Nearly four months after the Uttarakhand floods, Environment and Forests ministry has formed an expert committee to study whether the environmental degradation caused by hydro-electric projects on Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers led to the disaster.
Other than looking into the degradation caused by functioning as well as on-going hydro-projects, the committee will also examine the impact of the proposed 24 hydro power projects on the biodiversity of the region.
The ministry has given the committee a period of three months to study the impact and submit a final report by January 14, 2014, a statement on the ministry's website said. The 17-member committee will examine the extent to which the projects were responsible for the tragedy.
"The committee has been constituted in accordance with the directions issued by the Supreme Court vide its judgement dated 13.08.2013 in the case of Alaknanda Hydro Power Co. Ltd. versus Anuj Joshi and others," the statement said.
The committee will also suggest suitable environmental safeguard measures to mitigate the adverse environmental impacts in respect of ongoing projects for which Environment Clearance have been granted including tourism projects and also suggest changes in project parameters if they feel it necessary, the statement added.
"The committee will also draft a Himalayan Policy for Uttarakhand keeping in mind the unique ecological, social and cultural characteristics of the state and suggest environment friendly development activities, the statement said.
The committee will make a detailed study and evaluate as to how far the projects have contributed to the aggravation of damage caused by downstream floods. "It will also examine, as observed by Wildlife Institute of India s (WII) report, whether the proposed 24 projects in Uttarakhand are causing significant impact on the biodiversity of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi river basins," the statement said.
Apart from these, the committee has also been asked by the ministry to assess and review extent of progress made in respect of ongoing or under construction hydroelectric power projects as on the date of occurrence of the tragedy made in compliance of environmental conditions and safeguard measures. "
A study on current state of Himalayan glaciers and impact of hydro-electric projects on glaciers, as well as the impact of receding glaciers on HEPs, study cumulative effects of proposed and existing bumper to bumper and run of river schemes and review existing Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) will also be undertaken by the committee," said the statement.
Apart from these, the committee will also review compliance of existing protocols for construction activities in the basins of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi, assess status of progress in respect of proposed 24 projects and assess projects where impacts cannot be mitigated to preserve biodiversity.
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