Shimla, June 27: Tourism is taking its toll on the Larji Hydel project. While plastic is choking Beas, polythenes and bottles are flowing downwards from Rohtang Pass to the 126 MW hydel project on the river. The recent heavy downpours have swept down the plastic waste left behind by tourists in Manali and Rohtang Pass to the hydel project.

While Manali Municipal Committee Chairperson Naveen Thakur claims that efforts to curb plastic menace by banning plastic bags and removing plastic waste have been on for some time now, this tourist season, the problem has cropped up afresh.

Ajay Mittal, HPSEB Chairman and state’s Principal Secretary (Power), says: “On a daily basis, we remove tonnes of plastic waste that gets accumulated at the barrage site. At times, the garbage slips into the machines as well. This could hit power generation and damage the machines.”

Till now, the HPSEB has been clearing the plastic waste manually. “Our men go down into the river, close to the barrage and remove heaps of plastic. It is not only plastic bottles but also beer bottles that get stuck here,” says D R Sharma, Superintending Engineer at Larji. The annual expenditure incurred in clearing the garbage exceeds Rs 1 crore, say officials.

Harinder Hira, Principal Secretary (Environment and Scientific Technologies) says: “I have directed Deputy Commissioner of Kullu, M Sudha Devi, to start a campaign for clearing all plastic garbage in the area.”

Mittal has directed engineers to devise a way to ensure regular removal of plastic garbage from the river. “Cleaning of the river is an arduous task, but we have to do it to protect the project.”

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