(Feature Image: Sharavathi valley in Sagar taluk of Shivamogga district.Credit: Deccan Herald)
The part 4 of annual overview on the dams and hydro projects covers the concerns about the Pump Storage Projects in India. The government push for Pumped Storage Projects in Western and Eastern Ghats has strongly been contested by communities and experts. Stories here show that these projects are already facing opposition in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Objections & Concerns over PSHPs
Maharashtra Letter to EAC: No justification for Adani Dams Parineeta Dandekar writes to Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) on River Valley Projects about the re-submission of Adani’s 1500 MW Warasgaon Warangi Pump Storage Projects near Pune in Western Ghats of Maharashtra for clearance for Terms of Reference for the EAC meeting being held on Nov 30 2024, showing why the project should not be cleared. https://sandrp.in/2024/11/29/letter-to-the-eac-no-justification-for-adani-dams-in-the-western-ghats/ (29 Nov. 2024)
EAC asks Adani to apply afresh for Warasgaon Warangi PSP In a respite to forest dwelling communities of Western Ghats, fragile biodiversity and community conservation areas, the EAC of the Union MoEF (Ministry of Environment and Forests) in its Sept 27 meeting Rejected Adani’s application and asked to apply afresh for the 1500 MW Warsagaon Warangi Pump Storage Project. https://sandrp.in/2024/10/03/moefs-committee-defers-stage-i-clearance-to-adanis-warasgaon-warangi-project/ (03 Oct. 2024)
Adani PSP Dams: Defiling sacred pools & fish sanctuaries Multiple dams, mushrooming resorts, creaking cities like Lonavala and townships like Lavasa have pushed Western Ghats Forests to a corner here. And yet, the region is speckled with community conservation spaces like sacred groves, temple forests, sacred river origins and that spectacular gem of culture and conservation: community fish sanctuaries. https://sandrp.in/2024/09/25/adani-energy-dams-defiling-sacred-pools-and-fish-sanctuaries-in-western-ghats/ (25 Sept. 2024)
EAC makes site visit mandatory for PSPs Appreciating the move, Dandekar said, the EAC not just “rejected” the application but “decided to visit sites all the PSPs that have applied for environment clearance (EC) before giving any further clearances”, hoping, “The site visits will expose the perilous siting of over 15 pumped storage projects in the Western Ghats.” The SANDRP submission to EAC was signed by more than 200 individuals and organizations, including Parineeta Dandekar and Himanshu Thakkar of SANDRP; Suniti SR and colleagues of the National Alliance for People’s Movements; Shailaja Deshpande and colleagues of the Jeevit Nadi; Priyadarshini Karve of the Indian Network on Ethics and Climate Change; Jaideep Baphana of Pune River Revival (a group with over 1000 members in Pune); Shripad Dharmadhikary of Manthan Adhyayan Kendra. https://www.counterview.net/2024/10/modi-govt-distancing-from-adanis-moefcc.html (4 Oct 2024)
EAC halts Adani PSP The EAC raised concerns over the drastic increase in forest land required for the project, from 24.5 ha to 88.98 ha, more than three times the original estimate. Initially, the project received preliminary approval in Feb 2023, but the company sought to expand its capacity from 1,200 MW to 1,500 MW. In addition to rejecting the EC, the panel said, “No final approvals for pumped hydropower projects in the Western Ghats would be granted without comprehensive site visits to assess environmental impacts.” Although preliminary clearances have been issued for 15 such projects in the region, final clearance hinges on thorough environmental impact assessments (EIA) & site inspections. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/india/govt-halts-adani-project-in-western-ghats/ (15 Oct 2024)
EAC to review PSP “PSPs proposed in the Western Ghats entail blasting, tunnelling, diversion of forest land, impact on environmental sensitive areas and some would involve taking water from dams that are already overallocated. In short, there are a range of cumulative impacts of such projects. Considering these issues which are never represented in the proposals, EAC’s site visit is a welcome decision,” said Parineeta Dandekar, associate coordinator of SANDRP, a research and advocacy group working on sustainable river management. https://indianexpress.com/article/india/western-ghats-fragility-environment-ministry-expert-panel-to-review-pumped-hydro-projects-9602980/ (04 Oct. 2024) Since March 2014, the Union Environment Ministry has issued 6 draft notifications to declare the Western Ghats as ecologically sensitive, but the final notification is still pending due to objections from the states. The 60-day period for submitting objections and suggestions on the latest (sixth) draft notification to declare over 56,800 sq km of the Western Ghats across six states as ecologically sensitive areas ended on Sept. 30. https://thefederal.com/category/news/water-projects-in-western-ghats-govt-panel-key-suggestion-148473 (04 Oct. 2024)
Experts slam impacts of Adani’s PSHPs Campaigners in south-western India are defending mountain habitats from a string of reservoirs being built by an Adani company. They say these ‘pumped hydro storage’ projects will damage the biodiversity of the Western Ghat range. A tiger reserve and a wildlife sanctuary are adjacent to the proposed dams, which occur inside a sensitive seismic zone. Experts say that the environmental-impact study for parts of the project flagrantly ignores the environmental importance of this globally significant hotspot for biodiversity. A stretch of 150 ha of the Ghats will be lost to pumped storage projects (PSPs) being developed by Adani Green Energy Ltd.
‘The problem is with the regulator (EAC and the ministry). The central ministry defended the position of the advisor which shows how poorly the EAC functions,’ SANDRP’s Thakkar stated, adding how the committee lacks members with an independent track record who are not retired government officials or allied with the government. ‘Muck generation, transportation and disposal can significantly impact the environment, if not managed properly,’ said Thakkar. ‘Typically, when millions of cubic meters of muck are created, they dump it into local rivers,’ adding that such practices will further exacerbate the environmental vulnerability of the region. https://www.adaniwatch.org/pumped_hydro_adani_s_2_billion_pumped_hydro_projects_to_impact_biodiversity_hotspot (18 July 2024)
Kolhapur villagers oppose Adani PSP Residents of nearly 110 villages in Kolhapur have opposed the pumped hydropower project coming up at Anjiwade village, in Kudal tehsil of Sindhudrug district. The project will utilise the water from the Patgaon dam located at a height in the Bhudargad tehsil, through tunnels or pipes. The water discharged after power generation will be collected in the lower reservoir and pumped back to Bhudargad. The state govt had signed a MoU with Adani Green Energy Ltd in June 2022 for the Patgaon project. The company will spend nearly Rs 7,000 crore to set up the 2,100 Mw project.
Villagers from Bhudargad and nearby areas have formed the Patgaon Dharan Pani Bachao Kruti Samiti, the forum of the local activists and politicians, to stop the project. They met the Bhudargad tehsildar on Dec 18, 2023, and Kolhapur resident DC Sanjay Teli on Dec 19. On Dec 20, the villagers will hold a protest at Gargoti to raise their objections. Also, the villagers plan to pass resolutions against the project in their respective gram panchayat meetings and to convey their objection to the state govt.
The major apprehension is that most people do not know the details of the project. “The survey at the Patgaon dam has been started by the company, and civil works have started at Anjiwade. There was no public hearing on the project before the permission was granted,” said Samrat More, the convenor of the forum. “This year, due to low rainfall and limited availability of water, the WRD imposed a ban on pumping water from the dam and its canals for irrigation in Dec itself. We want priority of water utilisation set,” said More. The activists told Teli that the company has acquired 140 ha in Sindhudurg dist for the project. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolhapur/https/example-com/kolhapur-villagers-oppose-adani-hydropower-project/articleshow/106140260.cms (20 Dec. 2023)
Work on PSP is on, say protesters after site visit A delegation of Patgaon Dharan Pani Bachav Samiti members visited the backwaters of the Patgaon dam on Dec 21 2023) & found that preliminary works have already been initiated by the Adani Green Energy Ltd. This disproved the claims of the water resources and revenue dept officials, who had said that no work of the pumped hydropower project at Patgaon dam, in Bhudargad tehsil, had started. Prakash Abitkar, Shiv Sena MLA of Bhudargad, and villagers are opposing the project. Patgaon dam is the only water source for the hilly tehsil. The lower reservoir of the project is coming up at Anjiwade village in Kudal tehsil of Sindhudurg dist. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolhapur/work-on-hydropower-project-is-on-say-protesters-after-site-visit/articleshow/106197901.cms (22 Dec 2023)
Andhra Pradesh PSPs spark concerns over tribal displacement & environmental harm Five PSPs are facing accusations of violating laws designed to protect tribal communities and forest rights. There are growing concerns that tribal communities may face displacement and disenfranchisement, while the environment may suffer significant harm. Allocations for these projects, with a combined capacity of 6,600 MW, were granted to private companies by the New and Renewable Energy Development Corp of Andhra Pradesh Ltd (NREDCAP), during the YSR Congress party govt’s tenure during 2019-2024.
These projects include the Kurukutti PSP (1,200 MW) in Salur mandal and the Karrivalasa PSP (1,000 MW) in Pachipenta mandal – both in Parvathipuram Manyam district. The Pedakota PSP in the Ananthagiri mandal of the Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district had its capacity increased from 1,500 MW to 1,800 MW in Aug 2024. In the ASR dist, Shirdi Sai Electricals has been allocated the Yerravaram PSP (1,200 MW) in Chintapalli and Koyyuru mandals, while the Aditya Birla Group has been allocated the Gujjili PSP (1,400 MW) in Ananthagiri mandal. “We are shocked at the brazen manner in which these projects have been granted in open contempt of the law and various constitutional provisions applicable in the fifth schedule region. These include both the PESA [Andhra Pradesh Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas Rules] and the FRA [Forest Rights Act],” stated G. Rohit, state secretary of the Human Rights Forum (HRF) Andhra Pradesh. https://thewire.in/environment/andhra-pradesh-pumped-storage-projects-spark-concerns-over-tribal-displacement-and-environmental-harm/ (06 Dec. 2024)
Karnataka Sharavathi PSP slammed Prof T V Ramachandra of IISc questioned the project pointing out that the ecology of the area is already fragile, “All sensible people, including me, will oppose the project. We can’t take more risks in ecologically sensitive areas. We have already burnt our fingers in Wayanad of Kerala, in Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru and Shirur in Uttar Kannada district. Why should we make the same mistakes?” IISc had studied the area between 2000 and 2003 and submitted a report to the state govt which said any such project will cause irreparable damage to the ecological balance in the region. State Western Ghats Task former chairman Anant Hegde Ashisara said that the project must not be approved. https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/greens-slam-sharavathi-hydro-pumped-storage-plant-3150887 (15 Aug. 2024) The controversial Rs 8005 Cr Sharavathy PSP will include blasting and movement of heavy machinery in the Sharavathi Lion Tailed Macaque Sanctuary and felling at least 14,000 trees of evergreen forest in the heart of the Western Ghats. The 2,000 MW project proposed by the Karnataka Power Corp Ltd requires 153 ha of which about 52.62 ha is forest land spread over Honnavar, Shivamogga Wildlife and Sagar divisions. https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/sharavathy-project-will-need-drilling-blasting-in-western-ghats-3305764 (6 Dec 2024) Sharavathi River is facing fresh threats as the govt pushes a 2000 MW pump storage project. The govt also wants to divert 15 TMC water from the Linganamakki reservoir on the Sharavathi to supply water for Bengaluru, which was stalled after opposition from activists and people in 2019. The aim is to lift this water 1,500 feet and pump it to travel 430 km to reach Bengaluru. https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/sharavathis-survival-at-stake-3300825 (3 Dec 2024)
ISFR shows loss of forest cover in western ghats -In fact, Shivamogga — where the govt is aggressively pushing for a pumped storage project, widening of highways, and mini-hydel units — has witnessed rampant destruction of forest cover. A total of 74.5 sqkm of forest cover in Shivamogga has been lost, the report revealed. Close on the heels of Shivamogga is Belagavi district with a loss of 24.9 sqkm. In Belagavi, the state govt is “bargaining” over a deal with Goa for the implementation of the Mahadayi water project in exchange for land for the latter state’s power transmission project. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/forest-loss-in-karnatakas-western-ghats-region-alarming-report/articleshow/116640127.cms (25 Dec. 2024)
Eastern Ghats Revoke clearance for PSPs As the Eastern Ghats are as ecologically sensitive as the Western Ghats are, I request your Ministry to intervene urgently and revoke clearance for all such projects, before they lead to ecological disasters. All those projects will drain the locally available scarce water resources on which tribal communities critically depend and to allow such projects to come up would adversely affect their lives. by E A S Sarma https://countercurrents.org/2024/10/revoke-clearance-for-pumped-storage-projects-being-set-up-by-the-adani-group-and-others-in-the-eastern-ghats-as-they-will-lead-to-ecological- (16 Oct 2024)
Rajasthan Baran officials stand against FC for Shahpur PSP In the meeting of Baran District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (Disha) held under the chairmanship of MP Dushyant Singh, voices emerged against the construction of Greenko Energy’s proposed hydro power plant in Shahabad area. In the meeting, MLAs present including MP Dushyant Singh said that we do not want electricity in exchange for cutting 1.5 lakh trees.
In the meeting held in the Mini Secretariat, discussions were going on about providing water to the proposed (1800 Mw) Greenko hydro plant. Dushyant Singh said that on the one hand Cheetahs are being settled in Kuno and on the other, there is talk of cutting down dense forests with rare trees. All public representatives unanimously opposed the Greenco Project. https://firstindia.co.in/news/india/baran-officials-stand-against-forest-clearance-for-hydro-plant (25 Nov 2024)
Opinion What’s wrong with PSPs push? Article by SANDRP coordinator about hydropower and pump storage projects in India. Since solar and wind projects provide power intermittently depending on the availability of the sun or wind, there is a need to store the power to make it available when solar or wind power cannot be generated. That is how more hydro projects and now Pumped Storage projects (PSP) are justified. The Union Ministry of Power’s (MoP) April 2023 guidelines on PSPs describes these projects as “clean, green, safe, and non-explosive” and an “environment-friendly” option. No credible independent studies are provided for these sweeping claims. The fact is that when a major infrastructure intervention like PSP is taken up, it will have significant social and environment impacts. The claims are clearly wrong. https://psuwatch.com/opinion/damn-it-whats-wrong-with-indias-hydropower-push (27 March 2024)
Compiled by Bhim Singh Rawat (bhim.sandrp@gmail.com)
SANDRP 