Srinagar Bandh Aapda Sangharsh Samiti (SBASS) and Matu Jansangathan have stressed that the company implementing the Srinagar hydro power project should pay compensation to the people for destruction and damage exacerbated by its alleged mismanagement of the dam. This stand was held by the petitioners in the recent hearing of the petition filed by SBASS and Matu Jansangathan in the National Green Tribunal on August 14.
Vimal Bhai of Matu Jansagathan said, “We know that during June 2013 disaster, the company had filled the dam reservoir uselessly when no electricity was being generated, purposely to drown the famous Dhari Devi temple. Thereafter, when it got filled completely, they opened the gates of dam in haste to prevent it from any unexpected damage without even giving any warning to the villagers living downstream. Dr Bharat Jhunjhunwala has said that the company had dumped the muck from different places in the flood area which made the area more vulnerable to flood even after less rain than previous year. The May, 2013 report of MoEF&CC also shows that muck was not been handled which caused it to be carried away by the stream during flood.”
Vimal Bhai further informed that the Uttarakhand Government advocate, stated that the case is irrelevant and happened because of natural disaster which makes the company not guilty. The senior advocate of the company said that he will put his defence after talking with the company on all these arguments. The bench of tribunal has fixed the date of August 25 for further proceedings, added Vimal Bhai.