RETHINKING BASIC ASSUMPTIONS Rs. 50/- Vol. 11 No.1 January-March 2003 Large dams in Northeast India rivers, forests, people and power THE EcologistVol. 11 No.1 January-March 2003 Asia 3 Large Dams in the Northeast – A Bright Future? Manju Menon, Neeraj Vagholikar, Kanchi Kohli and Ashish Fernandes take a look at some of the many issues concerning large dams in northeast India. 9 The Brahmaputra River, India The Brahmaputra is a unique river system and it is essential to understand it before we attempt to alter it, write Dr. Dulal C. Goswami and Partha J. Das. 15 Rivers An extract from 5000 Days to Save the Planet by Edward Goldsmith, Nicholas Hildyard, Peter Bunyard and Patrick McCully. 19 Lessons From Loktak Ramananda Wanghkheirakpam believes that few cases better illustrate the often disastrous consequences that dams have than the Ithai barrage and its effect on the Loktak wetland and its inhabitants. 25 Tracking a Hydel Project Neeraj Vagholikar and M. Firoz Ahmed are concerned about unanswered questions with respect to the Lower Subansiri project. 33 Saved! The Story of Rathong Chu Manju Menon writes about an anti-dam struggle in Sikkim, where people placed the sanctity of their lands above all else. Founding Editor Edward Goldsmith 34 Clearance of Large Hydel Projects Editor Bittu Sahgal Promode Kant offers a perspective on the clearance procedures that large hydel projects are legally required to pass through. Assistant Editor Ashish Fernandes 38 We should have gone to Court! Editorial Board Dr. Claude Alvares, Ashish Kothari speaks to Ashish Fernandes about his experiences of the Ministry of Smitu Kothari, Dr. Vandana Shiva, Environment and Forest’s official clearance process for dams. Nityanand Jayaraman 40 Stemming the Flood, Killing Biodiversity Guest Editors Manju Menon, Neeraj Vagholikar, Kanchi Kohli Dr. Sanchita Boruah and Dr. S.P. Biswas discuss the impact of flood control devices (members of Kalpavriksh) on the fauna of the Brahmaputra drainage system. 42 Design Umesh Bobade, Ashish Fernandes The Brahmaputra’s Changing River Ecology Dr. A.K. Das says that we need to learn from the traditional knowledge and wisdom Circulation P. Bhaskar of people while dealing with floods. Processing Scana Color (India) Ltd. 44 A Struggle for Homeland and Identity Printing Mudra, Pune Sanat K. Chakraborty writes of the plight of the Hajong and Chakma The Ecologist UK refugees and the social crisis caused by their displacement due to the Kaptai dam. www.theecologist.org 46 Some Proposed and Existing Dam Projects in Northeast India Editor Zac Goldsmith 50 Large Dams and Power Demand Commissioning Editor Simon Retallack Prayas Energy Group reassesses the role of large dams in meeting power demand. Managing Editor Harry Ram 56 The Elephant and The Tragopan Assistant Editor Jeremy Smith We reproduce Vikram Seth’s ecological fable, based on the efforts to save the Dzukou Valley in Nagaland and Manipur from a dam. Sub-editor Jini Reddy 61 Social and Environmental Impacts of Large Dams in India Science Editor Peter Bunyard Shekhar Singh summarises the Indian large dam scenario. Researchers Jim Wickens, Molly 71 Kameng Underestimated! Heinrich, Stephanie Katz The Kameng hydel project in Arunachal Pradesh was granted environmental clearance Art Director Peter Bishop despite glaring errors in the project reports. Signs of destruction are already visible, Editor’s PA Rita Kassai write Dr. Anwaruddin Choudhury and Manju Menon. Editorial Board Helena Norbeg-Hodge, 72 A Geodynamic Perspective of Arunachal Pradesh Steven Gorelick, John Page Dr. K.S. Valdiya talks about the unique geological set-up of Arunachal Pradesh and says that the construction of large dams in this state would not be prudent. The Ecologist Asia is published four times a 76 Tipaimukh year. We welcome contributions and shall Dr. R.K. Ranjan Singh believes that Manipur’s Tipaimukh dam is a death trap for offer reimbursement for material supplied. its indigenous people. We cannot accept responsibility for 80 Taming the Teesta unsolicited material. Reproduction in whole or part, electronically or in print, without Dr. Kalyan Rudra warns that ecological disturbances in the Teesta basin are unwarranted. prior written permission of the publisher is 84 Tripura’s Gumti Dam Must Go strictly prohibited. Views expressed are not Decommissioning the Gumti dam will go a long way in resolving the conflict between necessarily the views of, or endorsed by, the indigenous people and settlers in Tripura, feels Subir Bhaumik. The Ecologist Asia. For back issues contact 87 Meghalaya – Biodiversity Conservation and Dams the Subscription Department, Meghalaya should study linkages between ecosystems and people and learn from the past The Ecologist Asia, before going in for new dams, say Dr. B. Kharbuli, Dr. H. Kayang, Dr. D. D. Nengnong and 602, Maker Chambers V, D.R.M. Buam. Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021. 91 Tel.: 91 22 22830061/81 Large Dams: A New Policy Framework Fax: 91 22 22874380 The World Commission on Dams’ strategic priorities for a new development approach. E-mail: [email protected] Cover Photo by Debal Sen. 2 Ecologist Asia Vol.11 No.1 Large dams in the Northeast a bright future? by Manju Menon, Neeraj Vagholikar, Kanchi Kohli and Ashish Fernandes otential to be India’s future powerhouse, said a news report, in by a long chain of international borders. Today the 2,62,000 sq. km. quoting the Department of Development of the North Eastern region (including Sikkim) is linked to the Indian mainland through a PRegion (DONER), prior to the Northeast Business Summit slender 21 km. corridor through north Bengal. held in Mumbai in July 2002. The October 2001 Central Electricity While this enforced isolation may have, for decades, protected the Authority (CEA) ‘Preliminary Ranking Study’ of the nationwide region’s biodiversity from the destructive large-scale development seen potential of hydroelectric schemes gave the highest marks to the elsewhere in the country, it has also been one of the reasons for the Brahmaputra river system. The study claims to have examined northeast’s economic and political neglect. Northeast India is marked by ‘10 major aspects, which play a vital role in the development of hydro socio-political complexities, which include struggles for political projects’1. The 168 schemes2 considered by the ranking study have a autonomy and resulting armed conflicts. The Indian constitution has cumulative installed capacity of 63,328 MW3 and 149 of these were attempted to deal with the northeast’s unique nature by having a system given ranks A and B, indicating high viability. These schemes will be of administration that differs from the rest of the country. The sixth developed by agencies such as the National Hydro Power Corporation schedule and other constitutional provisions relevant to the northeast (NHPC), North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO), the offer different degrees of autonomy and self-management (including Brahmaputra Board and State Electricity Boards and a major portion natural resource management) to indigenous communities. Despite this, of this power will be evacuated to other parts of the country. Other there seems to be little opportunity for participation in the planning of than these large projects, over 900 mini and micro hydel projects have large developmental projects. Faced with a multitude of challenges, the 4 been identified to meet the local needs of the northeast. region is currently charting a course for ‘development’ and large hydel Some of the schemes being planned for the region will be the projects for power export are a part of the development plan. largest hydro projects that India has ever seen and are to come up in The government and proponents of large dams in the region one of its most ecologically-fragile areas. The pace with which these paint a win-win picture: exploiting the country’s largest perennial projects have advanced and the manner in which some of them have water system to produce cheap, plentiful power for the nation, passed through official clearance procedures caught our attention and economic benefits through power export, employment generation, was instrumental in the compilation of this special issue of the end of militancy, flood control and little direct ‘displacement’ of 5 The Ecologist Asia on large dams in northeast India. local communities. Dams are made out to be the panacea for all the Northeast India problems of the northeast. However, northeast India’s unique Northeast India, consisting of the eight states of Assam, Arunachal characteristics and past lessons from large dams are enough reason to Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and critically examine these promised benefits. A close look at some of the Sikkim,6 is known for its biological and cultural diversity and the projects reveal planning based on inaccurate and inadequate unique Brahmaputra river system. The region is home to over one information, legal violations by project authorities, lack of transparency hundred tribal communities and a large percentage of the population and little scope for effective people’s participation in decision-making. is dependent on traditional natural The ecology of Manipur’s Loktak lake has been adversely affected by the Ithai The articles in this issue raise some resource-based livelihoods. Its barrage, endangering traditional livelihoods such as fishing. Ecological and social of these concerns and also give us a strategic location at the confluence concerns must not be ignored in the development plans for the northeast region. glimpse of the environmental of south, southeast and east Asia characteristics of the region, the made it an important gateway procedures involved in developing between the peoples of the region. these large projects, experiences of British annexation was the ASHISH KOTHARI local people and historical lessons beginning of defined territorial concerning dams, from the boundaries as it became the northeast, the rest of the country frontier of the British Raj.