Effect of small hydel projects on affected settlements.

Himachal Pradesh, like Uttarakhand and other North-Eastern hill states for the past decade, now has been viewed as the ‘power state’ with hydro power potential to the tune of approximately 21,000 MW. The pressure is not just to make power, but make ‘clean’ power, using the run-off river technology, propagated as less damaging, socially and environmentally But our experience from the ground and local protests in several area across Himachal has indicated that these projects, involving diversion of rivers and streams, are damaging local livelihoods, and leading to the destruction of forests in different ways, even if direct displacement is minimal.

While the large and medium Hydel Power projects have been in the line of fire for their environmental impacts, the small hydro-electric projects (SHEPs) of less than 5 MW capacity seem to have escaped the lens. Of the 21000 more 1100 MW potential is being looked at under the small hydro sector—run off the river projects, promoted as eco-friendly, renewable energy, cost effective and decentralised structures. More than 400 projects have been allotted and 43 are already commissioned. The Himachal government has taken several initiatives to encourage private sector participation in small hydro-power development. Attractive incentives for independent power producers, in the form of easy land acquisition procedures and speedy clearances have been ensured. What has been overlooked is that small projects are coming up on the smaller streams which sustain local livelihoods of remotely located poor communities and fragile but biodiverse ecosystems in numerous ways. In Kangra, these streams support the traditional irrigation channels or kuhls. Watermills are run on these and in many places they even supply drinking water to villages.

Click here to read the full program Report