After constant persuasion from the Uttarakhand government, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has agreed to “consider” the State’s request and “permit the 10 hydro electric projects (HEPs) of less than 25MW capacity of a total combined capacity of 82.3 MW which were approved prior to the date of notification” in the Bhagirathi eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) in the hill State’s Uttarkashi region.
However, the Ministry has said that cumulative impact assessment study of the Bhagirathi Basin must be carried out for it to decide whether the 10 projects were viable.According to the Central government notification of December 18, 2012, a 100-kilometre stretch of the river Bhagirathi from Gaumukh to Uttarkashi, feeding an area of 4,179.59 sqkm, was to be declared eco-sensitive. The notification mentions that HEPs of only upto 2 MW can be built in the notified area.The State government had sought amendments in the 2012 notification to incorporate HEPs of upto 25 MW capacity in it.
16 projects under way
According to the State government data on the Bhagirathi river, 16 HEPs with a capacity of 1,743 MW are in various stages of development.“The ESZ notification [in its current form] prohibits us from setting up HEPs beyond a 2MW capacity. If the [16] HEPs are left unexecuted, it could result in an annual loss of Rs. 2,040 crore to Uttarakhand,” Additional Secretary (Forest and Environment) Meenakshi Joshi said.
In a meeting held with Environment Ministry officials on August 31 in New Delhi, State government officials discussed the problems arising from the ESZ notification of 2012, which included the HEPs.
The Ministry has also asked the Uttarakhand government to initiate a carrying capacity analysis for a Bhagirathi River Basin Cumulative Impact Assessment Study for establishment of HEPs.
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