Save Western Ghats from Gundia hydel power project

Jairam Ramesh raps Yeddyurappa on Gundia hydel project Deccan Herald or DH Sat , June 28, 2009
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/10366/jairam-ramesh-raps-yeddyurappa-gundia.html

The Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh has reprimanded Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, for laying the foundation stone for Gundia hydel project in Hassan district without obtaining the mandatory environmental clearance.

The Karnataka Power Corporation%u2019s project, which seeks to set up two 200 MW units, has run into a major ecological controversy with environmentalists and civil society groups opposing it tooth and nail.

They argue that it involves destruction of hundreds of acres of thick pristine forests of the Western Ghats %u2013 one of the world%u2019s premiere biodiversity hotspots.

In his letter to Yeddyurappa on June 20, Ramesh said the hydel project would lead to drowning of almost 1,900 acres of dense forests in the 'already endangered Western Ghats. This is something that both Karnataka and our country can ill afford."

No green clearance

The minister was particularly upset on laying the project%u2019s foundation stone on May 26, 2009 without the mandatory central green clearance.

"I do not think that environmental clearances should be taken for granted any longer. We have to go through the process as laid down by law, and we should not consider this process a routine formality," the minister said.

Admitting that Karnataka needs to increase its power generation capacity, the Union minister said, this should not happen at the cost of ecological security.

The first phase of the project, which will be implemented in four years, at a cost of Rs 1,120 crore, is expected to generate 613 million units power at the rate of Rs 1.90 per unit.

The project %u2013 opposed by the environmentalists from the beginning %u2013 will be built across Gundia river, a tributary of the Kumaradhara, with its source in the Western Ghats near Kudremukh of Chikmaglaur district.

The river flows through the districts of Hassan and Dakshina Kannada piercing through forests.

Gundia hydel project: Is it worth the ecological cost? Deccan Herald or DH Wed, June 25, 2009
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/10166/gundia-hydel-project-worth-ecological.html

The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) is entrusted with the responsibility of protecting our forests, rivers and environment so that a sustainable and healthy lifestyle is achievable for our people. Protecting the ecologically precious and highly sensitive natural resources such as Western Ghats and Himalayas from damaging hydel projects is one amongst a few important mandates for the MoEF.

In this background, the ability of the MoEF to prevent the harm to the already devastated Western Ghats will be severely tested by the 2x200 MW Gundia hydel project being proposed by the Karnataka Power Corporation in Hassan district.

This project proposal to utilise its installed capacity for only 32 per cent of the time is probably one of the least beneficial hydel projects to our society because of the huge socio-environmental costs associated. The total land requirement of more than 973 hectares, including 754 hectares of thick evergreen forests, will have a major impact on the bio-diversity rich Western Ghats.

There are many endangered and endemic species of flora and fauna in this area, which may not be effectively rehabilitated. It is very unfortunate for the peninsular India that the concerned authorities have ignored the fact that Western Ghats is one of the few bio-diversity hotspots in the world.

No analysis of various costs and benefits of the project have been carried out in an objective way to determine whether the project is in the overall interest of the society. At a time when global warming has become an existential issue for the humankind and for a densely populated country of ours, the proposed destruction of thick rainfall forests of Western Ghats will only exacerbate global warming. Additionally, the National Forest Policy target of 33 per cent forest and tree cover can never be achieved if we continue to destroy the natural forests of highest ecological value.

Because of the irrational set of procedural issues needed to get clearances this project had no objective analysis of pros and cons to the society. The severe opposition to the proposed Gundia project and the irrefutable evidence of potential harm to the nature has largely been ignored by the concerned authorities of the Union and state governments.

The systemic weaknesses in according clearances to such high impact projects are so many and so pervasive that state governments seem to be convinced that getting environmental clearance is only a matter of time and that it is just a political game.

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for Gundia project contains many misrepresentations and false claims, but the approval process does not allow these to be brought to the notice of the ministry because only the project proponent is allowed to make presentation. Very often the minutes of the public hearing contain gross misrepresentations and generally fail to record the issues objectively, basically to favour the project proponent.

Environmental clearance

Unless the people opposing the project on socio-environmental grounds are given adequate opportunity to explain their viewpoints, and unless such views are taken into objective account, the process of environmental clearance can at the best be termed as a charade.

There is no scope for the public to know how far the benefits outweigh the costs in Gundia project proposal. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) has recorded direct costs only to the project proponent without even mentioning the societal costs. Additionally, the DPR has not discussed the various options available to meet the stated objective of generating electricity.

It is sad to know that the DPR has no mandate to assure the public that all the alternatives available are discussed and that the best option in society%u2019s interest is chosen. In the case of Gundia hydel project, no other alternative to get 400 MW or its equivalent is discussed. In such a case how does the project proponent demonstrate to the public that it is the best option available?

The benefits to our society from the ecological services of 754 hectares of bio-diversity rich forests alone can be many times more than the meagre benefit from the proposed project. There are many benign options such as replacing the inefficient incandescent lamps by energy efficient CFLs, reducing the T&D losses, energy conservation and demand side Management to get more than 400 MW of equivalent power.

The people have a right to know as to how the proposed Gundia hydel project is less harmful as compared to the Bedthi hydel project proposal in Uttara Kannada district, which was shelved in 1980s due to massive opposition on environmental grounds. As an integral part of our democracy all stakeholders should be consulted effectively and the authorities concerned should demonstrate to them that such a high impact project is essential.

Without an objective analysis of all related issues and without taking the support of the stakeholders to continue with such a ghastly project will be a serious setback to the welfare of our society and a mockery of our democracy.

Gundia project: A boon or bane? - Bangalore - Cities - The Times ... Times of India, June 05, 2009
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com//Cities/Gundia-project-A-boon-or-bane/articleshow/4618567.cms

The Karnataka state in India seems to be sitting mutely on an ecological disaster. The state government is going ahead with the Gundia hydel power project despite green concerns. In fact, 456 hectares of forestland will be razed in phases starting November 2009 to make way for the project. The pre-construction work has started.

The meteorological department has warned of major impact on climate due to the massive destruction.

According to Wildlife Conservation Society, the project area falls within 9.5 km radius from the boundary of the Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary. The project violates the order of ministry of environment and forests which restricts such activities 10 km from the protected area boundary as it is an eco-sensitive zone.

Gundia is one of the three important locations in Karnataka where the Travancore flying squirrel and the slender Loris are found.

But the KPCL has its own take. "The proposed project and the catchment areas do not have any wildlife sanctuaries and animal corridors. It is in effect about 30 km away from Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, about 60 km from Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary and about 90 km from the Kudremukh Wildlife Sanctuary. Hence, no impacts on visible sanctuaries and animal corridors are expected. The minor ones, if any, are insignificant."

Environment Impact Assessment by Institute for Catchment Studies & Environmental Management too says that since there are no migratory species in the zone, the project will not affect any animal corridors.

Interestingly, weather being a significant aspect, the State Meteorology Department has not been consulted either by the Karnataka Power Corporation or by the Environmental Clearance Board.

State MET director A Muthuchami said that though Indian Meteorological Department is a member of the ECB in all states, in Karnataka MET officials were not consulted by the board. "Eversince I took over, ECB has not consulted us for any project. So all projects that have been approved by the ECB in the last one and half year do not have the consent of the weather department in the state."

He said: "Apart from anticipated landslide and inducing seismic events, there is possibility of the project having overall impact on the hydro cycle in the area, resulting in gradual decrease in rainfall."Sign Petition