Baglihar hydropower project in Chenab valley a disaster in waiting

DODA: The Baglihar Hydroelectric Power Project in the Chenab valley region is turning into a potential threat for the people of the area as the stagnant water in the dam is leading to sinking of land at various places

Updated At : 06:07 AM Apr 25, 2015 IST

<div>The Baglihar Dam on the Chenab in Doda district. A Tribune File photo</div>

Amir Karim Tantray

Tribune News Service

Doda, April 24

The Baglihar Hydroelectric Power Project in the Chenab valley region is turning into a potential threat for the people of the area as the stagnant water in the dam is leading to sinking of land at various places.

The water in the dam has entered the loose soil and experts fear of a huge disaster in the near future.

Experts believe that the effects were visible as most of the areas with loose soil in the region were sinking. Few places are on the verge of submerging.

Recent torrential rain increased the threat with landslides on both the sides of the Chenab becoming a routine affair and many areas have been declared unsafe for living.

Construction on the 900-Mega Watt Baghliar project near the Chanderkote area of Ramban district was started in 1999. The first phase of 450 MW was commissioned in October 2008. It was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The root cause of the problem is believed to be the 15-km Baglihar dam, which is threatening the existence of the area.

Since the project was commissioned, climatic conditions in the area have changed and Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed echoed the concern in the Legislative Assembly during the just concluded Budget Session.

The onus lies on the government. Before constructing the 900-MW Baghliar project dam and preparing the detailed project report no geological survey was carried out, putting millions of lives in danger, alleged a geological expert.

He claimed the government didn’t go for geological survey, which was mandatory for such project before the start of the work.

“The Environment Impact Assessment and Environment Management Plan are the two surveys which have to be conducted before the start of work on any hydroelectric project. In case of the Baghliar project, no such survey was carried out,” said GM Bhat, a geological expert.

“At that time we protested, but no one paid any heed,” he added.

Bhat alleged that the government might have got the survey reports after the completion of the project from somewhere else and no such survey was conducted on ground.

He said before the construction of the dam, rocks were visible on both sides of the river. “But now, when the water level has increased and become stagnant rocks are nowhere to be seen and water has entered the loose soil,” Bhat said.

He said the root cause of frequent landslides and sinking of land in Doda district on both the sides of the dam was due to the stagnant water. “When water enters the loose soil, the area starts to sink and there are frequent landslides. This is happening on ground and it will continue till water remains stagnant. Cracks are developing in the higher reaches as well. Incessant rain in the recent past aggravated the situation,” Bhat said.

He also attributed sinking of the Batote-Doda national highway to the stagnant water in the dam.

“It is certainly a huge disaster in waiting. The only way to address the issue is to stop the Baghliar Power Project,” he added.

People in the area are also of the same opinion. “We should have protested the project at the beginning. But we were not aware of its demerits at that point of time. If the project is not stopped it could lead to huge disaster,” said PDP’s Shuhab-ul-Haq Butt.