SWAT: Elders and environmental activists from Bahrain tehsil here on Sunday expressed grave concern over the proposed design of the 207MW Madyan hydropower project, which they see as a ‘looming catastrophe’ for the local economy, environment and the ecosystem in the project’s area of influence.

The elders and environmental activists under the banner of Darya-i-Swat Bachao Tehreek (River Swat protection movement) voiced strong opposition to the proposed project.

Speaking at a gatherinig in Mingora on Sunday, prominent local figures Inamullah, Irfan Khan, Khan Syed, Zubair Torwali, and Ghulam Hussain, argued that the plan not only violated the existing River Act but would also cause irreparable damage to the natural beauty, diverse aquatic life, and economic fabric of the Swat Valley.

They said the proposed development, which involves diverting the Swat River into a 12-kilometre-long tunnel bypassing Bahrain town and adjacent tourist areas, posed a significant threat to the economic and ecological stability of the region.

They said that the Torwali people, who have thrived off this river, whose history is intertwined with the ebbs and flows of the River Swat, would face irrevocable damage if the project was executed.

They said they feared for their economy, environment and cultural identity if the river, which was their lifeline, was rerouted. They added that the under the project the River Swat would be diverted into tunnels, spelling disaster for the river and the indigenous people living around it.

The elders and environmental activists pointed out that the project’s design violated the Environmental and Social Framework, 2017, the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (Dec 2023) and Resettlement Action Plan (Oct 2023).

“The World Bank has established a comprehensive set of environmental and social standards to ensure that the projects it funds are implemented responsibly and sustainably. These standards form a crucial framework for managing potential risks and impacts associated with development projects. Unfortunately, in the case of the Madyan hydropower project, these social standards have been disregarded,” they remarked.

They noted that due to violations of the World Bank’s environmental and social standards and the immense negative impacts on the communities, local activists, researchers, and community leaders from the Torwali community had launched the River Swat protection movement.

They said as part of this movement, thousands of people had held a protest in Bahrain in July, strongly opposing the project.

“We, the Darya-i-Swat Bachao Tehreek, are community leaders, activists, writers, traders, investors, hoteliers, farmers, students, shopkeepers, and teachers from the Torwali community. We have no choice but to present our demands before the World Bank, in the hope that it will respond positively to our concerns and save our economy, environment, and ecology,” they said.

“We appeal to the World Bank to reconsider the implications of this project on our community and the environment,” they demanded, saying that this was not just a plea to save a river, but a struggle to protect their culture, their community, and their homes.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2024