Greens up in arms against hydel power project
Some years ago, the area was resonating with the voices of birds and animals. But now the movement of tipper, trucks and jeeps is common. The deafening sounds of blasting rocks with the explosives are heard up to 20 km. All these are indications of the end of the Western Ghats, noted greens.
In Sakleshpur taluk alone 11 hydel projects are sanctioned by the government. Every project is consuming around hundreds of thick forests. If all the projects were implemented the Western Ghats would be completely lost.
When a team of journalists visited a project site at Hongadahalla, two mini-hydel projects-Hongadahalla and Bettakumari are taken by building a dam across Hongadahalla stream. This project is not at all beneficial for public.
The power generated by private people will be sold to private companies. And for this project, the government has given 90 per cent subsidy on the project cost.
Those companies show exaggerated amount as project cost and take subsidy worth crores of rupees. The power generated here will be sold at higher rates, argued environmentalists.
They alleged that two mini-hydel projects are given to Maruti Power Generator India Private Limited, an-Andhra Pradesh-based company. Although, this company has been given 25 acres of forest, the implementation of two projects would destroy hundreds of acres of forests.
Already, 25 acres forests had been destroyed to lay road and the 11 km tunnel work is on. Already, 200 mtrs of tunnel work is complete. The further work is on by blasting rocks with explosives. The sound was disturbing birds and animals.
The construction of tunnel would result in drying of forests. To transport the generated power from the unit the company has to put up the hi-tension wire and this would destroy further hundreds of acres.
The company staff questioned the team of press persons near the site. After seeing the number, the staff members became silent.
They switched off the generator when the team members wanted to go inside the tunnel. After coming to know that the team members included officials of Department of Forests and Wildlife Protection Committee, the generator was switched on.
But no officer was ready to talk to press persons regarding the project.