Cabinet Committee on Investment has cleared three hydro power projects, which were stuck due to environmental bottlenecks.
According to a Power Ministry official, the three hydel projects -- Tawang (800 MW), Tato (700 MW) and Teesta (520 MW) -- which were awaiting approvals for a long time have been cleared by CCI.
These projects in Arunachal Pradesh (Tawang and Tato) and (Teesta) Sikkim were sent to CCI from the Power Ministry in December, last year.
Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) in collaboration with the Arunachal Pradesh Environment & Forest department has distributed solar energy equipment to about 25,000 households in Mayudia village. The package includes one solar panel, one chargeable multipurpose battery unit, one table lamp and an emergency light.
‘It would be of great help to our villagers who have been suffering due to the power crisis. Despite such limitations, they are actively supporting wildlife conservation in Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary,’ village headman Napi Umpo said. The people of Tiwari Gaon, a fringe village adjacent to Mehao Sanctuary, have been supporting the bear conservation and rehabilitation project and Hoolock Gibbon Translocation project for the safety of wildlife.
The distribution was done during ‘Interaction for Conservation Awareness & Distribution of Solar Equipment’, an event organized by WTI in collaboration with Department of Environment & Forest, Arunachal Pradesh, with support from Europaeische Tierschutzstftung (ETS).
‘The community living around any protected area is the first layer of the protection shield. In order to consolidate the shield, we need to understand the psychology and the needs of the people. The distribution of solar sets will further bridge the conservation support and confidence for the ongoing Asiatic Black bear rehabilitation project and Hoolock Gibbon Translocation Project in Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary,’ said Sunil Kyarong, deputy director and regional head, Wildlife Trust of India.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notices to the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF), ministry of power, National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and the state governments of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh on the issue of releasing minimum sustenance water at the rate of 450 cumecs from the Lower Subansiri dam throughout the year in order to ensure the river's ecological health.
The tribunal asked the respondents to file their replies within January 29.
The notice came after the Assam Public Works (APW), an NGO, moved the tribunal seeking clarifications on how the project will affect the Subansiri river which is located downstream of the dam site. The project is believed to have an adverse impact on riparian areas and aquatic life.
The APW approached the tribunal after the Supreme Court declined to intervene in the case saying it is a technical matter requiring expert opinion in September last year.
"As per initial RTI information, the NHPC and MoEF planned to release water at the rate of six cumecs for 20 hours when the project will be 'off-grid' (not generating electricity). This implies that no water would be released into the river, home to our national aquatic animal-the river dolphin, for a long period of time," said Abhijeet Sarma, who petitioned on behalf of APW.
Sarma added, "After constant public pressure, the NHPC announced that it will release between 220 to 250 cumecs of water by keeping one turbine running. This is far less than the minimum sustenance flow of the river. Who can guarantee that the turbine will be kept running continuously? Any disruption of flow, even for a short period, will annihilate the downstream biota of the river."
In the petition, APW asked for an opening in the dam at a suitable level so that the sustenance flow of 450 cumecs can be maintained without human control. It also requested that a 'fish ladder' be located at the dam's opening for fish migration.
A key environmental panel has recommended clearance for two hydel power projects in the Siang river valley in Arunachal Pradesh.
The two projects—Simang I and II totalling 133 MW—are located on the Simang, the right bank tributary of the Siang River. Projects in the Siang river basin are viewed as strategically important on account of the border with China. Adishankar Power Pvt Ltd is the project developer.
The Expert Appraisal Committee on River Valley and Hydroelectric Power Projects decided to recommend to the environment ministry that the two projects be cleared subject to requisite clearances from the National Wildlife Board, since Simang II is 6.4 km away from the Mouling National Park.
The panel has asked the developer to revise the cost estimate of implementing the environmental management plan, as it found the figures submitted by it to be on the lower side. It has also suggested that environmental flows of the river should be in line with the recommendations of the Siang Basin study report for winter or lean, monsoon and non-lean and non-monsoon seasons. As of now, the Simang I and II hydro-power projects are the only projects on this river.
The total land requirement for Simang I is 54.58 hectare, of which 32.74 hectare is forestland. The 18-metre barrage will result in a submergence of 15.5 hectare.
Simang II, on the other hand, requires about 46.14 hectare of land, of which 26.75 hectare is forestland. The 18-metre barrage will result in a submergence of 10.57 hectare of land.
Projects in the Siang river basin are seen as strategically important. The Yarlung Tsangpo is known as the Siang after it enters India in Arunachal Pradesh. This is what gives the Siang basin its strategic significance from an international point of view.
The government considers developing the Siang basin important as it will not only help India counter Chinese build-up in the area but also strengthen its negotiating position with China.
India and China have no water agreements. As a result, there is no structured international convention under which India can appeal should its lower riparian rights be affected by the power projects on the Tsangpo.
In this context, developing the Siang basin provides India the best safeguard. As early as August 2010, the then environment minister Jairam Ramesh had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh saying the environment ministry would ensure expeditious forest and environment clearances for all projects on river Siang without ignoring ecological concerns.
The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation has sought the assistance of the project monitoring group under the cabinet secretariat to fast-track the Rs 7,500-crore Tawang-II project in Arunachal Pradesh.
In February, India hastened plans to construct 2,500 MW of hydro projects, including one in Tawang and another in Teestha in Sikkim after China announced three more dams on their part of the Brahmaputra river. Though the NHPC's 800 MW Tawang II project has been cleared for stage I green clearance from the forest advisory committee (FAC) in February.
In the absence of a formal letter from the environment ministry endorsing the clearance, the project remains stuck. It is learnt that the file (for stage I clearance) is with the office of the environment minister for approval since April 18.
In it application filed to the PMG, NHPC sought faster clearances from various ministries for the 800 megawatt project as work could be started."The project would require 83 months for completion after investment approval by the government," it said.
The Tawang project got environment nod earlier and is awaiting a formal approval for diversion of 116.62 hectare of forest land.
Once this is in place, the company would also have to spell out rehabilitation and resettlement plan for the locals who would be displaced when the dam comes up at Tawang Chu river, a tributary of the Brahmaputra.
"We are facing several delays on our projects in the Northeast. Faster clearances would go a long way in not only helping NHPC grow but also provide the country a reliable source of cheap power," NHPC director finance ABL Srivastava told.
Chief ministers of Northeastern states have been urging the Centre to expedite various projects as part of efforts to speed up development in the region. The power ministry has already taken up with environment ministry a number of projects stalled in the Northeast.
Of the 100-odd projects planned in Arunachal Pradesh, 13 are planned in Tawang alone, which is also the birthplace of sixth Dalai Lama. However, projects coming up in Tawang are mired with controversies as China claims the region as a southern extension of Tibet.
Also, the Monpa tribe in Tawang have opposed the hydroelectric project as it might affect some of the Buddhist sacred sites.
Indian authorities are aware of the fact that building more dams in Brahmaputra ahead of China will put New Delhi in a strategically important position.
Tawang-II project has been proposed on river Tawangchu, in the downstream of Tawang-I hydroelectric project.
The project envisages construction of four units of 200 MW each and expects to generate 3622 million units at 90% PLF. The total cost for the project has been estimated at Rs 6112.30 crore at the May 2010 price-level.
Apart from Tawang II, forest clearance is pending for 600 MW Tawang-I hydroelectric project of the company in Arunachal Pradesh.
This is delayed pending a cumulative biodiversity study of the Tawang basin by the Arunachal government and Northeastern Hill University.
The 2x30 kilo watt Ashapani micro hydel project has been commissioned in Chaglagam circle under remote Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh bordering China.
With the commissioning of the project recently, the long-awaited demand of the circle for total electrification of the remotest circle and its adjoining villages has been fulfilled, official sources said here today.
Meanwhile, the department has been working on another hydel project, 2x100 KW Kachopani project in the same circle which is expected to be completed by December, sources said.
Both the projects were funded under the Special Plan Assistance (SPA) of the Prime Minister's package.
"Each and every household is lighted up despite its remoteness as the micro hydel, a dream project of the circle, has at last succeeded. Inaccessibility and tough topography caused immense hurdles and it was tough for us to make the project functional," informed P Tripathi, Assistant Engineer of the Department based at Chaglagam.
The district has tremendous scope for hydel power generation due to various perennial streams and rivers. So, the Hydro Power department has been making all-out efforts to harness their potentials at various pockets of the circles in the district in order to make Anjaw a 'power house' district in next few years, Tripathi said.
A switch yard needed to be constructed to connect the power grid to supply in the power deficit districts including Lohit, Dibang and Lower Dibang Valley, Changlang and Tirap, he added.
NHPC Ltd has started reaching out to public to create favourable environment for resuming the 2000MW Lower Subansari hydro electric project along Assam-Arunachal project which is facing stiff opposition from anti dam protestors.
In an exercise to reach out to public, NHPC conducted a seminar in Guwahati on Thursday where several speakers drawn from various disciplines tried to dispel misgivings about the safety of the dam.
Union Minister of State for Power Jyotiraditya Scindia in a letter to Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi recently stated delay in resumption of works will result in increase in tariff that has ultimately to be borne by the public and asked the Assam Chief Minister for efforts to facilitate a tripartite talk involving the NHPC, the government of India and the agitating groups so that the issue can be resolved at the earliest.
Peasant organization, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity (KMSS) staged dharna against the NHPC's public consultation process.
KMSS leader, Akhil Gogoi has sought a comprehensive ecological study of the Brahmaputra and its basin. "A cumulative impact study on the downstream of river dams in the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra. Both the studies must give special attention to the ecology and geological features of the Brahmaputra basin."
A.B Pandya, member, Central water commission informed that cumulative impact assessment study is underway and expected to be completed by this December. "Once submitted the report will be placed in the public domain."
The ministry of power has accepted the recommendation of expert panel which suggest modification in the dam designs.
