NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday suggested exploring the feasibility of shifting hydro-electric power projects on Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers in Uttarakhand to non-eco fragile zones to facilitate resumption of the projects which have been stalled for the last seven years.“It should be considered for all projects across the country and not only for Uttarakhand. Pure commercial consideration cannot be the sole criterion. We agree there is need for power. But protecting environment and lives of people are more important. Power projects can be relocated. They need not be in ecologically fragile areas,” a bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant said.“Our anxiety, in addition to environment, is to protect the lives of people. For project proponents, it is profit. We are suggesting the government to relocate as we have larger interests to guard. Thermal power plants should be stopped. Have you been to Chandrapur (where a super thermal power plant is located)? You cannot breathe in that city,” CJI Bobde said.But the suggestion of relocation did not go down well with senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who was appearing for GMR Badrinath Hydro Power Generation Pvt Ltd, which is constructing a 300 mw project on Alaknanda river near Badrinath. He said, “We will go away. Seven years after investing huge amount in a project that is stuck because of court orders, relocation would mean constructing the hydro-electric power project from scratch at a new location. What happens to the economy?”Appearing for a PIL petitioner, advocate Prashant Bhushan said the state was power surplus and did not require more hydro-electric projects. Two committees had concluded that these projects contributed to the unprecedented floods that devastated the state in 2013 and that the SC had directed the ministries of power, water resources and environment to file a consolidated affidavit after taking into account all aspects, he said and complained that no such affidavit had been filed yet.Rohatgi said one of the committees set up by the government had recommended resumption of work at six hydro-electric projects, including the one being constructed by GMR. But the SC adjourned hearing for four weeks while asking the ministry of environment and forests to file a consolidated affidavit.After unprecedented floods devastated the hill state in June 2013, the SC on August 14, 2013, ordered fresh environment impact assessment of 24 under-construction hydro-electric projects, which involve an investment of Rs 20,000 crore, on the two rivers to examine whether these projects “contributed to the tragedy”. All projects have been stalled since then as many committees have examined the issue.The SC had also asked the environment ministry and the state government not to grant environmental or forest clearances to any project till further orders. But it had cleared construction of Srinagar hydro-electric project in Uttarakhand by the Alaknanda Hydro Power Company