Hydropower Development in Himachal Pradesh: A Stakeholder Equity Analysis

Seen as the champion of green energy to some and environmentally disastrous to others, hydropower is a multifaceted issue. As it continues to be developed in India, some of the most remote locations and vulnerable people are being affected. This paper holistically examines the process of hydropower development in rural Himachal Pradesh. The locus of this study is tribal region of Bharmour Tehsil within Chamba District of Himachal Pradesh, India. Aspects pertaining to project commission, the consent process, and government sponsored rural development schemes are examined, with emphasis given to equity among rural stakeholders. The nature of this project was exploratory and hypothesis-generating. A combination of secondary scholarly research and primary on-site data collection is used to analyze hydropower. Interviews were conducted with local villagers residing in Bharmour Tehsil. A questionnaire was also designed and administered. In addition to interviewing local people, several other stakeholders in the hydropower sector were interviewed, including government officials, hydroelectricity (hydel) developers, project engineers, and academic scholars