Environment Impact Assessment for Prposed Baglihar H.E.P. Stage II

Abstract

In the past few years, India has turned into a vibrant economy. With the growth of the Industrial sector and an improved quality of life, the demand for electric power is increasing day by day. Quality power is required to maintain the sustained growth of agricultural and industrial sectors, to accomplish a higher GDP and sustainable development. The electrical energy may be generated from fossil fuels, thermal power, nuclear energy, and hydropower or from renewable sources like solar or wind energy. Deriving electrical energy from fossil fuels like coal is becoming increasingly unmanageable because of environmental implications. Considering the vast and untapped potential and availability, of the hydro resources in India, the development of hydropower projects is thus required to be explored fully. Power generation from such projects is also comparatively less damaging for the environment. Though power production from hydro resources does have its environmental concerns such as large inundations, disposal of muck and rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) problems, they can be suitably handled with appropriate plans. e.g. the problem of muck disposal is always resolvable if the restoration of disposal areas is carried out in a scientific way. It would also be appropriate to state here that the problems related to large inundations and R&R may be tackled by going in for run-of-the-river schemes in place of large reservoir schemes as the quantum of inundation and displacement will be much less in run-of-the-river scheme projects.