On the occasion of World Environment Day, the Tandi Bandh Sangharsh Samiti on Friday voiced strong opposition to the proposed Chenab-Beas (Chandra-Beas) Link Project planned near Koksar in the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti, raising concerns over its environmental impact, lack of transparency and alleged exclusion of local communities from the decision-making process.
In a statement, Samiti president Vinod Larje said a project of such magnitude could have far-reaching consequences for the fragile ecology of the cold desert region of Lahaul and the Beas valley. He warned that extensive tunnel construction and blasting activities in the glacial zone around the proposed dam site could lead to the drying up of natural water sources, increased landslide incidents and irreversible damage to local ecosystems.
He said both the samiti and residents of the region remained firmly opposed to the project. Samiti vice-president Arun Rana said the destruction witnessed in the Beas valley during recent monsoon seasons should serve as a warning. According to him, the proposed river-linking project could further intensify environmental risks and increase the vulnerability of mountain communities to natural disasters.
He urged the government to reconsider the project and cautioned that continued neglect of local concerns could trigger a large-scale public movement across the Lahaul valley.
Raising questions over the environmental assessment process, Samiti secretary Vikram Katoch pointed out that a Cumulative Environmental Assessment (CEA) commissioned by the Central and state governments in 2019 for the Chenab river basin reportedly made no reference to a major intervention such as the Chenab-Beas Link Project.
He argued that proceeding with such a large-scale project without a comprehensive basin-wide environmental assessment could pose serious risks to the entire Chenab river system.
Katoch also highlighted concerns regarding the project’s potential impact on existing and proposed infrastructure, including lift irrigation schemes and hydropower projects in the region. He said no comprehensive study evaluating these cumulative impacts had been placed in the public domain, making the project’s advancement appear premature and environmentally unsound.
The samiti further alleged that local panchayats, gram sabhas and affected communities had not been adequately consulted and that no open public hearings had been conducted so far. According to the organisation, such an approach undermines the principles of local self-governance and the constitutional safeguards provided under the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA) and the Forest Rights Act (FRA).
The Tandi Bandh Sangharsh Samiti has demanded that all project-related studies, reports and decision-making documents be made public. It has also urged the government to ensure the free, prior and informed participation and consent of local communities before taking any further steps towards implementation of the proposed Chenab-Beas Link Project.
