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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Supreme Court-mandated panel to study impact of hydro projects on environment -Urmi A Goswami

Supreme Court-mandated panel to study impact of hydro projects on environment -Urmi A Goswami

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published Published on Oct 23, 2013   modified Modified on Oct 23, 2013
-The Economic Times


NEW DELHI: The environment ministry has set up an expert group, as mandated by the Supreme Court, to determine whether hydropower projects along Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers and their tributaries contributed to environmental degradation, an effort to ensure there is no repeat of the Uttarakhand disaster witnessed earlier this year.

Headed by Ravi Chopra, member of National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) and director of People's Science Institute, the 17-member group has been asked to assess both existing and under-construction projects in the region over the next three months.

The experts will also draft a Himalayan policy which will take into account the state's unique ecological, social and cultural characteristics to formulate a course of development that does not endanger environment.

The group includes Chandi Prasad Bhatt of Chipko movement fame, Shekhar Pathak of People's Association for Himalayan Area Research, Sathyakumar of Wildlife Institute of India and AN Purohit, a former director of GB Pant Institute.

Part of the group's mandate is to determine the validity of Wildlife Institute of India's findings that the proposed 24 projects will have a significant impact on the biodiversity of the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi basins. The ministry had in July 2010 tasked the institute to undertake a cumulative impact assessment of 70 hydroelectric projects in these two river basins. Of the 70 projects, 17 are complete, 14 are under construction and 39 projects have been proposed. The institute suggested that the ministry review its decision to permit the construction of 24 of the 39 proposed projects.

The group will take stock of compliance of project developers with environmental norms and safeguard measures. It will review compliance of existing protocols for construction activities in the two river basins. This will also involve identification of projects where damage to the environment cannot be lessened to preserve the region's biodiversity. Besides, the group will suggest environmental safeguard measures to counter adverse impacts where possible and suggest changes in the project parameters where required.

While determining the ecological impact of projects, the group will look into the state of the Himalayan glaciers and the impact of projects on the glaciers. It will also undertake a review of existing cumulative impact assessments for the river basins.


The Economic Times, 23 October, 2013, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/supreme-court-mandated-panel-to-study-impact-of-hydro-projects-on-environment/articleshow/24560721.cms


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