Power Projects in Uttarakhand: Governance & Audit Issues Ravi - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Environmental Impacts of Hydro Power Projects in Uttarakhand: Governance & Audit Issues

Ravi Chopra

People’s Science Institute

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Uttarakhand – Land of a thousand Gangas

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Glacial Rivers

Bhagirathi at Gaumukh

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Spring-Fed Rivers

• R. Kosi in Almora district

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Hydropower Development Potential in Uttarakhand

S. No . Project Status Micro-Mini Small Medium Large Total ≤ 1MW >1MW ≤2 >2MW <5 ≥5MW <25 ≥25MW <100 ≥ 100 MW 1 Commissioned 11.96 (54) 7.15 (5) 31.3 (9) 121.6 (9) 246.15 (5) 3206 (10) 3624.16 (92) 2 Under Construction 2.78 (15) 3.5 (2) 20.4 (5) 76.5 (8) 175 (2) 3014 (6) 3292.18 (38)

Total 14.74 (69) 10.65 (7) 51.7 (14) 198.1 (17) 421.15 (7) 6220 (16) 6916.3 (130)

Source:UJVNL, December 2013 Figures in () give the number of projects

S. No. Project Status Micro-Mini Small Medium Large Total MW ≤ 1 MW >1 MW ≤ 2 >2 MW <5 ≥5 MW < 25 ≥25 MW < 100 ≥ 100 MW 1 Awaiting Clearance 1 (1) 1.9 (1) 7 (2) 303.8 (22) 196 (3) 2808 (9) 3317.70 (38) 2 S & I Stage 21.28 (58) 32.85 (18) 101.25 (28) 1086.25 (84) 2233.8 (63) 13330 (31) 16805.43 (282)

GrandTotal 37.02 (128) 45.4 (26) 159.95 (44) 1588.1 (123) 2850.9 (73) 22358 (56) 27039.4 (450)

Source: UJVNL, December 2013: S & I= Survey and Investigation

Under Consideration Installed Capacities (MW) Installed Capacities of Commissioned & Under Construction HEPs in Uttarakhand

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Hydropower projects in Uttarakhand

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Life-cycle environmental and social impacts of HEPs - Ia

ACTIVITY IMPACT Pre-Project Construction Construction of approach roads Land acquisition (displacement, loss of lands, homes, and livelihoods) Deforestation (loss of tree cover, access to CPRs, soil erosion and landslides, loss of flora and fauna, changes in micro-climate) Disposal of debris and earth (loss of trees, river water pollution) Construction of housing for staff and labour Deforestation Pollution due to sewage releases Quarrying Noise pollution, slopes destabilization, disruption of underground seepages and damage to houses Project Construction Tunneling Air and noise pollution, destabilization of slopes, damage to houses, disturbing wildlife, drying of springs, disposal

• f muck into the river, psychological trauma to people

and animals due to the repeated blasts

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Life-cycle environmental and social impacts of HEPs - Ib

Dam Construction Disruption of river flows (biotic changes, disruption of natural functions, e.g., sediments disposal, land shaping, nutrient cycling), river pollution, loss of aesthetic, cultural, economic and recreational values. Project Operation Testing of Tunnels Slope destabilization (loss

• f

tree cover, land, livelihoods, water sources and access to CPRs) Water Storage and Release Sedimentation (effect on river water quality) Disruption of river flow Secondary effects (release of greenhouse gases, warming

• f

valleys, increased earthquake risks, floods, downstream urban and industrial development Laying of Power Lines Deforestation (loss of wild life habitat), soil erosion

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

CAG Report - 2009

• Reviewed 48 projects (~2423 MW) of IPPs allotted between

1993 and 2006. Till March 2009 only 5 completed (418 MW).

• Delays due to land acquisition, forest clearance and capacity

enhancement problems.

• Poor quality pre-feasibility studies (loss to the state).
• No punitive action against developers for defaulting on IA.
• Poor monitoring of project execution, lack of environmental &

safety concerns, generation losses.

• Dry river beds, muck disposal into rivers & poor afforestation.
• Inadequate state government support for timely land

acquisition, forest clearance, R&R and installation of grid infra.

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

An Expert Body (EB) was set up by MoEF in October 2013 on the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court. ToRs (SC)

• Assess

whether the existing and

• ngoing/under construction hydropower

projects have contributed to the environmental degradation

• Make a detailed study and evaluate as to

how far HEPs have contributed to the aggravation

• f

damage caused by downstream floods.

• Examine, as observed by WII, whether

the proposed 24 projects in Uttarakhand are causing a significant impact on the biodiversity

• f

the Alaknanda & Bhagirathi river basins.

Expert Body ToRs

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Minimal flows released downstream of HEPs leading to loss of river integrity, disruption of fish migration, loss of acquatic biota and diversity.

Environmental Impacts: River Flows (a)

• R. Bhagirathi upstream & downstream of MB-I

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Environmental Impacts: River Flows (b)

• R. Alaknanda upstream & downstream of Vishnuprayag HEP

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Environmental Impacts: River Flows (c)

Courtesy: SANDRP

Construction of multiple projects fragments river length affecting the riverine biota & diversity. Between Maneri (Uttarkashi) and Koteshwar (Tehri Garhwal) 110 km of the Bhagirathi is disrupted, almost half its total length.

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Environmental Impacts: Water Quality (a)

River water quality is severely impacted during the construction stage due to unscientific & unlawful muck dumping from roads & tunnel construction. Poor monitoring by regulatory authorities.

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Environmental Impacts : Water Quality (b)

A comprehensive study by NEERI has highlighted the deleterious effect of the Tehri dam on the unique self purifying ability of Gangajal in R. Bhagirathi.

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Environmental Impacts : Water Quality (c)

Cascading decline of self cleansing ability of R. Bhagirathi due to multiple dams.

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Environmental Impacts: Biodiversity (a)

The most serious impact on biodiversity is the loss of the riverine ecosystem along the rim of the Tehri reservoir .

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Environmental Impacts : Biodiversity (b)

Courtesy: WII

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Environmental Impacts: Slope Stability (a)

The destruction does not end even after the dams are built. Landslides due to repeated raising and lowering of the water level in the Tehri reservoir.

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Environmental Impacts: Slope Stability (b)

Land subsidence and fissures in Mohan Negi village on the rim of the Tehri reservoir.

Courtesy: Navin Juyal

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Environmental Impacts: Slope Stability (b)

Land subsidence at Chayeen village in Chamoli district after commissioning of the Vishnuprayag HEP

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Social Impacts

(a) Drying of springs and (b) Housing damages due to blasting

(a) (b)

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Aggravate Disaster Impacts (a)

The Phata – Byung dam at Sitapur on R. Mandakini was not designed to take the flood of about 2000 cumecs that swept down the valley in June 2013.Water level rose almost 36 ft behind the dam.

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Aggravate Disaster Impacts (b)

Himalayan rivers carry huge amounts of sediments besides water. But the dams in the IHR are not designed for the sediment loads. Destruction at the Vishnuprayag HEP due to the heavy sediment load.

Ravi Chopra Navin Juyal

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Aggravate Disaster Impacts (c)

Temporal changes in the landscape at Srinagar. (a) 2007 when there was no muck dumped at the river bank. (b) 2009 muck dumping in progress and (c) after the flood when a part of the muck and the university stadium ground was washed away.

Navin Juyal

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Aggravate Disaster Impacts (d)

Geochemical analyses of flood sediments collected along the course of R. Alaknanda below the barrage indicate significant phyllite contribution (from muck) varying from 47% to 23% thereby raising the river bed during the flood and inundating the lower parts of Srinagar. MD indicates muck dumping sites.

Navin Juyal

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Glacier Impacts (a)

Distribution of glaciers in different river basin of Uttarakhand Himalaya (Raina and Srivastava, 2008)

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Glacier Impacts (b)

Hyperconcentrated sediment laden water was obstructed by the Vishnuprayag barrage which caused a temporary lake. The lake finally breached along the weak debris laden left flank. As a result the sudden sediment laden flood surge caused large-scale damage downstream (Pandukeshwar and Govindghat

Navin Juyal

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Projects in paraglacial zones

75 projects above the MCT

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Recommendations for immediate action – (a)

• Cancellation of 23 out of 24 Projects recommended for review by WII
• Ensure Environmental Flows
• No Dams in the Paraglacial Zone
• Legislate Eco-Sensitive Zones and Pristine in the Ganga river system
• Review EIA Procedure and insulate the EIA agency from the project

developers.

• All projects > 2 MW in the Ganga river system shall require prior ECs

from MoEF and where necessary from the NBWL.

• Fresh Clearances for old projects like Lakhwar (300 MW) and Vyasi

(120 MW) that do not have the now mandatory EIA/EMP/DMP studies.

• CEIA/REIA/SEA:should be done by MoEF for all rivers in the Ganga

river system.

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Recommendations for immediate action – (b)

• River Water Quality: Evolve technically better & ecologically sustainable

methods for muck disposal at HEP construction sites. Strengthen MoEF’s personnel and procedures for post-sanction monitoring.

• Bumper-to-Bumper Dams: Scientific baseline studies required on diversity

and populations of floral and faunal species in different rivers of the Ganga river system to decide the minimum distances between two consecutive HEPs. Restoration: River bed profiles at Phata-Byung, Singoli-Bhatwari, Vishnuprayag and Srinagar HEPs have changed significantly. Prior clearance from MoEF after fresh analysis of the project hydrology and necessary redesigning for river restoration.

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

• Catchment Area Treatment: Community-based CA and CAT plan execution

must be done by the State FD within the construction period of the project.

• Redesigning Dams: Model studies of structures needed to withstand heavy

sediment loads in the Ganga river system during floods.

• Issue River Regulation Zone (RRZ) guidelines: Civil works along the

banks of River Ganga and encroachments in its flood plains must be monitored and avoided.

• Enforce a Total Ban on River Bed Sand Mining: In the main stem of the

river and its major tributaries.

• Assessing Cultural Impacts of HEPs on the Ganga: Assess the impacts of

HEPs on age-old traditions associated with the flow of Ganga and impacts on holy sites, historical places.

Recommendations for medium term action

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I hold that economic progress in the sense I have put it (of material advancement without limits) is antagonistic to real (moral) progress.

• -Mahatma Gandhi

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Thank You

653, Indira Nagar Dehra Doon - 248 006 Uttarakhand Web : www.peoplesscienceinstitute.org Mail : psiddoon@gmail.com Phone : +91 135 2763649, 2763650 Fax : +91 135 2760334

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

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iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

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“O king! Rivers are mothers of the world; all of them bestow great rewards. I have enumerated as many as my memory enables me to.”

• - Mahabharat, Bhishma Parva, Ch 9, verses 37/38

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Social value

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Economic value

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Cultural value

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Aesthetic value

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Recreation Value

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Transporting water & sediment from the catchment to the sea

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Land forming

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Supporting aquatic biota

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Expected Climate Change Impacts

 Temperatures in the Indian sub-continent will rise between 3.5 and

5.5ºC by 2100 (Rupa Kumar et al. 2006)

 Impacts are expected to intensify in the Himalayas – due to their

being a very sensitive system.

 Many Himalayan glaciers are retreating faster than the world

average.

 The rate of retreat of the Gangotri Glacier over the last three

decades was more than three times the rate during the preceding 200 years

 Rapid reduction of glaciers – impacting stream flows, hydrology and

biodiversity downstream.

 Increased disasters, glacial lakes outbursts and landslides.

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

The Retreat of the Gangotri glacier

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Houses are destroyed

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Trees & Forests are mowed down

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River Flows

• Shrinking glaciers, loss of year round flows and construction of HEPs

threaten river flows

• Hence reviving subsurface flows, minimizing short and long range

threats to glaciers and environmental flows d/s of dams are essential.

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Protection of Wild & Scenic Rivers

• Upper reaches of Himalayan rivers have high wilderness value
• Legislation required to protect such wilderness and scenic stretches.
• 135km Gaumukh to Uttarkashi eco-sensitive area and declaration of

Tirthan river in HP as a wild river are important steps.

• Wild & scenic river stretches offer livelihoods possibilities.

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

• The current opposition is due to perceived loss of resources, threats

to life and livelihoods, no direct benefits to local people and cultural issues.

• Conceptual shift from maximum resource exploitation to sustainable

& optimum resource use.

• Environmental flows d/s of dams must be guaranteed; monitoring

by local communities.

• Sanctioning of projects only after approval by affected Gram Sabhas

and open/transparent procedures

• Priority to locally owned micro and mini hydro projects.
• Community friendly R&R policies required; all villages lying above
• r below tunnels are project affected villages.
• Need

to reassess hydropower potential keeping in mind environmental and social aspects.

Safe & Sustainable Hydropower Development -- I

iCED Jaipur – July, 2015

Safe & Sustainable Hydropower Development -- II

• Safe technologies – tunnel boring machines, insurance coverage, new

dam designs and use of the Precautionary Principle.

• Green restoration with CAMPA funds to be done locally through

Gram Panchayats.

• A Himalayan Rivers Commission to prepare a publicly accepted

rivers conservation and hydropower policy is needed – first focus on demand management & alternate power sources. Basin-scale hydropower planning approach.

• Honesty in compliances – EIAs, Jan Sunwais, approval conditions.

Monitoring by local communities.

• Shares in companies & investments in local SHGs, small production

units as part of CSR activities.

• Local communities must be partners in development.