Supreme Court Mandates Cumulative Impact Assessment for Himalayan Hydro Projects: Balancing Development and Ecology
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The Supreme Court has directed the Union Government to conduct a 'Cumulative Impact Assessment' for all hydroelectric projects in the Himalayas, highlighting that individual clearances fail to account for the combined ecological stress on the fragile mountain ecosystem.
The Supreme Court of India has issued a landmark directive to the Union Government, mandating a 'Cumulative Impact Assessment' (CIA) for all existing and proposed hydroelectric projects across Himalayan river basins. This intervention stems from the recognition that the current practice of granting individual Environmental Clearances (EC) is insufficient for safeguarding the fragile Himalayan ecosystem.
The core of the issue lies in the limitation of project-specific Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA). While a single dam might appear ecologically viable in isolation, the collective stress of dozens of such projects on a single river basin can lead to irreversible geological and hydrological damage. The Court noted that the 'carrying capacity' of these mountain ranges—characterized by high seismicity and vulnerability to climate change—must be the primary benchmark for development. This shift from a project-centric to a basin-centric approach is vital for the long-term sustainability of the region.
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