Vidic 2:00
L21
HYDROPOWER PROJECTS MADE INTERNATIONAL:
SHOULD WE GIVE A DAM?
Adam Bromley (awb36@pitt.edu)
A HISTORICALLY AND ETHICALLY
CONTROVERSIAL PROPOSITION
In the midst of a technological revolution, today’s society
has indisputably become dependent on electrical energy.
Currently, fossil fuels account for nearly 83% of the world’s
energy production [1], and the availability of such resources
has subsequently experienced a significant decline. As a result,
we have begun a transition to alternative renewable energy
sources in order to shoulder the weight of our energy
consumption as fossil fuels near extinction. One of the most
common and efficient methods of renewable energy
production is hydroelectricity.
Water is the largest renewable resource that can be
contained, as it constantly follows a global cycle of
evaporation and precipitation. Hydroelectric stations are the
backbone of generating energy. These stations are based on
either the natural drop of a river, such as a waterfall or rapids,
or within a dam that causes the water level to rise and further
emphasize the driving force of the drop. In essence, a
hydroelectric station is a factory that converts the kinetic
energy of falling water into electricity. The station first collects
the rushing water from the higher level of the source, which
then is transported through a series of pipes, all leading down
towards the turbine wheel generator. The pressure caused by
the constant flow of water drives the turbine, starting a process
that results in clean energy that can be dispersed throughout a
region. After the water has served its purpose, it flows out of
the station, and rejoins the source at the lower level.
The process of producing hydropower cannot be carried
out without first the construction of a dam. This is the stage
within the process in which the civil engineer would be most
active. The practice of this method has been expanding on a
global scale, and is becoming more of a commonplace as we
put more emphasis onto renewable energy. While the use of
dams for energy benefits us who consume electricity on a daily
basis, in contrast, it is putting those of which who do not rely
on electricity in danger, more specifically, tribal communities.
I am the head engineer of a dam construction project that
is proposed to be built on the Narmada River in India. It is here
that serves as home to multiple tribal communities, which are
dependent on the resources of the river and its surrounding
land. Although the dam will contribute to the success of the
technological world, it will undoubtedly put the welfare of the
natives in jeopardy. Similar projects have fueled controversy
in the past, and those of which that have been completed have
unfortunately proven such consequences to be true. The tribal
communities in the area are aware of the environmental and
University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering
2013-10-29
social dangers due to the negative effects that the preceding
multi-billion dollar Sardar Sarovar Dam Project had on them.
The Sardar Sarovar Dam was the largest dam constructed
as a part of the Narmada Valley Development Project, and is
located mere miles away from the site of our current project.
The plan was comprised of 30 large dams, 135 medium dams
and 3,000 small dams on the Narmada River [2]. An
organization against the project states that “the project
displaced more than 320,000 people and affected the
livelihood of thousands of others. Overall, due to related
displacements by the canal system and other allied projects, at
least 1 million people were affected by the completion of the
project” [3]. Although we have yet to complete statistical
projections on the result of the current project, it is safe to say
that the outcome will bear striking resemblance to that of the
Sardar Sarovar Project, due to the similar location and size. As
an engineer, it is my professional obligation to solve problems,
not to create them.
According to the engineering code of ethics, “Engineers
must hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the
public” [4], and it is because of this that I am reevaluating the
overall integrity of the project. Let it also be known that as an
engineer, I am following rule four of the code by disclosing all
potential conflicts of interest that could influence my judgment
or quality of my services [4]. Though the dam may have
potential to generate a substantial amount of energy, I fear that
the ethical, economical, and environmental costs of the project
may be too high of a price to pay.
A MODERN DAY SARDAR SAROVAR
Tribal communities still occupy the area surrounding the
Narmada River, despite the large scale displacement of the
people caused by the Sardar Sarovar Dam. The ethical conflict
of the prospective dam project is fueled by the probability of a
reoccurrence of the Narmada Valley Development Project.
The evidence of a social catastrophe among the natives as a
result of this project is present, therefore the overall integrity
of it is worthy of being deemed unethical. Section I.6.a of the
American Society of Civil Engineers code of ethics states that,
“Engineers shall not knowingly engage in business or
professional practices of a fraudulent, dishonest or unethical
nature” [5], thus emphasizing the point that breaking ground
for the current dam project may not be worth the ethical
consequences. To reiterate, the benefits of the completed
project are surely to aid the industrialized world, but the ethical
aspect of the project reinforces the negative effects of the dam.
In such a situation, the “right” choice may not always turn out
to be the “ethical” choice. The only logical solution to
determining whether or not to construct the dam, based off of
Adam Bromley
the engineering codes of ethics, is comparing and contrasting
the benefits of each decision and putting into action the plan
that complies the most with the codes.
environment for future generations. Sustainable development
is defined by the National Society of Professional Engineers as
“the challenge of meeting human need for natural resources,
industrial products, energy, food, transportation, shelter, and
effective waste management while conserving and protecting
environmental quality and the natural resource base essential
for future development” [4]. As the definition states, the dam
must be in the best interest of the people who are affected by
it. In this case, the native tribes of Gujarat who live along the
banks of the river are being put at stake. It is for this reason
that the Sardar Sarovar Dam was a source of controversy for
many years, and that the construction of the project has been
protested and delayed multiple times.
Every dam requires a reservoir to hold the excess water that
is built up. Reservoirs are created by flooding land, potentially
submerging crops, forests, houses, and forcing entire
communities to be relocated [9]. The stagnant water of
reservoirs also serve as breeding grounds for disease-infested
insects and other animals. One protest group, Survival
International, states that “the reservoir of India’s Sardar
Sarovar Dam along the Narmada River prompted the eviction
of thousands of families, many of them tribal” [9]. It is true
that the construction of a new dam will create parallel
conditions, more specifically, flooding. This presents a severe
problem among the tribal communities, as well as the team
working on the project.
Circumstances in which a community of people is asked to
relocate or will be drowned otherwise is certainly unethical.
Ram Bai, a villager whose home was submerged by the Bargi
Dam on the Narmada, asks “Why didn't they just poison us?
Then we wouldn't have to live in this shit-hole and the
Government could have survived alone with its precious dam
all to itself” [10]. The mere fact that a villager would prefer
death over the displacement of her tribe proves that the
engineering is lacking moral principles. Not only will the
nearby tribes be forced to relocate, but they will also be
unwillingly forced into hazardous conditions regarding their
health and safety, which could cause some tribes to near the
brink of extinction. The flooding caused by the dam will also
put the environment in jeopardy, as it threatens to destroy a
significant portion of India’s most fertile land. As stated by
Survival International, “The negative impacts of large
hydroelectric dams can be profound and irreversible, with
tribal peoples often most acutely affected.” They also go on to
say, “Severing the social and cultural ties between a tribe and
their land can very quickly lead to the dissolution of the tribe
itself” [9]. The controversy is fueled by the question essentially
asking, “Is the electrical energy as important as the wellbeing
of a vast culture and environment?” Although the codes of
ethics serve as guidelines to making ethical decisions
regarding engineering, they are simply not needed to succumb
to the morality of the question.
Also, the new dam will surely alter the flow of the river,
which in turn will alter the migrating and settling patterns of
the fish species within the waters. Fish serves as a major food
source of tribal communities, and as a result of the dam, we
THE BENEFITS OF CONSTRUCTING THE
DAM DERIVED FROM SARDAR SAROVAR
Due to the tremendous similarity in size and location
between the two projects, the statistical outcomes of the Sardar
Sarovar Dam have been determined to be safe estimates for the
outcomes of the current plan. Therefore, it is imperative that
such statistics are taken into consideration throughout the
decision-making process.
As the project first broke ground in 1964, the Sardar
Sarovar Dam was officially on its way to becoming the
197,230 square meter structure that it is today [6]. Due to the
massive size of the dam and overall volume of the river, the
average annual power generation the system is approximated
at one thousand GWH [7]. To put this number into perspective,
it is said that a single GWH of energy is capable of powering
roughly 750,000 homes annually, a prospect that simply
cannot be overlooked. Doubling this amount of productivity
by constructing another dam would greatly benefit energy
consumers worldwide. The main function of the dam is clearly
energy production through the process of hydropower.
Hydropower is generally a fairly cheap source of renewable,
sustainable energy. According to the US Department of
Energy, hydropower plants emit no carbon dioxide, making it
one of the cleanest and most reliable sources of energy [8]. In
relation to the engineering code of ethics, there is an argument
that this concept follows the canon of meeting environmental
needs. While I firmly support the use of renewable energy
sources, this particular type of circumstance renders the
method to be unethical solely due to its proposed location. In
addition to the electrical benefits, farmers gained assistance
through irrigation processes throughout the surrounding areas,
covering 3112 villages and enabling these areas to potentially
be drought proof [7]. Another function of the dam was the
transportation of drinking water to the surrounding areas as
well. A special allocation of water was made to provide
drinking water to about 53% of the total 18,144 villages of
Gujarat [7]. Again, an additional source of drinking water that
stretches beyond the reach of the Sardar Sarovar would
provide a significant boost in productivity. While the
aforementioned benefits adhere to a number of certain
engineering codes of ethics, it still seems as though the
negative outcomes outweigh the positives.
THE ETHICAL STRUGGLE
Though the physical results of the dam project seem
compelling on the surface, the harmful effects on the tribal
people of the Narmada Valley must be brought to the attention
of the public. It is the duty of an engineer to adhere to the
principles of sustainable development in order to protect the
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Adam Bromley
[5] “Code of Ethics.” (2013). American Society of Civil
Engineers. (Website). http://www.asce.org/Leadership-andManagement/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/
[6] “Sardar Sarovar Project.” (2013). Narmada Valley
Development
Authority.
(Data
Report).
http://www.nvda.nic.in/pdf_files/ssp.pdf
[7] “Benefits of the Project.” (2013). Sardar Sarovar Narmada
Nigram
Limited.
(Website).
http://www.sardarsarovardam.org/Client/ContentPage.aspx
[8] “Renewable energy.” (2013). United States Department of
Energy.
(Website).
http://www.eere.energy.gov/basics/renewable_energy/
[9] “Serious Damage.” (2010). Survival International. (Online
Report).
http://assets.survivalinternational.org/documents/373/Serious
_Damage_final.pdf
[10] “The Greater Common Good.” (1999). Friends of River
Narmada.
(Online
Article)
http://www.narmada.org/gcg/gcg.html
[11] “Online Ethics Center: Background Concepts for
Teaching Engineering Ethics.” (2006). Online Ethics Center.
(Website).
http://www.onlineethics.org/Education/instructguides/18934/
concepts.aspx
would be responsible for the inability of a whole civilization
to eat. To allow this to happen would undoubtedly be a
violation of numerous codes of ethics, particularly the
previously highlighted canons. As stated by the National
Academy of Engineering, “It is imperative that engineers gain
and maintain public trust. Without the public's trust, the
profession cannot thrive and professionals lose their ability to
be effective in influencing human well-being” [11]. With that
being said, it is safe to say that going through with the project
would certainly not gain the trust of the public, this being made
evident by the controversy and debate surrounding the project.
Therefore, it has been proven that the construction of a new
dam comparable to Sardar Sarovar is in violation of the
engineering codes of ethics regarding the overall wellbeing of
the public and the environment.
ALTERNATIVE SOUTIONS TO THE
FUTURE OF INTERNATIONAL
HYDROPOWER PROJECTS
While collecting data as a step within the decision-making
process, my ethically-charged conclusion was principally
influenced by the efforts of the Survival International
Organization. Within a report of the organization, I found a list
of recommended alternative solutions as opposed to carrying
out the construction of a hydroelectric power plant without the
consent of the natives. I support the proposed approach of the
organization when they suggest that “No new hydroelectric
dams should be developed where they affect tribal peoples’
territories unless and until the tribes’ collective land ownership
rights have been recognized and they have been fully and
independently consulted, and have freely given their consent”
[9]. In agreement with the proposal, and based off of the
canons of the engineering codes of ethics, I have come to the
conclusion that my project will be the first to abide by the
ethically-conscious amendment.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This assignment would not have been possible without the
support of numerous people. I wish to express my appreciation
to my supervisor, Professor Vidic, who has been abundantly
helpful throughout the course of the semester.
Special thanks are in order to my group member, Jake Krakoff,
for his undivided assistance and willingness to answer any
questions I have had since the first day of class.
Thanks go out to my fellow engineers and floor mates,
Christopher Frye and Joseph Kunitsky, for constantly keeping
me focused on the tasks at hand. I would also like to thank
writing instructors Nancy Koerbel and Liberty Ferda for their
aid in both the preparation and evaluation stages of each
assignment. Lastly, deepest gratitude is due to my family, for
giving me nothing but unconditional love and genuine support
though the course of my studies, which has enabled me to
succeed within the classroom and achieve the status of an
engineering student at the University of Pittsburgh.
REFERENCES
[1] “Monthly Energy Review.” (2013). Energy Information
Administration.
(Data
Report).
http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/mer/pdf/pages/sec1_7.pdf
[2] “Report on Narmada Dam: Sardar Sarovar Project.”
(2008). Tata Institute of Social Sciences. (Online Report).
http://aidindia.org/main/content/view/763/376/
[3] “The Sardar Sarovar Dam: A Brief Introduction.” (2006).
Friends
of
River
Narmada.
(Online
Article).
http://www.narmada.org/sardarsarovar.html
[4] “National Society of Professional Engineers Code of Ethics
for Engineers.” (2006). Online Ethics Center. (Website).
http://www.onlineethics.org/Resources/ethcodes/EnglishCode
s/9972.aspx
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