The Silent Valley Hydroelectric Project was dropped in the face of worldwide opposition and appeals to preserve it as an international heritage site. This led to the formation of the 89 sq. km. Silent Valley National Park in 1984 and its eventual inclusion as the core area of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
The Pathrakadavu project is now proposed just 3.5 km. downstream of the original site at Sairandhi. The new site is just 500 m. away from the park boundary. The 64.5 m. high and 275 m. long dam, with a proposed installed capacity of 70 MW, is planned across the Kunti river, which originates in Silent Valley. The project is to be located across a steep gorge below Nilikkal, where the river flows rapidly towards the Mannarkkad plains. The project's ‘rapid' Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report claims that 22.16 ha. of forest will be lost.
The EIA was carried out from January to May 2003 by Thiruvananthapuram-based Environmental Resources Research Centre. The project cost is estimated to be Rs. 247.06 crores (1999 estimates). Though the project might now be situated outside the Silent Valley National Park, it will still have severe negative impacts on flora and fauna. The dam will severely reduce the flow in the Kunti, the only remaining perennial tributary of the dying Bharathapuzha river, all other tributaries of which have been dammed and diverted. The Kunti continues to flow solely because of the water harvesting role played by Silent Valley and large populations downstream depend on it for drinking water, irrigation and domestic use. The drying of the Bharathapuzha has led to recurring drought in Palakkad and this new dam will make matters worse.
The proposed dam site is in the southwest buffer zone of the park, in the Thenkara Range of Mannarkkad Forest Division. The park's buffer areas are already under severe stress due to forest fires, encroachments and plantations. The 1,100 strong estimated workforce, construction of approach roads, etc. will inevitably lead to a vast increase in disturbance in and around the park. As has been seen in countless other similar instances, poaching, tree felling, fires and noise, air and water pollution will result.
The Nilikkal area where the dam is due to come up is a critical wildlife area and home to Nilgiri langur, lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri tahr and several other endangered species. Aside from these ecological impacts, there is serious doubt over the project's economic and technical viability. The cost of power is projected to be six to eight rupees per unit. Yet, the cash-strapped Kerala State Electricity Board is presently unable to purchase power from operating thermal power stations at four rupees per unit! Interestingly, the state has 30 per cent transmission and distribution losses. Instead of investing scarce funds in new projects, these losses need to be brought down to reasonable levels first.
The project reports have also quoted false figures of the water flow in the river. A 1982 government report estimated the annual run off yield of the Kunti at 293 mcum. However, the rapid EIA in 2003 puts the same at 498.25 mcum! Even if the entire 84 sq. km. project catchment area were to drain through the river (which is impossible), the maximum run-off would still be only 420 mcum. only. If basic hydrological figures are false, either deliberately or through incompetence, what hope can we have for the project as a whole?
Please take a few minutes to understand and then lend your name to scrap the Pathrakadavu hydroelectric project and protect the people of Kerala, its biodiversity and the Kunti and Bharathpuzha rivers.You can take the first step by writing a polite letter along the lines suggested and posting it to the parties concerned.
