Critique of the ESIA of Allain Duhangan

Date: 
Monday, December 1, 2003

Comments on the ESIA of The Proposed Allain Duhangan HEP in Kulu district in HP

The Allain Duhangan Project (ADP) proposes to divert Allain and Duhangan, two tributaries of Beas river near Manali in Himachal Pradesh in North India for a 192 MW installed capacity hydropower project. The project that the International Finance Corporation, the private sector arm of the World Bank intends to fund will lead to destruction of what the ESIA calls “Pristine valley” of Allain and Duhangan. The project would also lead to destruction of habitat of a number of threatened, rare and endangered species for a project whose need, hydrology and benefits are in doubt, basic impact assessments have not yet been done, local people not even been informed about the implications of the project and No document have been given to the local people. Even the social impact assessments have not been done and most of the resettlement measures proposed are in violation of the World Bank norms. The project is thus in violation of many of the basic norms and policies of the World Bank and IFC.

ESIA done by: ERM, India
ESIA done for: IFC
Published by: South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People (SANDRP) New Delhi