news details |
|
|
| Legislators doing too little, too late | | |
Early Times Special
JAMMU, August 21
A large area of Doda district, located along the mighty Chenab, has been sinking for the last few years. The incidence of landslides in the area has gone up and travelling, particularly on rainy days, can be treacherous.
This has happened mainly because of the impounding of river water for the construction of Baglihar power project. The lake reservoir created behind the dam site has led to a situation where water constantly seeps into the adjoining hills.
Weakened by the seepage, a portion of the Batote-Doda-Kishtwar road connecting had sagged a couple of months ago. Politicians, particularly from the ruling coalition, including the Chief Minister, Mr Omar Abdullah, rushed to the site. They urged the officials involved in restoration of the link to hurry up.
And not without reason either as this road is the lifeline for Doda, Bhaderwah and Kishtwar. The urgency shown by the ruling elite was because the Union Health Minister, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, was keeping tabs on the road restoration work. Fortunately, after some fire-fighting exercise, the road was restored.
The situation, however, is far from normal as incidents of landslips in the area along Chenab have been rising. Also, there are apprehensions that this vital road link may get disrupted again.
Why has the situation been allowed to come to such a pass? When work on the Baglihar project was taken up, the process for dealing with seepage, landslips etc was also started. The engineers associated with the project had clearly foreseen the problems and also suggested some remedies.
The state government had created a separate agency named Baglihar Chenab Area Treatment (CAT) project. The Soil Conservation department had been assigned the task of treating the loose soil and rocks along the highway.
On paper, plans were drawn for undertaking plantation of soil binding grass and shrubs etc. At more vulnerable locations, the engineers suggested the construction of retaining walls. All this, and more, was to be done for rehabilitation of the hills in the catchment area.
Most of these ecological rehabilitation measures are mandatory, not optional, in case of construction of big dams required for hydel power generation. It would be wrong to say that these steps can neutralize the impact of dam construction. However, they do help in minimizing environmental damage.
Some days ago, the Doda MLA, Mr Majid Wani, demanded a probe into the works done under the Chenab Area Treatment (CAT) project. Demanding an inquiry into the works, he alleged that no work has been done despite spending crores of rupees.
He also demanded action against the officials who had allegedly fail to carry out the necessary environmental rehabilitation works.
Incidentally, Mr Wani is a Congress legislator who had won the 2002 elections as an independent and remained a minister also. He was in the ruling Congress-PDP coalition but did not raise the issue of CAT project works even once, in public, during those six years..
While readily admitting deficiencies in the CAT works, sources in the government said Mr Wani has started raising these issues after failing to find a berth in the Omar Abdullah ministry on July 11. The insinuation thus is that it is not political conviction but convenience which is guiding Mr Wani’s actions.
All that, however, does not dilute the culpability of the government in failing to check significant environmental damage caused by the dam construction. No, the point is not that dams should not be constructed for power generation. Just this that environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports prepared for the dams and the remedies suggested therein should be implemented on ground.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
