‘Jatropha, micro hydel projects violating villagers’ sovereignty’
Express News Service
Shimla, November 30: A Non-Government Organisation (NGO) that ended
its three-day-long workshop ‘Policy Analysis for Central Himalayas’
here today has come down heavily on the state’s policy on the
allotment of micro hydel Projects and promoting Jatropha plantation.
Terming both the policies as an intrusion into the sovereignty of
the village folk, who depend on the forest biodiversity for
sustenance, NGO Sutra has called for a review of the former and
immediate abandonment of the second policy.

Sutra director Subhash Mendhapurkar has demanded equity to the local
people where micro hydel projects are being set up. A member of the
working group for the eleventh five-year plan, Madhu Sarin
said, "Jatropha is a weedy specie and spreads itself very fast
leaving lesser grasslands for grazing animals. Some cases have been
reported from Chattisgarh where animals died after eating its
leaves." She suggested Karanj as a good substitute for Jatropha.
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