6 Min Read
MUZAFFARABAD, Pakistan (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - On hot summer evenings, Khawaja Magbool Hadieri’s family used to sit on their home’s balcony and relish the cool breeze wafting off the nearby Neelum river.
But these days, after 80% of the river’s flow was diverted for hydropower, “we’re sweating while sitting there, even using an electric fan,” Hadieri, 70, a resident of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir capital, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
As Pakistan seeks new sources of green energy, officials are diverting rivers through tunnels to harness clean hydropower.
But the diversions are also causing a range of problems, from hotter urban temperatures to water shortages and sewage buildups in riverbeds once rushing with water.
6 Min Read
MUZAFFARABAD, Pakistan (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - On hot summer evenings, Khawaja Magbool Hadieri’s family used to sit on their home’s balcony and relish the cool breeze wafting off the nearby Neelum river.
But these days, after 80% of the river’s flow was diverted for hydropower, “we’re sweating while sitting there, even using an electric fan,” Hadieri, 70, a resident of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir capital, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
As Pakistan seeks new sources of green energy, officials are diverting rivers through tunnels to harness clean hydropower.
But the diversions are also causing a range of problems, from hotter urban temperatures to water shortages and sewage buildups in riverbeds once rushing with water.
Environmental clearance to Kirthai HEP
Environmental clearance to Kirthai HEP
Since even minute aspects of the environmental issues, evaluation of any adverse impact, concerns of the stake holders, suggestions of the locals etc in relation to setting up of mega projects like the one in Paddar Kishtwar – 1320 MW 2nd stage Kirthai Hydel Project, are to be taken care of by the Appraisal Committee Panel of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. When the proposal for environmental clearance was sent to the Ministry, propagation of the fishes was feared to get vastly disturbed due to some changes in the river course while appraising the proposal in the year 2018. Certain points were raised which were to be clarified in order to get the environmental clearance. In other words, clearance per-se was deferred. It is heartening to note that in one of the recent meetings convened by the Committee where replies to the points raised were examined, environment clearance has now bee