Anakkayam Small Hydro Electric Project

• 18 Nov 2020

Why in News

Recently, various green collectives and environmental organisations have come together to protest against the Anakkayam Small Hydro Electric Project in Kerala.

• The site of the project is not far from the Athirapally Hydel Electric Project.

Key Points

• About the Project:
  
  • It will come up in the buffer zone of the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve (PTR) and will also create a 5.617-km-long tunnel within the forest.
• Concerns:
  
  • Environmental Consequences:
    
    • Around 20 hectares of forest land will have to be cleared out and around 1900 large trees and a larger number of small trees will be cut.
    • The area is ecologically fragile, as seen in the massive landslide followed by minor landslides at the project site in 2018, and the consequences will extend to loss of precious flora and fauna species.
  • Absence of Consent:
    
    • It was granted approval without obtaining permission from the local Kadar tribe which holds the right of Community Forest Resources (CFR) as per the Forest Rights Act, 2006.
    • The site of the hydel project comes within the 400 sq kms of forest land that were given as CFR to the Kadar tribe which has the responsibility to protect and conserve the habitat.

Athirapally Hydel Electric Project

• In June 2020, the Kerala government approved the Athirapally Hydro Electric Project (AHEP) on the Chalakudy river in Thrissur district of Kerala.
  
  • Chalakudy River originates in the Anamalai region of Tamil Nadu and is joined by its major tributaries Parambikulam, Kuriyarkutti, Sholayar, Karapara and Anakayam in Kerala. It flows through Palakkad, Thrissur and Ernakulam districts of Kerala.
• It has also been facing opposition and protests due to its adverse effects on the fragile river ecosystem at Athirappilly and the other related environmental threats.

Parambikulam Tiger Reserve

• It is a well protected ecological portion in the Nelliampathy-Anamalai landscape of the Southern Western Ghats in India.
• It is located in the Palakkad District of Kerala.
• It was declared as Tiger Reserve during 2008-09.
• The reserve is credited with the first scientifically managed teak plantation in the world which was later merged with the forest land.
• It has the world's largest and oldest teak tree named "Kannimara", which is believed to be 350 years old.

Source: TH