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HPC is going ahead with massive devastation of forest resources while constructing the 200 MW Lower Subansiri hydro power project in Arunachal Pradesh. The state-owned power company did not pay heed to the order of Delhi, Dispur and even Supreme Court. This was the scene of down stream areas of Subansiri in March 2004. Ever since the National Hydro Power Corporation NHPC took up the 2000 MW power project at this site, the company unleashed a massive devastation of the hills of virgin Arunachal Pradesh… resulting in large scale destruction of the rich bio-diversity at Gerukamukh area. The need for preservation of the ecology was sidelined both by the government and the NHPC authorities… in violation of Supreme Court directive for preserving the bio-diversity. And now the power project is posing a serious threat to adjoining Lakhimpour and Dhemaji districts of North Assam. No wonder there is anti-dams sentiment growing in Assam and environmentalists are apprehensive of the long last impacts, these dams and projects will leave on the state and its people. Rs 6,000 crore has been earmarked for completion of the first ever biggest river dam project of Asia. It is alleged that the NHPC had managed to get the project sanctioned on fake Environment Impact Assessment Report it submitted to ministry of environment. The company had not studied the impact of the project downstream. In a recent study made by Lakhimpur Girls’ College led by Botany lecturer Dr. Debojit Baruah, it was found that the Lower Subansiri hydel project could have serious impact downstream. The study found that ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT report submitted by NHPC had serious loopholes. According to this report, the impact of the dam project will be confined to seven kilometers radius. But the study says the impact will be felt in 130 kilometres area. The EIA report further said only 54 km area would be affected if there is a breach in the dam. But the study says entire north Assam will be inundated. Moreover, there is no mention of providing a proper habitat or preservation measures for the forest species found downstream although there are three reserve forests in this area. The report did not take into account the 155 rare species of fishes found in the river. The report also has ignored the habitats of Gangetic dolphins. Subansiri has been home to these endangered river dolphins. Notably, the down stream areas are used as corridor of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. But the report had also ignored the matter. The recent study also found that there was no chemical test done on the river water before sanctioning the project. The report also did not name the rare species of orchids and other forest resources available in the down stream areas. Not only this, the power company has also flouted the Supreme court’s directive on forests by constructing the project. It has led to environmental degradation of the area. While the projects will rob the river dolphins of their Subansiri habitat in one way or the other, the practice of frequent flushing and sluicing of sediment and debris by the projects will create a natural sediment dam in the confluence of these rivers with the Brahmaputra. This may compel the Brahmaputra to change its morphology for maintaining the river continuum process, resulting in more inundation and erosion. This will pose threat to the Kaziranga National Park as well. If the dam is completed, “downstream communities will live under constant fear for generations to come. The Lower Subansiri project is a unilateral step of the government of India without consultation and consent of the people in downstream of the dam. There will also be apprehension that any major change in the Subansiri river would disrupt the economy and livelihood of those living downstream.
HPC is going ahead with massive devastation of forest resources while constructing the 200 MW Lower Subansiri hydro power project in Arunachal Pradesh. The state-owned power company did not pay heed to the order of Delhi, Dispur and even Supreme Court. This was the scene of down stream areas of Subansiri in March 2004. Ever since the National Hydro Power Corporation NHPC took up the 2000 MW power project at this site, the company unleashed a massive devastation of the hills of virgin Arunachal Pradesh… resulting in large scale destruction of the rich bio-diversity at Gerukamukh area. The need for preservation of the ecology was sidelined both by the government and the NHPC authorities… in violation of Supreme Court directive for preserving the bio-diversity. And now the power project is posing a serious threat to adjoining Lakhimpour and Dhemaji districts of North Assam. No wonder there is anti-dams sentiment growing in Assam and environmentalists are apprehensive of the long last impacts, these dams and projects will leave on the state and its people. Rs 6,000 crore has been earmarked for completion of the first ever biggest river dam project of Asia. It is alleged that the NHPC had managed to get the project sanctioned on fake Environment Impact Assessment Report it submitted to ministry of environment. The company had not studied the impact of the project downstream. In a recent study made by Lakhimpur Girls’ College led by Botany lecturer Dr. Debojit Baruah, it was found that the Lower Subansiri hydel project could have serious impact downstream. The study found that ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT report submitted by NHPC had serious loopholes. According to this report, the impact of the dam project will be confined to seven kilometers radius. But the study says the impact will be felt in 130 kilometres area. The EIA report further said only 54 km area would be affected if there is a breach in the dam. But the study says entire north Assam will be inundated. Moreover, there is no mention of providing a proper habitat or preservation measures for the forest species found downstream although there are three reserve forests in this area. The report did not take into account the 155 rare species of fishes found in the river. The report also has ignored the habitats of Gangetic dolphins. Subansiri has been home to these endangered river dolphins. Notably, the down stream areas are used as corridor of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. But the report had also ignored the matter. The recent study also found that there was no chemical test done on the river water before sanctioning the project. The report also did not name the rare species of orchids and other forest resources available in the down stream areas. Not only this, the power company has also flouted the Supreme court’s directive on forests by constructing the project. It has led to environmental degradation of the area. While the projects will rob the river dolphins of their Subansiri habitat in one way or the other, the practice of frequent flushing and sluicing of sediment and debris by the projects will create a natural sediment dam in the confluence of these rivers with the Brahmaputra. This may compel the Brahmaputra to change its morphology for maintaining the river continuum process, resulting in more inundation and erosion. This will pose threat to the Kaziranga National Park as well. If the dam is completed, “downstream communities will live under constant fear for generations to come. The Lower Subansiri project is a unilateral step of the government of India without consultation and consent of the people in downstream of the dam. There will also be apprehension that any major change in the Subansiri river would disrupt the economy and livelihood of those living downstream.
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