IIT-R, WII to study hydel projects

The centre has roped in IIT-Roorkee and Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII) for cumulative impact assessment of all proposed hydel projects on the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda

rivers:

IIT-Roorkee and Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII) will do cumulative impact assessment of all proposed hydel projects on the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers in Uttarakhand. The move comes against the backdrop of agitations by activists against the projects planned on Bhagirathi on the grounds that they would harm the ecology including adversely impact the natural flow of the rivers in the region. The BJP government has plans to build 300 small, medium and large dams on the various tributaries of the Ganga to meet the increasing power needs in the state.

While the IIT has been asked to finalise its report within six months, the WII has been asked to do so within next two months on the broad impact on the ecology of the surrounding areas.

Stating that environmental impact assessments of individual projects on the rivers have been so far made on a stand-alone basis, the Environment Ministry has stressed on a comprehensive study of the series of proposed thermal power plants -- those planned, under implementation or operational. "It has been decided that a comprehensive study may be undertaken on the likely cumulative impact of the projects on the flow and character of the river. The study would inter alia, determine the requirement of minimum flow from the proposed and already commissioned hydro electric projects on these rivers in their entire stretch," a senior official of the ministry said.

This was decided at a meeting chaired by environment secretary Vijai Sharma recently after he noted that cumulative environmental impact of various projects on the riverine ecosystem in general and terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity, in particular, should be taken into account.

He also felt that compliance of the stipulated conditions on which various projects have earlier been cleared needs to be assessed.

The IIT has been asked to assess cumulative impact of all hydroelectric projects proposed or established on river Alaknanda and Bhagirathi upto Devprayag. "Whether the acceptable limits of geomorphological stability or of environmental sustainability, particularly of environmental flows, are likely to exceed at any small or large hydropower project site(s). Whether there will be a depletion of irrigation potential or availability of drinking water in habitations as a result of any project and their impact on ground water and springs in the basin as well on places of cultural, religious or tourism importance will be the term of reference of the study" the official added.

2010: A Kanwar story

Each year with Kanwar mela comes numerous opportunities and challenges, Reports P.S. Chauhan:

With the Kanwar Teerth Yatra at its peak, all the highways and link roads to and fro present a kaleidoscope of interminable rows of the saffron clad Shiva devotees. Popularly called Kanwarias, carrying decorated kanwars (bamboo structures), containing vessels full of Ganga jal and reverberating the air with the chants of 'Bum Bum Bhole', interspersed with their folk songs and jingling of bells tied in their feet. Indeed Kanwar mela yatra is a sight to behold. This year nearly 80 lakh kanwarias are likely to congregate at Haridwar during the two-week long Kanwar Mela. It is really a grand spectacle of the manifestation of faith , as Shiva devotees, including men, women , yung and children, march on foot, braving all the vagaries of weather, with Ganga jal with which they will anoint the Lord in the temples of their respective regions on the auspicious day of Shiv Chaudas which this year falls on August 8.

Due to the swelling numbers of Kanwarias it is becoming a formidable challenge for the police and the civil administration to hold this mela. During recent years rowdy elements have also started infiltrating the Kanwar Teerth Yatra, making it highly prone to violence. In view of the increasing threat to the religious gatherings by the terrorist groups, the security aspect has become a matter of concern. "We have made highly elaborate security arrangements to avert any possible untoward incident during the Kanwar Yatra. Nearly 4,000 security personnel, including personnel from civil police, PAC, RAF, the bomb disposal squads, the units of sniffer dogs and divers, have been deployed on all the routes. CCTV have been installed at all the sensitive points and police men in the garb of kanwarias will keep a tab on anti-social elements," says the SSP, Sanjay Gunjyal.

During Kanwar Teerth Yatra the normal life in the city is thrown out of gear, as all the streets in the city virtually remain under the siege of the kanwarias. It also exerts tremendous pressure on the infrastructure. Also police and the officials of almost all other departments are posted on Kanwar Mela duty. "Since most of the officials are deployed on Kanwar Mela duty, they cannot perform their normal duties and to some extent, the public has to suffer some inconvenience," the district magistrate, Dr. R. Meenakshi Sundram frankly admits.

Opportunities

Kanwar Teerth Yatra is a big opportunity. The business community has a boom time during the yatra. The shopkeepers, the hoteliers, the proprietors of the dharamshalas, restaurants and the dhabas, all have a flourishing business these days. In the city, most of the shopkeepers shut up their main business and start selling the kanwar items such as towels, caps, baniyans, vessels for Ganga jal, rudraksh rosary and gift items. "On an average, a kanwaria spends around Rs.500 during his stay in the city and If 80 lakh kanwaris, which are expected this year, it will generate a whooping amount of Rs.4000 crore for the business community," says Kailash Keshwani, the president of the district Vyapar Mandal. Bottom-line is that each year, in one way or other, entire business community of the region make the most of this famous kanwar fair.

Challenges

Kanwar mela adversely impacts the industrial production also. Since the national highways remain closed during the peak days, the transportation of raw material and the manufactured goods from the industrial units suffers. "As containers cannot pass through the narrow alternative routes, production of the factories is adversely affected and cause loss of about Rs.1 crore/day during the mela," says Harendra Garg, the regional chairman of the Industries Association of Uttarakhand (Garhwal Region). Though this year the national highway within the boundary of state will not be closed for traffic and the kanwarias will be made to pass through along the Ganga canal. But this is not going to fully solve the problem, as UP govt. has not yet agreed to open thse canal foot path for the kanwarias that lies in UP.

Brotherhood

Above all Kanwar Teerth Yatra promotes communal harmony. Yatra passes through many Muslim dominated localities but sans communal tension. Also a bulk of kanwars are prepared by the skilled Muslim workers. The members of the Muslim community from Haridwar region remain engaged for months in making kanwars. Rahman Ali of Bijnor says that his family has been coming to Haridwar for making kanwars for the last five years. "We earn about Rs one lakh every year by selling kanwars," says Ali. Babli, awardee of President's Award for Bravery for Children has been helping her father, Shadi Hussain in making kanwars for the last seven years. "Making kanwars is not only a source of livelihood for my family, but it also gives us satisfaction that we are lending a helping hand for a good cause," says Babli.