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Pushpendra Rajput,
Deputy Commissioner of Chamba. |
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An IAS officer of 1998, Pushpendra Rajput, Deputy Commissioner of Chamba is amongst the upright & hardworking bureaucrats. He has served extensively in remote areas of Himachal & has genuine understanding of water & development issues. He has done exemplary work for malnutrition & computerization of land records in villages of Chamba.
Balancing Water with Development
Himachal Pradesh is the first state to provide electricity for all. Indeed, even remotest of the hilly villages are electrified. This is largely due to the enormous hydropower potential of Himachal Pradesh. Several hydro projects are operational on minor & major rivers of Himachal. However, it has also disturbed the ecology, most notably caused destruction of Panihaars or hilly water fountains - the chief source of water in hills of Himachal.
A visit to Chamba museum & you find the historic significance of these fountains. The museum is replete with documentary evidences of residential hamlets coming up around these fountains, offering local population clean & accessible water.
Interestingly, the nomenclature Chamba itself draws from a water myth. The district is named after Queen Champa, who sacrificed herself to bring water to this area.
Today, hydro projects have caused resentment amongst local population. Yet, their utility can not be discounted altogether. To understand the trade-off between development & ecology, we spoke to Pushpendra Rajput, Deputy Commissioner of Chamba. An IAS officer of 1998, he is amongst the upright & hardworking bureaucrats. He has served extensively in remote areas of Himachal & has genuine understanding of water & development issues. He has done exemplary work for malnutrition & computerization of land records in villages of Chamba.
Chamba is amongst the most backward areas of India. Its development indicators including health & education are very low. What are the causes?
Geographical location is the biggest reason of its backwardness. Lahaul- Spiti surrounds it. Valleys like Pangi are not only remotely situated; they are hard to reach as well. Villages of Chamba are situated at an altitude between 3000-18000 feet.
However, ignoring geographical inaccessibility you realize traditionally Chamba has been amongst the most progressive areas of the country. It has museums, hospitals & libraries. When there were just handfuls of museums in India, Chamba had one of these. However, due to geographical disadvantage Chamba suffered, though situation has been changing of late.
One of the reasons for its backwardness is that very few people prefer to work in hilly areas like Chamba. Professionals like doctors & engineers move to metros.
Do you find the talented people of Chamba migrating to bigger cities?
See, migration is a different affair. It is difficult to say that natives of Chamba are migrating to bigger cities. However, there are a smaller number of people who do return.
How much is the local administration sensitive to this geographical isolation? Chamba has enough water resources also.
The administration has become quite sensitive in recent years. Several hydro power projects have been undertaken recently. Geographical status has, in a way, turned to be a boon for Chamba. Hydro power projects of Chamba have benefited the entire area.
I have been in Chamba for past few days, meeting local people. They are resentful about the hydro power projects. Hilly fountains ('panihaars') are the main source of drinking water here. However, blasting done to create tunnels for hydro projects has destroyed many fountains. River flow has also been disturbed. Rivers are drying up. Yesterday, I noticed adequate water in Ravi, however, today morning I was surprised to find Ravi dry.
You are absolutely right. Some areas have witnessed environmental destruction. In some instances, construction of dams has left enough water in the dam reservoir, but further on the river has dried up. However, issues emerge with time & remedial steps are taken accordingly. We are ensuring that with future water projects at least fifteen percent of the water is released so that river does not dry up.
View of the river Ravi in Chamba:
True, fountains have dried up after blasting, however, we are working at it. We have invited mining experts from Dhanbad. Blasting & dam construction may affect water & ecological resources of an area. But, even if you talk of sustainable development, some balance has to be maintained somewhere. Benefits of a dam accrue not just to that area but to areas hundreds of kilometers away. Hydel projects of Chamba benefit areas much farther from Chamba. True, for such projects Chamba is required to pay some cost, but considering the over-all benefit, costs, if any, can be compensated in other ways. For instance, if forests are cleared for any project than one of the condition is to grow two trees for each tree felled.
Are trees actually grown or afforestation takes place only on paper ?
Well, trees may not be grown in few areas, but I do not agree that trees are not grown at all. However, I cannot exactly tell if trees are felled from hundred acres, they are grown on two hundred acres- the agency handling it is more competent to reply to it.
We can not suppress development activities altogether, however we are keen that environment degradation is minimized & a balance is struck between development & environment.
Please explain how you are trying to strike balance in case of destruction of hilly fountains.
If a fountain is destroyed for dam construction, we evaluate the importance of fountain for the local people. We try to give them alternative employment & if they were totally dependent on fountain, we also ensure their smooth relocation to other places & economic aid. It actually happened at the first phase of Chamera project. Around five hundred families were given alternative employment.
Local people say- Ravi Project is national gain but local pain. They do not receive benefits of this project.
I do not agree that the local population has not benefited. If you study the areas where such hydel projects are initiated, you find that their development parameters have improved after the project. True, there are a few problems but over all it has affected positively.
Administration has established Local Area Development Authority to deal with the development of project affected area. A portion of the total cost of the project is mandated to be spent on local development. This is besides the ongoing efforts for relocation, employment & ensuring water supply.
It is also suggested that NHPC (National Hydro Power Corporation) must spend some portion of its revenue on local development.
This is a policy decision. I cannot comment on it. I will only say that NHPC should realize its social responsibility. We organized a meeting with them to discuss it. They are trying to work in this regard. They have also undertaken few steps. However, I would add that hydro project does not mean only NHPC or Chamera. These projects help local people in variety of ways. In hilly areas very few industries & projects can be set up. Hydro project is one of them & it is highly beneficial also for varieties of activities like horticulture.
How does a hilly area differ from a plain area in terms of development challenges before administration?
It is entirely different. You can initiate big development works in plain areas quite easily. However, even to construct a small room for a school in hill involves lots of logistical problems. You need to lift every single brick. It increases time required for completion of a project. The success parameters of a project in plain area are different from that of a hilly project. A project for 200 thousand persons which works well in plains need not work in hills. Population is highly scattered in hills, with considerable distance between two houses. It naturally, poses problems of implementation.
Investment per capita increases manifold.
Yes. Also note that technological experts are much more easily available in plains compared to hills. If two-three years are required for mere research on any project, you can understand the fate of that project.
How can India be made a developed nation by 2020? What is your vision for it?
At first, I would like to know what our parameters of being developed are, and then only we can talk of achieving some targets of becoming developed by 2015. Do we plan to achieve 100% literacy, eradicating poverty or have six lane express highways connecting each village of the country. Notably, every parameter is relative here. Do we evaluate poverty in Indian context or compare with Singapore. We talk of Developed 2020 but never mention the yardsticks.
I propose that each Indian should have enough resources to lead a respectable & graceful life with good health & education being fulfilled. If this is the parameter, not to speak of 2020 we can certainly achieve it much earlier preferably by 2015. And of course, there is no limit for further development.
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Interviewer's note:
I asked a question to Chamba DC about erratic flow of water in Ravi. Indian Express of November 22nd 2007 carried a story of drowning of a Delhi girl in Ravi river in Chamba district. She had gone there on a school picnic. Note, DC Rajput has set up an enquiry committee about sudden increase in flow of Ravi. It adds weight to my observation that erratic release of water at Chamera project is an open invitation to disaster.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Wish-my-daughter-didnt-have-to-die-to-become-famous/241919/ |
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| Interviewed by: Ashutosh Bharadwaj in November 2007 |
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Copyright India Water Portal.
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