NHPC projects await green nod

Two hydel power projects, the Pakal Dul (1,000 Mw) and the Bersar (1,020 Mw), taken up by the National Hydro-electric Power Corporation (NHPC) in district Doda, are awaiting clearance from the National Wildlife Board because these projects fall in the jurisdiction of the High Altitude National Wild Life Sanctuary (HANWS) in Kishtwar.

The Union power ministry is said to be giving more importance to these two projects because both of them are not going to be affected by the Indus Waters Treaty. But the existence of sanctuary at the project site is another obstacle being faced by the NHPC authorities in Jammu and Kashmir.

The large reservoir for the Pakal Dul project is going to be constructed on the Marusudar river, which is a tributary of the river Chenab in the Kishtwar area of district Doda.

NHPC Executive Director S C Gupta, who is looking after the project, told Business Standard the Pakal Dul project was being constructed at about Rs 4,968.81 crore. Though this project, along with Bersar and five others in Jammu and Kashmir, were allotted to the NHPC about six years back, work on these two projects could not start with great pace due to militancy and non-clearance from the Wildlife Authorities of India, he added.

Gupta said water would be stored in the large dam at Bersar and the water stored in the reservoir would be utilised for generating power at the down-stream hydel power projects including Dul, Bhaglihar, Sawalakoe and Salal.

He said the storage at this point, on the tributary of Chenab, would not be objectionable to the Pakistani authorities as happened in the case of Bhaglihar or Salal hydel projects.

Referring to the status of the Pakal Dul project, the executive director said detailed project report of Pakal Dul had been submitted for the technical clearance to the Central Electricity Authority of India.

"The state wildlife authorities have raised objections as endangered and rare species of animals exist in the sanctuary," he said.

"The project area is coming under this wild life sanctuary. The team from National Wildlife Board is likely to visit the area and shall submit its report before the Supreme Court of India which will give the final clearance to the project," he added.