http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/interviews/Two-million-people-will-be-affected-by-Uttarakhand-dams/articleshow/6316194.cms
'Two million people will be affected by Uttarakhand dams'
Aug 16, 2010, 12.00am IST
Suresh Bhai , a Dalit social and environment activist, is the founder
and chairperson of Himalya Paryavaran Shiksha Sansthan, Uttarkashi. He
is involved with various campaigns that demand a reconsideration of
the plan to build over 300 hydel projects in Uttarakhand. Bharat Dogra
spoke to Suresh Bhai as protests against the projects gain ground:
How did you get involved in the issue of dam construction?
We were involved in the protection of trees movement called Raksha
Sutra (symbolised by women tying sacred threads on trees) and
preparing a protective water policy for the newly created state. We
had a forum called Jal Sanskriti Manch and teams of street theatre
groups performed in various parts of the state to highlight the need
to protect water. Projects like Tehri and Maneri Bhali had caused
great damage in our vicinity. We noticed that at the time of the
earthquake most people perished in those villages where land had been
destabilised by explosions done for dam construction. So when dam
construction work escalated, the issue became a priority for people
and, therefore, for us.
Why exactly are you opposing these projects?
Earlier over 300 projects were talked about, but an RTI application
got the official reply that there are around 550 projects. The
government's approach is to assess each project individually. What
about the combined impact on the fragile geology and ecology of the
area, considering the high levels of seismicity in the region? We've
seen many villages being devastated by indiscriminate and heavy use of
explosives in the course of dam construction. We've seen fields and
forests destroyed. Our estimate is that when all these projects are
taken together, nearly two million people in about 5,000 villages will
be adversely affected. A lot of people will be left to live and work
on top of tunnels. Others will be displaced. Rivers, including the
most sacred rivers, will be greatly depleted and devastated over vast
stretches.
While these gigantic changes were being introduced, none considered it
necessary to fulfil the legal obligation of consulting the gram
sabhas. All sorts of tricks and bribes were used to get permissions to
start work. In projects like Philenda-Bhilangana, activists like
Trepan Chauhan and villagers faced heavy repression. I was jailed
twice.
What is the current state of this opposition?
At present, attention is focused on Pala-Loharinag project as a result
of the fast undertaken by G D Aggarwal (former professor at IIT,
Kanpur, and member-secretary of the Central Pollution Control Board).
But above all we need to take a comprehensive look at the overall
impact of all the projects. While the Ganga river has a special place
in the heart of millions, what's happening on the various tributaries
can't be ignored as these impact the main river. The same is true for
the Yamuna.
What kind of policy changes do you want?
The democratic process of a genuine consultation with gram sabhas and
obtaining their approval for any action that impacts people's lives
and livelihoods should be firmly established. The social and
environment impacts and hazards should be studied with the cooperation
of the people and reports placed before them in their language.
Complaints of corruption and illegal constructions must be
investigated. Attention should be given to the protection of
traditional water sources. All forms of life in rivers need to be
protected. Traditional use of water energy by improving watermills
should get attention.
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