SUPPORT മാധവ് ഗാഡ്ഗില് കമ്മിറ്റി റിപ്പോര്ട്ട്
the permission for the proposed hydro-electric project at Athirappilly | |||||||||
Considering (1) the biodiversity richness, the high conservation value, highly significant | |||||||||
fish fauna with type locality of five new species and as many as 22 endemic and 9 critically | |||||||||
endangered species, the bird fauna with 75% of the endemics of the Western Ghats, and the | |||||||||
unique riverine ecosystem not seen in other areas in the State, (2) the impact of the project | |||||||||
on the biodiversity and the ecosystem, some of which may be irreparable, (3) the impact on | |||||||||
downstream irrigation and drinking water, (4) the questionable technical feasibility of the | |||||||||
project, (5) the meagre amount of power that could be generated from the project, (6) impact | |||||||||
on the habitats of the primitive Kadar tribes of the area, (7) the high cost of construction | |||||||||
even without considering the ecosystem services and environmental cost, and (8) the | |||||||||
judgment of the honourable High Court of Kerala made on 17 October 2001 directing the | |||||||||
KSEB to “take all necessary steps to repair and restore to full capacity , all the existing | |||||||||
Hydro Electric Projects to ensure that the generation of power as envisaged is obtained and | |||||||||
also to take steps to ensure that transmission losses are minimized and that theft of energy | |||||||||
is prevented and to the extent possible eliminated altogether”, the WGEEP recommends to | |||||||||
the MoEF that the Athirapilly -Vazhachal area should be protected as such and the | |||||||||
permission for the proposed hydro-electric project at Athirappilly should not be given. The | |||||||||
WGEEP further recommends that the Chalakudy River should be declared as a fish diversity | |||||||||
rich area, to be managed on the pattern of ‘Conservation of biodiversity rich areas of | |||||||||
Udumbanchola taluka’ in Kerala. |