NEW DELHI: Acting swiftly on projects of strategic significance following suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), an expert committee of the environment ministry has recommended environmental clearance for constructing the Sawalkot hydroelectric project on Chenab in Ramban district of J&K.The 1,856-MW project is a major hydropower initiative on Chenab, one of the western rivers along with Indus and Jhelum that currently flow unchecked to Pakistan despite India's right to use it for non-consumptive purposes, including hydro-power generation. The construction will begin after meeting UT govt's formalities.Sawalkot project to be built in two phases, estimated cost Rs 31,380crThe Sawalkot hydroelectric project by NHPC is a run-of-the-river project that will be using water of Chenab river in Ramban, Reasi and Udhampur districts of the UT.It will be constructed in two phases (6x225MW & 1x56MW for Stage 1, and 2x225MW for Stage 2) in an area of 1,401 hectares at an estimated cost of Rs 31,380 crore. The project will include a 192.5m-high concrete dam, an upstream short water channel, an underground power station, and a system to carry water back to the river.The expert appraisal committee of environment ministry on river valley and hydroelectric projects, while granting green clearances during its last meeting on Sept 26, has specified certain "environment conditions" and safeguards.
According to minutes of the September 26 meeting, released on Thursday, the environment conditions include setting up a dedicated team to oversee environmental management activities, installing an online monitoring system for e-flow releases and a detailed mechanism of compensation for land acquisition for the project.In addition to several socio-economic and disaster management security conditions, the panel also made it mandatory to undertake a study on the project's impact on environment, by an independent agency five years after commissioning of the project. It also asked the project proponent to obtain forest clearance under the provisions of Forest (Conservation) Act, 1986, in case of diversion of forest land for non-forest purpose involved in the project, and clearance from National Board for Wildlife, if applicable.The project, with its water storage capacity, will also help India utilise additional waters as the nation, at present, doesn't have the capacity to store even 3.6 million acre-feet (MAF) of water on western rivers, the share which was allowed to it under Indus Waters Treaty. Similarly, so far, India has built only 3,482MW capacity of hydro-power generation units from western rivers out of an estimated potential of about 20,000MW. |
