NEW DELHI: Civil society organisations have called for a complete moratorium on all mega infrastructure projects in the High Himalayas and sought a multi-disciplinary review of the impacts of existing projects.
A coalition of the organisations, the People for Himalaya, released a charter of demands on Friday.
“A top-down model of development and governance cannot work for the region which has its unique topography, culture and lifestyle,” climate activist Sonam Wangchuk said at a meeting of the coalition on Friday.
Wangchuk recently observed a 21-day fast to ensure Ladakh is included in the sixth schedule so that locals have a say in planning and policymaking for the region.
Among its demands, the coalition has sought democratic decision-making through referendums and public consultation on large infrastructure by strengthening the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification 1994, scrapping of the EIA 2020 Amendments & Forest Conservation Amendment Act 2023; free prior informed consent of gram sabhas to be mandatory for all developmental projects; and a just implementation of 2013 Right to Fair Compensation and Rehabilitation Act.
Mayalmit Lepcha, from Affected Citizens of Teesta, and Mohan Saikia from the North East Dialogue forum expressed serious concerns about the ecological impacts of massive hydropower development proposed on the Brahmaputra and its river basins allegedly without the consent of local indigenous communities.
{{/usCountry}}Mayalmit Lepcha, from Affected Citizens of Teesta, and Mohan Saikia from the North East Dialogue forum expressed serious concerns about the ecological impacts of massive hydropower development proposed on the Brahmaputra and its river basins allegedly without the consent of local indigenous communities.
{{/usCountry}}“The far-reaching impacts of these infrastructures are manifested in the form of floods whose impacts go right up to the downstream,” Saikia said at the meeting.
The demand for a complete halt on mega infrastructures like large dams, railway and four-lanes given the underground invasion and muck generation was also echoed by Guman Singh from the Himalaya Niti Abhiyan, and Atul Sati of Joshimath Bachao Sangharsh Samiti.
Wildlife Biologist Tsewang Namgial and glaciologist Smriti Basnett raised concerns about the loss of biodiversity and glacial health in the High Himalaya region.
“Mountains do not need this development which is hasty, haughty and haphazard,” said Namgial. The charter of demands will be shared with political parties ahead of elections, the coalition members said.
“Ladakh has become like a colony. Some commissioners from a far-off place with no link with local people or ecology are trying to run this place. Ladakh is in fact like Mars. Imagine someone, say from Lucknow, trying to make policies for the region. They wouldn’t understand and they will end up making big mistakes, cause irreparable damage to our valleys, mountains,” Wangchuk added.
“We are seeing what is happening in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim. We wish to prevent that ecological disaster,” Wangchuk had said in an online public meeting last week.