The multi-crore Renuka Dam project is on hold,and 800 MW Kol Dam is also under the scanner of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. Hul (4.5 M),a private sector project in Chamba,is witnessing daily protests by locals seeking scrapping of all the clearances given to it. It is now the turn of the World Bank-funded 775 MW Luhri project on the Sutlej river to be caught in environmental tangles. Locals,joined by NGOs and voluntary groups,are opposed to the project,especially its 86-metre high dam and 38.14-km long (9 meter wide) twin tunnel to draw the river to a distance of 40 km. The entire river will disappear because of this feature in the design,which is highly environment unfriendly, alleges Guman Singh,coordinator,Himalaya Neti Abhiyan,an umbrella organisation of a dozen NGOs and environmental groups. He said the Shukla Committee,which was set up by the High Court,had also raised similar concerns with regard to Ravi river in Chamba. But Sutlej would be worst affected,he said,looking at the number of mega projects coming up in this basin. The Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board has started the process of public hearing on behalf of Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) Limited,which is executing the project. On Saturday,officials of the board had to cancel the public hearing following strong public protests and anger brewing among the villagers on the third day of the hearing. The first two days May 5 and 6 of the hearings at different villagers of Kullu and Mandi districts were not smooth either. An official of the board confirmed on Sunday that the protests had intensified and it was not fair to force the hearing as there was a general feeling of anger. Unless the SJVNL decides to address their issues,it may not be possible to complete the hearing process in a free and fair manner, he said. The project,which is a downstream scheme of 1500 MW Nathpa-Jakhri and Rampur Hydel project,is expected to cost Rs 4,795 crore at the present rates. The reservoir will submerge 153 hectares of land and impact at least 27 villages in three districts. Locals have been raising some basic issues not only the compensation,but also impacts of this project on the environment and their livelihoods. Farmers fear that submergence of the land,disappearance of the river and concrete structures would result in global warming and severely change the conditions,affecting their apple crop. CPM leader Rakesh Singha has also joined the protesters and lodged his objections against the project. SJVNL spokesman Vijay Verma,meanwhile,said: The company will provide all economic benefits to the affected families as per the policy of the government and the SJVNL,which is a joint venture of the Central and state governments.
