Supreme Court panel raps Uttarakhand hydropower projects.

A Supreme Court-appointed panel has blamed hydro projects in Uttarakhand as being responsible for intensifying the magnitude of the catastrophic floods that hit the state last year leaving death and destruction in its wake.

But that conclusion has been bitterly contested by government agencies and utilities that say that it unfairly puts at risk the country's hydropower sector, which is seen as a solution to India's power shortage as nuclear plants face public protests and thermal units are starved of fuel.

Officials are concerned about the system of awarding clearances and monitoring compliance. 'There is not enough staff, and the expert appraisal committee has to assess and deliberate at an average 30 to 40 projects during its meeting. This is clearly not conducive to proper assessment and sustainable harnessing of resources,' an official involved in the process said on condition of anonymity.


ET