Forest Clearances of 1,500 MW Tipaimukh Hydel Project in Manipur and 3,000 MW Dibang multipurpose project in Arunchal Pradesh have been rejected by Ministry of Environment & Forest.
Dibang Project is being implemented by National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) limited whilst the Tipaimukh Project is being implemented by the JV company of NHPC, Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd (SJVNL) and Manipur Government.
Both these projects were facing a very high opposition from the NGOs and environment groups.
The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) which was held on 11th and 12th July has critically analyzed the applications of both these projects.
Findings by FAC on Dibag Project are:
- Feeling of more than 3.5 lakh trees will be required in Manipur alone.
- There is no study conducted to assess the cumulative impact of all the reservoirs and the upstream and downstream impacts.
- The ecological, environmental and social costs of diversion of such a vast tract of forestland, which is a major source of livelihood of the tribal population of the state, will far outweigh the benefits likely to accrue from the project.
- Opposition is also being faced from Bangladesh.
Findings by FAC on Tipaimukh Project are:
- Project will involve diversion of around 24,329 Hectares which is more than 20% of the total forest land area of 1,18,184 Hectares diverted so fare for the execution of 497 hydro projects in the country after the Forest Conservation Act came into force.
- Thus the per MW forest land requirement comes out to be around 16 Hectares per MW which is quite higher than the national average.
- Feeling of more than 78 lakh trees will be required in Manipur alone.
Thus according to FAC, very high ecological, environmental and social impact/cost of the diversion of the vast tract of forestland will far outweigh the benefits likely to accrue from the above mentioned projects.
The committee therefore strongly recommended that approval of the said forest land should not be accorded.
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