Kochi, Jan 28: The proposal for the 160 mw hydel project at the Athirappally waterfalls, in Kerala, may be shelved, as environmentalists have put up a strong case against the project. The Rs 412-crore project, supposed to be launched by Chief Minister EK Nayanar sometime next week, has earned the wrath of environmentalists. They have forced Environment Secretary Jayakrishnan to visit the site. "If necessary, we will have to re-enact the successful campaign made against the Silent Valley hydel project, which the Centre shelved a few years ago," said environmentalists. The project envisages a 290-metre long and 25-metre high dam, close to the Athirappally waterfalls in Thrissur district, which also happens to be the state's biggest fresh water tourist spot.The project had been given the clearance from the UnionEnvironment Ministry in 1996, based on the environment impact assessment (EIA) done by scientists at the Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (TBGRI) at Palode in Thiruvananthapuram. However, environmentalists say the study was to please the state government, which has been clamouring for the project for quite sometime.
The proposal is to have a nearly 5-metre long tunnel to carry water from the falls, to two 80 mw power stations downstream at Kannankuzhi. It was proposed to the Union ministry, that water would be diverted only for 12 hours during the night starting 6 pm, as a lot of tourists visit the site during the day. Another small 3 mw plant would be set up upstream, to use the water from a spill-way already in existance. But environmentalists and certain forest officials say nearly 150 hectares of forest would be submerged. u A team of environment scientists which included Dr Satish Chandran, Dr VS Vijayan, Prof Lalitha Vijayan and Prof MK Prasad had recently visited the area.
It is felt that rare species of fish and plants would be lost, if the project is implemented. It is estimated that nearly 5,000 trees would be lost forever if the project is taken up as the forest officials, on instruction from above, have marked the trees for felling. The endangered lion tailed macaque and the Malabar Pied Hornbill may be ousted from the area.
Equally disturbing, is the fact that due to the diversion of water, though only during the night, irrigation of nearly 15,000 hectares of cultivable land in the districts of Ernakulam and Thrissur would be affected. The place has been a hotspot for tourists. Already two water parks have come up in the area and is frequented by tourists.
Environmentalists point to the frequent quakes that have been occuring in Kerala, as a result of the dams coming up indiscriminately in the state. The river Periyar, Kerala's longest river, has 14 impoundments in it.
Hindustan Construction Corporation has been awarded the tender for the project. However, the Kerala high court has intervened and stayed operations. All eyes are on the Union environment secretary. His decision will decide the future of the dam or the course of action of the environmentalists.
Copyright © 2001 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
