India’s race for further development has alarmed environmentalist groups, who feel that the country is sacrificing its natural habitat in favour of industrialisation. Their reactions come on the heel of permission granted for the 3,000 megawatt Dibang hydroelectric power plant, which will be located in a remote and pristine part of Northeast India. The construction will mean clearing some 4000 hectares of forest, resulting in damage to an area rich in biodiversity. In the five months since it came to power, Modi’s government has relaxed several environmental rules to make it easier for companies to build new projects in a move to revitalise the economy and increase the number of jobs.
