Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) - Violations at Teesta Stage V
A SHAMEFUL LIST
Clearances
The Teesta Stage V HEP project, received environmental clearance under the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification (1990), on 19th May 1999, for a project area of 326.662 ha and the clearance has been granted subject to the compliance of certain conditions.
The project received forest clearance under Section 2 of the Forest Conservation Act (1980), on 14th May 1999, subject to certain conditions. The total land diverted is 147.430 ha, which includes 122.173 ha for surface work and 25.25 ha for underground work.
An agreement (MoU) was signed between NHPC and the Government of Sikkim for Teesta Stage V HEP, on 2 August 2000.
Violations
1. Lower Samdong (adit II)
Muck disposal on undiverted forest land (FCA violation):
Muck disposal on the left bank of the river encroaching upon the river bank as well as the river reserve. As per section 29 of the Sikkim Forests, Water Courses and Road Reserve Preservation and Protection Act (1988), "river banks in relation to rivers enumerated in the schedule means and includes an area sixty metres on either side of such river or area within high flood level mark, whichever is less."
Deviation from EMP in the silting of project components (EPA violation):
The site which has been designated as the muck disposal site as per the Environment Management Plan (EMP) has been used for construction of houses/sheds and other uses. This is a deviation from the plans and permission has not been sought from the Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) for change of project plans. This amounts to a violation of the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification, 1994.
Additional non-forest land leased without environmental clearance (EPA violation):
Additional land has been leased out for project work directly by the contractor, Gammon India Ltd. without necessary clearances. As per procedures, the land should have been acquired by NHPC after necessary clearances from MoEF under the EIA notification, 1994. This land has been leased out from the same person and is in two different locations. One of the locations is used for muck disposal (since the area meant for muck disposal has been used for other purposes!). The other portion of this land is used for a stone crusher and storing the stone aggregate.
2. Dikchu (dam site and adit I)
Muck dumping on left bank (undiverted forest land) near former Lum bridge (FCA violation):
On the right bank of the river near the damsite is a village called Lum. Until its collapse in May 2004, a bridge connected Lum to the left bank of the river downstream of the dam axis (near Adit - I). Muck has been illegally dumped on the 'river bank' near the site of the former Lum bridge (the foundation on the left bank still exists). The forest land diverted under the FCA extends only upto the Lum bridge (in downstream direction). But the dumping is well beyond this area now and is clearly encroaching the river bank and part of the river course which was not diverted under the FCA.
Muck disposal and retaining wall upstream of dam (FCA violation):
Although retaining wall has been built upstream of the damsite where muck is being dumped on the left bank, the muck has spilled well over the retaining wall and is encroaching the 'river bank'.
3. Tungtar (adit III)
Muck disposal on undiverted forest land (FCA violation):
As one approaches the adit III, just before the main entry gate (barricade), muck disposal has been done on the left bank of the river. Although crate walls have been built in this area and are holding back the muck from entering the river, this muck disposal site itself is illegal! This portion of the river bank was not diverted under the FCA for use in the project.
Deviation from EMP in the siting of project components (EPA violation):
There is a colony/sheds built in the area which is officially designated as the muck disposal site as per the EMP. This is a deviation from the plans and permission has not been sought from the Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) for change of project plans. This amounts to a violation of the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification, 1994.
Additional land leased for project work without necessary clearances (EPA violation):
Additional private land has been leased out for project work directly by the contractor, Gammon India Ltd. without necessary clearances. At this adit (Adit-III), there are three such sites. One site is to the extreme upstream end and two sites are towards the downstream on left bank. As per procedures, the land should have been acquired by NHPC after necessary clearances from MoEF under the EIA notification, 1994.
4. Singbel (adit IV)
Deviation from siting of project component (EPA violation):
As per plans the tunnelling at this site is shown as being below and along the road. But deviation from project plans has taken place in the underground works and tunneling has taken place 60 m above the road. A case has been filed by the person who owns the land above the area where the extended tunnelling has taken place (Jung Bahadur Chhetri). This is a deviation from the plans and permission has not been sought from the Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) for change of project plans. This amounts to a violation of the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification, 1994. Apparently an investigation has been carried out by the Department of Mines and Geology into this issue.
5. Dung-Dung
Deviation from EMP in the siting of project components (EPA violation):
The private land at Dung-Dung was acquired legally at the time of starting of project. As per the EMP this land was meant for the VIP guest house but has been used for muck disposal instead. The muck being dumped is from the surge shaft works. No permission from the plans and permission has not been sought from the Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) for change of project plans. This amounts to a violation of the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification, 1994.
6. Elainchay Khola
Illegal dumping of muck in forest land (FCA violation):
This is a very old violation of the FCA. The project authorities have dumped muck from the surge shaft illegally on forest land in the Elainchay Khola. This land was not diverted under the FCA for use in the project. Although major new dumping in the area seems to have stopped, we observed some new dumping in the area.
7. Lower Khamdong (area near surge shaft)
Deviation from EMP in the siting of project components (EPA violation):
The official muck disposal site for the surge shaft is a piece of private land near Lower Khamdong in an area which they refer to as the "magazine area" because explosives are stored here for the project. But we observed that no muck has been disposed here at all! Instead it has been done in Elainchay Khola and Dung-Dung as described earlier and in two additional private plots of land near the surge shaft. Although these private plotss were officially acquired under the project, as per EMP they are not meant for muck disposal.
8. Balutar
Encroachment of river bank (FCA violation):
At Balutar the project authorities have acquired private land for the project. But the retaining wall which has been built on the left bank of the river completely encroaches the river bank and is thus a violation of the FCA as this land was not diverted for use by the project.
| SATYAGRAHA |
Warriors for a Cause
"I will die but won't allow the mega power projects in Dzongu" - Dawa Lepcha.
Two Lepcha youths from Dzongu rocked the state of Sikkim and the world with their selfless stand against the hydro projects. Dawa T. Lepcha and Tenzing Lepcha went on hunger strike in the spirit of Gandhian Satyagraha from June 22, 2007 to September 27, 2009.
Chronicles of the campaign - and more - at
| TEESTA |
Will the Teesta river survive? In order to construct one kilometer of tunnel, approximately 150 tons of dynamite are required. Imagine how much blasting will be done for 30 power projects! Seventy percent of the river to flow underground!
| DZONGU |
Dzongu in North Sikkim is the holy place for Lepchas spread all over the world. Process has begun for seven mega power projects spanning the length and breadth of this protected area.
| ENVIRONMENT |
Environment Impact Assessment (EIA)
Blatant violations of procedural and environmental norms. Get the distressing facts at our EIA-page.
| TEESTA STAGE V |
Much went wrong during design, assessment and construction of Teesta Stage V HEP. For a truly sustainable and adapted development, a different approach is required.
| VIOLATIONS |
Environment Protection Act (EPA) as well as Forest Conservation Act (FCA) were repeatedly violated by the companies involved. A non-exhaustive listing for Teesta Stage V only (NHPC).
| DOCUMENTS |
• Statements, appeals and proceedings by ACT
• Scientific papers substantiating ACT's concerns
• Press reports covering disproportionate projects in Sikkim and ACT's struggle for protection
| MEDIA |
• Photo-Galleries
• Collection of Documentaries
Lepchas - A vanishing Tribe
© Affected Citizens of Teesta 2007 - 2023
NGOs supporting ACT: Concerned Lepchas of Sikkim (CLOS) - Sangha of Dzongu (SOD) - Citizens Forum of Sikkim (CFS) - Sikkimese Association for Environment
While all the organizations supporting ACT share the common goal of protecting the environment, individual groups can, and sometimes do, differ in their approaches to specific issues highlighted above. The stand taken by ACT does not necessarily includes of everybody in Sikkim and other parts. If anyone wishes to differ, they are welcomed to put forward their views, comments and disagreements to info@actsikkim.com. Everybody is welcome!