HP to give priority to dam oustees Government had been able to

HP to give priority to dam oustees Government had been able to SANDRP ISSUE TWO JANUARY 2002 INDEX DAMS WTO & WATER Bhakra-Sutlej Project Impacts, Affected yet to be resettled WATER POLLUTION: CAG warns on water pollution Ranjit Sagar dam oustees not resettled Sutlej turns toxic; HC bans Fishing in Sutlej Gujarat approves irrigation project :Vyas calls impractical Yamuna Pollution V Shiva on Arundhati Roy; Shabana Azmi on Medha Patkar FISHERIES: Inland Fish production can go up 10 times? TEHRI Fishing rights of Adivasis SANDRP REPORT: No R&R master plan in Tehri project AGRICULTURE: Pest-related crop damage SARDAR SAROVAR PROJECT: Rising costs Board for organic farming mooted SSP REHABILITATION Farmers? suicide in Karnataka Massive fund misuse by Gujarat Govt. alleged FOODGRAINS PROCUREMENT DAM AND DROUGHT AFFECTED JOIN HANDS FOOD SECURITY Maan dam affected tribals on the roads again High price and low purchasing power Strange case of Maddualasa dam No food security in the country GOI on WCD Supply of foodgrains to drought-affected areas HYDRO PROJECTS ABOUT THE UPDATE Clearance to Lower Subansiri HEP Revoked 2 B lack food security NHPC pulls out of Koel-Karo project FLOODS, LANDSLIDES, DISASTERS Almatti most expensive HEP Kerala landslide Failure in NHPC?s Chamera II CAT National Disaster Mitigation Summit New Hydro power policy soon? Damage in AP Rankings study of Hydropower POWER FINANCE Daulasidh project Govt. plans $1 B power fund CAG Report confirms S.Kumars financial malpractices WB loan for Power Grid Loktak Dam Impacts PFC to refinance IFCI guarantees NATHPA JHAKRI: A FIRST RATE SCANDAL POWER „REFORMS? Malana Project Fined for Environmental Violations West Bengal proposes law to check power theft IRRIGATION: Water Ministry wants power subsidy to go Spectrum Shareholders to move CLB, Cong to CBI Karnataka Water policy gets cabinet nod MP power reforms face opposition Kanyakumari Irrigation in trouble NTPC notice to UP, MP, Orissa SOUTH ASIA: Mighty Indus on Deathbed in Sindh? Proposal to set up 400 power circle profit centres Pancheshwar DPR delayed Power Grid notice to Delhi, Bihar, UP Melamchi Project attains financial closure T&D loss reduction figures „incorrect? Norway aid for HEP in Nepal NTPC rules out gas-based plant in Bengal in 10th plan US JETS HIT AFGHAN DAM; UN fears 'disaster' WE AWAIT YOUR RESPONSES AROUND THE WORLD: Capacity shrinks as dams silt up Ethanol with petrol QUOTES Tata Power bags first private transmission project Pak Mun Gates to remain open for one year: Victory of struggle Scan America proposes to set up three projects in Gujarat WB?s dishonesty POWER OPTIONS WB Approves Bujagali Dam Despite Major Risks 92 paise loss on every unit sold by SEBs Ilusu Dam in Turkey: Balfour Beatty withdraws PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE WITH SANDRP LESOTHO: Huge Protest Over Large Dams Gujarat yet to tap wind energy potential World?s lakes threatened ENRON SAGA NGO Statement at the Freshwater Conference HUMAN DEVELOPMENT ISSUES WATER OPTIONS: Productive use of wetlands Central Minister advocates private sector for rural development More Water for whom? MDBS CGWA directs for rainwater harvesting BIG QUAKES MAY HIT DELHI WATER SUPPLY: Regulatory Commission in AP NEW BOOKS, REPORTS Lokayukta indicts Delhi Jal Board for corruption Hydropower Schemes of Uttaranchal CONTACT INFORMATION: Himanshu Thakkar, Bipin Chandra, South Asia Network on Dams, River and People, C/o 53B, AD Block, Shalimar Bagh, Delhi 110 088. India. Ph: 747 9916. Email: cwaterp@vsnl.com UPDATE ON DAMS, OPTIONS AND RELATED ISSUES 2 DAMS Gandhinagar districts. Narmada waters would be pumped from two places and released in eight reservoirs like Dharoi, Bhakra-Sutlej Project Impacts The ejection of the silt from Hathmati, Meshwo, Dantiwada, Sipu, Guhai and an open hydel channel and reservoir of the Bhakra-Sutlej Chimnabai. The water would result in an additional Link projects has ravaged the fertile Balh valley of Mandi agricultural production of over Rs 12 B per annum. The district (HP) since the completion of the project in 1977. govt. would also save a sizeable amount of around 25 % on The problem of the disposal of the huge quantity of silt had subsidy given to farmers on power consumption. However, not been conceived while designing the project and the the former Narmada minister, Jaynarayan Vyas, has said "it BBMB have been evading a permanent solution for the would be a cruel joke on the people of north Gujarat to menace since the past 24 years, as a result of which a large show them another impractical dream with just one and a area of the valley have turned in to desert. (THE TRIBUNE half years left for the elections". Vyas says the project 29/12/01) would be expensive and impractical and would need 1,200 MW of electricity for lifting waters to the dams, Bhakra Affected yet to be resettled “Many of those considerably more than what the alternative link canal displaced for the Bhakra and Pong dams have still not been would need. He insists, "No such alternative plans should resettled”, said HP Revenue Minister in the assembly. be taken up without concrete study and discussions with Once the land was acquired, nobody bothered and experts and representatives from north Gujarat." Vyas says promises of jobs were not honoured. Over 500 families the Survey of India has already completed a study pointing displaced by Pong dam are yet to be resettled. Over 700 of towards the feasibility of the alternative link canal that the Bhakra dam oustees were still awaiting rehabilitation. would help irrigate 10,000 sq km area out of a total of The HP Govt. has promised to formulate an R&R policy. 20,000 sq km in north Gujarat. Vyas has shot off a letter to (THE HINDU, THE TRIBUNE 20/12/01) state finance minister who has stated that a sum of Rs 1.75 Ranjit Sagar dam oustees not resettled Ranjit Sagar Dam B would be set aside from this year's budget for the Rs 30 B oustees of Dalhousie tehsil have resolved to stage a protest (THE TIMES OF INDIA-A 28/11/01, 3/12/01) project. in front of the office of the Punjab Chief Minister in Govt apathy may delay Kalpasar project The Gujarat Chandigarh if members of the 218 (out of total 537) government's Rs 250 B Kalpasar project, which plans to affected families are not provided with jobs at the project. convert the Gulf of Khambhat into a fresh water lake The families have written to the Punjab and Himachal would kick-start only after 2011. The govt. has so far spent Pradesh Governments many times about their grievances Rs 180 M on the pre-feasibility study. The govt. proposes but to no avail. (THE TRIBUNE 05/12/01) to pump in another Rs 1.5 B to Rs 2 B on the feasibility report. As per the pre-feasibility study, even if the Narmada Gujarat approves irrigation project that Vyas calls dam height is raised to 138 metres, 90 % of Saurashtra and impractical, election balloon The Gujarat govt. has 95 % of Kutch would not get water. approved a major irrigation project based on Narmada (THE TIMES OF INDIA-A 18/12/01) waters to be released through a pipeline network in North Gujarat's Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Banaskantha, Patan and Power that comes from fearlessness: Vandana Shiva on Arundhati Roy At a time when the courts are systematically ruling against the poor and the marginalised and in favour of the powerful and elite interests, against the public good and in favour of private gain, Arundhati had the courage to speak for justice. The rights of people displaced by large dams have been trampled upon in the Narmada case. Now the ancient town of Tehri is to be buried under the watery grave of the Tehri Dam. At a time when few thinkers and writers could find words to respond to the condemnation of the polarised non-option of “you are either with us or you are a terrorist”, Arundhati did use powerful words. Power that comes from fearlessness. (THE TIMES OF INDIA-D 30/12/01) Dis-empowered get further victimized: Shabana Azmi on Medha Patkar This is a woman possessed, a woman uninterrupted, a woman who has vowed not to rest till the highest echelons of power in the country are forced to reflect and to answer the simple question she asks "whose progress is this and at whose cost"? It can't be the progress of a few at the cost of many. If we ask people to vacate their ancestral lands in the name of "development", surely they have a right to expect to be the first beneficiaries of that "development"? Instead we see again and again that the poor and the disempowered get further victimised because they are kept out of the decision-making process. How would the people of Malabar Hill in Mumbai react if they were asked to leave their homes for the "greater common good"? (THE TIMES OF INDIA-D 30/12/01) SANDRP JANUARY 2002 UPDATE ON DAMS, OPTIONS AND RELATED ISSUES 3 TEHRI Chipko leader?s plea on Tehri Mr. Sunder Lal Bahuguna has urged Members of Parliament to persuade the Govt. to postpone the eviction of residents of Old Tehri town and adjoining areas which would be submerged by the Tehri Dam. Although the Dam may withstand earthquakes, the surrounding fragile hills that make up the sides of the reservoir may collapse due to the earthquake and spell havoc to the regions downstream, he said. (THE HINDU-D 29/11/01) PM to decide on closing key tunnels of Tehri dam The final decision to shut down two diversion tunnels of Tehri dam would be taken by the Prime Minister, official sources said. Earlier, the project authorities had tentatively decided to close the two tunnels in October-November 2001. The only hindrance in the work is coming from the local people, living around the dam, who want adequate compensation. According to the District Magistrate of Tehri, over one lakh people from 109 villages, which will be submerged in the waters of the reservoir once the two tunnels are closed, are to be rehabilitated in Pashulok and Pathri areas of Dehra Dun and Hardwar districts respectively. (THE DECCAN HERALD 14/11/01) Closing down of Tehri dam tunnels The Central govt. has given clearance for shutting down two diversion tunnels (T-3 and T-4) of the Tehri dam and the gates were closed on 30 November 2001. For the first time in history, river Bhagirathi stopped flowing. The flow of the river have been diverted through the T-1 and T-2 tunnels. The other two tunnels are to be closed by March 2003 and it will take another two years to fill the reservoir of the highest dam in India. After shutting down of the tunnels the submergence process of the two-century-old Tehri town has begun. (NAVBHARAT TIMES 01/12/01 & 07/12/01 and HINDUSTAN TIMES-D 07/12/01) Water enters Tehri town The second phase of construction of Tehri Dam project has started. The water of the reservoir also entered in to the Bahuguna?s Kutiya. Mr. Bahuguna, who has been opposing the dam for over 20 years now, wished that the authorities had waited for a decision in the two cases pending before the Supreme Court before flooding the town. The issue is one of “gross violation of human rights” and a case is pending before the NHRC, he said. (THE HINDU-D 08/12/01) Time bomb called Tehri dam The 260.5 metre high dam is located in an active seismic zone in the fragile and young Himalayan ecology. Between 1816 and 1991, 17 quake have hit the region. Eminent seismologist Mr. Vinod Gaur has reportedly appealed that the dam could lead to dangerous consequences. The ICOLD has declared the site “extremely hazardous”. If a quake of magnitude 8 on the Ritcher scale or more hits the dam, Rishikesh could drown in 63 minutes flat, followed by Hardwar. In February 1980, the Central Environmental Appraisal Committee went on record: “Taking on consideration the geological and social impacts accompanying the project… the Tehri project should not be taken up as it does not merit environmental clearance,” the clock, it seems, won?t be turned back. But for the people, it could be time bomb that goes on ticking. (Editorial in HINDUSTAN TIMES-D 11/12/01) Apathy drives Tehri people to go on fast Residents of the Tehri town began a fast in protest against the government?s “indifference” to their rehabilitation in the event of their displacement by the Tehri project. They were also demanding extension of civic amenities till completion of the rehabilitation process. (THE TIMES OF INDIA-D 12/12/01) SANDRP REPORT: No R&R master plan in Tehri project A report on Tehri rehabilitation, conducted by South Asia Network on Dams, River and People, charges that “…no accurate data on the number of people affected is available.” The report notes that the Environmental Impact Assessment for the project estimated the number of affected persons to be 97,000 in 1999 but data available with the THDC puts the number at a mere 67,500. Report also says, “large number of affected people are not even included in the R&R package.” The report states “twenty six year after project construction began, there is still no R&R master plan.” The report shows that nearly 70 per cent of the rural families affected by the project and 90 per cent of those in the partially affected category have not received their resettlement benefit. Besides, over 93 per cent of ex-gratia has not been paid yet. At last the report said that, all construction on the Tehri dam must cease until a just resettlement plan is implemented. (RASHTRIYA SAHARA 26/11/01, HINDUSTAN-D 10/12/01 THE TIMES OF INDIA-D 14/12/01, TRIBUNE 31/12/01) The full SANDRP report Testimonies from the Ground: A Report on Tehri Rehabilitation was released on Nov. 23, 2001. The report is available with SANDRP (wee box on publications) and also on internet (www.janmanch.org/newsletters). SANDRP JANUARY 2002 UPDATE ON DAMS, OPTIONS AND RELATED ISSUES 4 SARDAR SAROVAR PROJECT Rising costs The cost of the SSP, Rs 64.06 B in 1986-87, was revised to Rs. 130 B by 1996-97. Over the last couple of years the cost moved from Rs 180 B to Rs 240 B to now at Rs 300 B. SSNNL?s opinion is that the realistic project cost will be over Rs 400 B. All this financial jugglery is bound to hurt Gujarat. Not surprisingly, the Gujarat Govt. has not been too forthcoming with the nitty-gritty on the cash to be generated if the project were to achieve financial closure in the next couple of years. The amount spent so far is Rs 118.2 B. (BUSINESS LINE-D 05/12/01) SSP REHABILITATION Gujarat, MP Govts want to give cash compensation The Gujarat govt. is determined to go ahead with the idea of giving cash compensation to MP oustee families to be submerged because of SSP. "If necessary, we will amend Clause 11 of the NWDA, which specifically refers to the oustees resettlement issues by introducing cash compensation as an option, proposed by MP at the last NCA meeting", said a senior bureaucrat. Officials are of the view that there is "no legal hurdle" in amending the award. (THE TIMES OF INDIA-A 11/01) * The MP CM has started making moves to have the NWDT award to be re-opened to allow for cash compensation instead of land to the people who will be displaced by the SSP. MP CM had an informal meeting with the Gujarat CM to build a consensus on the issue, where Gujarat CM agreed to pay Rs. 2.39 B to MP for providing cash compensation. MP will have to rehabilitate the maximum number of oustee families estimated at over 33,000. The four concerned States and R&R sub Group of NCA, headed by secretary, Union Ministry of Welfare have to be in agreement to open the award. NBA has called the move illegal and in violation of NWDT and also in violation of the Supreme Court orders. Prominent persons and various organisations in Maharashtra have condemned the move. They demanded that, if the state governments cannot provide land for the PAFs, they should suspend the work on the dam, think of alternatives to the project. (The Hindu-D, Rashtriya Sahara 14/11/01, NBA Press Note) Brutal lathi charge on peaceful protesters The MP Government continued its spree of police repression in the Narmada valley as it brutally lathi charged peaceful protestors in the village Chotta Badada (Dist. Badwani, M.P) badly injuring more than 15 people who have been under arrest and admitted in the hospital at Badwani. MP Government has been trying to carry out surveys in the villages affected by SSP. However, the people of the valley have been opposing these surveys as they are saying that the Government has shown no sincerity to resettle the people, the arrangements for resettlement are not in place and there is no land available for the same, resettlement Master Plan is available. These surveys are being carried out only to make a show that some work is being done on resettlement. (NBA 25/11/01) * Narmada Villagers Warn Against State Terrorism in Madhya Pradesh Hundreds of men and women from the villages in the Narmada Valley were out on the roads in Badwani on Dec. 3, to protest and warn the MP government against the doublespeak, continuous repression and the inhuman policy of displacing the people by threat and force. The wayward and heinous method followed by MP government in the villages of Nimad, in the name of surveying the villages, for past two months was condemned by the people and they resolved to fight against this state-terror and unjust policy. The MP govt. has been intimidating villagers affected by the SSP, to displace, that too with the cash compensation in violation of the NWDT provisions. (NBA PR 04/12/01) No progress in SSP height 1,597 project affected families - 1,217 in Madhya Pradesh, 363 in Gujarat and 17 in Maharashtra - would need to be resettled in case the Gujarat govt. agrees to take the SSP dam to 95 metres at the next official meeting of the NCA. The dam height is stationary at 90 metres for the last more than one year. The total number of PAFs at 95 metres dam submergence level is 9,864 belonging to 110 villages. Out of these, 5,397 belong to 70 MP villages, 1,700 belong to 26 Maharashtra villages, and 2,767 belong to 14 Gujarat villages. Of these, 5,847 are claimed to have been resettled in Gujarat, 1,021 in Maharashtra and 1,399 in MP. (THE TIMES OF INDIA-A 07/12/01) Massive fund misuse by Gujarat Govt. alleged The CAG has said that Gujarat Govt. is guilty of financial irregularities of up to Rs 29.71 B as on March 2000. The former CM Chhabildas Mehta said that amount was closer to Rs 40 B one year hence. The allegation of massive fraud being perpetrated by the Govt. on Planning Commission and the State Assembly points at irregularities concerning 1,268 Public Ledger Accounts. Gujarat financial health is highly suspect as unpaid bills are piling up in departments for which the funds were originally released in to the PLAs. The SSP is understood be leading the list in unpaid bills to contractors. (BUSINESS LINE-D 19/12/01) SANDRP JANUARY 2002 UPDATE ON DAMS, OPTIONS AND RELATED ISSUES 5 DAM AND DROUGHT AFFECTED JOIN HANDS IN MAHARASHTRA The purpose of this is to keep you informed of this movement and also elicit your support. Some path-breaking and innovative aspects of the movement are as follows: Innovative demands and achievements: Equitable water distribution The movements demands that around 2500 to 3000 m3 of water has to be provided to each household from an assured source as a basic service to meet livelihood needs. As a result of the struggles, the Maharashtra Krishna Valley Development Corporation (MKVDC) had to agree to take up a `pilot project' in Atpadi taluka of Sangli district and also has agreed to work out a plan to restructure the Tembu lift irrigation scheme which is to provide water to Atpadi and other adjoining talukas. The movement forced the MKVDC to have regular joint meetings and now the MKVDC has submitted the alternative proposal to the Government for approval. The struggles would go on till the scheme is restructured in more equitable lines. Monthly water stipend (Pani Bhatta) Another innovative demand has been in the case of dam affected persons. Under the latest rehabilitation package of the government, the oustees are supposed to get alternative land in the command areas of the projects meaning that the government is supposed to provide irrigation to them. So, two years back, the movement demanded that the government should pay the difference in production between irrigated and unirrigated agriculture to the oustees till they get irrigation water. After prolonged and intense struggles, finally the government agreed to pay Rs. 600 per household per month to the oustees as Pani Bhatta. Even to get this they had to organise agitations and as a result many of the oustees from dam sites in Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur districts got the Pani Bhatta for the initial 3 to 4 months. However, there is a backlog, as the government has not paid the Bhatta for the last many months. 'First rehabilitation, then dam construction' The movement because of consistent struggles could force the government agree to certain well-defined procedures. In the case of Urmodi Dam in Satara district, a couple of years ago even Bal Thakarey had to go back without laying the foundation stone, though the programme was announced well in advance, because of the opposition from the organisation. They allowed the laying of the foundation stone only after they got written orders for a time bound rehabilitation programme including the 13 civic amenities and also water guarantee for the alternative land. In fact this has come to be known as the 'Urmodi pattern'. 'First water distribution from old dams, then construction of new dams' The struggle raised the demand that before any new dams are constructed in the region, the water available from existing dams and sources should be released and distributed equitably. The new demand of 'First provide water to the command areas of existing dams; only then will we allow construction of new dams'. This pertains to providing water in this Rabi season to people in Patan and Karad talukas, by completing the necessary work on Urmodi, Tembu, Uttarmand and Wang dams. In the meanwhile, water from Koyna and Kanher dams should immediately be made available to these talukas. If some funds remain available after completing work on all these existing dams, then alone should new dam construction be allowed. Adequate finances should immediately be made available for the effective functioning of the Kanher lift irrigation scheme. Creative organisational strategies A highly innovative and effective strategy adopted by the movement has been to unite dam-affected people and the beneficiaries of the dam under a common banner. Another important strategy has been to demand comprehensive information and propose concrete alternatives to Govt. dam projects. An important example of this approach has been in case of the Uchangi dam in Ajara taluka of Kolhapur distt. where the movement, with inputs from experts, obtained critical information from the irrigation dept., proposed to reduce the height of the proposed dam and build another two smaller structures so that the water availability is not compromised and destructive submergence is also reduced. As a result of the struggles and negotiations the government agreed to reduce the height by a couple of meters so that no house in the village 'gaothan' gets submerged. The government also agreed to construct another small dam as suggested by the movement. Anant Phadke, K. J. Joy, Seema Kulkarni, Nagmani Rao, Sandhya Phadke, Abhay Shukla, R. P. Nene, Prashant Kunte, Raju Adagale, Shailesh Dikhale, Ulhas Gore, Amulya Nidhi, Amita Pitre, Malavika (Abridged from a message on DNRM Listserve on December 25, 2001) SANDRP JANUARY 2002 UPDATE ON DAMS, OPTIONS AND RELATED ISSUES 6 Maan dam affected tribals on the roads again Nearly 500 Tapi to Kanyakumari including the west flowing rivers of Adivasis affected by the Maan dam under construction in Karnataka and inter-state rivers have been assessed as Dhar district in MP marched through the streets ending at 200.9 B Cubic Meters by Central Water Commission. As the Collector?s office. The affected Adivasis are demanding per CWC drought prone areas in Karnataka has been that they be given land as per the rehabilitation policy and assessed as 57,645.54 sq. km. Ministry of Water Resources as is their legal entitlement and that without this their lands have formulated a National Perspective Plan for Water may not be submerged. If the government refuses to give Resources Development which envisages inter linkages them this land, the people refuse to leave the lands of their among the various Peninsular rivers and Himalayan rivers forefathers. The affected people also demanded immediate for transfer of water from presently assessed surplus basins stoppage of the dam work. They pointed out that the to water deficit basins for the optimum utilisation of water NVDD had in its own report of October 2001 stated that resources. The prefeasibility reports of the above links most of the families of even the initial villages were yet to have been completed by NWDA. As per the pre-feasibility be rehabilitated. (NBA PR 25/12/01) reports, the irrigation benefits to Karnataka State from Bedti-Varda and Netravati-Hemavati links are 60,000 Ha Strange case of Maddualasa dam The construction of a (PIB 27/11/01) and 34,000 Ha respectively. dam across the river Suvarnamukhi in Vangara mandal of HYDRO PROJECTS Srikakulam dist of AP started in 1976 at an estimated cost Rs 70 M. The total expenditure on the NABARD funded Clearance to Lower Subansiri HEP Revoked According to project so far has been 1.12 B and it is likely to be a letter from Union Ministry of Environment and Forests completed by next June, to irrigate about 24,700 acres of dated Nov. 2, 2001, the site clearance given by the ministry land. 25000 people (roughly 5000 families) are going to be for the proposed 2000 MW Lower Subansiri HEP in displaced by next June along with 13,500 acres including Arunachal Pradesh has been revoked as 42 Ha of Talle 8,500 acres of double crop-irrigated land. So far 3000 acres Wildlife Sanctuary would come under the project and “As are submerged and the rest of 10500 acres is to be dereservation of sanctuary area is prohibited by the submerged along with 10 villages once they erect gates. Supreme Court of India vide its order dated 13.11.2000 This issue has been kept in dark by the state authorities. against write petition No. 337/95”. (SANDRP) The Govt. has given relief for 2000 acres at the rate of Rs.6000/- per acre for some and Rs. 30,000 for some NHPC pulls out of Koel-Karo project NHPC has 'decided' others in different phases of the project. They have to wind up the 25-year-old 710-MW Koel-Karo project, provided housing for 750 families of a village and the rest said NHPC Chairman. He said the project remains of the 4250 families expected to fend for themselves. grounded despite the assurance of Jharkhand CM. "We are (E-mail from ANDHRA PRADESH VYAVASAYA losing patience," he said. He has given the State VRUTHIDARULA UNION, 20/12/01) Government three months, till March 2002, to take a 'decision' or allow the project to wind up. (THE GOI on WCD According to information given in the HINDUSTAN TIMES-D 25/12/010) Parliament, the WCD report has stated that the impact due to large dams are more negative than positive and have led Almatti most expensive HEP The Karnataka Power to the impoverishment and suffering of millions. The Corporation is likely to derate the capacity of the Almatti number of big dams under construction in India is 695 (as HEP. The capacity is currently pegged at 297 MW. A per National Register of Large Dams published by CWC, derating to about 165 MW would be necessary to bring 1994). There is no proposal to review the policy of down the tariffs to under Rs 3 a unit. The current estimate construction of big dams in the country as a result of the of project tariff is in the region of Rs 4.73 a unit in the first WCD report. India proposes to continue with its year. This tariff makes Almatti the most expensive HEP in programme of dam construction to create another 200 B the country. (BUSINESS LINE-D 31/12/01) cubic meters of storage in the next 25 years. (PIB 27/11/01) Failure in NHPC?s Chamera II CAT The HP Govt. has What is amazing about the above piece is that the members failed to implement the Catchment Area Treatment Plan of Parliament are given unbelievable seven year old (and for the ongoing 300 MW Chamera II HEP in Chamba mostly unfounded) figure about such gross aspect like district. The main reason for this reportedly the number of dams under construction. Does it show half-hearted approach of the govt. besides resource anything about the state of information with our water mismanagement. (THE TRIBUNE 05/12/01) resources establishment? New Hydro power policy soon? “In two months time, the Diversification of west flowing water The average annual govt. will come out with guidelines through National surface water availability in the west flowing rivers from Hydro power Policy, detailing the ecological and societal SANDRP JANUARY 2002 UPDATE ON DAMS, OPTIONS AND RELATED ISSUES 7 issues to be addressed while coming up with HEPs” and * The Power Ministry is planning to link the also set up a Power Fund for power generation by tapping Centre?s participation in MP?s 1000 MW Indira Sagar HEP the foreign and domestic debt markets, Minister of Power to the settlement of SEB?s dues to the Central power said. Sector Undertakings. MP has so far spent around Rs 11.50 (THE DECCAN HERALD 05/11/01) B on the project. As per the cabinet proposal, MP?s Rankings study of Hydropower The Brahmaputra River contribution will be treated as equity in the proposed joint System with 168 HEP sites has received the highest marks venture. (BUSINESS LINE-D 08/11/01) in the Preliminary Ranking Study by CEA of the potential of hydro sites for all river basins in the country. India has a Daulasidh project The HP CM has announced that the potential of 150 000 MW of hydroelectric power and work on the 80 MW Daulasidh power project in Hamirpur 24.6 % of this potential has been exploited so far. The CEA district will start soon. The Kangra central Co-operative has taken 10 major aspects into account while giving marks. Bank has offered Rs 1 B loan to the state govt. for the These are Reform & Restructuring aspects, International project. (THE TRIBUNE 04/12/01) aspects, Inter-state aspects, Potential of the scheme, Type CAG Report confirms S.Kumars financial malpractices The of scheme, Height of dam, Length of tunnel/channel, CAG report for the year ended 31 March 2000 (Govt. of Accessibility to site, Status of the Project and Status of Madhya Pradesh, No.2 of 2000, Commercial) has pointed upstream or downstream hydro development. The study of out that the S.Kumars have not even paid the MPSEB, the about 400 hydro schemes with an aggregate installed money that is owed to them, since the Maheshwar Project capacity of about 107 000 MW which are yet to be was privatised and transferred to the SMHPCL. In the developed gives weightage ranging from a minimum of 6 words of the CAG Report "Maheshwar HEPS and Pench marks to a maximum of 15 marks. Depending on the TPS were sold to private parties in November 1992 and marks allotted, the schemes have been categorized into July 1994 respectively for a value of Rs. 861.10 M. Till date Grade A (80 marks and above), Grade B (60 to 79 marks), amount has not been realised." The report also pointed out Grade C (40-59 marks), Grade D (20-39 marks) and Grade that the MPSIDC gave a loan to the S.Kumars company - E (upto 19 marks). 98 schemes of 15 650 MW are in the Induj Enertech Ltd. "in contravention of the powers of category „A?, 247 schemes of 69 830 MW in category „B? the Board as it exceeded Rs 30 M" and which was "without and 54 schemes of 21 420 MW in category „C?. prior approval from the state government." Moreover, the Hydroelectric projects of 16 291 MW and 22 364 MW have Madhya Pradesh State Industrial Development already been identified tentatively for benefits in the X and Corporation had issued a public notice in the Economic XI Plan respectively. (PIB 09/11/01, 05/12/01) Times of 13/9/01 that states "Induj Enertech Limited Mumbai (Formerly S.Kumars Power Corporation Ltd.) & Campaign for Hydropower The Govt. is to launch a M/s Modak Rubber Textile Industry Pvt. Ltd. Mumbai campaign for hydropower. Almost all the hydropower companies of the S.Kumars group are willful defaulter in potential is concentrated in northern and northeastern repayment of overdue principal and interest more than Rs. states. Govt. had initiated a process of three-stage 11.08 crores towards financial assistance given by us on clearance of power projects to avoid any cost and time promise of prompt and timely payment”. over-runs. Union Power Minister ruled out single-window (THE HINDU-D 19/11/01) clearance for HEPs, saying various agencies and State Govts. were involved and clearance from them would be Loktak Dam Impacts With the Govt. disengaging from required. (DAILY EXCELSIOR-J&K 06/12/01) taking up measures to save the Loktak Lake citing financial constraints, the overall eco-system of the lake has degraded NHPC plans NHPC has plans to invest Rs 400 B during thto a dangerous level. Apprehensions have been sounded the 10 plan for which it has sought a budgetary support of ththat the Lake may go the way of Lamphelpat and Rs 200 B. In the 11 plan NHPC plans to invest Rs 570 B Keishampat. The shallowing of the lake that contributes including 90 B budgetary support for adding 11 500 MW. thsubstantially to fish production, water chestnut, Thangjing NHPC plans to add 13 500 MW during 12 plan at an for the around 24 lakh people of the State besides investment Rs 980 B. The corporation would invest over supplying power, is one of the biggest worries of the Rs 100 B in MP for 1 000 MW Indirasagar and 520 MW environmentalists. Another matter that needs special Omkareshwar projects and another Rs 8 B for a 900 MW attention is the dumping of garbage into the lake by the joint venture project in W Bengal. (THE INDIAN Nambul river. EXPRESS-D, THE TRIBUNE 25/12/01) (www.e-pao.net ) SANDRP JANUARY 2002 UPDATE ON DAMS, OPTIONS AND RELATED ISSUES 8 WB FUNDED NATHPA JHAKRI: A FIRST RATE SCANDAL The Nathpa Jhakri Power Corporation is extending the deadline for the completion of 1 500 MW Nathapa Jhakri Project for the third time, the cost of the project has more than doubled during the execution period. According to NJPC?s latest estimate, the project will now be completed at a cost of Rs 91.69 B. With the latest revision, the cost of the project will be more than Rs 61 M per MW, the highest in HP for any HEP so far. The project was handed over the NJPC in 1991 and by that time its cost had increased to Rs 43.38 B and the generation cost worked out to Rs 1.37 per unit, while it currently estimated at Rs 3.02 per unit. The WB has suspended disbursal of further loans to the project. Out of its total commitment of about $ 440 M, the WB is yet to disburse about $ 100 M. PFC has agreed to give Rs 9 B for the project. Work on the NJP was stopped again (for the second time in this year alone) from Nov. 30 for “serious and continuous violations of both the Forest Conservation Act and the Environment Act”. The work has reportedly been stopped as special permission to continue it was not renewed beyond Nov. 30. The Ministry had earlier extended special permission for a second term of three months after Chief Conservator of the Ministry visited the project site and order suspension of all work in April this year. The rehabilitation and catchment area treatment plans submitted by the NJPC had not yet been approved. The corporation had not sought any permission for depositing debris of the 27 km long tunnel along the bank of the Sutlej river which was being done at a steep angle. Further, no permission was sought for quarrying and mining in the forest area, which was in violation of the Supreme Court order in writ petition no. 202. NJPC official admit that the Forests and Environment Department has objected to the dumping of debris, which was partially responsible for the floods in the Rampur area this year. The Ministry gave yet another extention of six months to the project to continue work on Dec. 18, after imposing “penal afforestation” on the corporation, to the extent of 89 Ha and reclaim the dumping sites at its own cost. A formal order of relaxation is to be issued after NJPC submitted a compliance report. The chairman of the NJPC (& NHPC) has accused the CEA and CWC of being responsible for delay in the completion of the project, which has resultantly pushed up its cost by 546% to Rs 91.69 B. He pointed out that the project had suffered time overrun of more than 5 years as certain designs were not completed by CEA and CWC (engaged by NJPC as principal consultants) according to the schedule. Work on the Project was suffering because of improper and unsuitable designs and an investigation by the Power Ministry standing committee should fix the responsibility, NJPC wrote in his letter to the ministry. The original estimated cost of the project was Rs 16.78 B in 1989, which was revised to Rs 43.37 B in 1993, to Rs. 76.66 B in 1997. The project has suffered massive landslides of about 1.3 M cubic metres at the dam site even before the first blast. As far as mega HEPs are concerned, words like “tomorrow” are just not applicable. One has to think in terms of eternity. That is what happened in the case of the NJP. Irked by the long delays and escalating costs, the World Bank, which had provided a loan of $437 M for the ambitious project, has considered it prudent to cry off. The international lending agency is not new to the Indian pace of work. The tempo shown by this particular project, coupled with indecision and irregularities, must have been exceptional for it to suspend the loan. That indeed is the case. It was given full 12 years ago and is the oldest in the WB portfolio of active loans. It was even extended four and half years from its earlier closing date of Dec. 1997. The delay did not make anyone mend his ways. So what if the cost of the project escalated from Rs 1,678 crore in 1989 to Rs 9,500 crore now! Add to that the loss suffered because of no generation of power for all these years and you have a first-rate scandal at hand. However, since such "minor troubles" are encountered at almost every project, no heads ever turn, let alone roll. Ironically, there is no trace of repentance in the response of those responsible for the timely execution of the project. On the contrary, they are saying rather nonchalantly that they would now tie up with the Power Finance Corporation to fund the shortfall, as if the World Bank action is no humiliation. Another bold claim that is being made is that there will be no delay in the commissioning of the project scheduled for early 2004. That is a tall order as the World Bank withdrawal is very much likely to set back the project by months, if not years. After all, 2002 is not the last year of the calendar. Years come and go. Projects must go on! (Edit in THE TRIBUNE 21/12/01) The World Bank will also have to answer a lot of questions on its continued involved in this project for over a decade. John Briscoe, Advisor to World Bank president described NJP at a meeting in Delhi in May 2000 as an ideal kind HEP of India. The question is, if such is the case of ideal HEP, what will the situation of others? WB?s continued involvement in the project is also questionable from the fact that the Quality Assurance Group of the Bank in 1999/2000 after a review of the NJ loan rated it as "unsatisfactory at entry". (THE TRIBUNE 30/11/01, 17/12/01, 14/12/01 & 20/12/01; INDIAN EXPRESS 19/12/01; THE HINDU-D 20/12/01, SANDRP) SANDRP JANUARY 2002 UPDATE ON DAMS, OPTIONS AND RELATED ISSUES 9 Malana Project Fined for Environmental Violations Kanyakumari district that depends completely on Fearing criminal action for felling 1400 green trees in Kullu agriculture for sustenance and development. Squandering district, the Malana Power Company today deposited Rs these water resources will have disastrous effects on the 6.3 M with HP Forest Department as the price for the trees. (The Green Party of ecology and social fabric of this district. The company had felled the trees spread over 61 Ha at Jari India, Kanyakumari) village while setting up the 86 MW Malana HEP. The total SOUTH ASIA cost recoverable from the company is Rs 12.3 M. The company was forced to deposit the amount following the Mighty Indus on Deathbed in Sindh? The water of the state Govt.?s decision to register an FIR, besides Indus, which used to flow freely into the Arabian Sea, has possibilities of withdrawal of the forest clearance by the now receded. Since 1995, the lower Indus Basin has been MEF. Taking suo motu cognizance of the report in Indian undergoing severe drought conditions. According to one Express, the HP High Court has issued notices to the state estimate, over 50 % of the fishermen, who had lived along govt. and Malana Power Company. (INDIAN EXPRESS the Indus for generations have migrated to look for 22/11/01, 28/11/01) alternative sources of income. According to the Sindh Irrigation Department, seawater intrusion has resulted in a IRRIGATION tidal infringement of over 12,20,360 acres of land in the Water Ministry wants power subsidy to go According to Indus Delta – 33 % of the total land in the two districts of stthe „Vision document of the water sector in the 21 Badin and Thatta in southern Sindh. It was deplored that century? prepared by the Union Ministry for Water Sindh had always been deprived of its national, economic resources, the subsidy on power must be reoriented toward and basic rights compared to other provinces. Director of waterlogged areas to encourage conjunctive use of the IUCN said that the ecology of Indus delta had been surface and ground water. The document calls for a review destroyed due to non-availability of water downstream of the subsidy on power for agriculture in areas where Kotri for the last many years. (Women?s Feature Service groundwater level had gone down considerably. (THE 11/11/01, The Dawn 12/11/01) HINDU-D 14/12//01) Water Environmental Priority State of the Environment Punjab to continue free power to farm sector A day after Reports for Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Sri Lanka have the High Court has directed the PSEB to ensure 3 % rate of identified water as one of the five environmental priorities return as per section 59 of the electricity supply act, the in each country. The UNEP with support from the Punjab Govt. has clarified that it will continue providing Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation free power to the agriculture sector. The target of 3 % rate launched the reports at the end of Sep 2001. The of return will be achieved by checking power theft, water-related priorities for each country are: Bangladesh - reducing T&D losses and, if necessary, by increasing the water pollution and scarcity; Bhutan - pressure on and tariff which was “the lowest in the region after HP”. (THE pollution of water resources; India - freshwater resource TRIBUNE 09/12/01) management; and Sri Lanka - pollution of inland waters. () Karnataka Water policy gets cabinet nod The Karnataka cabinet has approved the state water policy with a firm Pancheshwar DPR delayed The India-Nepal joint group of commitment to complete all ongoing and committed experts on the Pancheshwar project has decided to projects. Karnataka is only the fifth state in the country to recommend an extension of six months for the completion have a water policy of its own, said Water Resources of the DPR being done jointly by the two countries. It was Minister. He said, “our priority is drinking water followed to be completed by Dec. 2001. Both sides agreed that the by irrigation, hydro-electricity, aqua-culture, power potential studies and reservoir operation studies of agro-industries, non-agricultural activities, navigation and the Pancheshwar reservoir and the re-regulating structure other uses. That will be followed by participatory irrigation would be done in a manner that would not prejudice the management, operational maintenance and repair and existing consumptive uses of the two countries. It was also modernisation”. (THE TIMES OF INDIA-BANGALORE agreed that priority would be accorded to these studies for 14/12/01) finalisation of technical parameters for the various unit sizes of the power segment. The Joint Group reiterated Kanyakumari Irrigation in trouble The Koondakulam that officials should proceed with investigations at both Nuclear Power Project authorities are going ahead to take Rupaligad and Purnagiri by March, 2002 so that the report water for their project from the Pechiparai dam in could be completed by June 2002. (PIB 27/11/01, THE Kanyakumari district and more importantly, they consider HINDU-D 28/11/01) the Godayar reservoir as the back-up. These two moves will strike a deadly blow to irrigation activities in SANDRP JANUARY 2002 10 Agreement with Nepal for power production from eastern giant dam is “safe”. "Water has not started to gush out yet, UP rivers? India and Nepal have signed an agreement on but if it starts to flow thousands of people will face the 6-7 Oct. for flood control in Rapti, Budhi Rapti and Budhi threat of death". The dam contained 2700 MCM of water Gandak rivers in east UP. HEPs would be set up on these and produced 150 MW of electricity. It irrigated land rivers and 10 % of electricity from these would be given farmed by 75,000 families with more than 50,000 cattle in free of cost to Nepal. (Rashtriya Sahara 25/11/01) (THE UPDATE ON DAMS, OPTIONS AND RELATED ISSUESdesert area, where water is precious commodity. TRIBUNE, TIMES OF INDIA-D 02/11/01) Mahakali Irrigation to be completed in 20 years According * UN fears 'disaster' over strikes on dam The UN is to the feasibility report the third phase of Mahakali warning of a "disaster of tremendous proportions" after Irrigation Project will take almost 20 years to complete at US planes bombed a HEP in southern Afghanistan. "If the total estimated cost of Rs 11.160 B." About 34,000 Ha of dam collapses the whole Helmand valley would be flooded, land in Kanchanpur and Kailali districts would get risking the life of tens of thousands of people in addition to irrigation facilities from the project. According to the destroying the lands benefiting around half a million Integrated Mahakali Treaty reached in 1996 between Nepal people (and feeding around a million people) ... It is crucial and India, Nepal would receive 1,000 cusecs of water from to have the situation at the Kajaki dam/power plant Tanakpur barrage, 350 cusecs from the Indian-built Sarada assessed." The 48-year-old dam is 300ft high, 900ft long Canal and an additional 1,000 cusecs of water from the and has a 32-mile long reservoir. (THE INDEPENDENT, Sarada barrage of the Mahakali River. (KATHMANDU LONDON, 08/11/01) POST-N 21/11/01) AROUND THE WORLD Melamchi Project attains financial closure The Melamchi World water storage capacity shrinking dams silt up Many Water Supply Project has attained financial closure after of the world's reservoirs are suffering significant reductions the Swedish government agreed to provide US$ 25 M of in storage capacity as a result of sedimentation, the head of which 50 % is grant. The government of Nepal would the UNEP told the Bonn International Conference on contribute around US$ 116 M. Donor agencies providing Freshwater. Studies indicate that, on average, one percent loan for Melamchi Project include ADB (US$ 120 M), of the water-storing capacity of the globe's reservoirs is JBIC (US$ 52 M), OPEC (US$ 13.7 M) and SIDA being lost annually because of a build up of silt. The current (US$ 12.5 M). The government of Japan has agreed to storage capacity of reservoirs worldwide is estimated at just provide with a grant of US$ 15 M. Norwegian less than 7,000 cubic kilometers. The levels of erosion from Development Agency have agreed to provide a grant of hillsides, planted with crops, are 150 times higher than US$ 28 M. (KATHMANDU POST-NEPAL 24/11/01) from the same land covered with trees, studies show. Norway aid for HEP in Nepal Norway has given Nepal a UNEP has launched a new Dams and Development grant of Rs 48.96 M to develop “environmentally and Project, to address serious issues of dam development. socially sustainable hydropower projects” from 2001-03. Based in South Africa, the DDP Unit is a follow up to the (KATHMANDU POST-NEPAL 14/12/01) work of the World Commission on Dams. (BBC, 04/12/01, Earth Vision Environmental News 05/12/01) US JETS HIT AFGHAN DAM US bombs severely () damaged Afghanistan?s biggest Kajaki HEP in Helmand province, cutting electricity to two major cities, but the QUOTES The National Agricultural policy aims at promoting technically sound, economically viable, environmentally non-degrading and socially acceptable use of the country’s natural resources to ensure sustainable development. Union Agriculture Minister Mr. Ajit Singh, The Tribune 22/11/01 Import of cheap food into the country means import of unemployment… The mischief of the developed nations on the issue of farm subsidies needs to be exposed at WTO… The Federation of AP Chambers of Commerce and Industry, The Hindu 08/11/01 The opinion is unanimous that large-scale infrastructure projects (such as roads and hydroelectric projects) have not been beneficial to the mountain communities due to their goal being to provide power to the State or powerful stakeholders. Not only have such technologies been environmentally insensitive, the approach and methodology of implementation has had little regard to peoples’ concerns and ecological systems. (Synthesis of an Electronic Conference of the Asia-Pacific Mountain Network (APMN) by Sudhirendar Sharma, ) SANDRP JANUARY 2002 UPDATE ON DAMS, OPTIONS AND RELATED ISSUES 11 Pak Mun Gates to remain open for one year: Victory of environmental and social issues inherent in the project. A struggle The Thailand Cabinet agreed to the PM Office comprehensive environmental impact report was carried proposal that the Pak Mun Dam sluice gates will remain out by a team of international experts to the best available open for one year. The Cabinet in April ordered the international standards as defined by the US Ex-Im Bank Electricity Generation Authority to open all of the dam's and the OECD. Accordingly, in concert with its partner gates for four months from May-Sept. However, villagers Impregilo of Italy, it has decided to withdraw from the affected by the dam argued four months would not give the project. Years of campaign has made this possible. govt. long enough to study the changes in the river. (THE (Independent, Guardian 14/11/01, www.foe.co.uk, www.irn.org NATION-THAILAND 12/12/01) 13/11/01) LESOTHO: Huge Protest Over Large Dams Over 2000 WB?s dishonesty "The World Bank, as a key sponsor of the demonstrators converged on three major dams in Lesotho WCD, should be actively incorporating the Commission?s on Nov. 19 during a massive protest. Police responded findings into its own policies and practices and violently at Mohale Dam, injuring three elderly women. encouraging others to do so. Yet the Bank has refused to The demonstrators, all impacted by the Lesotho Highlands adopt any of the WCD's recommendations into its binding Water Project, were protesting the lack of fair policies and has made only vague commitments to follow compensation for property lost to the dams, and unfulfilled some of the WCD's recommended approaches. The Bank promises of development in affected communities. The is also misrepresenting or ignoring the Commission's WB funded LHWP is the biggest infrastructure project in findings on the Bank's role in promoting poorly sub-Saharan Africa. The $5 B project is designed to divert performing and destructive dams." (The Development water from Lesotho to the urban and industrial Gauteng Group for Alternative Policies and International Rivers Network region in South Africa through a series of dams and tunnels PR 09/11/01) blasted through the Maloti Mountains. The first three WB Approves Bujagali Dam Despite Major Risks The major dams in the six-dam scheme affected 27 000 people. World Bank has approved Bujagali dam in Uganda that Approx. 2000 of them were resettled. Crowds of about one could prove to be a disaster for that nation's citizens, while thousand affected people gathered at both Katse and enriching the US-based AES Corp., the largest Mohale Dams, while about 300 more marched at Muela independent power producer in the world. The $ 520 M Dam. (Transformation Resource Centre (Lesotho) PR Dam will destroy the culturally significant Bujagali Falls - a 26/11/01) national treasure, which also supports a growing Lesotho, South Africa, WB clash over corruption The whitewater tourism industry - and possibly lead to the Lesotho and South African govt.s are headed for a clash extinction of rare fish in the Nile. Thousands of people will with the World Bank after the Bank reneged on a promise lose land and access to river resources. The dam will also to fund the legal costs in a crucial corruption case. The WB lead to significant increases in Ugandans' electricity bills. undertook in Nov. 1999 to help pay Lesotho's legal costs in "The WB predicts that Bujagali will cause the price of a court case in which major Western multinationals electricity to rise to 10.5 cents per KWh, and go as high as (including from Canada and Germany) stand accused of 12.5 cents in the early years of operation. This is an bribing officials involved in the Lesotho Project. The extremely high rate where the average annual per capita project's former chief executive has been on trial since June income is approx. $ 300. It is not obvious how supplying 2001 for allegedly accepting 12 M rand in bribes. The trial electricity at these extraordinarily high rates in such a poor in the internationally watched cases is due to start in 2002. country will contribute to poverty reduction, or for that (BBC 10/12/01) matter, even to economic growth." The WB's own Project Assessment Document indicates that if the Bank's very World?s lakes threatened Holding nearly 90 % of all surface optimistic prediction for Ugandan GDP growth of 6.3% liquid fresh water, the world's five million lakes and through 2010 does not pan out, Bujagali could prove to be reservoirs are being overdrawn by irrigation projects and an economic disaster. The Uganda govt.'s contract with contaminated by toxic chemicals and nutrients from AES commits Uganda to pay AES about $ 100 M in industry, farms and sewage. Even though the amount of US$ annually for 30 years no matter how much power is fresh water currently stored in lakes worldwide is about 35 actually produced. (IRN PR 18/12/01) times the amount found in rivers, govts. and conservationists generally have ignored lakes, according to Ilusu Dam in Turkey: Balfour Beatty withdraws Balfour Hideaki Oda, secretary general of the Third World Water Beatty, the international engineering, construction and Forum, scheduled for 2003 in Japan. "Natural lakes, services group, announces that it has decided not to pursue especially large ones, are of great economic, ecological, and its interest in the Ilisu Dam. The decision follows a cultural importance, with at least one B people depending thorough and extensive evaluation of the commercial, SANDRP JANUARY 2002 UPDATE ON DAMS, OPTIONS AND RELATED ISSUES 12 on them for their livelihood and for drinking water," he and controlling water cycles. Dismissing the general said. In China, 543 large and medium-sized lakes perception of wetlands as wastelands, it said they would disappeared between 1850 and 1980 when water was help to preserve the ecological balance of the environment diverted for irrigation. Since 1900, annual water by their capacity to generate oxygen, consume pollutants, withdrawals world-wide have increased to 3,800 cubic preserve the topsoil and recharge groundwater besides kilometres, from 578 cubic kilometres. The global fresh (The Hindu serving as drainage accommodation basin. 29/11/01) water consumption rose at more than twice the rate of population growth. Most of the world's lakes suffer from More Water for whom? In developing nations, up to 95 % eutrophication, i.e. an over-abundance of nutrients from of sewage and 70 % of the industrial waste is dumped in to agriculture or industry causing a rapid growth of aquatic surface water, adding to the burden of disease. In India, plants that choke off other organisms. 54 % of the lakes in 60 % of the total deaths are caused by water-borne disease. Asia suffer from this, compared to 53 % in Europe, 28 % thThe mid-term review of the 9 plan says, “During in N America and 41 % in S America. (The Dawn-Pak April-May 2000, when the Maharashtra govt. was 14/11/01) supplying drinking water through tankers in about 3,000 villages, many rich farmers were irrigating sugarcane crop NGO Statement at the Freshwater Conference We with groundwater.” As per World Population Report 2001, welcome the initiative to invite NGOs and other Major total annual cost of environmental degradation in India is Groups to participate in Multi-Stakeholder Dialogues and Rs 1800 B, including Rs 360 B for soil erosion. in Working Group and Plenary discussions. This (THE TIMES OF INDIA-D 08/11/01) procedure should be adopted in discussions on water management on all levels. We also welcome the statement Rs 2 B fund for watershed project A Rs 2 B fund has been by Minister Wieczorek-Zeul that the German government created for watershed development from which State Govt. is prepared to support a multi-stakeholder review of private can avails loans, said the Union Minister for Agriculture. sector participation in the water sector. In particular we The NABARD has contributed Rs 1 B and the Agriculture welcome the inclusion of a statement in the Ministry has given an equal amount. (THE TRIBUNE Recommendations that private sector participation in 22/11/01, 06/12/01) water supply should not be imposed on developing countries as conditionality for funding. Governments Centre to rope in Rajendra Singh Magsaysay winner should ensure that everyone has a lifeline supply of 50 litres Rajendra Singh and Tarun Bharat Sangh provided water in per day of safe water. We note that relevant UN 600 villages through 4,500 structures with just Rs 44.5 M. Conventions, particularly regarding the Rights of the Child, Rural Development Minister, who wants to get water for refers to the right (of the child) to water. This principle all by 2010 with his sector reforms programme (SRP) at Rs should be applied throughout the UN system and to all 10 B, has decided to set up a national advisory panel to humans. The character of water as a vital resource requires guide his ministry. Singh expressed skepticism about that it be managed as a common good carrying social, minister?s SRP. (INDIAN EXPRESS 01/11/01) cultural, spiritual, as well as economic values. The problem of over consumption should be adequately addressed, and CGWA directs for rainwater harvesting To arrest the such non-sustainable patterns of water use strongly declining ground water levels and deterioration of ground discouraged, by bodies discussing or making decisions on water quality, the CGWA by a Public Notice has directed water management. Governments and international all Group Housing Societies in the NCT Delhi (except agencies should adopt and implement the those societies located in Yamuna flood plain area or where recommendations of the World Commission on Dams. water levels are within 8 mtrs below ground water level) With all its associated values, water resources and water that are exploiting ground water, to adopt Roof Top Rain service delivery should be kept out of international Water Harvesting System for ground water recharge in agreements on trade. their premises. (www.irn.org 07/12/01) (PIB 29/11/01) WATER OPTIONS RWH Calculator? The Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board has taken to the Internet to break the Productive use of wetlands Wetlands in urban areas barriers of reluctance to rainwater harvesting, with a provide the ideal ground for integration of low-cost website exclusively on RWH (www.rainwaterharvest.org, sanitation technology with sewage-fed aquaculture. www.about_rainwaterharvesting.com, According to a paper on wetlands presented at the 17th www.aboutrainwater.com). The website has a rainwater National Convention of Environmental Engineers held at harvesting calculator that is a simple device to help a Thiruvanthapuram wetlands that are essential life support systems could play a vital role in cleaning the environment SANDRP JANUARY 2002 UPDATE ON DAMS, OPTIONS AND RELATED ISSUES 13 prospective investor decide if RWH would be worth the The European Union, including the UK, is pushing for money. further liberalisation of trade in services including water (THE HINDU 27/11/01) services through the General Agreement on Trade in WATER SUPPLY Services. The plan is being promoted despite the fact that water privatisation so far has often been bad news for Regulatory Commission in AP The AP Govt. has decided vulnerable communities and the environment. In to set up an independent water supply regulatory developing countries, water prices have often increased commission on the lines of Electricity Regulatory and level of service decreased when multinational Commission. The proposed commission will have powers companies have been given concessions. to review existing water charges and decide charges to be paid in each urban body on cost-effective basis and also The WB and the IMF are aggressively promoting water maintain water supply quality. (BUSINESS LINE-D privatisation in developing countries, opening the door for 09/11/01) huge transnational water corporations to profit from water delivery and wastewater treatment. 'Full cost-recovery' - Lokayukta indicts Delhi Jal Board for corruption The the principle promoted by the IMF and World Bank that Lokayukta has indicated DJB for irregularities in awarding people should pay the full cost of water, or go without - contracts for laying sewer lines in Delhi. In his final would effectively be enshrined in law by GATS. fact-finding report he has shown CM?s sister and her Sustainable water distribution practices could also be officer on special duty as being involved in the corruption undermined as charges could be introduced, for example case. (THE TIMES OF INDIA-D 11/12/01) for the collection of rainwater. Under this new WTO provision, a domestic rule that protects water as a public Water desalination in nuclear power station? The service and a human right could be considered a "non-tariff Kalpakkam nuclear power complex is expected to have the barrier" to trade and eliminated, as could any rule that world?s largest sea water hybrid desalination plant to be attempts to limit privatisation. Water is clearly a "good" in coupled to a nuclear power station. It is to produce 6.3 M GATT. Article 11 already rules out any quantitative litres (ML) of potable water a day using a thermal method restrictions on the export of a good, but allows tariff (4.5 ML) and a reverse osmosis system (1.8 ML). (FRONTLINE 21/12/01) measures, such as taxes or dual price systems. But the new text proposes to do away with such export controls, WB credit for Karnataka The World Bank has announced making it illegal to restrict the export of bulk water for nd$ 151.6 M credit for taking up the 2 Karnataka Rural commercial purposes. GATS could also undermine Water Supply and Sanitation Project, to be implemented in environmental protection as it contains only a very narrow 11 districts of N Karnataka. (THE HINDU-D 20/12/01) environmental exception. Governments could find that laws and measures they have introduced for environmental Asbestos pipes causing cancer in W Bengal? Scores of protection and water conservation could be classified as people in the districts of Midnapore and South 24 Pargana barriers to trade and be overruled by the WTO. (“GATS in W Bengal have contracted cancer due to the 2000" 02/11/01, right-to-water@iatp.org 08/11/01) carcinogenic effects of asbestos pipes that supply drinking water to most villages, voluntary organisations say. In 1996, WATER POLLUTION the WHO recommended that asbestos be replaced by safer CAG warns on water pollution The CAG has stated, in its substitutes. WHO says exposure to chrysotile asbestos final report on water pollution, that despite laws and poses increased risks for asbestosis, lung cancer and schemes, rivers in the country are getting dirtier, polluting mesothelioma. But the West Bengal govt. claims the pipes industries are functioning without much check, sewage is it uses are quality controlled and asbestos causes cancer finding its way in to water bodies and the drinking water only when inhaled. (IANS 22/12/01) supplied to towns does not meet set parameters posing a Hudco?s loan for Gujarat water projects The Housing and health risk to residents. In Haryana, 611 of 2,87 polluting Urban Development Corp. has sanctioned Rs 7.22 B for units identified were functioning without the mandatory five major projects on water supply and drainage in permission. In HP only one of 58 municipal committees quake-affected Gujarat. The bulk water transmission had permission from the state pollution control board. pipeline projects in Kutch, Rajkot and Jamnagar districts is None of 122 government hospitals or public health centres estimated to cost Rs 9.53 B of which Hudco will provide had even bothered to apply for permission. In Karnataka, Rs 7.22 B. (THE TIMES OF INDIA-A 02/12/01) out of 6,891 industries, 2,169 were functioning without consent. The Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Gujarat were WTO & WATER also guilty of neglect. (THE TIMES OF INDIA-D 14/12/01) SANDRP JANUARY 2002 14 Sutlej turns toxic In a major disaster, thousands of fish and along a 22.2 km long earthen dam constructed in the 1950s. now even birds have perished in and around the Sutlej near Of this, 17-km fall in the Pilibhit district of UP and 5.2-km Nangal, allegedly due to the release of toxic waste in the lies in the Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttaranchal. river. The birds feeding on the dead fish floating on the After the intervention of the Supreme Court, the UP river have started perishing. The two chemical plants in the fisheries department auctioned the fishing contract of the nearby area belong to NFL and Punjab Alkalis and UPDATE ON DAMS, OPTIONS AND RELATED ISSUESSharda Sagar Dam for Rs 5.1 M. The Uttaranchal govt. has Chemicals. The Fish Farmers Association, Punjab has now fixed date to auction the fishing contract of the same demanded that criminal cases should be registered against (THE TIMES OF INDIA-D 12/12/01) dam. those responsible for the death of fish in the Sutlej. AGRICULTURE * HC bans Fishing in Sutlej On the direction of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the fishing and the sale of Pest-related crop damage One third of the global food fish from the Sutlej River has been banned till further order. production potential is lost due to pest infestation and According to the interim report submitted by the Fisheries other damages. The crop losses in India range from 10 to department, a team of fisheries experts has estimated that 30 % depending on the crop, region and severity of pest about 30 quintals of big fish and seed fish of the small fish infestation, said Union Minister of state for agriculture. In have perished. monetary terms, the loss is estimated at more than Rs 500 * Fish death due to lower amt. of oxygen A lower B per year. (THE ECONOMIC TIMES-D 21/11/01) amount of dissolved oxygen, allegedly caused due to the release of some industrial toxic affluent, caused the mass Rs 75.03 B plan to boost farm sector The working group for thmortality of fish in the Sutlej. The normal value of agricultural infrastructure and marketing for the 10 plan dissolved oxygen in the water should be 8-10 mg per litre. (2002-07) has proposed outlay of Rs. 75.03 B in a bid to (THE TRIBUNE 24/11/01, 28/11/01, 30/11/01, 7/12/01) help farm sector realise its full potential. An expert group conceded that with the increased production of foodgrains Yamuna Pollution Water in the river Yamuna contains thlikely at 230 MT by the end of 10 plan, increased capacity coliform beyond the permissible level of 5,000 per ml, of warehouse/godowns ought to be created. The concept Parliament was informed. The dissolved oxygen level has of “Rural Grain Bank” needs to be introduced as the total been „Nil? (min. desirable limit is four milligram per litre) at additional storage capacity required is 7.78 MT valued at all the monitoring locations, the minister of Environment about Rs 12.59 B, which entails allocation of Rs 3.15 B as and forest said. (THE TRIBUNE 24/11/01) subsidy. It is proposed to involve private sector for creating food storage facilities on BOO basis. (BUSINESS LINE-D FISHERIES 07/11/01) Inland Fish production can go up 10 times? The total area Slowdown in agri-exports During April-September 2001, of India?s irrigation bodies, including man-made lakes and agriculture exports declined by 2 % as against the increase canal network is about 7 M Ha, which produces about 2.5 of 21.5 % during the corresponding period last fiscal. MT of fish annually. If certain strategies are adopted, the (BUSINESS LINE-D 17/11/01) country?s fish production could be raised to 30 MT by properly utilising nearly 300 large irrigation projects, Board for organic farming mooted A task force on organic around 950 medium projects and over 40,000 minor farming has recommended a national-level permanent irrigation projects. (THE ECONOMIC TIMES-D 03/11/01) board to oversee the promotion of Organic farming in the country and coordinate with various Union Ministers, state Fishing rights of Adivasis The MP government has agencies, research institutes and universities. Organic promised that the interests of Adivasis displaced by Tawa farming is expected to get a token amount of Rs 1 B during and Bargi reservoirs would be fully protected while ththe 10 Plan. (THE TIMES OF INDIA-D 01/12/01) renewing the fishing rights in the reservoir. The societies formed by the Adivasis displaced by the Tawa reservoir Farmers? suicide in Karnataka Over 80 distressed farmers were given fishing rights for five years and the deadline for have ended their lives this year in Karnataka. Untimely or this arrangement is soon to expire. About 450 families are inadequate rains leading to crop failure and slump in prices earning Rs 1000 per month from the Tawa reservoir of agriculture commodities due to overproduction force through fishing activity. (THE HINDU-D 13/12/01) them to commit suicide. (THE HINDU-D 15/12/01) Two states clash for fishing rights The Uttar Pradesh and Fertiliser scam in Bihar A scam has been detected in Bihar Uttarnchal have been finalising the fishing contract for the involving over Rs 10 B in which 23 companies got “same waters” of the Sharda Sagar Dam. The Sharda Sagar, government subsidy without even selling the nutrients. The fed by the Sharda river, is a gigantic man-made lake created SANDRP JANUARY 2002 UPDATE ON DAMS, OPTIONS AND RELATED ISSUES 15 State Agriculture Ministry agreed to order a CBI probe into High price and low purchasing power The annual the matter. production of 200-210 MT of foodgrains production (THE HINDU-D 27/12/01) translates into an annual availability of 200-210 kg per Akali Dal to move SC on WTO The Shiromani Adali Dal of capita per year. From mid 1960s to „99, per capita Punjab has reiterated to challenge in the Supreme Court availability of coarse cereals has plummeted from 42.5 kg the signing of the WTO agreement by the center without to 25.5 kg, while that of pulses has dropped sharply from consulting the states. (THE TRIBUNE 17/11/01) 23.2 kg to 13.3 kg per year, which is just 36 grams per day! Each Indian?s consumption of cereals has declined from FOODGRAINS PROCUREMENT 173 to 154 kg per year in rural areas, and from 134 to 124 kg per year in urban areas. On the other hand the cereals Farmers forced to give „post-sale bribe? The farmers of the price have jumped 30 % in real terms in the past decade. Doaba region in Punjab are facing forcible deduction of The poorer sections are going to be squeezed out of the “post-sale bribe” to the tune of Rs 250 per tonne from market being forced to consume less then before. (THE their dues by commission agents. The farmers who oppose ECONOMIC TIMES-D 09/11/01) the deduction are threatened with non-purchase of their crop next year. (THE TRIBUNE 08/11/01) No food security in the country The Union Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Ajit Singh said that despite achieving Fund diversion in Punjab The Punjab govt. has diverted self-sufficiency in foodgrain production, India has failed to funds released by the RBI for the procurement operations provide food security, resulting in millions of people going in Oct. and Nov. for payment of staff salaries and hungry everyday. (THE TRIBUNE 29/11/01) allowances and repayment of the loan interest. The state has exhausted the entire cash-credit limit extended by RBI, Supply of foodgrains to drought-affected areas Central and asked for more funds from the bank to clear the Govt. has been allocating foodgrains (rice and wheat) to farmers? dues amounting to Rs 8 B and Rs 1.5 B owed to the drought-affected States free of cost for food for work paddy millers. (THE TRIBUNE Edit 28/11/01) programme. Foodgrains are also being allotted to the States for calamity relief such as drought, flood etc. at rates Greater decentralisation of PDS mooted The working applicable to BPL families i.e. Rs. 5650 per tonne for rice thgroup on PDS and food security for the 10 plan has and Rs. 4150 per tonne for wheat for distribution to the recommended greater decentralisation of PDS and said affected families. As compared to this, the export price of that the states should be given the responsibility of fixing rice fixed by the Government is Rs. 5650/- per tonne for the quantum of total food subsidy to be provided, fixing raw rice and Rs. 6000/- per tonne for parboiled rice. The the price and the amount of foodgrains to be distributed current export price of wheat is Rs. 4200 per tonne and that per person. The Centre would continue to provide food of „lustre lost? wheat of Punjab and Haryana Rs. 4150 per subsidy. (THE INDIAN EXPRESS-D 26/12/01) tonne. (PIB 29/11/01) FOOD SECURITY ABOUT THE UPDATE , To make this interactive affair we would like you to send us your contributions for future issues. This update from SANDRP is being brought out with , The update will be available both in electronic a hope that it will become a medium of useful (text and word versions) and printed versions. Do information dissemination, information sharing and let us know how you would like to get it. interaction. The suggested minimum annual contribution for the The update has been produced mainly from hard copies of the updates is Rs. 100/-, which would information from media sources, both from internet cover the cost of printing and mailing. Please send to and printed editions and also from official websites our Delhi address a check or DD in the name of and existing networks. YUVA, payable at Mumbai. For checks from banks We intend to bring out such updates regularly. We outside Mumbai, please add Rs. 15/- for outstation would be happy to know your responses and check charges. suggestions about the update. 2 B lack food security According to the UNPF?s State of World Population Report (Footprints and Milestones: SANDRP JANUARY 2002 UPDATE ON DAMS, OPTIONS AND RELATED ISSUES 16 POWER FINANCE Population and Environment Change), by 2025, 3 B people will live in 48 water-stressed countries. About 800 M people in Govt. plans $1 B power fund The govt. proposes to set up developing countries were chronically malnourished and 2 the India Power Fund to mobilise $1 B for meeting the B people lack food security. The report suggests that there investment requirements in the power sector. PFC is is a direct relationship between poverty, high fertility and expected to contribute Rs 500 M towards the seed capital. environment degradation. (THE TRIBUNE 08/11/01) PFC seeks to rope in FIs like IDBI, GIC, LIC, ADB, and the WB. A special purpose vehicle would be created which FLOODS, LANDSLIDES, DISASTERS will pick up 49 % equity stake in a power project being Kerala landslide In a massive landslide 36 persons has died planned by the concerned state. The state govt. will hold at Amboori in Neyyatinkara taluk. The calamity occurred the remaining 51 % stake, which will not seek management when a portion of a 700 metre-high hillside strewn with control in spite of holding majority shares. The fund is also boulders came tumbling down in a heavy rain. It swept expected to have domestic debt fund and foreign debt fund. away four houses that stood in its nearly one km downhill (THE ECONOMIC TIMES 02/11/01, THE HINDUSTAN path. (THE HINDU-D 11/11/01) TIMES-D 21/11/01) National Disaster Mitigation Summit The Confederation WB loan for Power Grid PGCIL has received $450 M loan of Indian Industries organized a two-day summit in Delhi assistance from the WB to enable it to move a step towards on Nov. 23-24 on Disaster Mitigation. It was attended by a establishment of a National Grid in the country. (THE select group of people and addressed mostly by the Chief HINDUSTAN TIMES-D 27/11/01) Executive Officers from the National organizations, PFC to refinance IFCI guarantees PFC has agreed to among them: HUDCO, India Meteorological Department, takeover guarantees of over Rs 5 B extended by IFCI Ito General Insurance Corporation, Central Water foreign lenders in three power projects in operation. Two Commission, Indian Institute of Public Administration, of the projects involved are 360 MW Lanco Kondapalli in National Centre for Disaster Management, National Safety AP and 200 MW GMR Vasavi power project in Chennai. Council, Central Pollution Control Board. Among the (THE ECONOMIC TIMES-D 02/11/01) information that was shared by all was that the Government of India has raised a Working group on Russian credit for Kudankulam project Russia will extend Disaster Management under the Indian Institute of Public soft credit worth Rs 64.16 B to India to part-finance the Administration. Senior Civil Servant (presently, Mr. Anil Kudankulam 2000 MW nuclear power project in Tamil Sinha) who also holds the position of Head, National Nadu. The project that has been hanging fire for over a Centre for Disaster Management, heads it. CII also decade is to be implemented with an overall investment of supports a Disaster Management Committee. The present Rs 131.71 B. (THE HINDUSTAN TIMES-D 04/11/01) Chairman of the Committee is V. Suresh, Chairman and Managing Director, HUDCO. Dam break was not POWER „REFORMS? discussed at the summit. (Abridged version of a SPECIAL Funds for Haryana power centres The ministry of power REPORT SENT FOR THE SANDRP UPDATE BY has sanctioned Rs 3 B to the Haryana government for DILIP FAUZDAR) opening four centres for power supply distribution. The Damage in AP The 11-member central team that visited Karnal, Sonepat, Hissar and Faridabad districts in the state four southern districts in Andhra Pradesh to assess the have been chosen as “model power centres”, among 60 damage caused by floods in Oct., has termed the other districts all over the country. Money sanctioned for devastation 'unprecedented'. The state government put the these model power stations will be utilised for upgrading total loss due to floods at Rs 11.85 B. While 167 persons the transmission mechanism and thus reducing the losses died, 22 persons were reported missing in the wake of the incurred in T&D. (THE TRIBUNE 20/11/01) floods. 26,910 houses were fully damaged, and 104,753 West Bengal proposes law to check power theft The govt. is houses suffered partial damage. In all, 61,681 people were planning to introduce new legislation to check power theft. evacuated to safer places during the floods in Nellore, For this it has decided to follow similar legislations enacted Chittoor, Cuddapah and Kurnool districts. Minor by Karnataka, UP and Delhi. WBSEB has committed itself irrigation tanks and 602 rural water supply sources were to reducing its T&D loss from around 50 per cent now to damaged. () 39 per cent by 2005. (BUSINESS LINE-D 30/11/01) Dam bursts flooding village in east Guyana A breech in a Spectrum Shareholders to move CLB, Cong to CBI On huge dam in Guyana's East Coast has resulted in the issues such as non-payment of dividends, corruption, etc, flooding of a village of some 8000 people. (BBC 03/11/01) the shareholders of the Spectrum Power have decided to SANDRP JANUARY 2002 UPDATE ON DAMS, OPTIONS AND RELATED ISSUES 17 approach the Company Law Board. AP Congress has will be given the task of managing the T&D activities at the demanded CBI investigation into the irregularities grassroots level. Each power circle will be allocated funds committed by IPPs like Spectrum and GVK, APTransco of Rs 800 M, of which the WB under the EPDP and central and Financial Agencies in executing power programme will provide 50 %, and rest is proposed to be projects in AP. (THE ECONOMIC TIMES 03/11/101, (THE ECONOMIC TIMES-D 03/12.01) put in by FIs. 09/11/01) Power Grid notice to Delhi, Bihar, UP The Power Grid Delhi for private power distribution AES, BSES, Reliance, Corporation has warned Delhi, UP and Bihar, which CESCON, China Light and Power International & Tata together have outstandings of Rs. 8.55 B, to pay up their Power have been short listed as the strategic partners of dues by the month end or face a cut in supplies. (THE DVB for privatisation of power distribution. DVB is being HINDUSTAN TIMES-D 07/12/01) split into one generation, one transmission and three T&D loss reduction figures „incorrect? Figures provided by distribution companies. (THE HINDU-D 24/11/01) the SEBs about reduction in T&D losses are “doctored and cooked up” as full metering is yet to be achieved, MP power reforms face opposition MP has embarked on a according to Mr. Hanumantha Rao, former member of the Rs 16.40 B power reforms plan including strengthening of TNERC. According to projected figures, the T&D losses the T&D system. Organisations like Jan Sangharsh Morcha, came down to 23 % in Orissa, to 14 % in TN and 18 % in the AITUC, the MP Vidyut Karamchari Janta Union and AP. Jailok Study Circle have opposed the privatisation and (THE HINDU-D 12/12/01) trifurcation of MPEB being thrust at the instance of the Gujarat to allow third party sale of power by IPPs The WB and the ADB. They have demanded that the govt. Gujarat Govt. has decided to allow the third party sale of withdraw from disastrous Projects like Maheshwar. electricity for IPPs. The dues to the IPPs from the Gujarat (BUSINESS LINE-D 17/12/01, NBA PR 25/11/01) SEB now stands at Rs 8.80 B. The govt. is expected to face NTPC notice to UP, MP, Orissa UP, MP and Orissa which a similar demand from the Captive Power Producers. The together owe NTPC about Rs 60 B in dues, have been CPPs have an installed capacity of over 2 500 MW as served notice by NTPC to cut power supply if they failed to against 1 500 MW by the IPPs. (BUSINESS LINE-D clear their outstanding and did not agree to sign a tripartite 14/12/01) agreement to guard against future dues. NTPC?s total thNTPC rules out gas-based plant in Bengal in 10 plan The outstanding from the SEBs is Rs 208.77 B as on 30/11/01. NTPC has ruled out the possibility of setting up any (BUSINESS LINE-D 03/12/01) th gas-based power plant in W Bengal during the 10 plan as Proposal to set up 400 power circle profit centres The its own 1 600 MW capacity thermal power plant at Farakka Power Ministry has drawn up a plan under which it is running at 40 % plant load factor due to poor demand. proposes to set up 400 power circle „profit centres? which (BUSINESS LINE-D 17/12/01) WE AWAIT YOUR RESPONSES UPDATE is so well edited and well made that it covers a large area in an unimaginably small space. Joya Mitra, Asansol, West Bengal I am glad to go through the UPDATE on Dams, options and related issues of November 2001 issue by SANDRP. Very relevant issues of Socio Techno Economic aspects are highlighted. Prof. B S Thandaveswara, IIT Madras UPDATE seems an excellent and comprehensive compendium of sources on water-related issues like dams, and is a good way to stay in touch with issues for people who perhaps don't have time to read each new development on exhaustively but want to know whats going on. I like that further links and sources for information are provided, that there is a good balance between scientific and human-angle information as pertains to issues like dams, that it explores alternatives and action, and the scope is larger than one country or project. Ajay Gandhi, IDRC, Delhi Ethanol with petrol The Union Minister for Petroleum 1982, so that production of ethanol and cogeneration of announced that sale of petrol blended with ethanol at the power from Bagasse would receive financial assistance rate of 5 % will be implemented in two phases. The Govt. from Sugar Development Fund. The sugar industry has has also decided to amend the Sugar Development Act, SANDRP JANUARY 2002 UPDATE ON DAMS, OPTIONS AND RELATED ISSUES 18 welcomed the move and demanded that such blending 620 B) of electricity is billed and cost recoveries are only should be mandatory. (BUSINESS LINE-D 11/12/01) 41 % (Rs. 460 B). The average production cost of a unit of electricity has reached up to Rs 3.04, while income is only Tata Power bags first private transmission project Tata Rs 2.12. The Union Minister of state for Power also Power has picked up 51 % stake in the first transmission informed that the average rate of power supplied by the project in the country that was thrown open for private (PIB NTPC during 2000-2001 was Rs 1.57 per unit. participation by the govt. The 1500-km, 400 KV Tala 12/12/01, RASHTRIYA SAHARA 09/11/01) Transmission Project, which will cross three regions – T&D losses in India The overall T&D loss in India is North East, East and North – is expected to cost around worked out to be 25% and the actual figure could be even Rs 12 B and will have capacity to carry 3 000 MW. The lines higher. Ironically, the States that underwent restructuring would primarily evacuate power from 1020 MW Tala in their Electricity Boards show the figure of 35-50% of Project in Bhutan, expected to be operational by 2004-05 loss. The figure was hovering around 15% that was at par and will also carry surplus electricity from NE states to the with developed countries till 1966. Equal amount of power deficit northern belt. The lines could also be used to investment has to be devoted for power generation on the carry electricity from possible Nepal HEPs. (THE one hand and transmission, distribution and rural ECONOMIC TIMES-D 04/12/01) electrification on the other. But the reality is that for every Scan America proposes to set up three projects in Gujarat rupee invested on generation, only 3 to 7 paise is Scan America Energy has proposed to set up three power earmarked for transmission, distribution and rural projects of a total capacity of around 1 150 MW in Gujarat. electrification. India has the capability to bring the losses To be set up in three phases on BOOT basis, the power below 15%, but commercial losses due to theft and plants would be located in the region between Gulf of pilferage accounts for the higher figure. (PIB 10/11/01) Kutch and Gulf of Cambay. The first phase of the plan * Govt. Target The govt. has pegged an ambitious includes a fast track 200-400 MW combined cycle gas target to reduce T&D losses across the state below 15 % turbine barge mounted power plant. The second phase from current levels of around 50 %. According to CEA would be of 225 MW vessel mounted power plant while estimates, reduction of the technical T&D losses would the third phase would consist of 525 MW CCGT BMPP. mean augmentation of capacity by almost 10,000-12,000 (THE ECONOMIC TIMES-D 21/12/01) MW. Another statistics put the commutative commercial losses of all SEB?s at staggering Rs 260.13 B in 2001-02. POWER OPTIONS The government is also claimed to have initiated demand 92 paise loss on every unit sold by SEBs SEBs are losing 92 side management to save upto 30-40 % of power. (THE paise per unit on electricity sold, resulting total loss being ECONOMIC TIMES-D 21/11/01) Rs 260 B per year. Due to the T&D losses, only 55 % (Rs. PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE WITH SANDRP 1. Bade Bandh, Bharat ka Anubhav Hindi Translation of WCD India Country study, By R Rangachari, Nirmal Sengupta, Ramaswamy Iyer, Pranab Banerji & Shekhar Singh, SANDRP, 2001, pp 268, Rs. 100/-. 2. The Drought, the State and the People: An Experience in Gujarat SANDRP Dossier on Gujarat Drought 2000, Edited by Sanjay Sangvai, pp 90, Rs. 75/-. 3. Large Dams and Their Alternatives: South Asia Consultation SANDRP Dossier on WCD South Asia Public Hearing, 1999, pp 166, Rs. 100/-. 4. Report of the Daud Committee, Govt. of Maharashtra, SANDRP a co-publisher, pp 54, Rs. 30/-. 5. Dam Vs Drinking Water: Exploring the Narmada Judgement, by L C Jain, Parisar Publication, 2001, pp 131, Price Rs. 75/-. 6. Proceedings of the Consultation on the Report of the World Commission on Dams, Ranchi 7-8 August, 2001, Edited by DK Mishra, Barh Mukti Abhiyan, Oct. 2001, Rs. 40/-. 7. Testimonies from the Ground: A Report on Tehri Rehabilitation by Vimal Bhai and Preeti Sampat, SANDRP, Nov. 2001, pp 35, Rs. 20/- Please send your orders with check/ DD in favour of YUVA, payable at Mumbai, to SANDRP, c/o 53B, AD block, Shalimar Bagh, Delhi 110 088. Add Rs. 15/- for check realization charges if check is drawn on a bank outside Mumbai. Power from garbage in Delhi? The Lt. Governor of Delhi failed and not generated any power, in stead caused air has approved setting up of a garbage treatment plant, pollution. A number of environmental groups have said which will produce 25 MW of power, to be built at a cost of that the plant will be economically unviable and over Rs 2 B. The first such plant of Delhi had completely SANDRP JANUARY 2002 UPDATE ON DAMS, OPTIONS AND RELATED ISSUES 19 environmentally unacceptable. (HINDUSTAN TIMES (THE 72 %. Only 9 % of Adivasis have access to electricity. 27/11/01, TIMES OF INDIA, THE HINDU 1/12/01) HINDU-D 06/11/01) Rural electrification Plan The Govt. is planning total rural Mother gives away her baby due to poverty Due to poverty, electrification in the country by 2012 and the estimated a newly born male child was handed over to a couple cost for this has been worked out to around Rs 100 B, looking „for a son? in Bolangir district (Orissa) hospital. (THE HINDUSTAN TIMES-D 21/11/01) comprising Rs 46 B in the first phase for 62 000 villages to be covered by 2007 and Rs 54 B in the second phase which Police firing on adivasis in Orissa Police firing killed two will connect 18 000 remote villages by 2012. (THE thadivasis and critically injured eleven on the 11 Nov. 2001 HINDU-D 08/12/01) at a rally of around 8000 women in Nabrangpur district. The rally was organised to protest against the death and Gujarat yet to tap wind energy potential Gujarat has tharrest of tribals in Raigarh around 2 weeks ago, i.e. on 30virtually turned a blind eye to the potential of generating as much as 5 000 MW of power by wind. With the state's Oct. 2001, when armed police had entered Rengabhati policy on tapping wind energy left untouched since 1993, village in the Raigarh police station of Nabarangpur district Gujarat has been generating a meager 166 MW as and opened fire at a gathering of 400 adivasis. In the earlier compared to 800 MW generated by TN that tops the list firing, two were killed on the spot while the third among the states in generation of wind energy. succumbed to injury in a govt. hospital. Another 50 (THE TIMES OF INDIA-A 12/01) sustained serious bullet injuries. (E-mail by ncas@vsnl.com) Germany commits fresh aid The German govt. has Child mortality in Maharashtra In a startling revelation, a committed a fresh aid of about Rs 14 B (DM 664 M) this combined study by a group drawn from 13 NGOs in year. The fund would be utilised for different projects Maharashtra has revealed that about 80 % of child deaths including for the rehabilitation of HEPs, private sector go unreported on Health Department records every year. investments in infrastructure and improving the efficiency According to the study, of the about 200 000 deaths known of TPSs. (BUSINESS LINE-D 06/12/01) to have occurred in the last two years, only up to 40 000 deaths were reported. Highest child mortality rate of 126.9 ENRON SAGA: Proving many critics of the Dabhol was found to be in the adivasi area of Amravati district. projects right, the Enron Corporation has filed for what is (INDIAN EXPRESS-D 28/11/01) history?s biggest case of bankruptcy in US courts on Dec. 2, 2001. With that the fate of Dabhol Power plant has gone Orissa Govt. fail to utilise plan allocations The rural further into limbo. development department of Orissa had spent only 18.46 % of the total allocation of Rs 1.86 B for 2001-02 till October FIs open to fund acquisition of foreign equity in DPC FIs end. The water resource department was able to spend are open to the idea of funding the acquisition of the 85% 31.59 % of the annual plan allocation of Rs 6.215 B. Of the foreign equity in DPC. BSES and Tata Power have annual allocation of Rs 8.856 B, the energy department was expressed interest to purchase 85% shareholding of DPC able to spend only Rs 1.72 B. (THE HINDUSTAN held by Enron and its associates subject to certain TIMES-D 13/12/01) conditions. (THE ECONOMIC TIMES-D 13/11/01) Central Minister advocates private sector for rural FIs ask govt. to finalise incentive package for DPC FIs led development The Union Minister for Rural Development by IDBI have urged the Centre to finalise the package of said the task of rural development in the country can not be incentive along with allotment of a distribution area for carried out without participation from the private sector. about 1,000 MW to the Enron-promoted DPC. IDBI has (BUSINESS LINE-D 16/12/01) identified these as two major prerequisites for smooth MDBs The ADB is currently in the process of drafting its induction of a new sponsor in place of Enron in the 2,184 first Environmental Policy. (www.bicusa.com) MW project. (THE INDIAN EXPRESS-D 27/12/01) BIG QUAKES MAY HIT DELHI Parts of Delhi and many HUMAN DEVELOPMENT ISSUES of the country's principal cities could be hit by Plight of Adivasis in Orissa Data collected through a survey high-intensity earthquakes in future, destroying life and in Orissa during April-May 2000 by the CSDS, Delhi property, a new Indo-US study has said. A study on the highlight that 23 % of adivasis are “non-workers” implying Black Mango Fault, a seismic fault that passes through that they did not get any work. The survey confirms the Haryana, has shown that the Indo-Gangetic plain may be govt. figure that nearly 48 % of people in Orissa live below hit by big quakes in future, as reported in Science. the poverty line but for Adivasis this figure stands at nearly ( 30/11/01) SANDRP JANUARY 2002 20 NEW BOOKS, REPORTS Overcoming Water Scarcity and unit of water, and is unlikely to be able to meet rapidly Quality constrains, IFPRI, Oct. 2001, Edited by Ruth S growing water demands” possibly shows a bias of the Meinzen-Dick and Mark W Rosegrant This 29 page report report. While being critical of large dams and inter-basin is part of IFPRI?s exercise towards 2020 vision for Food, transfer of water, the overview does not even mention the Agriculture and Environment. The sentence in 2 page word equity. overview “However, water harvesting can be expensive per UPDATE ON DAMS, OPTIONS AND RELATED ISSUES___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Hydropower Schemes of Uttaranchal Completed Projects Project Capacity (MW) Agency River Completion Year Info. Sources Maneri Bhali St-I 90 UHPC Bhagirathi 1984 TOI-D 23/12/01 Tanakpur 120 (40x3) NHPC Sharda 1992 NHPC Brochure Khatima 41.4 (13.8x3) State Sector Sharda 1956 CPGP (Page 12) Patheri 20.4 (6.8x3) State Sector Ganga Canal 1955 CPGP (Page 12) Dhakrani Y St-I 33.75 (11.25x3) State Sector Yamuna 1965,66,70 CPGP (Page 13) Dhalipur Y St-I 51 (17x3) State Sector Yamuna 1965,66,70 CPGP (Page 13) Chibro Y St-II 240 (60x4) State Sector Yamuna 1975 CPGP (Page 13) Kulhal Y St-IV 30 (10x3) State Sector Yamuna 1975 CPGP (Page 13) Ramganga 198 (66x3) State Sector Ramganga 1975,76,77 CPGP (Page 13) Chilla 144 (36x4) State Sector 1980,81 CPGP (Page 13) Khodri Y St-II 120 (30x4) State Sector Yamuna 1984 CPGP (Page 13) Khara 72 (24x3) State Sector 1992 CPGP (Page 13) Total 1160.55 Projects Under Construction Project Capacity (MW) Agency River Status Info. Sources Tehri Stage-I 1000 THDC Bhagirathi Completion by Aug. 03 CEA Annexure-IV Tehri Pump Storage 1000 THDC Bhagirathi DPR being updated TOI-D 23/12/01 Koteshwar 400 THDC Bhagirathi Work started CEA Annexure-IV Dhauli Ganga St-I 280 NHPC -- Compln. By March 05 NHPC Brochure Maneri Bhali St-II 304 UHPC Bhagirathi Work started (2003-05) TOI-D 23/12/01 Total 2984 Projects Under Planning New Projects Capacity-MW Agency River Status Info. Source Bharon Ghati-I 324 UHPC* Bhagirathi New Project TOI-D 23/12/01 Bharon Ghati- II 240 UHPC* Bhagirathi New Project TOI-D 23/12/01 Loharinagpala 620 THDC Bhagirathi New Project TOI-D 23/12/01 Palamaneri 460 UPIPP Bhagirathi New Project TOI-D 23/12/01 thLakhwar Vyasi 420 UPHC* Yamuna 10 Plan CEA Annexure-IV Kishau Dam 600 UPHC* Yamuna Early Decision TOI-D 23/12/01 thVishnu Prayag 400 Jaiprakash Group Alaknanda Prv. Sector (10 Plan) CEA Annexure-IV Srinagar 330 Duncans Group Alaknanda Prv. Sector (2005-06) CEA Annexure-IV Tapovan Vishnugad 360 -- Bids Invited SANDRP Database Tiuni Plasu 42 UPHC* -- Proposed POD PPS Katapathar 19 NHPC -- To be taken up (05-06) CEA Annexure-IV thG Ganga 70 NHPC (11 Plan) POD PPS (Page 43) Total 3885 CPGP: Compendium of Power Generating Plants, CEA, New Delhi, July-1997 POD PPS: Power on Demand by 2012, Perspective Plan Studies, CEA, July-1999 SANDRP JANUARY 2002