Demonstration against Hul-1 at Chamba on 4th September held

Himalaya Niti `Abhiyan

Village Khundan PO. Banjar, Kullu HP

Email: gumanhna@gmail.com, PH. 91+9418277220

 

 

 

Press Release                                                                   

                                                                                           Dated: 4^th Oct, 2012.

 

Demonstration against Hul-1 at Chamba on 4^th September held

Chamba: A demonstration of villager held at Chamba town and set on one day hunger strike against Hul-1 Micro hydro project in spite of section 144 which has been imposed by administration here today, under the banner of Saal Ghati Bachao Sangharsh Morcha and Himalaya Niti Abhiyan.  The Morcha submitted a memorandum to deputy commissioner condemning the effort of authorities and state government to favour the developer of Hul-1 and demanded to cancel it immediately.  People of  Ghati are oppose to this project since 1903 and has not allowed doing any sort of construction work till date at the site. Local people comprising majority of pastoral community (Gaddi and Gujjar) are opposing the project on the ground of environmental degradation, deforestation, lose of livelihoods- particularly destruction pastureland due to construction of channel and lose of water availability for drinking and irrigation of local 6 Panchayats.  All Gram Sabhas has rejected the project and has not issued NOC.

The construction work at Hul-1 micro hydro project was stalled after the incident of attack on local people in 2010 but this month company has started construction at the site.

On 14th February 2010,  when local people were sitting in a meeting at Jadera against this coming project suddenly the Goondas of company and contractors of the Hul Hydro Power Private limited  fired on the meeting with gun and attached Rattan Chand and others  with lathis. Five people, including Former Zilla Parishad Member and Veteran Environmentalist, Ratan Chand,  Pradhan Jadera Gram Panchayat, Mansingh and three other residents – were seriously injured in this attack.

 

After the clash and attack on local people by the company's gooda on dated 14.02.2010 HP government constituted a committee under Additional District Magistrate (ADM). On dated 26.03 10 public hearing was conducted under the chairmanship of ADM Chamba to know the public opinion about the project.  Local people gathered in huge number at the site to oppose the project. ADM recommended in his report that project shall be candled.

 

Deputy Commissioner Chamba recommended the same to state government on 21 June 2010 and said that on the bases of law and order situation, the said project shall be cancelled. On behalf of this report and state government issued show cause notice to the company on dated 25.8.2010, whether this project may not be cancelled? But when DC Chamba replied to the High Court in a petition filled by Rattan Chand on dated 23.7.2010 opposed the petition and prayed for dismiss the same. HP High court in its decision CWP No. 2273 of 2010 on dated 13.1.2012 dismissed the petition under no solid ground but just commenting that DC has given duel statement hence court is in confusion.

 

 

 

Rattan Chand filed the petition in Hon'ble Supreme Court of India and court has passed  order in SLP(Civil) No. 12120/2012 dated 3/9/2012, that state government is free to take final decision  in this matter of Hul-1 because proceedings of show cause notice issued by Principal Secretary (NES) on 25/8/2010 has not been finalised hence appropriate orders in accordance with law shall be taken by the state.  The government should not while taking an appropriate decision be influenced by the observations made by High Court in the impugned Judgment but such decision shall remain subject to the ultimate outcome of the SLP in this court.

 

So it is very clear that state government have power to cancel the Hul-1 project. Secondly Himachal Government in its cabinet decision in June 2012 has passed resolution that all those micro hydro projects which has been opposed by local community shall be cancelled and on this bases Jogani Fal micro hydro project in Manali has been cancelled.

The Company has started work partially at site which has been always opposed by local population and information for the same has been given to you last week. Company has filed a false complaint through its worker in police station against Shri Mohamd Yaseen   (Vice President of the Jadera Panchayt) and Shri Shamaoon (Local resident) of threatening them sticker demanded to withdraw the complaint. This time the company has given construction work to those people who were involved in the attack commuted against local people two year back which irked them.

Morcha stated in its memorandum that provocations by the company will further create law and order problem in the area.

Saal Ghati Bachao Sangharsh Morcha and  Himalaya Niti Abhiyan demands immediate cancelation of  the Hul- I Micro Hydro Electric Project in Chamba and Haripur Nala in Kullu and many other places where the conflict of water uses are arising. First right to water use lies to local community rather than any commercial or urban needs. We also demands to review  the state's Micro-Hydro-project  Policy from the perspective of impacts on local livelihoods,  environment, irrigation and drinking water and other local and traditional uses.

 

Guman Singh

Coordinator -Himalaya Niti Abhiyan

Ph: 91+9418277220; Email: gumanhna@gmail.com

 

Rattan Chand

Ph: 91+9805452716

President – Saal Ghati Bachao Sangharsh Morcha

 

Man Singh

President – Gram Panchayat Jadera, Chamba, HP

PH: 91+9459445815