The government plans to link hydropower projects (HEPs) in the country with its ambitious Ganga rejuvenation plan, in the process proposing a whole new set of norms to be complied with by all the project proponents before procuring environmental clearances.
In its affidavit to the Supreme Court, the government stated that it wanted to make sure that clearances to HEPs do not obstruct or hamper the Ganga clean up plan in any manner since ?they hold the key to the successful rejuvenation and restoration of the wholesomeness of the river?.
It said that a ?synergy and fine balance has to be established between the objective of the Ganga River Basin Environment Management Plan and the mechanism/ strategy to be followed by this ministry for deciding environmental clearances to the HEPs on Ganga and its tributaries?.
The Centre put forth a new set of three imperative conditions, which included maintenance of a minimum quantum of environmental (e)-flow, logitudinal river connectivity and aviral dhara (continuous flow) for the river upon which a HEP is proposed. The three components, it said, are required to maintain ecological integrity and bio-diversity of the river and non-disruptive biota movement and sediment transportation. These clauses are likely to be applicable across the board for all HEPs in the country.
?Therefore all HEPs on Ganga and its tributaries in Uttarakhand shall have to adhere to these specifications while designing and operating the HE plants,? the ministry of environment and forest has told SC, which will examine the proposal on Thursday.
The bulk of hydro power projects are either commissioned or being constructed in Ganga sub-basins in Uttarakhand. 24 of the total 39 proposed projects in the state were stalled after the SC held them to be significantly impacting biodiversity in two sub-basins of the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers. Besides Uttarakhand, the other four Himalayan states of Himchal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh also have HEPs.
Admitting that the aspect of e-flow was ?unfortunately not adequately addressed while granting environmental clearances (EC) for the HEPs in Uttarakhand?, the MoEF said it wanted to make such clearances mandatory also for projects below 25 MW in capacity, which had been exempted under the existing rules with a view to promote smaller capacity HEPs. It pointed out that the at least 8 out of the stalled 24 projects had been found to be having significant adverse impact on biodiversity.
?The ministry proposes to bring these projects also under the purview of the environmental appraisal by making EC mandatory for them. Besides, the issue of aviral dhara and logitudinal connectivity shall also apply for HEPs, regardless of the capacity and size of a HEP since they are essential for rejuvenation of Ganga,? it added.
The MoEF said the 24 projects, irrespective of the fact whether or not ECs have been granted to them, should be subjected to fresh appraisal on the three-point criteria, as suggested by the IIT consortium, constituted to reconcile the two reports of the expert committee set up under SC orders.
?The critical appraisal may entail design modification and capacity alteration in the HEPs for ensuring longitudinal connectivity and release of suggested e-flow all the time during lean and monsoon periods, besides other general environmental issues and concerns such as biodiversity, muck disposal, catchment area treatment etc,? said the MoEF, adding grant of EC and goal of Ganga rejuvenation plan should not be in conflict with each other.
It added that HEPs other than these 24 would also have to comply with norms while all the projects, commissioned or under operation or for which construction is yet to commence, must also undertake the design modifications in the dams to fulfill these criteria. The MoEF said it also proposed to conduct a full-fledged carrying capacity and cumulative impact assessment study of all the sub-basins of Ganga in Uttarakhand in order to have a holistic and integrated view on then impacts of these projects and to take decisions of any future projects.
