Affected people and members of Matu Jansangathan have demanded an inquiry into alleged carelessness that led to the collapse of a desiltation chamber’s wall and leakage in the canal of the Srinagar hydro power project.
Vimal Bhai of Matu Jansangathan said that the controversial Srinagar hydro power project has become a source of danger to Srinagar, Garhwal Central University campus at Chauras and various villages in the region.The canal from the power channel of this project was damaged following rains on July 23-24. The residents of Naur, Kinkleshwar, Sankro, Manichauras, Gaursali, Naithana and Jyudisera villages were already facing problems due to seepage from this canal.
He said, “The villagers had repeatedly submitted memorandums to to the sub divisional magistrate on this problem but no action was taken. When the wall of the canal collapsed a couple of days ago, the water from here entered the homes and farms in the villages. Officials of the GVK company implementing the hydro power project did reach the homes of the affected villagers but the situation has not improved. The latest damage shows that while the company was blaming environmentalists and those opposed to the project for the delay in implementation of the project but was itself unable to execute work on it as required.
Though these problems are being blamed on technical faults, one cannot forget that the height of the dam was raised from 60 to 65 metres and its power generation capacity was increased from 200 megawatts to 300 megawatts without proper environmental assessment,” he alleged while adding that the Matu Jansangathan had already filed an application in the National Green Tribunal seeking compensation from the company to people who faced damage and loss of property due to flood in the Alaknanda river in June 2013 year allegedly exacerbated by improper functioning of the company.
“The company has been claiming that the damage wreaked by the river in June last year was a natural calamity but the latest incidents have proved the company wrong. We are demanding a detailed inquiry into the damage sustained by the project,” he stressed.
