Wildlife panel to take a call on Demwe project clearance on Friday

GUWAHATI: This Friday, the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) will take a call on the clearance for the 1,750-MW Demwe hydroelectric project at the Parashuram Kund on the Lohit river in Arunachal Pradesh.

In the 11 years since it was proposed, environmentalists have raised concern about its impact time and again. In recent times, the "unchecked" release of water from dams in Nagaland and Kerala led to devastating floods - adding to the apprehension about the proposed project.

"In light of the recent floods in the northeast and Kerala, brought about by the release of excess water from dams, the panel's decision will be a crucial one," said Bimal Gogoi, a petitioner in the National Green Tribunal's (NGT's) case against the Demwe project.

Gogoi lives in Golaghat district, which was inundated after the release of excess water from the Doyang hydroelectric project in Nagaland. Nearly 1 lakh people were affected and about 10,000 hectare land went under water. "It is a matter of concern that the NBWL will be examining the dam for clearance based on a rapid study, not a detailed downstream impact and risk assessment," he said.

NBWL, as a statutory body constituted under the Wildlife Protection Act, is mandated to review matters related to wildlife. Projects proposed in the vicinity of national parks and sanctuaries, like the Demwe project - in the downstream area of which the Dibru Saikhowa

Clearance from NBWL is mandatory for projects proposed in the vicinity of national parks and sanctuaries. The Kamlang Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh is very close to the proposed site and the Dibru Saikhowa National Park and Biosphere Reserve in Assam is located in the downstream area of the project.

"Three bridges, including the Dhola-Sadiya bridge on the Lohit river, should also be part of the downstream cumulative impact study for the Demwe project," Gogoi said.

The NBWL had granted clearance to the project earlier, which was suspended by the NGT in 2017. The NGT also suspended the forest clearance granted tot he project, which would entail "diversion" of more than 1,24,000 trees in the vicinity of the "sacred site" Parashuram Kund.

Following NGT's order, the NBWL in March this year suggested a detailed study on the hydrology and ecology for three seasons "conducted by reputed and neutral scientific and technical organizations" before granting clearance.

"This would require a year's time," a government official said. However, the panel sought a report within three months. Conservationists are worried that this means only a rapid field visit could be undertaken. The Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India made a short field visit and made a preliminary presentation to the panel in June. It is likely to present its final findings on Friday.