After many protests, villagers and environmental activists removed pipes installed for new HPP in Serbia
, NewsAround 100 small hydropower plants have been built in Serbia, according to the Environment Ministry and the state power company offers strong incentives and commits to buying electricity generated by the plants at a price 50 percent higher than the market rate.
One of these hydropower plants was to be built in the village Rakita in south-eastern Serbia. Villagers in Rakita were helped by environmental activists and together they have removed pipes installed to serve a new hydroelectric power plant on a nearby river.
The local people fear the installation could devastate fish stocks in the Rakitska river, cause wells to dry up, and deprive livestock of water.
“People are leaving the village. If there is no river, there is nothing left for them,” explained resident Djordje Jovanov.
“There are people living nearby, they have cattle, they have gardens, the river means a lot to them,” added another man. “And then, some investor came and snatched the river from them. He had no right to do that.”
Supporters of the hydropower plants argue the environmental impact is well-known, but point to the far greater damage caused by coal-powered generation.
They say Serbia has to make a choice.
Source: euronews.com
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