Keylong/Shimla: The Save Lahaul-Spiti Society has slammed the government’s push for mega hydroelectric projects in the Chenab Basin. The group says the projects are a recipe for disaster.
The proposed projects, ranging from 6.5 MW to a massive 400 MW, will stretch across Kullu, Chamba, Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti, and Shimla districts.
Many of them are planned in the fragile Lahaul region, which falls under seismic zones 4 and 5—areas highly prone to earthquakes.
B.S. Rana, President of Save Lahaul-Spiti Society, minced no words. “This region cannot handle such large-scale destruction. These projects will destroy the pristine environment of our glaciers and put lives at risk,” he said.
Rana pointed to recent disasters in the Himalayas as proof.
“The floods and landslides in Uttarakhand, Kinnaur, and Himachal Pradesh have shown us what happens when we tamper with nature. Do we really want to repeat those tragedies?”
The society is not against development but says it must be sustainable. “Lahaul doesn’t need concrete jungles and dams. We need eco-tourism and balanced growth,” Rana added.
Locals are furious. They fear these projects will rip apart their fragile ecosystem and turn the land into a danger zone.
The Chenab Basin, home to some of the most pristine glaciers, is simply too vulnerable for such risky ventures.
The government’s insistence on pushing these projects, despite the mounting evidence of environmental collapse, has left residents fuming. “Are we waiting for another disaster to learn our lesson?” Rana asked.
The ball is now in the government’s court. But for the people of Lahaul, their stand is clear. Mega dams are a no-go.
