CHANDIGARH: At a time when the Himalayan states are facing heavy devastation caused by repeated landslides, glacial bursts, avalanches, cloudbursts and flash floods, environmentalists have warned government officials that the time has come for them to We should start worrying about the Gross Environmental Product (GEP). ) in addition to gross domestic product (GDP). They also underscore the need to shift from hydroelectric projects to hydrokinetic power generation as the former are not carbon neutral.
Dehradun-based Padma Bhushan awardee environmentalist Anil Prakash Joshi told TOI that now the question is of life and not just environmental protection. “States are concerned about their GDP, but have they ever thought about Gross Environmental Product to protect the environment?” The founder of the Himalaya Environmental Studies and Conservation Organization questions Joshi. He says that the four pillars of the GEP are – increase in forest cover, amount of protected rainwater, focus on improving air quality and steps taken to conserve soil.
Joshi warned that we should not misuse the mountains only for the development or promotion of tourism activities as these mountains are the most vulnerable and major accidents are inevitable. Also, people should not come along with construction near rivers, streams or the flow of glaciers, he says. Emphasizing on increasing forest cover, he says the results of the recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are not surprising as such incidents of devastation in the mountains have been happening for the past decade. He advises that development activities such as buildings, roads, hydropower Projects should be undertaken with utmost care and planning.
Shifting from hydroelectricity to hydrokinetic power generation
Environmentalist and activist Kulbhushan Upamanyu, founder of Himalaya Bachao Samiti Situated in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh, the idea that our governments have opted for a faulty development model is that we need to redesign apart from slowing down the pace of construction to save the environment.
Advocating that energy generation should be carbon neutral, he says, “The hydro power generation process is not carbon neutral because the green cover is destroyed in the construction process of hydroelectric projects.” In the process, flooding causes the biomaterial to come down and decompose in an anaerobic decomposition process, producing methane, which is far more dangerous than carbon dioxide, he said.
“Himachal Pradesh, Only” Chandrabhaga Valley was left and there are now 10-12 hydroelectric projects proposed. Emphasizing the need for a review of this decision, Upamanyu says that like the United States and some other developed countries, we need to move to hydrokinetic technology of power generation, which involves small turbines of up to 60 megawatts flowing through a river or its own. are kept nearby. While this technology is slightly more expensive at sea, as solar power generation now becomes less expensive than hydro or thermal power generation, its cost will also drop over time, he says.
Need for Indigenous Biodiversity Conservation
Environmentalists have also flagged the issue of promoting indigenous biodiversity conservation by planting trees that also help local people in their livelihood.
An active crusader of the Chipko movement in Himachal Pradesh in the early 1980s, Upamanyu said he opposed the planting of eucalyptus and deodar trees. Agricultural land in Himachal Pradesh is only 10% of the total geographical area and it is not possible for people to survive on this land in an agro based economy.
“Although green cover has increased from 16-17% in 1980 to about 23% now, reverse improvement forestry must now replace woody trees such as ‘chir’ or deodar with trees that produce fruit, fuel, fiber and medicinal value. be.
When asked about the Himachal government’s action to cut down apple orchards planted by people on government land, Upamanyu says that instead of cutting down such fruit trees, such orchards should be made community property, which can be managed by the local people. should be done by an Empowered Management Committee with the direct participation of
Dehradun-based Padma Bhushan awardee environmentalist Anil Prakash Joshi told TOI that now the question is of life and not just environmental protection. “States are concerned about their GDP, but have they ever thought about Gross Environmental Product to protect the environment?” The founder of the Himalaya Environmental Studies and Conservation Organization questions Joshi. He says that the four pillars of the GEP are – increase in forest cover, amount of protected rainwater, focus on improving air quality and steps taken to conserve soil.
Joshi warned that we should not misuse the mountains only for the development or promotion of tourism activities as these mountains are the most vulnerable and major accidents are inevitable. Also, people should not come along with construction near rivers, streams or the flow of glaciers, he says. Emphasizing on increasing forest cover, he says the results of the recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are not surprising as such incidents of devastation in the mountains have been happening for the past decade. He advises that development activities such as buildings, roads, hydropower Projects should be undertaken with utmost care and planning.
Shifting from hydroelectricity to hydrokinetic power generation
Environmentalist and activist Kulbhushan Upamanyu, founder of Himalaya Bachao Samiti Situated in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh, the idea that our governments have opted for a faulty development model is that we need to redesign apart from slowing down the pace of construction to save the environment.
Advocating that energy generation should be carbon neutral, he says, “The hydro power generation process is not carbon neutral because the green cover is destroyed in the construction process of hydroelectric projects.” In the process, flooding causes the biomaterial to come down and decompose in an anaerobic decomposition process, producing methane, which is far more dangerous than carbon dioxide, he said.
“Himachal Pradesh, Only” Chandrabhaga Valley was left and there are now 10-12 hydroelectric projects proposed. Emphasizing the need for a review of this decision, Upamanyu says that like the United States and some other developed countries, we need to move to hydrokinetic technology of power generation, which involves small turbines of up to 60 megawatts flowing through a river or its own. are kept nearby. While this technology is slightly more expensive at sea, as solar power generation now becomes less expensive than hydro or thermal power generation, its cost will also drop over time, he says.
Need for Indigenous Biodiversity Conservation
Environmentalists have also flagged the issue of promoting indigenous biodiversity conservation by planting trees that also help local people in their livelihood.
An active crusader of the Chipko movement in Himachal Pradesh in the early 1980s, Upamanyu said he opposed the planting of eucalyptus and deodar trees. Agricultural land in Himachal Pradesh is only 10% of the total geographical area and it is not possible for people to survive on this land in an agro based economy.
“Although green cover has increased from 16-17% in 1980 to about 23% now, reverse improvement forestry must now replace woody trees such as ‘chir’ or deodar with trees that produce fruit, fuel, fiber and medicinal value. be.
When asked about the Himachal government’s action to cut down apple orchards planted by people on government land, Upamanyu says that instead of cutting down such fruit trees, such orchards should be made community property, which can be managed by the local people. should be done by an Empowered Management Committee with the direct participation of
.