[Assam] [WaterWatch] 3000 MW Dibang Hydro Project Public Hearing Cancelled - why?

Mon Aug 18 17:38:32 PDT 2008

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To: WaterWatch at yahoogroups.comFrom: ranga at iimb.ernet.inDate: Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:30:03 +0530Subject: RE: [WaterWatch] 3000 MW Dibang Hydro Project Public Hearing Cancelled - why?

Let me just respond to the arguments, leaving the calumny with those who have indulged in it.  

1.        I agree I do not know as much, actually I know zero for that matter, about Himalayan ecology and how fragile they are.  But the public hearing was not to discuss the Himalayan Ecology, which is the subject matter for experts like Mr. Sinha, but was to discuss its more mundane and manifest impact on the people living in and around the area.  
Even if they are fragile, I, an ignoramus, fail to understand how it would affect the construction of a good dam, which will take care of these frailties;  when UK and France have constructed a tunnel through the sea, is it not possible to construct a safe dam?  If such a safe dam is found not viable, them I will go with them and abandon the project.  Please show such studies.
2.        ‘Because of the dangerous and totally destructive consequences, prima facie, of the project, it is soothing to know that the Dibang Valley Group has been called for discussion. What a great report the Independent Review Commission commissioned by the World Bank on the Sardar Sarovar Project brought out and what a great retreat was it of the World Bank to stop its financial aid!   ’-Ashok Kumar.  

My response:  What danger, what destructive consequences?  Let us discuss them.  Regarding Sardar Sarover, World Bank’s  aid was preemptively stopped by GOI (It did not go up to WB stopping the aid!) , on the basis of Richard Morse Report, which said 
1.      R&R not possible to satisfaction.  MP cannot rehabilitate its 23,000 familites, especially before inundation.
2.      More people were affected than presumed.  WB did not include the Canal Affected Persons as Project Affected Persons.  (Morse ignored the fact that many CAPs were also beneficiaries of the project once the canal passed thro’ their remaining fields).
3.      Bank only urged, not insisted, States to implement NWDT award on major sons, and develop policies for rehabilitating tribals.  (See here the Award was there;  Morse, as a lawyer was upset at the Award not being implemented by the States, which is perfectly in order.)
4.      Bank adopted definition of landed oustee as per NWDT award, which did not include ( encroachers and)  tribals.  In this the Bank failed to carry out its own 1980 and 1982 Guidelines incorporating ILO Convention (107) of 1957 and UN WCED (Brundtland Commission) 1987 on indigenous and tribal land resource rights.
Morse never said that the project’s benefits cannot exceed these costs, and that these cannot be done.  That is my main point.  There are problems in resettlement and rehabilitation.  Instead of improving them and giving the PAPs a better deal, we should not throw the project with the dam water.

V. Ranganathan.

From: WaterWatch at yahoogroups.com [mailto:WaterWatch at yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Subrata SinhaSent: Sunday, August 17, 2008 10:29 AMTo: WaterWatch at yahoogroups.comSubject: Re: [WaterWatch] 3000 MW Dibang Hydro Project Public Hearing Cancelled - why?

V.Ranganathan is an "IGNORAMUS per excellence" about the Himalayas & its  geo-tectonic  hazards , etc. Even primary school children know more about the fragility of these mountains. the Arunachal projects are located  near the syntaxial bend of the Himalayas - the most sensitive  location  possible ! It is a pity that such  half- baked management professors are imparting  education( or is it mal-education, to the younger generation . That's why  India is being totally mismanaged  these days !!His professional chair should be named after some of the " contractors' lobby"  and not the RBI.Subrata Sinha ( former Deputy Director General , Geological Survey of India and a former ,member of  many Env. Appraisal Committees for major projects at the MOEF, GOI)

2008/8/16 V Ranganathan <ranga at iimb.ernet.in>

It is sad that environmental extremism is blocking India's hydro development.  This kind of anti development dam phobia deserves to be condemned.  A fair settlement, and a fair compensation for resettled people, YES, but a recalcitrant stoppage of the project by a bunch of ill informed people instigated by vested interests, who have economic axe to grind, deserves a certain  NO.

V. Ranganathan
RBI Chair Prof.
Indian Institute of Management
Bangalore 560076
Phone: 91-80-2699 3155 (office)
            2658 3015, 2699 3177 (res)
Mobile: 944 848 3015
Email: ranga at iimb.ernet.in

From: WaterWatch at yahoogroups.com [mailto:WaterWatch at yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Souparna LahiriSent: Friday, August 15, 2008 10:34 AMTo: forestrights at yahoogroups.com; ccddne at yahoogroups.co.in; waterwatch at yahoogroups.com; ECwatch; moefchalo at yahoogroups.com; wbindiacrit at lists.riseup.net; raju mimiSubject: [WaterWatch] 3000 MW Dibang Hydro Project Public Hearing Cancelled

Peoples' Movement in the Dibang Valley of Arunachal Pradesh has forced the Government and the NHPC to cancel the Public Hearing of the 3000 MW Dibang Multi-Purpose Project for the fourth time within a year.

The Public Hearing at Anini, the Headquarter of North Dibang Valley was scheduled to be held on August 20. Groups in Dibang Valley led by the All Idu Mishmi Students Union along with some Assam groups gave an Anti-Dam Dibang Valley Bandh from August 11. Barely a week in to this campaign and the Government was forced to cancel the Hearing and invited the Dibang Valley groups for talks in Itanagar on August 20, 2008.

Public Hearing for this project was camcelled/postponed in May and June 2007, and March 2008.

In March 2008, the affected people of Dibang Valley declared to boycott the Public Hearing and blockaded the road on the scheduled day. The officials were forced to go back.

-- Souparna Lahiri143 Khirki VillageNew Delhi - 110 017Mobile: 91 9818147740Tel (R) No. 91 11 29541502

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