Mountains of Concrete - International Rivers

Alternative ApproachesOne of the most important contributions of civil society has been in evolving alternative visions and approachesto meet the needs of water, energy, livelihoods and revenue. Several elements of such approaches have alreadybeen put forward by various groups. Some of these suggestions minimize the need to build large hydro and thermalprojects, while some claim that they can be totally eliminated. Combinations of demand-side management, efficiencyin generation, supply, transmission and energy use, and renewable sources of energy are at the core of most of thesesuggestions.Simply reducing transmission and distribution (T&D)losses can provide significant additional electricity. The “11 thPlan Document” for India states that “T&D losses in Indiacontinue to be among the highest in the world and are themain concern in the development of power sector…T&Dlosses for the country as a whole are estimated to be in therange of 35%–45%.” 145The International Energy Agency’s “Statistics forPakistan for 2005” show that distribution losses were 25%. 146The World Bank says that in Pakistan “the transmission anddistribution networks are over-loaded, underinvested, andunder-maintained, with technical and commercial lossessignificantly above the norm. Reducing losses from suchlevels are generally more cost-effective measures for reducingthe demand-supply imbalances than adding generationcapacity.” 147Prayas Energy Group, based in Pune, India, calls for anew paradigm of power and energy planning that demands“an integrated view towards planning for all inputs that arenecessary for livelihood security – water, land, energy andbiomass.” They call for an integrated least-cost plan to becarried out in a participatory manner, expanding the choicesof technologies and fuels, and implementing supply-sideefficiencies and demand-side measures. 148Several analysts also point out that one cannot talkabout alternative approaches until one looks at demand.Supply cannot be increased indefinitely and no system canplan to meet unlimited demands.Some of the most important ideas and contributions tothis discussion are the many elements of alternative approachesemerging from popular struggles of affected people againstbig dam projects. One activist involved in supporting suchmovements has noted: “I believe that resistance movementsresult in alternate visions and development policy since thestruggling peoples’ vision becomes the focal point. Everyresistance movement and community struggle has its ownoptions and visions; they exist; only the policy makers areblind to them.” 149One of the most fascinating examples of alternativesemerging from people’s struggles around dams is that ofSulgaon Village in the submergence area of the 400 MWMaheshwar hydropower project on the Narmada Riverin India. The people of this village have been stronglyopposing the project as a part of the Narmada BachaoAndolan (NBA – Save the Narmada Movement). Guidedby experts from the Prayas Energy Group, Sulgoan citizenscarried out a comprehensive survey of energy consumptionand energy sources in their own village. Based on this, theydemonstrated that using demand-side measures to conserveenergy, along with local energy sources, mostly renewablebiomass, to generate electricity, they could not only meettheir own energy and electricity needs, but could also exportsignificant amounts of it. 150 Scaling this up could lead to alarge source of sustainable and renewable energy withoutmany of the serious social and environmental disruptionsthat come from other projects.There is a need to strengthen efforts to evolve suchvisions, plans and approaches for the entire region andwithin each country.Meeting to discuss the potential impacts of the planned West SetiHydropower Project, in Nepal, 2007. It is estimated that 15,000people will be adversely affected by this project. Photo: YukiTanabe.M o u n ta i n s o f C o n c r e t e : D a m B u i l d i n g i n t h e H i m a l aya s | 3 9