Teesta Hydro-Electricity Projects and Livelihood Security in the Sikkim Himalaya: Issues and Challenges

Abstract

Energy is crucial for any nation's economic growth and development, as well as poverty eradication and livelihood security. However, hydropower projects require significant expanses of land for construction and also affects people's lives and social structures.  Sikkim is a growing economy that is pursuing modernization through economic growth. In Sikkim, the forest department administers 82.31% of the land, while agricultural accounts for 11.1% of the overall geographical area, with agriculture employing 65% of the population. People's livelihoods are adversely affected when agricultural and forest land is diverted for project-related activities. This paper studies the post-project livelihood situations of the affected people of Teesta hydro power project. Field study has been carried out in six affected villages. Total of 334 sample household has been surveyed through pre-structured questionnaire. To assess the levels of various livelihood capital assets, all the five capitals i.e., natural, physical, financial, human and social capitals has been studied at household level by grouping the calculated data into three class intervals (i.e., high, medium and low). Index has been prepared to evaluate livelihood security and the livelihood diversification (Simpson Diversification Index) of the affected villages.