Hydroelectric projects harming rivers: Experts
October 30th, 2011 - 9:47 pm ICT by IANSLucknow, Oct 30 (IANS) A two-day national conference on the impact of climate change on India’s rivers that ended here Sunday has called for discouraging the setting up of hydro-electric projects to conserve water resources.
“We have prepared a comprehensive document and shaped it as a memorandum which would be presented to the prime minister and other concerned people,” climate scientist from Indian Institute of Science-Bangalore, Satyendra Tripathi, the organising secretary of the conference, told IANS.
The conference was organised by Bhartiyam Science Society, Manoyog and Save Ganga Save Heritage organisations. More than 50 scientists from various institues and social workers participated in the event.
In a resolution, the conference demanded that hydro-projects in future should be discouraged and non-conventional sources of energy be harnessed.
“All over the world, opinion is now veering around the belief that the environmental costs of huge dams is too high. Micro-projects should therefore be promoted,” the resolution said.
Delegates also called for a ban on mining of sand in river basins.
“River soil and silt help reduce pollution, absorb toxic and hazardous substances that contaminate the water,” the document added.
Tripathi explained how climate change was impacting India’s rivers.
“The exploding population has raised the pressure on river water resources, reducing the quantity of usable water,” he said.
He added that by 2040, “most of the green cover and forest in this region will be impacted by climate change and the situation will become disastrous”.
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