NILGIRIS: Following public outcry against the Sillahalla Pumped Hydro-Electric Storage project, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) officials have cancelled its meeting with farmers and public, which was scheduled on Thursday at Kundha.
While officials say the meeting is cancelled due to administrative reasons, the decision was allegedly taken after a group of residents decided to raise their voice at the meeting and demand authorities to scrap the project.
Another group of residents have already started a online signature campaign opposing the project. Of 2,500 signatures target, 1,702 have signed the campaign started by Janardhan Nanjundan.
“The proposed project will affect over 10,000 people directly and negatively impact over 25 villages. 315 hectares of forest, private, and government lands will be submerged and the project will also be a major threat to wildlife and environment. Indigenous people and farmers will lose their land and be displaced of all forms of livelihood,” Janardhan said.
“The Kundah watershed region in Nilgiris is where the Bhavani-Cauvery River originates. It also supports the last of shola-grassland vegetation mosaic. This region has crucial green cover which serves as important habitats and corridors for endangered wildlife, including Nilgiri tahr and Nilgiri marten,” he added.
D Venugopal, director of Nilgiris Documentation Centre said, “Only Nilgiris and Kanniyakumari in the state have been selected for the project which requires Rs 10,000 crore. The dam has been proposed to satisfy power requirements. But it would come at the cost of damaged environment and the local Badaga community who are involved in farming for generations will lose their livelihood, if the dam is constructed.”
“Although the meeting is called off now, we are going to meet farmers and tribals to explain the issues with the project on Thursday. We learnt that officials have also started preliminary works for the project, and therefore we will be visiting the site as well,” said Arun Bellie, an activist based in Kotagiri.