On november 22, 2005, the Kinnaur district administration issued notices directing the suspension of work on the Karcham Wangtoo Hydroelectric Power Project in Himachal Pradesh. Faced with strong protests from affected villages, officiating district magistrate J M Pathania, told Jaypee Karcham Hydro Corporation to stop work till outstanding issues were resolved.

The Rs 7,759-crore, 1,000-megawatt project is the biggest private sector hydroelectric project in the country and is being executed by the Jai Prakash Industries group.

The project has been embroiled in controversies for years. In June 2003, residents of Karcham and Tapri villages rejected the project at public hearings. The environmental impact assessment report was not given to the villagers in time, and was flawed anyway. Elements