Question

Environmental aspects must be carefully looked into before building huge dams. Give reasons.

Answer 1

• There are problems associated with the construction of big dams.
• Dams cannot be constructed everywhere; they can only be built in limited places, probably in hilly terrains.
• Due to dams, large areas of human habitation and agricultural land will get submerged by water.
• Apart from the above-mentioned areas, large ecosystems will also get submerged and destroyed.
• Large amounts of greenhouse gas, namely, methane will be generated and released into the atmosphere due to anaerobic conditions which arise from the rotting of the submerged vegetation.
• Due to these problems, displaced people cannot be rehabilitated satisfactorily.
• Due to such problems, one can see the opposition to the construction of the Sardar Sarovar project on the river Narmada and the Tehri dam on the river Ganga.
• Hydropower is a renewable source of energy as the water will get refilled during the rainy season.
• Hydropower is generated by turning the turbine blades which are connected to the generator.
• Turbine blades will rotate when water that is stored in dams falls from a higher elevation and flows through pipes inside the dam over turbine blades which are located at a lower elevation.