Dear Friends,
The Odisha govt. and OHPC today signed agreement with the NHPC for three hydro electric plants on the Mahanadi at Deogaon, Kapasira and Godhaneswar. The plants will generate 320 MW of electricity. (Details of the project, as available in the OHPC website, have been pasted at bottom of this message).
No doubt these are small plants and will be comparatively less destructive compared to the coal fired plants being aggressively promoted by the govt. in the state. However, these projects too have socio-economic and ecological consequences and hence have not been free from controversies. These are not new plans either. Successive governments have been planning to go ahead with these but due to local opposition they never succeeded.
Water Initiatives Odisha (WIO) raises its own concerns on these projects, as follows:
1. There has not been any public consultation on these projects so far. Before putting the MoU into action, the govt. must resort to the system free prior informed consent to discuss the project, its impacts and benefits to the local people thread bare with the local people and other affected communities.
2. Locals had earlier opposed that this project might submerge the world famous leaning Huma temple. The govt. should clarify if this apprehension is going to come true or not. Or else, we are sure, religious sentiments of lakhs of devotees will be hurt.
3. Odisha is supposed to be a power surplus state. We cannot see any justification as to why more power projects are required which will submerge fertile agricultural land, displace people and affect local ecology. Why not the govt. first prepare a 'power vision' for the state and then decide on any new projects. We also urge upon the state to stop the blind agenda of coal fired power plants that are going to spell doom to the state's ecology and water resources.
4. The areas, where these three power plants are to come up, badly need irrigation. Therefore we urge upon the state government to provide irrigation coverage from small storage/harvesting or lifting facilities build along the rivers that wont require any devastation that would be brought by the hydroelectric projects, and provide power to the locality from the existing power generation facilities of the state?
Hope the govt. will take positive note of these genuine concerns and will take prompt action.
Truly,
Ranjan Panda
Convenor, Water Initiatives Odisha
Cell: 09437050103
SIONDOL COMPLEX H.E. PROJECT
Sindol Power Complex comprises of three nos. of run off river schemes on the downstream of Hirakud Dam, The scheme will utilise the drop in river bed above 14 Mt. 26 Mt. & 18 Mt. at Sindol I,II & III respectively, with in a span of 95 Km from Chipilima P.H. and regulate the water release and spill water from Hirakud Reservoir of Power Generation. The total estimated cost of the complex is Rs.2431.70 Cr. ( as per 2006 PER). on implementation, the complex would yield 1084.28 GWH annually and add peaking capacity upto 300 MW to the Stat Grid. The major features of these three schemes are furnished below:
Deogaon Project (Sindol-1) : § A Barrage of length 811.5 M with design discharge of 37600 Cumecs. § Intake cum Power House accommodating 3 x 30 MW Unit § 220 KV Switchyard in left bank with three number of feeders. Kapasira Project (Sindol-2) : § A barrage of length 919.5 M with design flood discharge 38600 Cumecs. § Right and left marginal embankment of length 7 Km and 4 Km respectively. § Intake cum Power House accommodating 3 x 30 MW Units. § 220 KV Switchyard in left bank with 2 number of feeders. § A Barrage of length 1017.5M with design flood discharge 45100 Cumecs. § No mariginal embankement mentioned. § Intake cum Power House accommodating 4 x 30 MW Units . § 220 KV Switchyard on left bank with 2 numbers of feeder. PRESENT STATUS WAPCOS suggested to take up the work of Surveys related to topographic,socio-economic, property and R & R plan etc. to be carried out for the area which is coming under submergences for Sindol-1 H.E. Project before taking up the work preparation of DPR for Sindol-1 H.E. Project. OHPC had requested WAPCOS for submitting their financial proposal for carrying out of these works. The basis cost for carrying of these studies by WAPCOS as worked out would be Rs. 13.00 Lakhs ( service tax extra) and the time involved would be 6-8 months. WAPCOS had explored the possibility of getting the work done from outside agencies. In this connection, the matter was discussed with M/s Green C a company engaged in similar works by WAPCOS who have quoted Rs. 7.5 Lakhs + service tax with a completion period of 2 months. Hence there is a savings both in terms of money and time. The matter has been discussed in the 79th OHPC Board Meeting held on 15.12.2006, whwrein it was discussed to take up the project with NHPC. The same has been moved to Govt. of Orissa for necessary action vide this office letter No. 876 dt. 05.02.07. Meanwhile OHPC had requested NHPC/WAPCOS to submit DPR. NHPC denied. Preliminary offer received from WAPCOS. Our views have been intimated to them & reply awaited. (Source: http://www.ohpcltd. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Water Initiatives Odisha: Fighting water woes, combating climate change... more than two decades now!
R-3/A-4, J. M. Colony, Budharaja
Sambalpur 768 004, Odisha, INDIA
Mobile: +919437050103
Email: ranjanpanda@gmail.com,
Mobile: +919437050103
Email: ranjanpanda@gmail.com,
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