GANGTOK, September 03: The Sikkimese Association for Environment (SAFE) in an attempt to raise public awareness has brought out factual extracts from the “Carrying Capacity Study of Teesta Basin”.
A press release issued by Chukie Tobden of SAFE has stated that the purpose of these extracts is to educate and sensitize the public to the realities of fast degradation of the natural environment by the “ill-conceived Hydel projects in North Sikkim.”
The Executive summary of the report and recommendations as mentioned in the release were commissioned by the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India and sponsored by NHPC Corporation Limited, Faridabad.
Stressing that SAFE has been repeatedly accused of being ‘anti-development’ with ‘vested interest’ targets, SAFE has considered it as “a privilege to bring the report to the public”, further stressing that SAFE like advocating transparency.
SAFE has produced at least six extracts from the study, particularly on the environmental, seismic and biodiversity concerns.
The extract from page 173 of the report has these details: “Looking at the number of species of studied taxa and the endemic exclusive and endangered species of studied taxa, Zone III is very sensitive and if the development project (Teesta Stage III) is executed in this zone…irreversible ecological damage is expected with respect to its biological environs.”
“Entirely alien environmental conditions would be created by human activity during and after the construction of the proposed hydel project,” reads another extract culled from Page 202.
The Page 203 extract reads “The proposed project falls in a seismic zone. An earthquake of the magnitude of 6.0 Richter scale recorded on November, 19, 1980. Importantly the epicenter lies on the surface trace of Gangtok lineament and this project area also lies along this lineament.”
As per the details in Page 208, “the project is situated in one of the most ecologically sensitive area of Sikkim. The geologically sensitivity of the catchments is characterized by huge deposits of moraines in the catchments upstream. Some of the glacial lakes have the history of being blocked by the debris resulting in the formations of temporary lakes which upon bursting are known to bring this material downstream. All these lakes are potential source of hazard generation. Any activity resulting in displacement of accumulated debris would have disastrous consequence downstream. The Glacial outburst flood can create havoc in downstream area endangering the structures and habitations.”
The association has also brought out to the notice of the public as detailed in Page 214 that more than 100 species of mammals, 8 species of cats, 230 species of birds, 345 species of butterflies, 10 species of amphibian and 34 reptile species are found within the vicinity of the power project.
SAFE has also culled another extract from Page XXVI, which reads, “Inspite of this, the Government of Sikkim was accorded letter of intent to various Central Government undertakings and Private Power Producers to start the process of building these projects and as such it has become imperative that some urgent measures are adopted before these destructive “Development Projects” are permitted to be implemented and once again the saga of exploitation is repeated
A press release issued by Chukie Tobden of SAFE has stated that the purpose of these extracts is to educate and sensitize the public to the realities of fast degradation of the natural environment by the “ill-conceived Hydel projects in North Sikkim.”
The Executive summary of the report and recommendations as mentioned in the release were commissioned by the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India and sponsored by NHPC Corporation Limited, Faridabad.
Stressing that SAFE has been repeatedly accused of being ‘anti-development’ with ‘vested interest’ targets, SAFE has considered it as “a privilege to bring the report to the public”, further stressing that SAFE like advocating transparency.
SAFE has produced at least six extracts from the study, particularly on the environmental, seismic and biodiversity concerns.
The extract from page 173 of the report has these details: “Looking at the number of species of studied taxa and the endemic exclusive and endangered species of studied taxa, Zone III is very sensitive and if the development project (Teesta Stage III) is executed in this zone…irreversible ecological damage is expected with respect to its biological environs.”
“Entirely alien environmental conditions would be created by human activity during and after the construction of the proposed hydel project,” reads another extract culled from Page 202.
The Page 203 extract reads “The proposed project falls in a seismic zone. An earthquake of the magnitude of 6.0 Richter scale recorded on November, 19, 1980. Importantly the epicenter lies on the surface trace of Gangtok lineament and this project area also lies along this lineament.”
As per the details in Page 208, “the project is situated in one of the most ecologically sensitive area of Sikkim. The geologically sensitivity of the catchments is characterized by huge deposits of moraines in the catchments upstream. Some of the glacial lakes have the history of being blocked by the debris resulting in the formations of temporary lakes which upon bursting are known to bring this material downstream. All these lakes are potential source of hazard generation. Any activity resulting in displacement of accumulated debris would have disastrous consequence downstream. The Glacial outburst flood can create havoc in downstream area endangering the structures and habitations.”
The association has also brought out to the notice of the public as detailed in Page 214 that more than 100 species of mammals, 8 species of cats, 230 species of birds, 345 species of butterflies, 10 species of amphibian and 34 reptile species are found within the vicinity of the power project.
SAFE has also culled another extract from Page XXVI, which reads, “Inspite of this, the Government of Sikkim was accorded letter of intent to various Central Government undertakings and Private Power Producers to start the process of building these projects and as such it has become imperative that some urgent measures are adopted before these destructive “Development Projects” are permitted to be implemented and once again the saga of exploitation is repeated
(Sikkim Express)
