Panel recommends in-principle nod for Kirthai-II hydel project, Pg5

Key Highlights:

• The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) has recommended in-principle approval for the Kirthai-II hydroelectric project.
• This 820 MW project is planned on the Chenab river in the Indus basin and requires diversion of 197 hectares of forest land.
• The project is located in the Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir.
• It is the third hydroelectric project on the Chenab river to receive approvals since the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) following the Pahalgam terror attack in 2025.

Detailed Insights:

• The Kirthai-II project is a run-of-the-river project, with its capacity reduced from an initial 930 MW to 820 MW.
• It is being implemented by Chenab Valley Power Projects Ltd, a joint venture of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and J&K State Power Development Corporation Limited (JKSPDCL).
• The project site is a natural habitat for chilgoza pine trees and requires the felling of 8,723 trees.
• The area is home to wildlife such as Himalayan tahr, Asiatic Black Bear, Himalayan brown bear, and Asiatic ibex, necessitating a wildlife biodiversity management plan.
• The Jammu and Kashmir government has dispensed with the requirement for cumulative impact assessment for projects in the Indus, Chenab, and Jhelum rivers.
• The expedited approval for this project aligns with the Centre's push to accelerate hydel projects in the Indus basin after the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) suspension.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Forest Advisory Committee (FAC): An expert body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change that evaluates proposals for diverting forest land for non-forest purposes.
• Indus Waters Treaty (IWT): A water-sharing treaty between India and Pakistan, brokered by the World Bank, governing the use of the Indus River system.
• Run-of-the-river project: A type of hydroelectric power generation that harnesses the natural flow and gradient of a river to produce electricity without creating a large reservoir.
• Environmental Clearance: A statutory approval required for certain projects that may have significant environmental impacts, granted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• Cumulative Impact Assessment: An evaluation that considers the combined effects of multiple past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions on the environment.