Nibuwatar chronicles: the discourse at the camp fire!

Amidst merry making in view of Bhatte’s upcoming marriage, the camp fire in front of Mone’s living quarters also served as venue where an interesting discourse on development and environment took place. The only environmental science graduate among civil engineers, electrical (power) and computer engineers, I had a tough battle advocating for sustainable development, consideration for livelihoods amongst a peer group who wanted roads and infrastructures.

“Development first, mitigation later”, quipped Mona.

Irked by the impasse brought about by an environmental regulation that requires proper management of the excavated mud during road construction, Mona’s resentment seemed justifiable. He was quick to retort that the ire of all development problems are environmentalists, who have to-date blocked any development projects on grounds of safeguarding the environment. His contention was that the environment could be amended for once development projects kicked into action. Once we had our development goals set and achieved, then we could go about nursing the environment as we would be capacitated in taking mitigation measures.

I shared an example of the age old (environmental) fiasco of the Aswan high dam; how mitigation costs had skyrocketed post construction and how the total ecological damage done was higher than the benefits in irrigation the project had brought about. The Aswan high dam (capacity 5.97 trillion cubic feet), which brought about major changes in the riverine system in the Nile basin leading to increased salinization and decrease in the yearly fish yield and increasing incidences of Bilharzia in the resident population.

I found myself further caught in conversation with a second class officer and engineer (RC dai) for and against reservoir type dams. My contention on reservoir type dams was that they change the river environment from an essentially lentic environment to a lotic environment (free flowing to a static environment), thus bringing about a loss/change in floral and faunal diversity.

“People first, fishes and birds later!” retorted in Gauri whilst taking a swig of his favourite rum and coke concoction.

I shared how a change in faunal diversity brings about changes in livelihood options of people living upstream and downstream. The issue of resettlement and rehabilitation of the resident population in the area is yet another area for intervention, when a reservoir dam is proposed. One of many reasons why the Arun III (404 megawatts) project was scrapped.

RC dai did give in the end (perhaps out of politeness for out of town guests) but he did have me further dwelling on the need for a reservoir type dam to underpin Nepal’s energy needs. He also shared insider insights on the PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) on how the Khimti Project has bled Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and reaped loads for the Norwegian company. For the private sector, Khimti is a profitable asset as the PPA was agreed in dollars instead of the Nepalese currency. Furthermore, the Nepalese Hydropwer Act requires that NEA buy all power generated off private hydropower generators only to add ire to NEA’s angst.

I have now come to surmise that Khimti was a rather expensive mistake for a first timer government as it was kind of a first attempt at securing foreign direct investments for hydropower funding.