JAMMU, Sept 1: The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has deferred the proposal for grant of Environmental Clearance (EC) to the Stage-II of Uri-I Hydroelectric Project in Baramulla district for want of information on certain important aspects relating to environment, wildlife and forests.
After detailed analysis of the presentation made by NHPC Limited and accredited Consultant M/s R S Envirolink Technologies Pvt Ltd on the salient features of the project, the Expert Appraisal Committee comprising of 12 experts of different fields observed, “total land required for the project is 102 hectares out of which non-forest land is 85 hectares and 17 hectares is forest land for which Stage-1 Forest Clearance is still under process in the Ministry of Environment”.
“We have discussed the issues raised during the public hearing and reviewed the action plan submitted by the Project Proponent to address these concerns”, the EAC said, adding “after careful deliberation we have found the action plan satisfactory but we are deferring the proposal for want of additional information on certain important aspects, which have not been furnished to us”.
The EAC has directed the Project Proponent to submit data on the environmental flow monitored for the existing project and also submit an approved wildlife conservation plan as the project location is in close proximity of Wildlife Protected Area.
“Given that 17 hectares of forest land is involved, the Project Proponent should provide a detailed classification of the project area including information on forest density, species diversity and other relevant ecological characteristics”, the EAC has mentioned in the order. Further, the Committee has sought videography of the entire public hearing proceedings and drone videography of the area where the proposed project is located.
The EAC was apprised that estimated project cost is Rs 2167.61 crore and total capital cost earmarked towards Environment Management Plan/Environmental Pollution Control measures is Rs 3010.70 lakh and the recurring cost (operation and maintenance) will be about Rs 2819.91 lakh about—Rs 402.84 lakh per annum.
The EAC noted that Uri-I Stage-II (240 MW) is an extension of the existing Uri-I Stage-I (480 MW) project located on the Jhelum River in Baramulla district of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Environmental Clearance for Uri-I Hydroelectric Project (480 MW) was granted by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) on June 27, 1980.
Additionally, the Forest Clearance for the diversion of 54.70 hectares of forest land was granted by the Ministry of Environment & Forests on May 21, 1986. Stage I of the project, with an underground powerhouse and an installed capacity of 480 MW, was commissioned by NHPC Ltd in 1997 and the existing structures from Uri-I Stage-I, including the barrage, head regulator up to the HRT intake, spillway, and desilting basin, will be utilized for Stage-II of the Hydroelectric Project). For Uri-I Stage-II HEP, the Project Proponent has proposed new construction for the headrace tunnel (HRT), surge shaft, pressure shaft, powerhouse and penstock.
The EAC further observed, “the Uri-I Stage-II is planned to capitalize on the availability of diverted water from the Kishanganga River, which originates from the Kishanganga Power Station (330 MW) located near Bandipore in the Kashmir valley”, adding “the Kishanganga Power Station, commissioned by NHPC in 2018, involves the transfer of water from the Kishanganga River to the Madhumati River, a tributary of the Jhelum River that flows into Wular Lake”.
The Jhelum River, which passes through Wular Lake, now receives additional water from the Kishanganga HEP. As a result, this increased water flow makes additional water available for utilization in the Uri-I Stage-II project.