作者
Bharat B Negi, Sujata Bhattacharya
发表日期
2014
期刊
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU): Delhi, India
简介
The hydropower potential of the state of Himachal Pradesh, in the Indian Himalayans, is estimated to be 20463.5 MW. Karcham–Wangtoo hydropower (1000 MW) project is located in Satluj river basin of Kinnaur district in the north eastern part of Himachal Pradesh. The project envisages a concrete dam about 98 m high above the river bed and 17.2 km long head race tunnel and it passes through 4 villages of Kinnaur ie Chagaon, Urni, Yula and Meeru. This projects have directly and indirectly affected the socio-biological perspectives of environment of the surrounding region which primarily includes cracks in houses, land sliding, decrease in crop production, deforestation & land diversion, drying of spring water & climate change. The aim of the present study was to investigate how these hydropower projects are involved in producing social and environmental impacts. We used a semi-directed interview with 40 stakeholders, 10 from each 4 village. All of these stakeholders emphasized adverse social and environmental impacts, 37 of stakeholders reported that during the time of tunnel digging heavy blasting has produces cracks in their houses. It was observed that the dust from dumping of excavation material of tunnel is affecting the pollination during the flowering of apple (main cash crop) and the apple production decreased after establishment of this project. Climate change is witnessed by all the stakeholder, the average temperature of nearby area of project is increased to 5 C. Highly endangered plant species Pinus gerardiana grown in wild, was also affected by land sliding. A large part (1000 hectare) of forest land has been reduced in …
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