14th May 2020

Hello Planteers! 

On 29th April 2020, I started an online petition for stopping the 3,097 MW Etalin Hydroelectric Project in the evergreen bio-diverse region of Dibang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh.
As of today, we have over 10,000 signatures and more coming in.

According to a Hindustan Times report, FAC has asked the Power Ministry to comment whether the project in its current form is viable. It has also directed Arunachal Pradesh to submit a cost-benefit analysis of the project. Earlier this month, several scientists and wildlife biologists wrote to FAC, warning about the massive loss of biodiversity if Etalin Hydropower Project was allowed to come up.

Twenty-six scientists from 16 scientific institutions also flagged that a Wildlife Institute of India report on the biodiversity of Dibang Valley (based on which the Etalin Hydropower Project would be assessed) has several “scientific biases” and doesn’t reflect a true picture of the biodiversity of Dibang Valley.

In a Times of India article released on 14th May, Key expert panels of environment ministry have deferred decisions due to emerging ecological concerns. It also sought input from the National Tiger Conservation Authority. The Report broadly defines the ‘Zone of Influence’ (ZoI) but does not consider areas upstream and downstream of the dams that will be severely altered due to storage of sediments and changes in flow regimes.

Our voices are being heard! But the battle is NOT over yet!

Here is what we need to do:

• 
  Tweet to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) their twitter handle is @moefcc and to the Minister @PrakashJavdekar we can share our petition, news articles and use the hashtag #DibangValleyBachaoAndolan
• 
  Tweet to the Ministry of Power @MinOfPower and the minister @RajKSinghIndia. Use the hashtag#DibangValleyBachaoAndolan
• 
  Similarly, Tweet to the CM of Arunachal Pradesh @PemaKhanduBJP. Use the hashtag#DibangValleyBachaoAndolan
• 
  Write emails to the FAC and voice your concern. You could simply copy-paste the petition. Their email ID s: dgfindia@nic.in , adgfc-mef@nic.in , director@bnhs.org , vc@fort.mu.ac.in , Kaushalrajesh1@rediffmail.com, igfc-mef@nic.in
• 
  Join the Environment Activist Network, India on Facebook.
• 
  Write emails to Jinal Power at info@jindalpower.com in the subject add #DibangValleyBachaoAndolan. You could copy-paste the petition or write your own letter voicing concerns. Say that it is a LOSS to the country, Hydro-Power is not an effective power source.
• IMPORTANT: Take a picture of you with a sheet of paper with #DibangValleyBachaoAndolan written on it. Upload on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag. The Facebook algorithm is designed in such a way mobile photography has more reach than articles and links.

The project is on hold, but not cancelled. A strong opinion of the public will go along way! This is the time to go all out.
Will be updating you soon!

Regards, 

Roshni Ali

(If you can offer assistance, guidance or share insights please feel free to write to me at theroshniali@gmail.com )