Dams of danger

Dams of danger

The aggravating flood situation in upper Assam following release of excess water from the Ranganadi hydel project has raised serious questions over the viability of big dams in the region, especially in the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra basin in Arunachal Pradesh. Environmental scientists and activists have decried the Centre’s plan to go ahead with as many as 168 large hydro-electric projects in the region on the ground that the basic concerns before initiating such a large-scale intervention on the fragile Himalayan ecology were largely ignored. Indeed, the hurried manner in which the projects are sought to be pushed through without addressing the genuine concerns such as downstream impacts in the form of floods, loss of biodiversity, seismic vulnerability of the region, etc., seems to corroborate the stance of the opponents of big dams. The situation is certainly grave, and calls for a reassessment of the Centre’s hydro-power policy for the North-East. The opposition of the scientific community has been that the projects are being cleared without a thorough study on any of the environmental and social concerns and the downstream impacts. This is valid reasoning and brushing it aside would only jeopardise the lives of thousands of people likely to be affected by the dams. A riparian State like Assam stands to be the worst-hit by the projects, and we have already been victims of dam-induced floods several times in the recent past. Making large-scale intervention on the Himalayan ecology could also lead to catastrophic consequences for its rich biodiversity. The way pristine wildlife habitats are disappearing across the planet, protection of a biodiversity hotspot is a concern of not just the North-East or India but of the entire world. While the proponents of the hydro-power policy would argue that it is the best way to get cheap, non-polluting power so critical for development, the question left unanswered is that the colossal social and environmental costs of these mega dams could effectively negate all the benefits. The circumstances are compelling, and the Assam Government would do well to engage the Centre in a dialogue on the issue before projects are given the nod. Scientific study done by impartial agencies involving top environmental scientists must precede construction of any big hydel project in the North-East. It is a fact that the environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports of the projects cleared so far have been shoddy and give grossly underestimated presentations of the environmental and socio-economic losses. The Assam Government can no longer afford to sit complacent, and must compel the Centre to intervene in the desired manner. While we say that flood is our biggest problem, the question is – can we allow anything that can worsen it further? Source: assamtribune editorial 24.06.08