The debate over the construction of hydroelectric power projects (HEPs) continues even as work on 24 HEPs remains stalled under the orders of the Supreme Court.
The Chopra Committee report — a report submitted by the Expert Body formed under the directions of the Supreme Court to study the contribution of HEPs in the State in exacerbating the June 2013 deluge — has recommended that 23 of the 24 projects must be cancelled.
However, another report submitted by the Central Water Commission (CWC) and Central Electricity Authority (CEA), argues that the work on the 24 projects must continue.
In a letter written to the Home Ministry, Dr Shekhar Pathak and Dr Hemant Dhyani who were members of the Expert Body allege the CWC and CEA officials of ‘putting natural resources at stake to serve vested interests.’
While the CWC and the CEA were mandated to present their views and dissents in the Chopra Committee report itself, they chose to withdraw from the Expert Body and submit another report in the Supreme Court.
CWC Chairman A. B. Pandya said: “We have submitted our report and it is a part of the Supreme Court proceedings. Our view is that the [Uttarakhand 2013] calamity was hydro-meteorological in nature and the projects were not responsible for the calamity.”
“The HEPs should not be discontinued... Work on all [24] projects should go on,” Mr Pandya added.
The CEA and the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) have stated that HEPs were necessary to meet the rising electricity requirements. Former IIM Bangalore Professor Bharat Jhunjhunwala, who is the petitioner in the case, said, “The Chopra Committee report states that a Strategic Impact Assessment is required so that scientific methods can be used to meet electricity requirements. One cannot mindlessly generate electricity without knowing the repercussions of a method of electricity generation, and the alternative means of producing electricity.”
Countering allegations NTPC, whose 171-MW Lata-Tapovan HEP on the Dhauliganga river, is among the 23 projects that the Chopra Committee has objected to, has voiced its dissent calling the Chopra Committee report a statement of “alleged environmentalists or so called activists.” In a reply to NTPC’s allegations, Prof Jhunjhunwala said: “The CWC and the CEA are making a mockery of themselves. In an act of self-proclaimed expertise, they have overlooked the educational qualifications of the members of the Expert Body.”
