RESETTLEMENT AND REHABILITATION OF DISPLACED PERSONS IN HYDROPOWER PROJECTS - A HOLISTIC APPROACH

摘要

Globally, the vast untapped hydropower potential lies in developing countries. In the Indian context the present hydro thermal ratio is 25:75 which is much below the ideal ratio of 40:60. The advantages of hydropower stations are well recognised. Hydropower is pollution free and environmentally benign electricity. Hydro stations can be started and stopped instantaneously and help in stabilising the grid. Thus the need of the hour is to harness the hydropower. The diversion structures associated with hydropower project may cause submergence of land and displacement of people may be involved which is not significant in case of run-of-the river schemes. Recently there has been a lot of hue and cry against construction of dams. Authors have tried to highlight in this paper that the displacement of people due to the construction of hydropower project is not as alarming as being projected and to substantiate the same, the factual position of displacement of people and Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) aspects implemented in various projects by National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) have been illustrated. The projects considered are Chamera-1, Tanakpur, Uri, Rangit, Dhauliganga, Chamera-Ⅱ, Teesta Ⅴ, Loktak Downstream, Koel Karo and Parbati Ⅱ. The R&R packages adopted at these projects and the benefits accrued to the area where the project is located have also been brought out based upon the studies conducted. NHPC has taken these R&R issues in an earnest manner and tried its best to minimize the adverse effects of displacement and has also evaluated social and economic benefits of some of the projects. It has been found that in NHPC projects, number of families displaced per MW of installed capacity of power is 1.69 and number of families displaced per ha of submergence area is 0.31. Authors have briefly examined the Final Report of the World Commission on Dams( WCD) "Dams and development: A new framework for decision making" in Indian perspective and have concluded that dams are needed for development of developing countries. However, the project proponents should be sensitive to the needs of people to be rehabilitated and a holistic approach should be adopted.