Hydropower sector goes on the back burner in Uttarakhand

At a time when the Uttarakhand government has launched a campaign to highlight its achievements in the media, the hydropower sector, a key growth driver in the hill state, has virtually been put on the backburner.

Even in its new official book on developmental works that was released by Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna on the state’s foundation day on Saturday, the government did not say what steps it had taken to give a flip to the hydropower sector which is considered to be the most neglected one during the past few years. So far, Uttarakhand has only harnessed 3,622.14 Mw of hydropower against the potential of 26,000-30,000 Mw.

Except for stating that the Uttarakhand Jal Vitaran Nigam Limited (UJVNL), the state-run power generation company, has been able to produce 4,812.11 million units of power against the target of 4,752.67 million units in 2012-13 and highlighting various other topics, the state government remained silent on the controversy surrounding big hydel projects, apparently owing to legal, environmental and religious hurdles.

With the controversy continuing to dog big hydel projects, the government chose to focus on small hydropower projects (SHPs) and solar lanterns and various other power issues in the wake of the June floods. However, it did not give details about the extent of damage to various hydropower projects caused by the devastating floods that crippled the economy of the most of the hilly areas. It also did not focus on the future policy plans related to the hydropower sector.

After the Supreme Court’s judgment in August, the government has chosen to remain silent on the issue. The chief minister, who is holding the power portfolio, blames the previous BJP government for “ruining” the hydropower sector, saying the previous regime had suspended a series of hydel projects.

So far, the government has maintained that it would study the Supreme Court’s ruling on hydel projects. The apex court’s order had called for a review of 24 hydropower projects on which the Wildlife Institute of India had given its report last year. The Supreme Court, in its order, had also asked the state government not to grant fresh permissions to new projects till further orders and called for setting up of an expert committee to study the 24 hydel projects.

A preliminary assessment of the apex court’s order made by the state-run power generation company UJVN Ltd revealed that a total of 35 projects with a capacity of 4200 Mw are under review. “Our assessment is that a total of 35 projects are under review,” said UJVN Managing Director G P Patel.

Significantly, the centre had declared an eco-sensitive zone in Uttarkashi district along the 100-km stretch of Bhagirathi river that had sounded a death knell for 1,743 Mw of power projects. Moreover, the final report of the inter-ministerial group (IMG) headed by B K Chaturvedi had also badly impacted the hydropower sector in the Ganga river basin to the tune of 6,000 Mw. “If we consider the eco-sensitive zone, the BK Chaturvedi report and the Supreme Court’s order, there is an overlapping of projects which are under review,” said the official. “So we have to study the judgment very carefully to make further comment,” the official added.

A total of 69 hydropower projects with a capacity of more than 9,000 Mw were under review by the inter-ministerial group which was set up following agitations by environmentalists and religious leaders against the development of scores of hydel projects on the holy river Bhagirathi. In its recommendation, the committee said no new hydropower projects should be taken up beyond the 69 projects. And among the 69 projects, the committee has set certain limitations. This means the group had recommended the construction of hydropower projects of 3,000 Mw only, that too with tough riders.

Pending a long-term perspective on the Ganga basin management plan, the committee also proposed that small tributaries of Ganga like Nayar, Bal Ganga, Rihsi Ganga, Assi Ganga, Dhauli Ganga, Birahi Ganga and Bhyunder Ganga would be kept in pristine glory without developing any hydel projects. In the IMG’s assessment this will mean a loss of 400 Mw of power to Uttarakhand.

When contacted, Additional Secretary, Power, M C Joshi said the centre had already set up a committee for the review of the projects in Alaknanda and Bhagirathi valley under the Supreme Court’s order. “Till the final report comes, we cannot comment on the issue,” said Joshi.