BOTTLENECKS IN HYDRO POWER DEVELOPMENT

By Ramesh Chandra, Executive Director (Uttarakhand)

It is now a well recognized fact that availability of electric power is an essential requirement for the development of the nation. With the fast depleting fossil fuels, the need to increase and shift dependence on hydro power generation for development and prosperity of the nation has become compulsive. India has a hydro power potential of about 150000 W besides about !"000 W of pump storage schemes. #s on $une %00& installed capacity of hydro power is ''"() at the end of $une %00& was 1'"&&0 W besides 1")'& W. It means we have

harnessed the %%.' percent of the total assessed hydro potential. *he total installed capacity of the India W captive generating capacity connected to the grid. +ydro power is not only cleaner and environment friendly but also provides pea, power and system reliability to the grid. Ideally, the ratio of hydro and thermal has been assessed in India as "0-)0 but at the end of $une, %00&, the ratio is %&.( hydro to &%.% thermal. encouraging. .uring the 10th /ive 0ear 1lan, 1"'!' but even after best efforts by the all concerned &!00 during the first ' months, we have not added any .uring the last two /ive 0ear 1lans, much emphasis was given for speedy capacity addition of hydro power but the results were not W hydro power capacity addition plan was made W capacity could be added which is 552 of the W, but W. *here

target. .uring the 11th /ive 0ear 1lan, capacity addition for hydro has been planned as 1)55' W from hydro against the target of 5(5

are many bottlenec,s at pre3 construction stage and during the construction stage which are responsible for not achieving targeted capacity addition which are being dealt in this paper briefly -3 1. ADMINISTRATIVE a. Delay in Providin S!""or# $y %ov#. 4 *he letters5certificates5clarifications etc. required by various agencies to prepare the proposals for various clearances of the hydroelectric pro6ects are not provided by 7tate 8ovt. timely and the delay in getting the clearances ta,en place which further delays the start of the pro6ect. 7tate 8ovt. has several other routine wor,s and finds it difficult to act fast because of the prevailing lengthy system of dealing with matters in the 7ecretariats. 7pecial *as, /orce at 7tate 7ecretariat level is required to be formed by 7tate 8ovt. for dealing with new hydro pro6ects. $. In#er&'#a#e Di'"!#e' 4 9nder the constitution of India, the water is a state sub6ect. any ma6or rivers

flow through more than one state and its water is being used in all such 7tates. 9nfortunately, due to political rivalry, the inter3state disputes over the sharing of river water have become almost un3resolvable. If any activity to divert the water, to store the water or to restrict the flow of water is done in one 7tate, the 7tates on down3stream ma,e hue : cry without going in details of the scheme. .ue to such problems, it is becoming difficult to finalize the d5s discharge during the lean period ma,ing the operation of multipurpose reservoir a nightmare. ;o ob6ection <ertificate is required from each down3stream 7tate for getting sanction even for run3of3the3river scheme which is time consuming

6ob. If all ma6or rivers are made ;ational sources and its water is distributed by <entre ,eeping the requirement of 7tates in mind, the time may be saved. (. Delay In Priva#e Land A()!i'i#ion 4 *he land acquisition for hydroelectric pro6ect is a time consuming lengthy process and is done by 7tate 8ovt. according to age old =and #cquisition #ct, 1(!". 9nli,e other industries the hydroelectric pro6ect requires land acquisition spread over vast area and lying in various districts. *hus the pro6ect management has to spend much time for liaisoning with 7tate 8ovt. officials and getting completing the legal formalities by 7tate 8ovt. officials. *he wor, of identification of land, its physical verification and preparing papers for private land acquisition is done by 1atwaries : #mins wor,ing under *ehsildars. *hey have many other routine and on demand wor,s of 7tate so they are unable to give due time for the wor, of other #gency. #fter preparation and duly approval of such land acquisition papers, these cases are handled in 7tate 8ovt. 7ecretariats and cases move in 1ower .epartment, >evenue .epartment, +ome .epartment, =egal .epartment and then the concerned inister and +on?ble < of the 7tate for getting final approval for 7ection3" 8azette 5 ;ewspaper notification. >ate fi@ation is another big problem as nowadays, no land holder agrees for circle rates. *he land holders want ma@imum rates of their land and the 7tate and local administration has lenient attitude. *hen the agency ta,ing land has to pay much more than estimated cost of land. *his not only involves time but it becomes almost impossible to predict when the possession of private land can be obtained and at what cost. =and #cquisition #ct of 1(!" needs replacement by new #ct ma,ing the provisions easier and less time consuming. 7pecial *as, /orce made at 7tate 7ecretariat may be made responsible for private land acquisition for +ydroelectric 1ro6ects in the 7tate. d. La* + Order , Mili#an(y Pro$le-' 4 ost of the +ydroelectric 1ro6ects are constructed in hills or and they do not

on foothills. In hills at many places, local people have their own law and custom

deviate from it. *hey do not follow the 7tate?s law prevailing in most part of the 7tate. Whenever, any activity is started in such area, local people create many problems, close the path, beat the labourers and sit on dharnas. 7tate achinery ta,es much time to help in such situations. 7ome parts of the country are infested with various militant outfits. *hese organizations frequently declare long bundhs and massacre innocent people. .ue to these frequent bundhs and fearful atmosphere, the transportation networ, is completely paralyzed ma,ing the movement of man : material difficult and erratic. .ue to uncertainty in supply of material, the forced idleness of the manpower increases. 7pecial *as, /orce of local administration may be made by the 7tate as soon as the agency desires to start activities for construction of +ydroelectric 1ro6ect. e. La(. o/ S!""or# o/ S#a#e A!#0ori#ie' 1 Aven after obtaining all statutory clearances and

implementing all measures suggested by various agencies while according clearances sincerely and honestly by the hydropower development agency, some state authorities5political parties5local leaders create problems during construction of the pro6ect and thus time and cost over run starts adding up.

7pecial tas, force suggested at secretariat level and local administrative level for development of +ydropower pro6ects may ta,e care such problems. /. Non Provi'ion o/ E-"loy-en# /or /!lly Pro2e(# A//e(#ed 3a-ilie' 1 ;ow a days in >:> plan of hydroelectric pro6ect there is no provision for employment to any person of fully pro6ect affected families. Aven ;.1.>.>. does not advocate such employment. When fully affected family looses its land for the construction of the pro6ect, it looses its bread : butter also. 7uch family e@pects employment of at least one person in such pro6ect. *he local population wants employment in pro6ect and pursue for the same from start of 7:I wor, till its commissioning. When the employment to one person of fully pro6ect affected family is not given, the local people with the support of local leadership create many problems during construction and after commissioning also. *hus pro6ect looses many wor,ing mandays and time : cost over run ta,es place. It is seen that whenever employment is given to one person of a fully pro6ect affected family that family remains always grateful and loyal to the pro6ect , supports and praises the pro6ect at all occasions and always spea,s good about the company among its relatives, friends and neighbourers. *herefore hydroelectric developing agencies may ,eep provision of employment to one person for fully pro6ect affected family in its >:> plan.

%. PLANNIN% RELATED ISS4ES a. Ha"0a5ard Hydro"o*er Develo"-en# o/ Ba'in 4 *he 1ro6ects should be conceived as a part of Basin .evelopment 1lan otherwise some pro6ects will ma,e other pro6ects unviable, inefficient and under capacity. *he 7tate 8ovt.?s *as, /orce meant for hydropower development and <entral 8ovt.?s agencies li,e <A# : <W< may ta,e care such aspects. $. No Sy'#e- #o De(ide #0e Se)!en(e o/ Con'#r!(#ion o/ Pro2e(# in a Ba'in 1 *here is adhocism in the development of hydroelectric pro6ects with the result that sometimes pro6ects in upper reaches are underta,en much before the development in lower reaches ta,es place with the result, the cost of infrastructure development becomes very high and has to be borne solely by the pro6ects in the upper reaches. # master plan for the development of entire basin should be formulated which should also indicate the sequence of development of the hydroelectric pro6ects in that basin so that infrastructure development can also be planned accordingly. *he 7tate 8ovt.?s *as, /orce and <entral 8ovt.?s #gencies may ta,e care such aspects.

'. CONSTR4CTION ISS4ES

a.

La(. o/ 4"da#ion o/ Te(0ni(al Develo"-en# &

any developments in infrastructure

construction are being ta,en place throughout the world. /or speedy, economical and quality construction, updation of ,nowledge about such new developments is essential. While awarding contracts to foreign agencies, it should be ensured that transfer of technology programme forms part of agreement so that Indian Angineers can get training for new technologies, ma,e aware themselves about new developments and see the physical implementation of new technology at3site. In India also the engineers should be allowed to visit as many hydroelectric pro6ects under construction stage as possible so that they can acquaintance themselves with the problems faced, causes of problems and solution sought besides the new construction methodology adopted and new technology introduced, if any. 8ovt. 1.7.9s. and big private sector companies should also ensure at least fifteen days foreign visit per two years for their Angineers for the updation of latest technological development in construction industry.
$.

Dear#0 o/ Co-"e#en# Indi eno!' Con'#r!(#ion A en(ie' 4 *here is a dearth of competent contracting agencies having sufficient technical, managerial construction and financial resources required for underta,ing mega hydroelectric pro6ects. *his was due to absence of construction mar,et in the near past, large enough to develop such competent contracting agencies. While civil construction industry was able to survive and flourish due to construction boom in middle east and far east, the problem is very acute in hydro3mechanical and electromechanical industry where due to stagnant mar,et during eighties and nineties a large number of public sector and private sector units have closed their establishment and their technical manpower well e@perienced in design, construction and erection have been retrenched. ;ot more engineers have been recruited in this industry for a long time and the firms are finding difficult to get design, construction and erection professionals. ;ow from last five year plan, construction boom has come in infrastructure construction industry including power sector so Indian companies are ma,ing 6oint venture 5 consortium with foreign companies and with such partnerships manpower development in design, construction and erection is ta,ing place.

(.

La(. o/ Ade)!a#e E6"erien(ed Con'#r!(#ion Man"o*er 7Te(0ni(al and Mana erial8 4 .ue to thrust on short term targets, practically there was no development in hydropower sector barring the <179s during eighties and nineties, due to which the entire generation of engineers in state sector has gone without wor, e@perience and now when wor, has pic,ed

up, suitably e@perienced technical and managerial manpower at senior level is not available adequately and there is much poaching of manpower at senior level. *his is true for the entire construction industry but more so in hydropower sector and construction of +ydro 1ower industry are facing a lot of problems in arranging the e@perienced construction engineers. any engineering colleges and .iploma polytechnics are introducing e@clusive +ydropower courses which may help in sorting out such problems upto some e@tent in near future.
d.

%eolo i(al S!r"ri'e' 1 *he +imalayan range is of recent origin and therefore it is geologically quite active. +owever, elaborate the subsurface e@ploration is, the geological surprises cannot be avoided with the result that planning of construction methodology becomes infractions and much time and money is required in changing the construction equipment and methodology to overcome such problems during construction. *he contractor is resistant to deploy sophisticated equipment to adopt new technique and to shift for other methodology but, prefer to wor, with versatile equipment which are slow and inefficient thus the construction time and cost increases. By giving more time and money for sub3surface investigation wor,s, deploying latest technology for comprehensive study of roc,s and by using the 8eo3physics development during preconstruction and construction stage may reduce the probability of geological surprises.

9. CLEARANCES 7a8 Waivin o/ TEC 4 #s per Alectricity #ct %00', *A< is not required for *hermal 1lants but for +ydro 1lants having capacity more than 100 W needs *A<. *A< is a cumbersome time consuming process and is accorded by <A#. *he role of <W< may be to e@amine whether pro6ect is compatible or not with its river management plan. *he economic aspect may be left to the financiers and developers. A@amination of technical feasibility and safety of structures for ma6or pro6ects CD %50 WE can be retained by <W<587I. <.A.#. may act as coordinator to monitor basin wise development of +ydropower of entire country. 7$8 Environ-en#al and 3ore'# I''!e' 7i8 No A!#0ori#y *i#0 S#a#e 3ore'# De"ar#-en# /or Allo*in Ini#ial S+I Wor.' 1 #t present 7tage3I clearance is given by FA/, 8FI which ta,es time. If the 7tate /orest department is authorized to allow initial 7urvey : Investigation wor,s, a lot of time can be saved. If the +ydropower developing agency finds pro6ect commercially viable, the 7tate

/orest .epartment may be authorised to give permission for development of infrastructure in forest land li,e construction of approach roads, bridges etc. 7ii8 Environ-en# + 3ore'# Clearan(e 1 Fn the recommendation of Anvironment #ppraisal <ommittee, environment clearance is accorded by FA/ on the basis of AI#5A 1 made by another agency and public hearings conducted by 7tate 1ollution <ontrol Board. +ere ;8Fs having anti dam and anti hydro development attitude create a lot of uncalled for problems. #s per /orest <onservation #ct 1!(0 /orest land diversion, above "0 hec. requires approval of FA/ 8FI on the recommendation of 7tate /orest .epartment. #fter approval of /orest land diversion, the agency has to ma,e payment of handsome amount of ;.1.G. as per +on?ble 7upreme <ourt order. Aven after ma,ing ;.1.G. payment, the agency has to pay the cost of compensatory afforestation <atchment #rea *reatment, leased rent etc to 7tate /orest .epartment. 7tate /orest .epartment also desires to put ma@imum amount for <atchment #rea *reatment plan, over and above the guidelines provided by 8ovt. of India otherwise /orest land diversion proposal is not recommended to 7pecial *as, /orce at 7tate 7ecretariat level may ta,e care such type of problems. FA/ FA/ 8FI.

:. COST RELATED ISS4ES 7a8 Hi 0 Co'# o/ Road' and Brid e' in Ina((e''i$le Pro2e(#' Si#e' 4 many pro6ects are located in the high mountainous regions far away from rail head for which approach roads are to be developed. #t present, the cost of road development is borne by the hydroelectric pro6ects which increases the construction cost of the pro6ect and thereby high tariff. 7ince the construction of new roads, bridges and upgradation of roads boost the overall development of the region, the cost of the roads and bridges may be shared by crisis, the road development plan of requirement of hydro power sector. 7$8 Hi 0 Co'# o/ Se(!ri#y 4 .ue to poor law : order and militancy condition in various parts of the country, heavy security arrangement has to be provided by the 7tate for which cost is being borne by the pro6ect. #s the law and order is the responsibility of the 7tate, the cost of security may be borne by the 7tate5<entre. 7(8 Royal#y 4 7ince the hydroelectric pro6ects provide 1%2 free power to 7tate, the royalty on quarry material can be e@empted. .F.7.*., 7tate 1W. etc. #s the construction of hydroelectric pro6ects has gained importance due to worsening power .F.7.*., 7tate 1W.s may accommodate the

7d8 C!'#o- D!#y /or Hydro Pro2e(#' 4 *here is relief in custom duty for imported equipment and machinery for mega pro6ects. /or all hydroelectric pro6ects the custom duty may be e@empted for imported equipment and machinery. 7e8 Ta6 Holiday' 1 #s huge finance is required to establish any hydroelectric pro6ect hence 7tate 8ovt. and <entral 8ovt. both may consider ta@ holidays for the hydropower development agencies for at least 10 years after declaration of commercial commissioning of the whole pro6ect.