The Himachal government’s pigeon prefers to close its eye to the environment-friendly, employment generating and easy to maintain in-house power generating Gharats. Rather they have plumped up the plan to layer off its ecosystem and dehydrate its lands with the additional hydro projects. Over the employment of local youth, it has voted
in favor of out of the state investment.
The HP government is wooing the investors into the state’s energy sector by offering to buy the power units till 25 MW from small-scale hydro projects itself. Therefore, a welcome kit lays waiting. Himachal will see a yet another array of barricading on its already fainting river system. It will lead to a grievous environmental imbalance in the state.
It is that time when the world is tensed and is thundering to save the already bruised environment. The irony is that here it is the competent human brain that is standing in favor as well as against it. The money that will be made now ignoring the environment will make for just a part of that which will be spent later in restoring it. This is a perfect example of me and my balance sheet first.
An average cost for the set up to generate one megawatt of electricity is estimated between 4-5 crores. This is a humongous amount for the people from the state. Therefore, It is obvious to see a rise in the outside state investment. This can be compared to selling off an eye to make money. A blurred vision is that which our state is set to suffer from.
”The environmental friendly Gharats should be revived and maintained. If done so, each one of them can produce between 5-25 kilowatts of electricity. The Dynamo and the production motor can be homemade. We do not have to depend on the imports anymore. It is a simple affair. The unemployed ITI students can be roped in to take care and maintain the ghrats, ”said kulbhushan Upmanyu who is a prominent environmentalist and a known advocate of people-centric reforms. He further added that” when we are already struggling with problems relating to environment and unemployment, why don’t we harness our own resources with our own talent and set an example?”
It is to be understood that it is not the big rivers which contribute to the entire drinking as well as the irrigation water in the state but the rivulets on which the major section of people depends. The small hydro projects will kill the water nerve web which will prove fatal in the future.
Mansi Asher another well-known environmentalist says , ”This is a loss-making proposition of the government. The existing private investors are already running in losses. The gestation period of these projects is long”.She also shared that Himachal has a difficult terrain. It is filled with geological surprises. In her working experience, there have been many cases of landslides, flash floods as well as the problem of low water pressure in rivers which has increased the setup cost of hydro projects many folds. Therefore, it is a blood-curdling territory for the investors. She suggested that the much-ignored gharat system is the best way to cater to Himachal’s power needs.This decentralized system will not only light up each and every corner of the state but also become a strong web for youth involvement, which is much needed.”If the Gharats are revived the most common and dominant obstacle which is community hostility to power projects will wash away amicably”.
The already existing power protects are struggling to deliver that they promised.The run to river technology has brought many parts of the state to survival crisis.
The state has already been scared for its mismanagement of the water resources. Shimla going dry was a red flag to think solely for commercial purpose. The decisions taken today will definitely pump up the balance sheets of the government but will lead to Dev Bhoomi’s parched future.
The growth blue print of every state should be customized.If it is for the state then let it belong to the state. Allow the employment generated by it be of the himachalies and allow the common Himachali to be the partner in its profit sharing as well. Let Himachal rise above the politics of balance sheet and assist it in becoming a people-friendly state.
Hello Shalini,
Thanks for vringing this up, Gharats are not only environment friendy they can be a cheap alternative to power, I myself graduated as an electrical engineer from Himachal and every talked about setting up a Mini hydro poer plant, but how can a fresh engineer or even an experience one will get 5 crores of investment for a project that has a long gestation period, Gharats are defintave substitutes for mini hydro stations and even a fresh engineer can work out this kind of investment.
Somehow this needs to reach power ministry so some eork can be fone ib this direction.
Very very pertinent issue raised here. The commercial interests coupled with corruption and crowd mentality are the culprits. Only customised planing is the way forward for balanced growth of the state and saving the environment. But nexus amongst the various vested interests are bane for the development of the state. This leads to another vital issue. To become our elected representatives, there are no minimum eligibility criteria or age bar. Thus,even people with criminal background and no knowledge get elected. And let alone the beaurocracy, which has no time for the people and are busy in serving/placating their political masters to bag ” good (earning potential) posting”. Please keep raising the issues concerning people of the state. Thanks for raising the issue.
Great idea to save environment and genrate Employment