Centre’s green panel gives its nod to Stage 2 Dulhasti hydel power project in J&K, Pg9

Key Highlights:

• The Ministry of Environment panel approved the 260-MW Dulhasti Stage 2 hydropower project on the Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar.
• The approval follows India's suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, effective from April 23, 2025.
• The project is estimated to cost over ₹3,200 crore and involves constructing a 3,685-meter tunnel.
• Dulhasti Stage 2 is an extension of the existing 390-MW Dulhasti Stage I hydroelectric project, operational since 2007.

Detailed Insights:

• The Indus Waters Treaty, previously in force, allocated the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers to Pakistan and the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers to India.
• With the treaty suspended, India is advancing several hydroelectric projects in the Indus basin, including Sawalkote, Ratle, Bursar, Pakal Dul, Kwar, Kiru, and Kirthai I and II.
• The Dulhasti Stage 2 project will divert water from the existing Stage I power station through a new tunnel to create a horseshoe-shaped pondage.
• The project requires 60.3 hectares of land, including 8.27 hectares of private land from two villages in the Kishtwar district.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Indus Waters Treaty: A water-sharing agreement between India and Pakistan regarding the use of the waters of the Indus River System.
• Run-of-the-river project: A hydroelectric project that utilizes the natural flow of a river without large-scale water storage.
• Hydropower project: A facility that generates electricity by harnessing the energy of moving water, typically through dams or diversions.