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Mandi, January 10
Residents of Lahaul and Spiti district are opposing the setting up of power projects on the Chenab.
Rigzin Heyreppa, social activist and president of the Jispa Dam Sangharsh Samiti, told The Tribune that despite opposition from the people of Lahaul and Spiti, the state government is planning to set up power projects on the Chenab. There is a proposal to construct a dam for a 300 MW power project at Jispa village in the Lahaul valley, which would lead to the displacement of a large number of families from the area. “We, the tribal people of this valley, located along the banks of the Chandrabhaga river and its several glacial tributaries flowing freely in the upper Chenab belt, have been opposing the construction of over 12 mega hydropower projects proposed here in 2010. These projects were allotted to various private companies which are said to have given them up stating that these were economically not viable, technically not feasible and ecologic