Approval of CEA expected in near future
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 25: Due to persistent efforts by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), 800 Mega Watts Bursar Hydroelectric Project to be constructed in Kishtwar district has received environmental clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest in the shortest possible time. Moreover, the project is expected to get approval of Central Electricity Authority (CEA) in near future because of its immense importance.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that Expert Appraisal Committee of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest in its meeting held in the month of October this year had detailed deliberations on the final Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environment Management Plan (EMP) submitted by the project proponent.
Accordingly, it was decided that a five member team of Sub-Committee will visit the site of the project in the month of November and submit a report based on the Terms of Reference (TOR) suggested for the Sub-Committee.
It was only on the basis of report of the Sub-Committee that environment clearance was to be granted to 800 Mega Watts Bursar Hydroelectric Project to be constructed on Marusudar River, a tributary of River Chenab, in Kishtwar district.
However, the members of the Sub-Committee could not visit the project site due to harsh climatic conditions in the area during November and it was observed by the Sub-Committee that visit would be possible only after June 2018 as by that time weather condition will become fairly good, sources said.
“As Bursar is the priority project for the Union Government and even a delay of one month is not permissible, the Prime Minister’s Office during recent review of the progress on the project found it appropriate to avoid the delay of seven months in grant of environmental clearance and accordingly the matter was taken up with the concerned authorities in the Ministry of Environment and Forest”, sources said.
The Expert Appraisal Committee of the Ministry of Environment and Forest, in its meeting held few days back, took note of this aspect and after detailed deliberations the proposed visit to the project site was dropped, sources said while disclosing that Expert Appraisal Committee has now recommended grant of environment clearance to the project by the Union Ministry. This has also been communicated to the PMO, project proponent (NHPC) and other concerned authorities.
The Expert Appraisal Committee has already expressed satisfaction over the final Environment Impact Assessment/Environment Management Plan submitted by the project proponent by incorporating the issues raised during the public hearings held near village Tiller in Marwah tehsil on September 21, 2017 and near village Lopara in Dachhan tehsil of Kishtwar on September 23, 2017.
“Various environmental aspects covering catchment area, submergence area and project influence area have been considered by the project proponent and the baseline data has been collected covering physico-chemical aspects, biological aspects and socio-economic aspects”, the EAC has observed, adding “even the impacts during construction and operation phases have been rightly assessed and mitigation measures suggested for minimizing the anticipated impacts”.
It is pertinent to mention here that Prime Minister’s Office regularly reviews progress in obtaining necessary clearances for the Bursar Project, which is of immense importance and would play major role in tapping the potential available for generation of electricity that too within the parameters of Indus Water Treaty (IWT) between India and Pakistan.
“The Bursar Project is the storage dam scheme permitted under Indus Water Treaty and is the first such project with storage capacity of 0.5 MAF in Chenab Basin and has already been declared as National Project”, sources said while disclosing that this project will help in regulating the flow of water in River Chenab thus will benefit itself as well all other downstream projects by enhancing their potential.
According to the officer of NHPC, the project executing agency, the storage capacity of Bursar Project would be much more than the storage capacity of Dul Hasti, Baglihar and Salal Hydroelectric Projects and during the period when the discharge of water in River Chenab decreases considerably storage dam of Bursar Project will release sufficient water so as to help these three projects in generating sufficient power even in lean period.
“Bursar is basically the multi-purpose project as it will also help in providing irrigation facilities to huge chunk of land in its catchment area”, he said while disclosing that Prime Minister’s Office has already directed the State Government to prepare a plan for irrigation facilities within shortest possible time and submit the same for approval and funding.
In response to a question, the officer said, “we are shortly expecting the clearance of Central Electricity Authority (CEA) as the Detailed Project Report is already under examination at CEA level”, adding “we have also submitted necessary information and replies in response to the queries raised by the CEA”.
“Since the Prime Minister’s Office is directly involved in this project we will get forest clearance also in shortest possible time”, he further said.
It is worthwhile to mention here that only seven villages with 18 hamlets consisting of 1052 families are likely to be affected due to this project. Of these 1052 families, 336 would get affected fully and 716 partially and a provision of Rs 211 crore has been earmarked for Relief and Rehabilitation (R&R) and Local Area Development, which would be more than sufficient.
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