Environment activists oppose hearing on Satluj basin study

Noisy scenes were witnessed today at a public hearing on a study to assess the environmental impact of hydro power projects in Satluj river basin at Jhakri, 145 km from here, with activists protesting against calling the meeting at a "short notice" and demanding that it be held at sub-tehsil level.
The public meeting was on Cumulative Environment Impact Study of the Satluj river basin.
Environmental organizations protested against the conduct of the meeting at a "very short notice" and that too "without sharing the draft study with the public ahead of the meeting".
The study is being conducted by the Indian Council for Forestry Research and Education, Dehradun, for the Himachal Pradesh government, which had organized this public hearing.

"A month's notice is required before public consultations after sharing the executive summary of the environment impact assessment (EIA) report under the Environment Impact Assessment Notification and we fail to understand that what is the hurry to conduct this public consultation at a notice of just four days," noted environmentalist from tribal Kinnaur district and convenor of environment organisation Him Lok Jagriti Manch RS Negi said.
"The entire procedure and manner in which this consultation is being done has reduced it to a farce," Negi added.

Hydro power projects have affected people in the areas of Spiti, Kinnaur, Mandi, Kullu and Shimla districts, they said.

Representatives of different environmental organisations criticized the manner in which the projects were being constructed, alleging that indiscriminate blastings were taking place. This has resulted in the drying up of drinking water sources, they said, adding that the discharge of water downstream the dams had been reduced drastically, making the human and aquatic life unsustainable.
Environmental organizations Him Lok Jagriti Manch, Satluj Bachao Jan Sangharsh Samiti, Himdhara and Himalaya Niti Abhiyan submitted their respective memoranda to the state government, picking up holes in the process followed for public consultation.
All organisations demanded conduct of such consultations at the Tehsil level in the project affected areas with at least 15 days prior notice and sharing of the draft report with public.

The Secretary (MPP and Power) RD Nazim agreed that this was a viable suggestion and that the government would conduct tehsil-level consultations before finalizing the report.
He also promised that two members of the consultant's team would revisit the project affected areas to record the impacts of the project construction activities.