The Centre's approval of a dam project in Uttarakhand's Nainital district, despite conservation concerns, has sparked concerns.
The proposed Jamrani Drinking Water Multipurpose Project, slated for construction in the Dudhwa-Lagga tiger corridor, has received in-principle approval from the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), despite the lack of a recommendation from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
The project aims to build a gravity dam across the Gola river in Jamrani village, with plans for a reservoir to provide drinking water supply to Haldwani, irrigation, and hydropower generation.
While some argue the project's importance for Haldwani's water supply, conservationists have raised alarms over its potential ecological impact, particularly on the tiger corridor.
The NBWL, in its 77th meeting, granted in-principle approval to the project, emphasising its criticality for Haldwani's water needs.
However, concerns were raised about the dam's height and the proposed powerhouse construction.
The NTCA, which did not recommend the project, requested an assessment of its ecological impact by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
The WII report highlighted the dilemma between development and conservation values, recommending stringent compliance conditions or rejection based on the chosen objective.
Notably, the report underscored the irreversible impact of the project on the tiger corridor, urging for its avoidance to preserve the natural ecosystem.
If unavoidable, the report stressed the implementation of mitigation measures outlined in conservation plans, along with regular monitoring by an independent committee.
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