Question

Give reason.
Environmental aspects must be carefully looked into before building huge dams.

Answer 1

Dams help in creating hydroelectric power, which solves the energy problems of a region. They also help farmers as the water released from dams is used for irrigation. However, dams have a negative impact on the environment as well. They adversely affect the surrounding ecosystems by destroying the local flora and fauna, by displacing the local community, by changing the natural course of rivers, etc. Therefore, before a dam is built at a site, it should be ascertained whether its benefits justify the damages that it would inevitably cause to the various ecosystems. If they do justify, then steps should be taken to minimise the damages to the flora and fauna, and to relocate the local community. But if they don’t, then environmental conservation should be given the priority over the building of the dam.