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Journalism of Courage
A study by the National Environmental Engineering Institute (NEERI) claiming that water in the Ganga has unique anti-bacterial properties has put a question mark on at least three important hydel projects on the Alaknanda in Uttarakhand. And forced Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to depute an official emissary to explain matters to environmentalist and former IIT professor G D Agrawal later rechristened as Swami Gyanswaroop Sanand of the Ganga Seva Abhiyanam who claims that the river will lose these properties if hydel projects come up on its upper reaches.
The PMs initiative comes amid fears of a major agitation building up to coincide with next years once-in-12-years Mahakumbh on the banks of the Ganga. Anna Hazare has already come out in support of the cause and even shot off a letter to the PM in March.
Such is the concern that Uttarakhand is not letting Swami Sanand enter the state. On Monday,Sanand attempted to go towards Alaknanda but was stopped at the Uttarakhand border by the state police and brought back to Delhi,where he was admitted to AIIMS and later discharged. Insiders said the state fears his presence may stoke religious sentiments on an emotive issue.
The NEERI study,commissioned by the Tehri Hydel Development Corporation and submitted last November,has become a key document for the protestors. It states: The present study confirmed that the uniqueness of the River Bhagirathi/Ganga lay in its sediment content which is more radioactive compared to other river and lake water sediments. It has bactericidal properties and can cause proliferation of coliphages that reduce and ultimately eliminate coliforms from overlying water column. Investigations revealed that particulate matters of Alaknanda have identical anti-bacterial property as that of Bhagirathi.
Protestors claim that these projects change the course of the river which leads to the loss of its unique properties. The Ganges,they argue,acquires these properties because of the sediments is gathers along this path. Any obstruction in the form of a dam or a barrage impedes the rivers course. The groups demand is that of an Aviral (obstacle-free) Ganga.
A worried PMO is learnt to have asked the consortium of seven IITs to validate the NEERIs claims. The consortium,which has been tasked to draw up a Ganga River Basin Management Plan,will now have to look into this first. Incidentally,the NEERI study gives a clean chit to the Tehri project,stating that it does not obstruct the course of the river.
The government has,in fact,conveyed to Sanand that it could consider modifying these projects to ensure that a part of the river continues to flow on the original course and the diverted portion joins the river later. But there has been no response yet.
If the government were to fully concede,the worst affected would be the 330 MW Srinagar hydel project being built by GVK that is 90 per cent complete. The others include the World Bank-assisted project in Vishnugad Pipalkoti,where the rehabilitation plan is complete and the Singoli-Bhatwari project.
A few years ago,the Centre gave in and scrapped three projects on the River Bhagirathi amid heightened protests in Uttarakhand. Now,armed with the NEERI study and increasing clout,the group feels the action on the projects along the Alaknanda is only a logical sequel.
Sanand,meanwhile,met BJP leader Uma Bharati besides scores of other RSS sympathisers. The Centre,sources said,is worried about this campaign acquiring a feverish pitch by Dusshera and carrying on till the Mahakumbh.
