Unscientific blasting and illegal dumping of debris into rivers and nullahs have put the fragile ecology of the tribal district of Kinnaur in jeopardy. The construction of multiple hydroelectric projects in the district has caused significant environmental damage, raising concerns over the region’s future.
Recently, the construction work of the 20 MW Roura-II hydroelectric project by Roura Non Conventional Energy Pvt Ltd has emerged as a major flashpoint, with villagers protesting against the ecological damage allegedly being caused by the project. Continuous blasting and the dumping of muck into nullahs have triggered widespread anger among residents.
The matter became so serious that the Himachal Pradesh High Court recently took suo motu cognisance of the alleged environmental damage and threats to the region’s ecology. The court has sought responses from the state government, Kinnaur’s Deputy Conservator of Forests, the Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board and the local panchayat pradhan.
The project, being constructed on the Roura Khad stream near Yula village, was announced in 2012. It was expected to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by generating electricity through a clean and renewable hydropower source, thereby reducing dependence on fossil fuel-based thermal power plants in the integrated NEWNE grid.
Although the project was expected to be commissioned by July 2014, construction work began only in 2023 after the completion of formalities and statutory clearances.
As work progressed, local residents started raising concerns over the threat posed by the project to the area’s ecology. Villagers alleged that debris and muck generated at the construction site were being illegally dumped on mountain slopes and into nullahs, causing severe ecological degradation.
Residents also accused the district administration of failing to take appropriate action despite repeated appeals for intervention.
Anil Kapoor, a social activist and resident of Yula village, said the project was initially supposed to involve pipelines, but the company was instead constructing tunnels.
“Blasting is being carried out at the construction site, which is affecting the fragile mountains in nearby villages. What is shocking is that despite approval for a dumping site in the Detailed Project Report (DPR), no dumping site has been constructed by the company. The debris and muck are openly being dumped into nullahs and on slopes, which is affecting both people and the environment,” he alleged.
Highlighting the impact of blasting and dumping, Kapoor said the situation had become extremely serious, with cracks developing in several houses in nearby villages due to continuous blasting.
“We informed the district administration through panchayat representatives that around 40 houses have developed visible cracks. However, no concrete action has been taken so far. Our orchards and fields have also suffered due to dust from the construction site. Managing livestock has become difficult, and people are worried about the contamination of water bodies by muck. Illegal dumping has also increased the risk of large-scale damage during cloudbursts in the monsoon season,” he said.
This is not the first time hydroelectric projects in the district have faced opposition. In 2021, residents launched a widespread campaign titled ‘No Means No’, demanding a halt to new hydroelectric projects in Kinnaur over concerns related to environmental damage, landslides and threats to life and property.
Following the movement, the Jangi-Thopan-Powari hydropower project was put on hold in 2021. In 2023, the state government cancelled the project’s allotment to SJVN.
Situated at an altitude of 2,769 metres, Kinnaur is known for its scenic landscapes, including the Zanskar, Greater Himalaya and Dhauladhar mountain ranges, attracting lakhs of tourists every year. The district is home to the Sutlej river and its tributaries, Spiti and Baspa, along with dense forests, apple orchards, agricultural fields and picturesque villages.
