DEHRADUN: Amid the growing clamour against shelving hydro-power projects across River Bhagirathi in Uttarakhand, chief minister Vijay Bahuguna is all set to push ahead his agenda for resumption of the same. The meeting of the National Ganga River Basin Authority to be convened tomorrow by Manmohan Singh will have the chief minister pitching for recommencement of work on scrapped hydel projects across Uttarakhand.
Bahaguna accompanied by senior officials will be stepping up efforts to boost the dismal power situation in the state and enhance developmental work. Bahuguna and his team of bureaucrats are seeking revival of construction work on the NTPC owned 600 MW Lohari Nagpala, the state government owned 480 MW Pala Maneri and the 350 MW Bhairav Ghatti.
Mounting environmental concerns prompted the UPA government to halt work on the Lohari Nagpala plant and other state government projects at a meeting of the National Ganga River Basin Authority in November 2010. The move to scrap the 440 MW Vishnusagar projects in Chamoli district too sparked outcry among those in favour of hydel projects in the state.
The tussle between pro and anti-demonstrators also refuses to end. Those against construction of hydel projects are raising the banner of environmental degradation caused by the projects. Crusaders for the Ganga such as Hemant Dhyani are rallying in remote districts of Uttarakhand to stir public conscience. Dhyani had also actively supported the month long indefinite fast-unto-death, by former IITian turned activist G.D Aggarwal, against the construction of hydel projects across the state. Dhyani is a firm proponent of run-over-the river hydro power instead of major projects that have a perverse environmental impact.
Advocates of hydel power projects are threatening to embark on a fast-unto-death if the NGRBA failed to arrive at a consensus on commissioning work on the plants at the meet. Discontent is peaking with demonstrators hitting out at the UPA for impeding development work on the projects. The demonstrators which include members from different social and non political organizations sharpened their pitch against what they called 'policies of the UPA that were inimical to the interests of the state'. Protesters said the comatose state of hydel projects was draining the state's exchequer with the state procuring electricity at the rate of Rs. 500 crores per annum.
Bahaguna accompanied by senior officials will be stepping up efforts to boost the dismal power situation in the state and enhance developmental work. Bahuguna and his team of bureaucrats are seeking revival of construction work on the NTPC owned 600 MW Lohari Nagpala, the state government owned 480 MW Pala Maneri and the 350 MW Bhairav Ghatti.
Mounting environmental concerns prompted the UPA government to halt work on the Lohari Nagpala plant and other state government projects at a meeting of the National Ganga River Basin Authority in November 2010. The move to scrap the 440 MW Vishnusagar projects in Chamoli district too sparked outcry among those in favour of hydel projects in the state.
The tussle between pro and anti-demonstrators also refuses to end. Those against construction of hydel projects are raising the banner of environmental degradation caused by the projects. Crusaders for the Ganga such as Hemant Dhyani are rallying in remote districts of Uttarakhand to stir public conscience. Dhyani had also actively supported the month long indefinite fast-unto-death, by former IITian turned activist G.D Aggarwal, against the construction of hydel projects across the state. Dhyani is a firm proponent of run-over-the river hydro power instead of major projects that have a perverse environmental impact.
Advocates of hydel power projects are threatening to embark on a fast-unto-death if the NGRBA failed to arrive at a consensus on commissioning work on the plants at the meet. Discontent is peaking with demonstrators hitting out at the UPA for impeding development work on the projects. The demonstrators which include members from different social and non political organizations sharpened their pitch against what they called 'policies of the UPA that were inimical to the interests of the state'. Protesters said the comatose state of hydel projects was draining the state's exchequer with the state procuring electricity at the rate of Rs. 500 crores per annum.
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