Arunachal's hydel project with impact on 23 lakh trees gets expert panel nod, Pg7

Key Highlights:

• The Environment Ministry expert panel has recommended clearance for NHPC’s 1,720 MW Kamla hydroelectric project in Arunachal Pradesh, which involves felling 23.4 lakh trees.
• The project, costing Rs 23,764.01 crore, will harness the waters of the Kamla river, a tributary of the Subansiri river.
• The project will affect 5,440 families in 126 villages across Kamle, Kra Daadi, and Kurung Kumey districts.
• Compensatory afforestation will occur in Madhya Pradesh due to the unavailability of degraded forest land in Arunachal Pradesh.

Detailed Insights:

• The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) has directed NHPC Ltd to obtain in-principle forest clearance before the final environmental clearance is granted.
• The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) will assess the proposal to divert 3,278 hectares of forest land for the project.
• The EAC has emphasized the need for a detailed ecosystem restoration plan, considering the project's location in a dense forest area.
• The Kamla hydroelectric project is part of a series of hydroelectric projects planned in the Subansiri river basin.
• The 2,000 MW Lower Subansiri project, commissioned in December 2023, still has pending compensatory afforestation on 31.83 sq km.
• Of the diverted forest land, 439 hectares are classified as very dense forest and 1,119 hectares as moderately dense forest.
• Field surveys identified 155 plant species from 69 families in the project area.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Compensatory Afforestation: The practice of planting new trees to compensate for those lost due to development.
• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): A study to assess the environmental consequences of a proposed project.
• Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC): A committee that assesses and recommends projects for environmental clearance.