The Hindu : TBGRI rules out eco threat to Athirappally

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 31, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

TBGRI rules out eco threat to Athirappally

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM March 30. The Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (TBGRI), which has been entrusted the task of conducting an environment impact assessment (EIA) study on the Athirappally hydel project, has ruled out the possibilities of any environmental damage due to the proposed project.

At a press conference here on Saturday, the TBGRI Director, G. M. Nair and M. Balakrishnan, scientist, said that the Athirappally hydel project was a unique one as it integrated development needs with the sustenance of natural environment. The proposed project, while not creating much environmental disturbances, offered high power yield, at a low production cost of Rs. 1.70 per unit, they said.

Dr. Nair and Dr. Balakrishnan said that they had been forced to come out with a clarification as recently allegations had been raised against the TBGRI and the merit of the environmental impact study they had done of the Athirappally project.

The KSEB had entrusted TBGRI with the EIA study of the Athirappally project in May 1996. The study, completed in December 1996, had been submitted to the KSEB.

The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, on the basis of the said report, had cleared the project in 1998.

Following a spate of public interest litigations against the project in 2001, the High Court had instructed the KSEB to conduct a public hearing. At the public hearing held at Thrissur on February 6, 2002, the scientists who led the EIA study were not allowed to give any explanations, TBGRI officials said.

The Athirappally project is a `run-off river' scheme, where water, which has been used once, is impounded in its way and re-used for power generation at lower levels. The tail water of Poringalkoothu and Sholayar hydroelectric systems are made to generate 163 MW power by constructing a 23 m high dam across Chalakkudy river, just 3 km downstream of the existing Poringalkoothu powerhouse. This will in no way hamper the beauty of Athirappally waterfalls, they pointed out.

The EIA study team of TBGRI had been led by its then director, P. Pushpangadan. The report consisted of a detailed description of the environment, evaluation of the impact of the project, mitigative measures and management plan. A separate volume had also been prepared on the rehabilitation of the 18 `Kadar' tribal families living just outside the proposed project site.

Accordingly, the State Government had ordered an allotment of one acre of land to each of the families, five acres for common use and job for one person from each of the tribal families.

The latest crop of allegations raised by certain groups that the project will lead to the disappearance of the waterfalls and affect drinking water supply and irrigation at downstream and that there would be a general depletion of fishes and cane turtle, were totally baseless, TBGRI said.

They pointed out that the Ministry had asked for a rapid EIA study and that it had covered eight months from May to December 1996.

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