A brief note on Athirappilly issue:

After the Save Silent Valley Movement of the 1980s which led to the declaration of the pristine area in the Western Ghats as a National Park by none other than the most environmentally conscious Prime Minister India has ever had; Smt Indira Gandhi, the highly environment conscious state of Kerala is once again engaged in a struggle to save the 144 km small but heavily dammed Chalakudy River, her magnificent Waterfalls – the Athirappilly Waterfalls and rapids and her unique biodiversity rich forests and highest fish diversity among Western Ghats rivers from further destruction by a seventh large dam , the 163 MW Athirappilly Hydro Electric project.

The Athirappilly hydro-electric project proposal involves a 23meter high, 311 meter long dam at about 500 meters above Vazhachal waterfalls and two powerhouses, the main one along the banks of Kannamkuzhi thodu that joins the river about 8kms below the dam site and about 2kms below the Athirappilly falls and the second one about 50 meters below the dam (Dam toe powerhouse. The installed capacity of the project will be 163 Megawatts and the average annual energy output according to Central Electricity Authority will be 233Million units (which is only 16% of the installed capacity). The proposed project requires 138.6 hectares of Reserve Forest area (as per the Kerala State Electricity Board -KSEB) including a submergence of 104Ha.
 

The ecological losses and impacts

The area falls within the Anamudi Elephent Reserve No.9 of the Project Elephant. Vital elephant corridor between the ParambikulamWLS and Idamala-Pooyamkutty forests will be submerged. With the upper reaches of the river converted into a chain of reservoirs, wildlife movement especially that of elephants is already badly affected. The proposed project area and its river stretch is the last in the forested catchment that ensures connectivity between the adjacent forests. Here too all other elephant routes, except that at Anakayam were lost due to earlier dams.

The loss of biodiversity-rich low elevation riparian forest is one of the most important ecological losses. Studies show that the 28.4Ha stretch that will be submerged if the dam comes up is habitat to more than 60% of the plant species seen in the entire Sholayar forests. This is even more significant given the fact that major portion of the river stretch and with it, the riparian forests above the project site have already been lost to the six existing dams.

The dam site and surrounding area is a bird’s paradise. As high as 264 species of birds including many rare, endangered and threatened species are spotted here in various bird surveys. All four types of hornbills living in the Kerala part of Western Ghats are seen here. Infact the project area is the only known breeding site of the globally threatened Malabar Pied Hornbill.

The National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR) has identified Chalakudy river as one of the rivers with highest fish diversity. The river has 104fish species, five among which, first identified from this river. Two critically endangered fish sp found only in this river have been located at the dam site

In an era when developed countries are attaching high priority to conserve indigenous communities, we remain insensitive to their plight. The proposed project threatens the life and livelihoods of two settlements of Kadar, a primitive tribe seen along the forested area in this river basin only. The two settlements have a population of above 250 which is about 1/6th of the entire remaining population of these tribes.
 

It is hard to believe that anybody in their right senses would think of destroying the wonders of nature - the magnificent waterfalls at Athirappilly and Vazhachal. Unfortunately, if the proposed project is implemented, the fate of the Athirappilly waterfalls will be the same as that of the Jog Falls in Sharavati River in Karnataka; the beauty of the two waterfalls will be lost forever. As per the project documents, almost 80% of water from the dam will be diverted through tunnels and will be lost to the falls. The authorities are proposing a meagre release of 7650 liters/sec through the dam toe powerhouse in to the river. This will only be a trickle when compared to the present dimensions of the waterfalls for most of the time. The consequent impact on tourism will affect the livelihood of a large number of poor families of the locality and will have adverse impact on the economy of the surrounding areas.

Due to the extreme daily flow, fluctuations to be created by the peaking operations of the new project the downstream users of this river will be denied the benefits they are now enjoying. The operation of Thumboormuzhi irrigation scheme (Chalakudy River Diversion Scheme- CRDS), which depends on steady flows from upstream, will be adversely affected. This will result in severe water shortage, both for irrigation and drinking water supply, in about 20 local self-governments, affecting hundred-thousands of people.

The project, in all probability, will be the least efficient hydroelectric project in the country. Even though it has an installed capacity of 163MW, the actual electricity availability will be hardly 16% according to the Central Electricty Authority - CEA. However, the Kerala State Electricity Board-KSEB has hidden certain vital facts including a possible reduction in electricity generation at an adjacent station (Idamalayar Hydor Electric Project). When these factors are also considered, the efficiency will go down to about 10-12% only. Electricity generated from this station (if implemented) will cost any where above Rs.8/unit. If you add the social and ecological costs to this, the actual cost of electricity will be exorbitantly high.
 

Long history of people’s movement and legal intervention

The struggle against this destructive project dates back to more than twenty years and has become a people’s movement since 2005. This perhaps is the first time that every aspect of a hydroelectric project is subjected to a thorough public scrutiny (in spite of the project proponents - the Kerala State Electricity Board- trying to hide vital documents and information from the public). The movement against the dam is unique in the sense that apart from environmentalists and affected people, larger social groups including political parties, community based organizations etc. are now increasingly seen on the side opposing a dam project.

The Kerala High Court had twice intervened in the issue by suspending and then quashing the Environmental Clearance granted to the project in 2001 and 2006 respectively. In both the cases, mandatory Public Hearings as per the EIA Notification 1994 under which this project is considered were held only due to the timely intervention of the Court. On both the occasions’ representatives of local self-governments, people in the river valley, Kadar tribes living in the Project affected area and experts in ecology, hydrology, fisheries and even youth and students had opposed the project with facts and data.
 

The issue has reached a critical stage:

Inspite of all the above, the KSEB managed to gain Environmental Clearance to the project for a third time in July 2007. In a recent development, in 2010 January, the honorable minister Shri Jairam Ramesh issued show cause notice to the KSEB seeking reasons for not revoking the Environmental Clearance granted to the proposed Project in 2007. The Minister has indeed taken a just decision after evaluating the high biodiversity significance of the Athirappilly - Vazhachal area and the impact on the primitive hunter-gatherer Kadar tribes living in the project impact area. Infact Shri Jairam Ramesh has rightly pointed out that Athirappilly is another Silent Valley when he visited Kerala for the Coastal Management Zone -CMZ  Public Consultation in February. The Minister however generously allowed the KSEB one more chance to present their response before the River Valley Committee (RVC). However, the RVC and KSEB are trying to sabotage the just and learned decision of Shri Jairam Ramesh and turn the tables in their favour.
 

Athirappilly Project would impact river revival efforts:

Several experts have pointed out that Chalakudy River being one of the better studied rivers in India and with more than two third area of the catchment under Forest Department (though in a highly fragmented state due to dams and plantations), chances of participatory restoration of the river are higher compared to other rivers.

Considering the uniqueness of the river basin and considering the increasing global level policy significance to maintain the environmental flows of rivers, we have been constantly appealing to the Government to take steps to revive this river basin as a sample case for India rather than aiding its further destruction. For the last five years, we have been working among communities in the Chalakudy river basin for the evolution of a participatory and decentralized river restoration plan which is a unique venture even to India.

Unfortunately, the Athirappilly dam project would destroy any chances of river restoration efforts.

This is a case where the Project Proponents, the River Valley Committee of the MoEF and the Kerala State Pollution Control Board have been trying to make a mockery of the environmental governance process in the country

The Athirappilly movement is a movement for all the rivers, forests and people.

Chalakudy River is worth saving!
Ecologically, socially and politically.

Are you waiting for the future generation to blame you for not taking any efforts to save a river ?
write to us to find out more details on how you can join us in this movement.