Dr N Mhonchan Shitiri
The Woods, Doyang
The Doyang Hydro Power Station, an undertaking of North Eastern Electric Power Corporation now under National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd was commissioned on July 2000 with an installed capacity of 75 megawatt. The reservoir has a water surface span of about 58-60 kilometers covering 8420.41 acres, the land of which was acquired by the state government and compensated by NEEPCO covering 13 villages with the acreage namely; Pangti (2264.42), Changsu (1856.32), Riphyim (1664.10), Aree ( 1296.41), Litami (345.49), Nungying (185.54), Sunglup (169.22), Lakhuti ( 154.08), Sanis (147.85), Yonchucho (134.92), Seluku ( 111.43), Tsungiki (80.29), Yikhum (10.34).
The rock filled dam is built on the confluence of two big rivers Doyang and Chubi with many feeding tributaries which not only feed the reservoir but are the sources of water for wild animals, birds, man and other livelihood activities like fishing, agriculture etc. The reservoir is strategically located and DHPS is one of the best performing power stations among the medium power plants under NEEPCO.
A case study of one such tributary Apatongchu, the river mouth of which is about two kilometers from the full reservoir level has seen a drastic reduction in its outflow which otherwise was a perennial flowing brook. This happening was observed 4-5 years back after decades of commissioning the plant. This is not a stray incidence but other brooks and rivulets in and around the reservoir have also become scanty and in some wadi for 2-3 months especially during dry season.
The attributing causes have not been established by any agencies, but hypothesis is that there is underground seepage to the reservoir and other predisposing causes like deforestation, habitation, less rainfall etc. Whatever may be the causes, there is impending water crisis in and around the reservoir and since a lot of affected people depend on the reservoir for their livelihood through fishing, tourism this is to be addressed genuinely by the concerned stakeholders.
As per the tripartite agreement between the land owners, NEEPCO Ltd and government of Nagaland signed on 28th February 1984, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was not done for this project with the contention that EIA was enacted by the Government of India only on 27.01.1994 whereas the Environment Clearance was obtained on 28.06.1982. In lieu, Doyang Catchment Area Treatment (CAT) Plan was approved by the Ministry of Environment & Forest on 1.3.2001 which is to be implemented by the State Forest and Soil & Water Conservation departments through NEEPCO on the following safeguards during the execution of the project:
1. A Land-use map of the catchment area should be prepared to identify critically eroded areas so that extensive soil conservation measures can be launched in the catchment area simultaneously with the construction of the hydel project.
2. Submergence should be calculated up to 4 meters below FRL and felling of trees restricted up to this level.
3. Adequate arrangements should be made to provide fuel to the labor force free of cost, during the construction period so that indiscriminate destruction of forests in the neighborhood can be prevented.
4. Restoration of construction areas must be undertaken at project cost to prevent soil erosion.
5. Micro-Plan for the catchment area for the affected villages.
No relief and rehabilitation measures were taken up by NEEPCO as they were of the opinion that there is no displacement of people because of the project and the job of relief & rehabilitation was left to the State Government. But so far no concrete action plan has come out from the state government notwithstanding the fact that Nagaland is getting 12% free power from the National Grid since its commissioning. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a self-regulating business model that helps the company to be socially accountable- to itself, its stakeholders, and the public and in doing so the company can be conscious of the kind of impact they are having in all aspects of society including economic, social and environmental. CSR is also one area that needs to be consciously regulated by NEEPCO so that its stakeholders are benefited.
The depletion of water is the immediate concern for the inhabitants in and around the reservoir but long term action plans like the revisitation of the CAT plan, relief & rehabilitation measures from the state government, review of job opportunities & CSR involving the stakeholders and above all environment impact assessment has to be taken up by NEEPCO immediately as the plant is now already 25 years old.
Truly basing on the statement of Rajendra Singh known as the waterman of India that “the next world war will be fought over water,” Nagaland is precariously depending on surface water and if such sources are not replenished and rejuvenated there will be water crisis in the near future. Our forefathers out of fear of enemies established the villages at the top of the hill but out of fear of water we will now have to shift to the valleys in search of water.
