Dams projects threatening Himalaya

A series of huge dam projects in the Himalaya will dramatically alter the appearance of the region’s landscape and result in the destruction of numerous important historical sites, according to a major new report.

Parts of the Karakoram Highway, the iconic route from Pakistan to China, may even be closed or rerouted to accommodate the scheme.

In all, 552 major dam projects are already under way, approved or proposed to tap the huge energy potential of the meltwaters of the Himalaya, according to the Mountains of Concrete report by the conservation group International Rivers. The projects are planned for Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan and India. India alone has 37 dams under construction and plans for a further 318.

Some of the last refuges of the snow leopard may be fl ooded, and the projects will involve the displacement of tribal peoples, according to the report. The authors warn that many important historical sites will be submerged or temporarily fl ooded, including ancient Buddhist rock carvings along the River Indus. The Shaligram Shila, an important Hindu religious site, is already frequently submerged by the Kaligandaki project in Nepal, while the Bhagirathi River, sacred to Hindus, has several dams planned along its course.

MARK ROWE

April 2009