The minutes of the Apr 23, 2019 meeting of MoEF’s Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for River Valley Projects once again proves that this committee is least bothered to honour its mandate to protect rivers and environment and ensure adherence to rules and punish violations. In stead,  it acts more like a lobby for Dams. This was apparent from a number of instances, but more  glaringly from what it said about the proposed Lakhwar Dam on Yamuna river, in Ganga Basin. Lakhwar dam has had  no EIA, public consultations, appraisal, management plan,  disaster impact assessment, or cumulative impact assessment. SANDRP,  after field visit and via more than one letters informed the committee before its meeting on April 23, 2019 about the violations and destruction of riverbed, flood plain and biodiversity happening, but the committee has not even bothered to acknowledge the submissions, leave aside the question of taking any action on them. (https://sandrp.in/2019/04/23/lakhwar-vyasi-dam-different-reality-before-the-window-dressing-for-eac/)

Continue reading “DRP News Bulletin 13 May 2019: MoEF’s expert committee not bothered about rivers or environment, acts like lobby for Dams” →