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Published : 10 Apr 2013, 04:24 PM
The issue was discussed in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly after opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) legislator, Paul Lyngdoh moved a call attention motion on the report published by Seven Sisters Post on Mar 18, 2013 under the caption “Meghalaya dams run into Bangladesh road block.”
Power-starved Meghalaya is planning to build two dams across Umiew river known as Mawphu Hydro Electric Project in East Khasi Hills and another dam across Myntdu river known as Myntdu-Leshka Hydro Electric Project Stage-II in Jaintia Hills region.
Both Umiew and Myntdu rivers are flowing to Bangladesh known by the name Umiyam river and Shari river respectively.
Replying to Lyngdoh’s call attention motion, Meghalaya power minister admitted Bangladesh’s fear over the proposed construction of the two dams.
“In January 2013, a letter was received from the Union ministry of water resources enclosing a letter from a member of Joint Rivers Commission, Bangladesh on the subject of construction of ‘Mawphu dam’ across Umiew river and ‘Myntdu dam’ across Myntdu river in Meghalaya,” Marak informed the house.
Marak said that Bangladesh stated that both these dams are on the common rivers between Bangladesh and India and hence the construction of the two dams may cause adverse impacts on various sectors in Bangladesh due to change of flow regime of these two rivers.
“The member of Joint Rivers Commission, Bangladesh requested not to proceed with the construction of the said dams until impact assessment on various sectors in Bangladesh have been jointly conducted and water sharing agreements of the above two common rivers have been signed between two countries,” the minister said.
Subsequently the union ministry of water resources also requested the Meghalaya government to send complete information including environmental impact assessment (EIA-EMP) studies along with the status of these projects and views of the state government on the subject.
Dispelling Bangladesh’s concerns, the power minister said that the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) dated 7th January, 2013 has informed the Union ministry of water resources that survey and investigation works of Myntdu dam Stage-II were taken up.
“The project is planned as a run-of-river scheme and as such there will be no impoundment of water. The flow regime of those rivers will not be affected,” Marak said while informing that at present, environmental impact assessment (EIA-EMP) studies have not been taken up yet.
On the Mawphu Hydro Electric Project to be executed by North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (Neepco) over Umiew river, the minister informed that Neepco in its letter dated, 17th January 2013 informed the Union ministry of water resources that as per the pre-feasibility report prepared by them, the project is a run-of-river type development with marginal live poundage of 1.12 million cubic meter only.
Neepco will invest for the 85-mega watt Mawphu hydel project at Rs 450 crore, costing Rs 5.5 crore per mega watt.
“As such, the project will utilise mostly the available discharge in the river (Umiew). The design discharge from the reservoir shall be drawn through a 4.07 km long HR tunnel to the power house for generation of 362.53 million units annually in a 90 percent dependable year and thereafter shall meet the same river in the downstream through 45 metre long tail race channel,” Marak informed.
Moreover the project has neither any irrigation nor drinking water component. “Therefore there shall be no diversion of water from the river at all due to the proposed project,” he added.
Earlier, while drawing the attention of the government on the issue, the UDP leader said that if the project is stalled by Bangladesh then Meghalaya will run into the risk of being a power-starved state.
“These irritants (with Bangladesh) should be ironed out and adequate production of power should remain a priority of the government,” Lyngdoh told the government.
On the query that India was offering Bangladesh a stake in the two projects in Meghalaya, the power minister said, “No information has been received from the ministry of external affairs or union ministry of power in this regard. Further action in the matter will be initiated after a response is received from the Centre.”
Reportedly, India has asked Bangladesh to support the proposed construction of the dams and offered the neighbouring country a stake in the power projects.
But Bangladesh had told India that it wanted to have a joint study of the rivers first including comprehensive environment impact assessment.
“If such a study is found to be beneficial, then Dhaka would be willing to participate in the projects,” Bangladesh had told India.
