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River choked: Hydro project fined for fish kill
14 Apr
Summary
- Hydro project fined Rs 12 lakh for river silt and trout deaths.
- Court ordered desilting operations that damaged Uhl river's ecosystem.
- Project proponent must fund restocking with Brown and Rainbow Trout.
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has ordered a hydroelectric project proponent to pay Rs 12 lakh for severe ecological damage to the Uhl river. This directive stems from desilting operations that discharged silt, deteriorating water quality and causing significant trout fish mortality.
The court emphasized that economic interests cannot supersede environmental protection, especially concerning the delicate ecosystem supporting trout populations. The project had previously been warned against unscientific silt dumping but continued the practice, leading to heavy turbidity.
In a 2018 inspection, the Uhl river below the Barot Dam was found devoid of water, impacting trout breeding grounds. Despite subsequent concerns raised in early 2025 regarding inadequate water release and harm to natural breeding processes, the project persisted.
Consequently, the state pollution control board imposed the environmental compensation after finding pollution levels far exceeding permissible limits. The court directed the Rs 12 lakh to be deposited with the Department of Fisheries for restocking the river with Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout.
