Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee,
Prime Minister of India,
7, Race Course Road
New Delhi , India - 110001                                                                                      , 1999
 

Dear Shri Vajpayee,

Sub: Parbati River Valley Project in Kullu District, Himachal Pradesh

    I understand from recent reports that you are scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the Parbati River Valley Project in the Kullu district of HP around the 12th of December. It was also reported that you are being accompanied by some senior members of your cabinet including the Finance Minister, Shri Yashwant Sinha for this programme.

    I would like to bring to your notice that the mandatory Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) for the project has yet to be completed. The EIA has just been initiated and it will need about two years to be completed. The project has not yet obtained environmental or forest clearance under the Environment Protection Act and the Forest Conservation Act and hence it would be illegal for you to lay the foundation stone. It would also be a waste of tax payer's money and of your own time, should the project not receive clearance.

    Indeed prima facie evidence suggests that the project is likely to be ecologically very destructive and thus a good candidate for rejection by the Ministry of Environment and Forests. Already there has been considerable public controversy over the move of the Himachal Pradesh government to denotify over 1000 hectares of the Great Himalayan National Park to accommodate part of the Parbati project. If you proceed to lay the foundation stone of this project you will also be ignoring your own role as Chairperson of the Indian Board for Wildlife (IBWL).

    You will recall that letters had been addressed to you in this matter earlier in May 1999 as well, but these opinions and suggestions have been ignored.

    I request you to decide against the laying of the foundation stone. Additionally I request that you give an assurance to the public that any further activity related to the project will be undertaken only once the EIA is completed.

    It is hoped that the points that we have raised are given due importance this time and corrective action is taken.

Thanking you

Sincerely,