Why dams have failed to become the temples of modern India?

Answer 1

Multipurpose river valley projects are a major contributor to India's developing economy and they are often considered to be the propellants of India's industrial growth. However, they have often come under sharp criticism their negative effects on the environment.

The greatest disadvantage of multipurpose projects is the harm they cause to the environment. Obstructing the natural flow of rivers for the purpose of building dams creates inhospitable conditions for the marine life, which results in the death of many aquatic animals and plants. Also, big reservoirs submerge the adjoining fertile flood plains causing great loss of agricultural land. Many river valley projects such as the Sardar Sarovar have submerged the nearby forests, thus contributing to the depletion of India's forest resources. Another major disadvantage of multipurpose projects is the large scale displacement of people. The local communities have to leave their villages, their livelihood and their ties to make way for these projects. Their rehabilitation is a major issue that is being raised by several social activists such as Medha Patkar. The people who give up their land for the good of the nation are the one's suffering the most as after their displacement. In most cases, they are not provided proper food and shelter. All this and more has disillusioned the common people about the advantages of multipurpose projects. For the masses who suffer the aftermath of these multipurpose projects, these projects are more a pain than a gain.