1. TAJ PALACE, NEW DELHI | 12 – 14 SEPTEMBER 2016
Water-energy-food nexus lessons from small hydropower in Bhilangana sub-basin, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India
By - Neha Khandekar, Debashish Sen
In collaboration with
Dr. Christopher Scott and Dr. Stephanie Buechler, University of Arizona, USA
Dr Ravi Chopra, People’s Science Institute, India
Dr. Suraj Mal, University of Delhi, India
Rashmi Shrestha and Dr. Aditi Mukherji, ICIMOD, Nepal

2. Uttarakhand, India

3. Rapid Expansion of Hydropower in Uttarakhand
TAJ PALACE, NEW DELHI | 12 – 14 SEPTEMBER 2016
Rapid Expansion of Hydropower in Uttarakhand
1,000 kW = 1 MW
1,000 MW = 1 GW

4. Uttarakhand Policy for Small Hydro Power Project (2.0 – 25 MW)
TAJ PALACE, NEW DELHI | 12 – 14 SEPTEMBER 2016
4,096 potential sites for small hydropower development have been identified ( > 10,000 MW capacity)
Small hydropower offers many social benefits rural electricity to enhance the lives of marginalized people.
Small hydro power projects in these small streams can be developed with minimum risks
Uttarakhand Policy for Small Hydro Power Project (2.0 – 25 MW)
Ministry of Environment and Forests, EIA Notification 2006

5. Impacts cited in published literature
TAJ PALACE, NEW DELHI | 12 – 14 SEPTEMBER 2016
Impacts cited in published literature
“During tunneling, ground water or water from springs can enter into the tunnel .”
“In ROR projects, a considerable length of river is bypassed and water is discharged into the river only after the power house.”
AHEC, IIT R, 2011
“Despite the protections delineated in the No Objection Certificates, small hydropower projects commonly disrupt kuhl irrigation systems or cause them to cease functioning altogether, either by physically damaging the irrigation system or by diverting the water on which the irrigation system relies “
J. Mark Baker, 2014

6. Water-energy-food nexus
TAJ PALACE, NEW DELHI | 12 – 14 SEPTEMBER 2016
Water-energy-food nexus
Bhilangana III HEP, 24 MW
Bhilangana HEP , 22.5 MW

7. TAJ PALACE, NEW DELHI | 12 – 14 SEPTEMBER 2016
Hydropower-Irrigation nexus How can we characterize the irrigation-hydropower nexus and harness it for enhanced ecosystems services and more equitable, sustainable and self-reliant development?

10. Methods RRA, FGDs, Household surveys (25 per cent stratified sampling)
TAJ PALACE, NEW DELHI | 12 – 14 SEPTEMBER 2016
Methods
RRA, FGDs, Household surveys (25 per cent stratified sampling)
Mapping of livelihood impacts on cadastral maps
Review of project related documents e.g. DPRs, village agreements, writ petitions, etc.

11. Reduced Discharge in Springs due to blasting
TAJ PALACE, NEW DELHI | 12 – 14 SEPTEMBER 2016
Reduced Discharge in Springs due to blasting
Reduced Irrigation

12. Devling Village, 125 HHs

13. Phalenda Village, 110 HHs

14. Increased market dependency (4-8 months) of affected households
TAJ PALACE, NEW DELHI | 12 – 14 SEPTEMBER 2016
Project
Villages
Total Irrigated
Land
(Ha)
Impacted Irrigated Land in Ha
HHs Affected
(Per Cent)
Land Sold to HEP
Reduced Water Availability
Muck
Affected
Total Area Impacted (Per Cent)
Bhilangana
Phalenda
15.33
0.03
1.97
0.15
2.15 (14)
50 (40)
Bhilangana III
Devling
17.57
3.34
9.84
5.80
13.18 (75)
105 (95)
Villages
Sampled
HHs
Post-HEP
Drop in Crop Productivity
(In Per Cent)
Agricultural Produce
Loss (kg/yr/HH)
Loss (kg/yr/capita)
Paddy
Wheat
Phalenda 29 27 31 42 7
Devling 26 44 35
150 21
Increased market dependency (4-8 months) of affected households

15. Caste Devling Village Phalenda Village R 227 42 SC 62 ---
TAJ PALACE, NEW DELHI | 12 – 14 SEPTEMBER 2016
Caste
Devling Village
Phalenda Village R
227 42 SC 62
---
Primary Occupation
Devling Village
Phalenda Village Ag
161 45 L 62 22 G
--- 50 OT
221 43
Economic Status
Devling Village
Phalenda Village
Well off
143 59
Middle income
251 56
Poor
119 19
Very poor 70
----

16. TAJ PALACE, NEW DELHI | 12 – 14 SEPTEMBER 2016

17. TAJ PALACE, NEW DELHI | 12 – 14 SEPTEMBER 2016
Key lessons
Small RoR type HEPs infrastructure poses threat to food and water security
But better negotiation mechanisms (grievance cell) can ensure water and food security

18. Ongoing Science-Policy Workshops
TAJ PALACE, NEW DELHI | 12 – 14 SEPTEMBER 2016
Ongoing Science-Policy Workshops