An Environment Ministry panel has called for a complete overhaul of the mechanism of environment clearance for the hydro-electric projects in the country and blamed them for aggravating the Uttarakhand flashfloods in 2013.
An 11-member expert committee, in its report, has recommended an urgent need for “a region or entire basin-based strategic environment assessment rather than individual project-oriented environmental impact assessments that neglect the summation effect.”Most importantly, the report has called for mandatory environmental clearance from the Environment Ministry for all projects of more than 2 MW that involve tunnelling, construction of barrages and reservoir, apart from those located in protected areas and require clearances from National Board For Wildlife (NBWl).
The committee while calling for the immediate notification of a “river regulation zone” by the Ministry has suggested the enactment of legislation for protecting small but significant rivers and designating “eco-sensitive zones” for all rivers in the State.
The expert committee was constituted following the directions of the apex court on August 13, 2013 to the Environment Ministry for assessment of the impact of existing and under-construction hydro-electric projects on the Uttarakhand disaster last year besides the possible impact of 24 proposed projects in the State on the biodiversity of the Alakananda and Bhagirathi basin.
The recommendation, according to experts, can have an immediate impact on the mechanism of environmental clearance for hydro-power projects in the country.As per the Environment Impact Assessment of 2006, which is currently in force, environment clearances are required for hydro projects which have the capacity of above 25 MW. The report has also called for rejection of projects encompassing critical wildlife habitats, areas of rich bio-diversity diversity, wildlife corridors, as well as projects to be built above 2,500 metres due to unpredictable glacial and paraglacial activities.
Simultaneously, hydro- power projects, falling within 10km of the boundary of protected areas and do not have clearance from NBWl, are also to be rejected.Ministry sources said that there was adequate scientific evidence to prove that these projects were majorly responsible for the Uttarakhand flashfloods in 2013.
The sediment then raises river beds during the floods, which is flushed downstream, thereby aggravating the severity of the floods.The panel has also said that 23 out of 24 proposed projects in Uttarakhand would have significant bio-diversity impact and sought their rejection as they were falling within national parks, sanctuaries and Gangotri eco-sensitive zone.
