Press
Note 12-9-2014
Permission
to fill Tehri Dam is completely unjustified
We got to know some days before that State Government of Uttarakhand
has given permission to Tehri Hydro Development Corporation with
respect to filling of Tehri Dam is immoral in all forms. We believe,
since the bridges to connect the both side of reservoir of Tehri dam
are not yet constructed and also the basic facilities that were
supposed to be provided at rehabilitation site have also not
completed, in such circumstance, the state government whose
responsibility is to protect rights of displaced population should
not take this step.
Only
after complete rehabilitation should such permission be given by
State Government to any such authority. Matu Jansangathan has been
raising these issues over a long time now. We got to know that in
2002, Central Government gave a letter to the state Government
according to which land in the area of Pathari Part 1, 2, 3, 4 can be
transferred from forest land to peoples land. 12 years since then,
people have faced difficulties due to delay in availability of land
rights is because of the State Government in which all the political
parties are responsible. In such circumstances, the permission of
state government to give THDC permission to fill Tehri Dam is
completely unjustified.
Only
recently, Chinyalisoad bridge drowned because of which 40-50
villages got affected in their regular daily chores of ration,
livelihood, school which is a massive problem. It is a request to
state government to take back this letter from THDC because by this
THDC has got the permission to fully fill the Tehri Dam which is
wrong. It is can be understood that the dam is made to get filed but
without proper rehabilitation, unregulated freedom to Dam Companies
is extremely unjustified.
After
the clearance letter, THDC has no obligation to care anything but of
filling the dam. Since 2006, Honorable Supreme Court has not giving
permission to filling of Tehri Dam to full capacity due to lack of
full rehabilitation facility. Environmental issues have been
completely ignored by authorities, the consequence of which we can
see since 2010.
All
these work are unethical. Tehri Dam is huge HEP not just for
Uttarakhand but for the entire India. Ignoring problems of displaced
population and only concentrating on electricity generation is
completely immoral.
The
state governments first responsibility is to ensure basic facilities
to all cut of area residents and assurance of land rights of all
those people who have been displaced and rehabilitated. Tehri Dam
should be allowed to fill only after above arrangement are made.
Till
every displaced person is given land rights, and all people suffered
due to non-construction of bridges dams and all these issues are
adequately taken care of and resolved, Tehri dam should not be
allowed to fill in full capacity.
Vimalbhai,
Puransingh Rana, Balwantsingh Panwar
