and sign MoUs. All these private players may not have any accountability;
they do not care about the environmental affect in the downstream areas.
It is very dangerous to allow reckless construction of river dams in the
upper reaches of Brahmaputra, without having a roadmap determined by the
appropriate authorities – be it the power ministry or central water
commission or central electricity authority. And the problem is, when a
power project is allowed, multiple agencies are involved. The left hand
doesn't know what the right hand is doing. There is hardly any
coordination. Everybody is doing his or her own job, but hardly any
cohesive approach is taken to monitor in a holistic manner.
The Lower Subansiri Dam being built
Lower Subansiri project currently being developed by NHPC is on the fault
line of the great earthquake of 1950
Because of our objection, an inter-ministerial group on this issue was
formed. The group has recommended that a study on Brahmaputra basin be
carried out. But unfortunately they are not doing anything. Arunachal
Pradesh thinks if these projects come up, they would become the richest
state in the country. They might not have any concern for the people of
Assam who live in the downstream areas. If you ignore all these
environment issues, it will bring catastrophe in the future.
At the same time I have seen there are certain groups who are totally
against dams or any kind of developmental activities. All these groups
have converged in Assam and are spreading lot of disinformation while the
Central government puts everything in a cold storage. I think there should
be a generated condition for an informed rational decision. We should not
let anti-developmental people spread all sorts of misinformation and
corrupt the minds of the people of Assam. We are not against river
projects, but we have to know for sure that the places where the dams will
be put up are safe and that adverse downstream effects can be properly
addressed.
There is also concern about dams being built in highly seismic region
around the foothills of Himalayas. In 1950, great earthquake of Assam
actually changed the entire topography of the area. Brahmaputra changed
its course; it's been flooding the plains of Assam every year since then.
Coincidently the very dam of Lower Subansiri project currently being
developed by NHPC is located on the fault line of the great earthquake of
1950. God forbids if there is an earthquake of 8.5 Richter scale again, it
would be a disaster – at least that is what the people of Assam shudder to
think.
I'm not guided by any kind of biased views, but if somebody's raising an
issue that has to be addressed by appropriate authority. In today's world
there is technology to take care of structure even in earthquake prone
areas. You have to tell the people of Assam that an appropriate technology
is being used and the dam is going to be safe. That has to be told to
people or else they are becoming victims of frightening misinformation.
They are being constantly told that river dams are like huge 'water
bombs'. Unfortunately even the main opposition Asom Gana Parishad has
changed its tune. Consistently, the party had demanded big dams in the
state for long 25 years. With the elections approaching, they are now
making a U Turn on dams on one up-manship contest against dams.
We have to create condition for debate and discussion on river dams. Let
people be told that appropriate technology is being used and that Central
Government is very sensitive to these issues – that we are in safe hands.
Before that the question that will continue to haunt us in Assam is 'hydal
power at what cost'?
kunal@tehelka.com
(As told to Kunal Majumder)
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