KSEB raises concerns over tourism use of Sholayar and Poringalkuthu hydel project sites
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T'puram: Days after engaging an agency to study the tourism potential of the controversial
Athirappilly hydel project
, Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has raised strong reservations over a proposal to use the Sholayar and the
Poringalkuthu hydel project
sites for tourism purposes.The board, however, gave a conditional no objection certificate (NOC) to
Kerala Hydel Tourism Centre
(KHTC), a venture owned by KSEB, to use the dilapidated quarters at Sholayar for tourism purposes.
The board asked KHTC to obtain permission directly from the forest department for using the quarters and Vadakkeppuzha water body before proceeding with the proposal.All areas coming under the project were forest land leased for the specific purpose of KSEB at Poringal and Sholayar for power stations and allied installations, including the Vadakkeppuzha pumping scheme.
The generation of power utilising water at Vadakkeppuzha water body comes to around 10 to 12 MU annually, depending on the inflow from the Vadakkepuzha catchment area. "As a minimum available water level must be maintained for the proposed tourism activities, it will adversely affect the pumping scheme and result in generation loss," said an order issued by KSEB in this regard.As per the provisions of the Kerala Forest Act 1961 and Wildlife Protection Act 1972, the activities proposed by KHTC at Vadakkepuzha will be offensive in nature and prior permission from the forest department is mandatory, the order said. "Entry to the Poringalkuthu, Sholayar areas is restricted in the evening hours by forest/state police. Only KSEB employees and vehicles are allowed entry," the order said, adding that such a proposal from KHTC failed to take off in 2015 due to restrictions from the forest department.KSEB's move to rebrand the Athirappilly hydel project as a tourism-friendly project has received strong opposition from environmentalists. Power minister K Krishnankutty said the govt would not take unilateral decisions regarding the project.
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Time of India
14-05-2025
- Time of India
KSEB raises concerns over tourism use of Sholayar and Poringalkuthu hydel project sites
1 2 3 T'puram: Days after engaging an agency to study the tourism potential of the controversial Athirappilly hydel project , Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has raised strong reservations over a proposal to use the Sholayar and the Poringalkuthu hydel project sites for tourism board, however, gave a conditional no objection certificate (NOC) to Kerala Hydel Tourism Centre (KHTC), a venture owned by KSEB, to use the dilapidated quarters at Sholayar for tourism purposes. The board asked KHTC to obtain permission directly from the forest department for using the quarters and Vadakkeppuzha water body before proceeding with the areas coming under the project were forest land leased for the specific purpose of KSEB at Poringal and Sholayar for power stations and allied installations, including the Vadakkeppuzha pumping scheme. The generation of power utilising water at Vadakkeppuzha water body comes to around 10 to 12 MU annually, depending on the inflow from the Vadakkepuzha catchment area. "As a minimum available water level must be maintained for the proposed tourism activities, it will adversely affect the pumping scheme and result in generation loss," said an order issued by KSEB in this per the provisions of the Kerala Forest Act 1961 and Wildlife Protection Act 1972, the activities proposed by KHTC at Vadakkepuzha will be offensive in nature and prior permission from the forest department is mandatory, the order said. "Entry to the Poringalkuthu, Sholayar areas is restricted in the evening hours by forest/state police. Only KSEB employees and vehicles are allowed entry," the order said, adding that such a proposal from KHTC failed to take off in 2015 due to restrictions from the forest move to rebrand the Athirappilly hydel project as a tourism-friendly project has received strong opposition from environmentalists. Power minister K Krishnankutty said the govt would not take unilateral decisions regarding the project.
The Hindu
06-05-2025
- The Hindu
KSEB's hydel push stirs fresh concerns
Tourism sells. But should it be used to sell the idea of a contentious hydroelectric project that has, for decades, aroused deep misgivings and resentment is the question now doing the rounds in Kerala. A little over a week ago, State-run power utility Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) sprang a surprise when it announced plans to examine whether the Athirappilly hydroelectric project can be developed as an 'Integrated tourism-cum-power generation project.' Proposed on the west-flowing Chalakudy river in Kerala's Thrissur district, the 163-megawatt (MW) hydel project, first mooted in 1979, has come to symbolise the perpetual war against mindless development and destruction of nature in the southern State. After a long gap, what has abruptly turned the spotlight on it is an April 24 order stating that a meeting of the full-time directors of the KSEB has given its approval 'for remodelling the Athirappilly HEP as a tourism-friendly project.' Despite winning environmental sanction in 1998 from the Ministry of Environment and Forests, the Athirappilly hydel project has failed to get off the ground on account of environmental concerns. Greens have long opposed it, citing the irreversible consequences it entails for an exceptionally biodiversity-rich region located within the Western Ghats. Since it involves the construction of a dam, concerns have been raised over the potential destruction of large tracts of riparian forest land, an abundant wealth of flora and fauna, and the displacement of Kadars, a Scheduled Tribe that calls the region home. Furthermore, greens argue that the project would alter the very character of the Chalakudy river and sound the death knell for the scenic Athirappilly and Vazhachal waterfalls. The protests have prompted successive State governments to declare that the project would only be implemented with consensus. As a result, it has lain in such a state of dormancy that it was expected to die a natural death. This impression had gained currency especially in recent years, even though all were aware that the KSEB, which handles power generation, transmission, and distribution in power-deficit Kerala, had not fully given up on its pet project. On April 28, the KSEB followed up its order with a press statement explaining its intention to see whether the hydel project can be developed in tandem with tourist amenities and present the concept for public debate. The announcement was quickly met with the criticism that the KSEB was merely trying to repackage the project in the glossy wrappings of tourism. State government sources responded to the renewed outrage among environmentalists and local communities by denying that the plan has the backing of a political decision. Nevertheless, it is interesting to note that the Athirappilly hydel project is back in the news at a time when Kerala's power sector is witnessing dramatic changes. Hydropower has traditionally dominated the power-deficit State's internal electricity generation. Yet, internal production has served to meet only about 30% of the requirement, leaving the State heavily dependent on allocations from central generating stations and power purchases from outside. But of late, Kerala has been witnessing a surge in the use of other forms of renewable energy, especially solar power. It aspires to become a 100% renewable energy-based State by 2040 and net carbon neutral by 2050. In the immediate future, the State hopes to add 3,000 MW through solar and wind energy projects and 1,500 MW through hydro projects. (The plans for hydropower, it must be noted, do not include the Athirappilly.) Besides these, pumped storage projects, battery energy storage systems, and green hydrogen initiatives are also being actively pursued. The question arises whether the Athirappilly hydel project, conceived decades ago in a different context, holds relevance anymore in this rapidly changing landscape that offers accessible, less-expensive options. Furthermore, one cannot dismiss the fact that Kerala has witnessed a string of natural disasters in recent years. Such a sombre backdrop demands that development projects, especially ones in fragile locations, undergo hard and prudent scrutiny through the lens of environmental sustainability, safety, and long-term public good.
Time of India
28-04-2025
- Time of India
KSEB takes tourism route to revive Athirappilly project
T'puram: In yet another move to push the controversial Athirappilly power project , the Kerala state electricity board ( KSEB ) is all set to repackage the 163 MW hydel power project across the Chalakudy River as a tourism-friendly one. The board has engaged the Centre for Environment Architecture and Human Settlements (CEARTH), Kozhikode, to prepare a proposal to explore the tourism potential of the project, which is currently in cold storage due to protests. Not only environmentalists but also the CPI, which is part of the LDF govt, and the opposition parties have come up against the project whenever the board tried to push it forward. KSEB now contemplates to outwit the greens by winning the trust of tourism lobby in favour of the project. CEARTH made a presentation before KSEB chairman and MD Biju Prabhakar in Jan on the development of dam-based tourism at the board facilities in Malankarala, Idukki, and Banasurasagar. "During the meeting, a proposal for modifying the Athirappilly hydro electric project as a tourism-friendly project and the preparation of a master plan for the tourism amenities and associated buildings such as a tribal school, tribal hamlet, primary health centre, public amenities, etc. were discussed," an order from KSEB said. It further permitted the Kozhikode-based agency to visit the Athirappilly project site and submit a proposal for the preparation of a tourism master plan for Athirappilly. Prabhakar said the KSEB would like to look into the tourism aspect of Athirappilly in a big way, which was never part of the project plan in the past. "A dam across the river would ensure a perennial flow of water through the waterfall, a major tourism attraction currently. Further, basic amenities, a walkway, boating service, a glass aquarium, or even a seaplane service can be introduced as part of the hydroelectric project," he said, adding that abandoned estates in the area can be repurposed to set up major tourism facilities, including resorts. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas In Dubai | Search Ads View Deals Undo KSEB acquired the environmental clearance for the Athirappilly project, and the Centre had rejected the concerns expressed by environmentalists over the project. For a long time, there has been a rumour in the bureaucratic circles of KSEB that environmentalists were raking up controversy over the project at the behest of the tourism lobby. Their argument is that the lobby fears that the construction of a dam across the river would affect the waterfall and seal the tourism potential. "The new move appears to be a last-ditch attempt to salvage the project. The board might be under the impression that it would be able to contain the protests by winning the trust of tourism lobby," a retired KSEB official involved in the project said. INSET Huge ecological loss, says expert Thrissur: Director of River Research Centre, Chalakudy, S P Ravi, said the proposed Athirapally power project was denied clearance due to the huge environmental and ecological loss associated with it. "For the project to materialize, 137 acres of forest area including 38.4 acres of riparian forests will have to be cut down. It will affect the fish biodiversity in the Chalakudy river and Vazhachal waterfalls. The region is an elephant pathway as it connects the Eravikulam, Parambikulam. Already there have been man-wildlife conflicts as the elephants came into the downstream areas of the forests," he said. Ravi added that the region is known as a biodiversity hotspot for being home to not just plants but also migratory and native birds, butterflies and dragonflies. "This is also known for the sighting of all the four hornbills - Common Grey Hornbill, Great Pied Hornbill, Malabar Pied Hornbill and Malabar Grey Hornbills. The effect of the project will also be seen in the various drinking water projects of Chalakudy River," he said.
