'Alternatives to hydro electricity in Uttarakhand not viable'

Noted human rights activist and Padmashree awardee Avdhash Kaushal on Thursday said propagation of various alternatives to hydro electricity in Uttarakhand was the handiwork of vested interest groups and not a viable option.

"Uttarakhand alone has the potential of generating 37,000 MW of power from hydroelectricity projects," Kaushal said, adding "this is the best suited energy source for the hill state considering its fragile ecology."

"But the vested interest groups are propagating various alternatives to hydro power electricity which is not a viable option," he said. Referring to Chief Minister Harish Rawat's recent statement that he would soon take up the issue with the Centre for starting three of the state's gas-based power projects, Kaushal said "it is not a viable option."

"Gas-based energy is being propagated as another option but the nation has not been able to fulfil the domestic gas demand," he said. "Instead the state government will do well to put pressure on Central Government to restart environment-friendly hydro power projects, including Uttarakhand Government-owned Palamaneri (480 Mw) and Baironghati (381Mw) and the Centre- owned Lahori Nagpala (600 Mw) projects which are only tunnel- based," he said.

"These projects had been stopped by the Centre bowing to political and religious pressures," the Padmashree awardee said. "Had these projects not been stalled, north India on Thursday  would not have been in the grip of such huge power crisis," he said.