| Uma Oya Multipurpose Hydropower Project- Sri Lanka | |||
 Uma
Oya is a river flows down from the central hills to join the Mahaweli
river. It passes through Welimada in the Uva province providing water to
large extent of rice fields and other agricultural lands. Under the Uma
Oya Hydropower project water will be diverted to Kirindi Oya basin
which will take water to Hambantota through a more than 19 km long
underground tunnel across mountains in Bandarawela by creating a dam at
Puhulpola (in Welimada) and a reservoir in Diaraba. The project cost of
headwork is USD 529,059,197 which is equivalent to SLR 60,841,807,770.
In brief, 85% of the project cost is provided by a loan from Export
Development Bank of Iran and the rest 15% is supplied by the Government
of Sri Lanka.
Unfortunately the EIA states that
“Certain costs and benefits have not been included in the analysis due
to unavailability of methodologies and lack of data.” This includes
Impacts on flora and fauna, geological impacts, soil erosion, noise
pollution, etc, during the construction stage, River pollution and its
long term cumulative impacts on aquatic flora, fauna and humans,
clearing of forest areas and damages to ecosystems and functions
performed by such ecosystems, including fragmentation, impacts on humans
forced into involuntary resettlement, Impacts on wildlife, including
endangered elephants and other rare/endemic species, Impacts on aquatic
fauna, including anadromous and migratory fish species, Impacts on sites
of historical, cultural and religious significance. It is highly
erroneous to say that these methodologies ate not available. By not
including values for these impacts of the proposed project, the EIA does
not contain a true environmental cost-benefit analysis of the proposed
project. If the costs of any of these impacts, either individually or
separately, are significant, then the project could be a financial as
well as an environmental tragedy. For example, if the project were to
lead to the extinction of Sri Lanka’s remaining elephant population,
would the production of an additional 231 GW-hr of electricity offset
the cost of this tragic result?
The proposed EIA repeatedly
stated the serious impacts to the biodiversity specially the fauna. The
project would cause substantial impacts to aquatic life, especially
through fragmentation of habitat. The EIA, then, recognize the risk of
extinction for migratory species. Among the migratory species who live
in the area there are Garra ceylonensis and Garra ceylonensis phillipsi.
Both endemic species that, due to the project, can run to extinction.
But the impact of the fragmentation of habitats will affect all the
species and also the other indigenous species of the area Puntius bimaculatus.
In Section 5.4.7 of Management
Actions to Mitigate Impact on Aquatic Inhabitants, it states that
“However, these species are available in the other undisturbed
tributaries of the country. Therefore, no mitigation is recommended as
the fish ladders are very expensive and therefore not practical for this
project”.
The EIA categorizes the impact of
the project on fauna by stating: “Moderate impact on the animals living
associated with Victoria-Randenigala-Rantambe Sanctuary is anticipated.
This is due to the diversion of Uma Oya water away from it normal path
where this Sanctuary is located. Animals living there can face water
scarcity problems especially elephants that are ranging downstream areas
of Uma Oya. Similarly other activities that take away wildlife habitats
located close proximity to any form of reserve will have an impact on
species that are having larger home ranges covering outside areas.”
Especially, the EIA recognize an
impact on reaming bears. Sri Lankan Sloth Bear is a subspecies of the
Sloth Bear who live in Sri Lanka and who is considered Critically
Endangered and its population is considered in decrease by the IUCN.
However the EIA states: “Last reaming Bear habitats close proximity to
Bogahapttiya area and Slender Loris habitats are also affected.”
The EIA also recognize a strong
impact on elephant. Of course there is a current debate whether Sri
Lanka has too many elephants that cannot be sustained. The EIA of the
Uma Oya project clearly states: “The Uma Oya development project has
significant impact on elephants.” “Nearly more than 1500 elephants
inhabit the area and majority will be affected covering Hambantota and
Moneragala Districts.”
The Project will be constructed by the Hardish Engineering Company from Iran. |
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| Read the full comments to the EIA | |||
| copy by web site | |||
