01543nas a2200157   4500000000100000000000100001008004100002260001200043100001700055700001600072700002100088700001700109245011600126300001100242520113200253       2017                            d  c01/20171 aSuman Jumani1 aShishir Rao1 aSiddarth Machado1 aAnup Prakash00aBig concerns with small projects: Evaluating the socio-ecological impacts of small hydropower projects in India  a1–123 a<p>Although Small Hydropower Projects (SHPs) are encouraged as sources of clean and green energy, there is a paucity of research examining their socio-ecological impacts. We assessed the perceived socio-ecological impacts of 4 SHPs within the Western Ghats in India by conducting semi-structured interviews with local respondents. Primary interview data were sequentially validated with secondary data, and respondent perceptions were subsequently compared against the expected baseline of assured impacts. We evaluated the level of awareness about SHPs, their perceived socio-economic impacts, influence on resource access and impacts on human–elephant interactions. The general level of awareness about SHPs was low, and assurances of local electricity and employment generation remained largely unfulfilled. Additionally most respondents faced numerous unanticipated adverse impacts. We found a strong relationship between SHP construction and increasing levels of human–elephant conflict. Based on the disparity between assured and actual social impacts, we suggest that policies regarding SHPs be suitably revised.</p>