Question.
Write an essay on hydel power in India.
(NCERT class 12 geography, India People and Economy, Chapter-7-Chapter-Mineral and Energy Resources)
Answer.
Hydel power is a source of energy that is regenerated from running water. To generate it, rainwater is collected and stored by making a dam on the river. The turbine which is installed under the dam, waterfalls on it through pipes inside. When water falls from the height on the turbine, the turbine blades move and it converts mechanical energy (motion energy) into electrical energy. This is called hydroelectricity.
Norway was the first country in the world to develop hydroelectricity. It is a non-exhaustible but conventional source of energy as it requires large displacement of the local communities (to build dams) along with submergence of large areas of forest.
The major producers of hydroelectric power in the world are Paraguay, Norway, Brazil, and China. India ranks 7th in the world in terms of hydroelectricity generation. The first hydroelectric power plant in India was established in 1898 in Darjeeling, West Bengal. The Brahmaputra basin in India has the largest hydroelectric potential to generate hydroelectric power (about 24 GW).
Some of the important hydroelectric stations in India are:
- Tehri Dam is built on the Bhagirathi River in Uttarakhand and has a power capacity of 2400 MW which is the highest in India.
- Bhakra Nangal Dam is situated on the river Sutlej which is situated in Himachal Pradesh.
- Gandhi Sagar is situated on the Chambal River in Madhya Pradesh.
- Nagarjunasagar is situated on the Krishna River which is situated in Andhra Pradesh.
- The Rihand Dam is on the Rihand River which is a tributary of the Son River and is located in the Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh.
- Damodar Valley Project is on the Damodar River of Jharkhand.
- A series of Sardar Sarovar dams have been built on the Narmada River.
Advantages of Hydroelectricity:
- It is a largely non-polluting source of energy, however, methane (which is a greenhouse) gas emits from submerged forests. For example, the Rihand Dam emits large amounts of methane gas which is one of the methane hotspots in India.
- It is a cheap source of electricity except for the initial high cost.
- It promotes electricity as well as irrigation, fishing, and tourism.
Disadvantages of hydropower;
- The construction of dams submerges large areas leading to the displacement of local communities, especially tribal communities.
- Displacement of communities is very costly because India's population is high and land resources are very less.
- Dams can be constructed only in limited places, usually in hilly areas.
- Building dams destroys large ecosystems when they are submerged in water dams.
- There is resentment(negative attitude) in society regarding the construction of big dams. For example, there was a huge movement of people against the construction of the Tehri Dam on the Ganges and the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River.
- Large dam construction increases the chances of reservoir-induced earthquakes.
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