http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA (See discussion on the topic in the Book ’Environmental Solution and Development’ authored by Chander Pal at pages 198-201 & 236-237) By river valley dam projects ther are adverse up-stream impacts and down stream impacts on environment. The upstrem environmental and ecological impaccts of big dams are : (1) Soil erosion (2) micro-climatic changes (3) loss of forests, flora & fauna (4) changes in fisheries, especially on spawning grounds (5) chain effects on catchment area due to construction and displacement etc. (6) landslips, siltation and sedimentation (7) breeding of vectors in the reservoir and increase in related diseases (8) seismicity (9) loss of non forest land (10) water-logging around reservoir (11) growth of weeds. Down stream impacts The down stream environment impacts of the large dams are : (1) Water-logging and salinity (2) micro-climatic changes (3) reduced water flow and deposition in river, with related impacts on aquatic eco-system, flora and fauna (4)flash floods (5) loss of land fertility along with river (6) vector breeding and increase in related diseases. These adverse effects have long term and irreversible loss of quality of human life and other creatures in the region. In order to meet such adverse impact on environment, a thorough environment impact assessment has to be made before the clearance of the dam. The Department of Environment and Forests has prepared detailed guidelines before a project is cleared. Wherever certain conditions for clearance are imposed they are to be strictly adhered to. There are economic costs as well as social costs and environment costs involved in a project of construction of large dam. The social costs is also too heavy. It results in wide spread displacement of local people from their ancestral habitat and loww of their traditional occupations. The displacement of economically weaker sections of the society and tribals, is the most series aspect of displacement from the point of view of uprooting them from their natural suroundings. Absence of these surroundings in the new settlement colonies shatters theri social, cultural and physical links. The large dam projects are, therefore, required to be taken care by the Government with utmost concern of the poor and the deprived sections of the society who are necessarily to be displaced from their habitat and shifted to a totally new environment and way of life. The poor and the marginalized group in carrying out of a dam project suffer most because the natural resources-base of their survival are eroded and cash compensation of land at a different location many times does not fully rehabilitate them. The dams are built by public funds with the aim to satisfy the energy and water needs but what benefit ultimately it would give to the displaced people should also be taken care of. The conflicts over natural resources which frequently come to Courts are therefore conflicts over rights between haves and haves not. The protest of ecologists, as is brought before us in this Public Interest Litigation, is not to be seen as obstructionists and anti-progress because the petitioners are actuated by desire to obstruct ecological destruction and to halt the process that results in progress for a few and hardships for many. The Government can utilize the natural resources for common good but cannot be allowed to exploit or virtually plunder it in a manner to deprive those presently sustaining their lives on those natural resources and deprive the coming generations who have also a right of living on those resources. On these fundamental issues, there is a cleavage between technological Page 29 of 37