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| 390 MW Kirthai hydroelectric project stuck, MOEF refuses environmental clearance | | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
JAMMU, Mar 20: Jammu and Kashmir Government's much hyped 390 Megawatt Kirthai Hydroelectric Project has got stuck due to refusal of Union Ministry for Forest and Environment to grant Environmental Clearance. Refusal is attributed to revision of capacity of Kirthai Hydroelectric Project from 240 to 390 Megawatts by Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC). With this revision, the entire time consuming process of getting environmental clearance is to be followed again. This includes four stages viz. Screening, Scoping, Public Consultation and Appraisal.
Earlier, Kirthai-I HEP project was given scoping clearance by Expert Appraisal Committee for River Valley and Hydroelectric Projects on September 25, 2008 for 240 MW capacity. However, SPDC took a relook of the flow series beyond 1990 up-to 2009-10 and got the fresh long term flow series approved by Central Water Commission on December 30, 2011. This was followed by Central Electricity Authority (CEA) approving a design discharge of 385 m3 /sec in the monsoon on July 18, 2012 in place of earlier 256 m3 /sec.
This led to revision of installed capacity from 240 to 390 MW (4 units of 95 MW + one 10 MW dam toe) with an underground powerhouse. SPDC projected no change of design features such as FRL, TWL, reservoir submergence, live storage, land area and the location of the dam. After this, SPDC placed the project report before the Expert Appraisal Committee for River Valley and Hydroelectric Projects of the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment for revision of capacity as well as grant of environmental clearance.
Committee deliberated for two days i.e. on February 1-2 at SCOPE Convention Centre, opposite Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (JLNS) New Delhi under the Chairmanship of Rakesh Nath over the issue of grant of Environmental Clearances to various Hydroelectric and River Valley projects across the country including Kirthai Project of SPDC. The committee noted that for increased capacity of 390 MW, there is no requirement for additional land. It stated that Terms of Reference (TOR) for this project was given during 2008 and since then several new issues have been included in the standard TOR, such as 30% water release during monsoon, minimum distance between TWL and FRL of upstream and downstream projects, muck disposal plans and many other similar issues.
Hence, the committee out-rightly said that it could not agree for making use of earlier Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) studies which has been already prepared for 240 MW also for 390 MW. It pointedly said that though the project proponent has already conducted public hearing for 240 MW but it is not in line with EIA Notification, 2006. The Committee stressed that a fresh public hearing needs to be conducted after preparing Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report for 390 MW.
The expert committee said that the present proposal of SPDC may be considered fresh for 390 MW but with additional TOR. The committee said that SPDC should give details of the environmental evaluation and details of forest land/flora and fauna in the EIA report. It added that detailed site specific seismological study should be carried out and geo-morphological mapping should also be done for the project area.
Committee stressed that power potential study with respect to 10 daily discharges in 90 percent dependable should be carried-out. A site specific study may be carried-out for establishing the proper environmental flow release during monsoon, non-monsoon and lean months. Release of minimum environmental flow must mimic the pre-dam flow pattern of the river for sustaining the aquatic bio-diversity together with downstream user need and accordingly, water withdrawal for power generation is to be regulated, the committee said. It recommended that minimum environmental flow release would be 20 percent of average of four months of lean period and 20-30 percent of flows during non-lean and non-monsoon period corresponding to 90 percent dependable year. The committee said that cumulative environmental flow releases including spillage during the monsoon period should be about 30 percent of the cumulative inflow during the monsoon periods corresponding to 90 percent dependable year.
After detailed examination and scrutiny, the committee agreed for the revised capacity of 390 MW of the project and recommended scoping clearance for the project subject to these revised Terms of Reference (TOR). The committee has advised Union Ministry for Forest and Environment to take a view for issuance of Terms of Reference (TOR) for the project after receiving the required information from SPDC. The Kirthai Hydroelectric Project proposal is to construct a 122 m high concrete gravity dam across Chenab river near Gulabgarh Villages in Kishtwar District. An underground powerhouse is proposed with 4 units of 95 MW each alongwith one 10 MW dam toe. The total land requirement proposed is about 290 ha. Out of which 160 ha is forest land, 80 ha is revenue land and 50 ha is private land. Total submergence is 210 ha (out of which 160 ha is forest land). The total project cost proposed is Rs. 3126.59 Crores.
On being asked, Managing Director of Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) Basharat Dhar said "We have got the project revised. Now, it is 390 MW. We will get environmental clearance very soon." He added that the project is not stuck but the process has to be followed in totality. "We cannot jump the gun," commented Dhar. |
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