NGT Halts Kullu Hydro Projects Over Village Threat

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has initiated proceedings against two 5 MW hydro-electricity projects in Kullu's Parvati valley. These projects, located on the Grahan rivulet, have been petitioned against by residents of Thunja village and social activists who allege they endanger the village and local wildlife.

The petitioners claim the project proponents, identified as members of the Butail family, have engaged in regulatory evasion. They are accused of deliberately hiding facts to avoid proper scrutiny and a cumulative appraisal of the projects' combined impact.

Concerns raised include the initiation of blasting and tunnel excavation beneath the geologically fragile Thunja village without adequate risk studies. This is despite a prior report indicating the slope's instability for such projects, raising fears for the villagers' water security and property.

Furthermore, the petition alleges that the two projects, though presented separately, function as a single unit. This alleged project splitting aims to bypass cumulative impact assessments and wildlife scrutiny, as they lie within proximity to the Kanwar Wildlife Sanctuary's eco-sensitive zone.