There is need for a scientific study to ascertain the geological impacts of large water reservoirs created for big hydro power projects especially in the mountainous areas. Uttarakhand Governor Krishan Kant Paul said this at the inauguration of the 30thHimalaya-Karakoram-Tibet (HKT) workshop at the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) here on Tuesday.
Addressing the gathering, the Governor said that the Himalayas are important not only from the geological point of view but also due to religious, spiritual and other factors associated with them. He said, “With many major rivers originating from the Himalaya-Karakoram-Tibet region, it also acts as the water store for the Eurasian region. It is important to study the condition of glaciers and rivers especially considering climate change. Though some work has been done on it, there is need for scientifically ascertaining the geological impacts of large reservoirs for big hydro power projects in the mountainous regions. There is also need for studying the impacts of diverting rivers to areas which have historically been non-riparian areas,” said Paul.
Referring to the Nepal earthquake and the landslides experienced in Uttarakhand, the Governor stressed on the need for scientifically ascertaining whether rains lead to landslides or whether there is any connection between earthquakes and landslides.
Paul also referred to some past attempts at mineral exploration and extraction in Uttarakhand while stressing that the mineral wealth of the Himalayan region had not been fully explored yet.
WIHG director Anil Kumar Gupta also addressed the gathering at the inaugural function. later during the day, about 20 research papers were presented by scientists and experts in two sessions held on tracking evolution of Himalaya-Karakoram-Tibet through mantle to mountain and on fluid-rock interaction and its role in HKT orogeny. Most of the papers were related to the structure, tectonics development and environmental aspects of the Himalayan-Karakoram-Tibet region.