Environmental News from India:
- A month ago, Lohari village in Uttarakhand was submerged in the waters of the reservoir built as part of the upcoming Vyasi hydropower project.
- While monetary compensation is offered to the village residents, they are demanding land in return for land that has been taken for the project. The village residents primarily depend on farming and livestock rearing for their livelihood.
- The hydropower project is expected to be crucial for electricity generation. However, the residents claim that while this electricity is supplied to cities, there is no concern for people who have lost their homes and livelihood in places where the dams are in fact, built.
Sukhpal Singh Tomar, 53, a resident of Lohari village in Uttarakhand and a teacher by profession, narrates the incident that led to the loss of his home. “It will be nearly a month after the submergence of the village, but the villagers could not forget what happened to them. Our village is a tribal village, and it is said that our village was home to Pandavas (Hindu mythological characters). Even today, we follow Pandavas traditions.”
Around a month ago, on April 11, in Lohari village, home to indigenous communities of Uttarakhand’s Jaunsar-Bawar region, homes, farmlands, and cowsheds were submerged in the waters of the reservoir built as part of the Vyasi hydropower project. The 120-megawatt Vyasi Hydroelectric Project proposed to be constructed in the Dehradun district of the hill state is part of the 420 MW Lakhwar-Vyasi project, the biggest hydroelectric dam complex on the Yamuna River and will address electricity requirements. The project with a proposed installation of 120 MW is expected to generate an annual energy generation of 375.22 MU in a 90% dependable year.
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Source: Mongabay