A talk on “The Global Environmental Issues & its Implication on Hydropower Development” was delivered by Prof. C. K. Varshney, Professor Emeritus Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and a renowned ecologist. The aim of the talk was to sensitize and to educate the internal stakeholders of the company for efficient compliances and implementation of NHPC’s Corporate Environment Policy.

The talk was chaired by Shri Ratish Kumar, Director (Projects) in presence of Shri N.K. Jain, Director (Personnel) and Shri Janardan Choudhary, Director (Technical). Director (Projects) inaugurated the session by welcoming Prof. Varshney with plant and shawl. It was followed by welcoming of the Directors by presenting them plant by Shri A. K. Mishra, ED (E&DM).

Director (Projects) in his address appreciated the presence of senior officers for such an important talk. Director (Personnel) also expressed his happiness about organizing this kind of talk for senior officers. Director (Technical) lauded the efforts of EDM Division in organizing such talk and expressed that effort for development of clean and green energy in true sense has to come from everyone involved. ED(E&DM) in his welcome address appraised about the various voluntary initiatives taken/ being taken by the EDM Division.

Prof. Varshney gave a detailed talk on the Global Environmental Issues like Global Warming, Climate Change, Pollution, Deforestation and loss of soil, Species extinction including status of biodiversity in India, Water crisis and Overpopulation. He deliberated on significant implications of above environmental issues on the development of hydro-projects, focusing mainly on the different types of risks associated with the Climate Change, deforestation and Life-cycle emissions from hydroprojects vis-à-vis different electricity generating sources. He highlighted about a recent publication in scientific journal Nature which has indicated that the average Carbon Emissions from hydro-projects are significantly low in comparison to other conventional sources of energy over their working lives and it is lower than even Gas or Solar Photovoltaic based plants. Prof. Varshney concluded that risks associated with climate change are now real and they need to be identified, evaluated and integrated into design of the project for achieving the full life cycle of the project. He also emphasized that in order to find out the solution to the imminent problem it is important to appreciate the fact that there is a problem and he hoped that this talk would be able to help the planners in that direction.  The talk was ended with vote of thanks proposed by Dr. Anil K. Tripathi, General Manager (Environment).