3 Dams in the state don’t account for the unique environment of the state

Hydropower projects are one of the cleanest forms of energy, as far as carbon dioxide emissions are concerned. Using them as a source of energy can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to global warming and the effects of it discussed above. Still, developers of such projects in Uttarakhand need to take into account the unique environment of the state.

According to Navin Juyal, a retired geologist from Ahmedabad’s Physical Research Laboratory, who is studying the Feb 7 glacier breach, policy makers should be extremely cautious about developing hydropower projects in Uttarakhand. This is because Himalayan rivers, being younger, carry many boulders and debris along in the event of a flood. “They are fed by glaciers from where debris flow into the rivers. Big boulders with sand and other debris often get mobilised and hydropower projects create an artificial obstruction in the flow of this material. When these boulders and sand are not able to flow freely, they also form dams holding water behind them. When hydrostatic pressure builds, these dams break and they cause floods,” Juyal said.

So how much obstruction are we creating to the natural flow of rivers in Uttarakhand? According to a 2011 report prepared by the Alternate Hydro Energy Centre (AHEC) at the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, for the environment ministry, almost half of the length of rivers in the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda basins is either diverted or submerged because of allotted hydropower projects. This can only worsen any floods in the state.

To be sure, there are contrarians.

“Entire Rishikesh and Haridwar would have been washed away in the 2013 floods had the flood waters not got stored in Tehri dam after flowing down. I believe that hydroelectric projects are a victim and environmentalists take advantage of disasters to victimise them. There is nothing called higher reached of Himalayas. Hydroelectric projects can be located anywhere after the snowline. The two important factors needed for siting a hydropower project is height and volume of water. You will find height only in the Himalayas. Plus, water storage is extremely important for water security, so we need dams too,” said VK Kanjlia, former secretary of the Central Board of Irrigation & Power.

Source: Assessment of Cumulative Impact of Hydropower Projects in Alaknanda- Bhagirathi Basins, AHEC, IIT Roorkee, 2011