People for Animals, PFA Manipur on Wednesday alleged that National Hydroelectric Power Project Company Limited (NHPCL) conducted no environmental impact assessment or paid mitigation costs to any state departments when the company launched the Loktak Hydro Power Project on June 1, 1983.
PFA Manipur Managing Trustee Lourembam Biswajeet Meitei filed an RTI application raising four questions to NHPCL online upon hearing information on renovation and modernization (R&M) of the project when extending it for another 25 years, stated a release.
The revelations came following the same, it said.
The questions raised include whether the company consulted the Loktak Development Authority (LDA), and State Forest Department on renovation and modernization (R&M) of the project when extending it for another 25 years, if Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was conducted when the project was launched, copy reports of the impact assessment, if conducted and whether the company paid any mitigation cost to the state authorities to make amends for the impacts on the Keibul Lamjao National park and Sangai, it asserted.
As per the answers received from the Company, there was no need for EIA as the EIA notification was issued only after the Loktak Hydro Power Project was commissioned in 1983 and no mitigation costs were paid. It asserted that no consultations were made with LDA or State Forest department on R&M of the project when extending it for another 25 years adding that the company gave no valid response on the same.
It added that there was no change in the process in regards to capacity, pollution load etc. It also highlighted the adverse environmental impacts unleashed by the project and the advantages of conducting EIA. Noting that there are new forest, environment and CC regulations, PFA along with PCRLAWM and the public will launch actions against NHPCL, it added.
