Assiganga: deny dams-16-9-12

 Assiganga : deny dams

Assiganga is one of the main tributary of Bahgirathiganga which meet Bhagirathiganga in Uttarkashi, The Assiganga valley is very beautiful, green and thus a place that many tourists like to visit. The Dodital is also a reason people like to visit. The Assiganga Valley is small, but full of biodiversity and the tens of tributaries that meet in the Assiganga. There are 7 villages in the valley. 

A Cloud burst  on 3rd August, 2012 in Assiganga valley near Sangam Chatti.The situation in the Assiganga valley, now, however is not very good. The river bed is full of stones, uprooted trees and also dam materials. Main road towards Sangam Chatti has collapsed. 

Their are Hydro Power Project are coming up in this small valley named Assignaga HEP phase-1,2 and 3. The Power House of the Assignaga HEP phase-2 was destroyed by the heavy rainfall during the cloud burst.

According to villagers the situation has become worse because of the extensive use of explosives, used for the building of 3 Assiganga HEPs. Muck from the dam has been spread all over the place without following any norms or environmental safeguards. Due to this, the devastation in the valley has worsened. Workers in the three HEPs living near the river lived in tin sheds, these have been washed away. Although the Govt. is claiming that less then 30 people died, this is not the reality. Houses near the river have cracked or been destroyed, low level fields are now filled with sand, big boulders have rolled on to the riverbed, and bridges have disappeared. Villagers have lost their connectivity, and village paths have also been destroyed. 
See pictures given below.