Contentious hydro electric project gets govt nod, FAC approval awaited

NEW DELHI: The contentious Etalin hydroelectric project in Arunachal Pradesh’s Dibang Valley has been cleared by the power ministry and impact assessment division of the environment ministry and is awaiting approval of the FAC.

Environmentalists have raised concerns over the 3,097MW hydropower project as it involves the diversion of 1165.66 ha of forest land and the felling of around 2.8 lakh trees in dense subtropical evergreen and subtropical rainforests. A four-member committee has been formed by the FAC to address all apprehensions and representations by various environmental groups on the project’s impact on wildlife and biodiversity. It has been directed to submit a report in this regard within three weeks for the FAC to decide on the forest clearance for the project, according to minutes of the FAC meeting on May 11 which have been uploaded on environment ministry’s Parivesh website.

The Wildlife Institute of India and NTCA suggested that FAC take cognisance of safeguards for better conservation of wildlife in the area while considering the approval for the project, the minutes said, adding that the Arunachal government is insistent on going ahead with the project.

While several environmentalists and scientists continue to write to the FAC against the project in view of its rich biodiversity and evidence of the presence of tigers here, the state has informed the committee that all concerns were examined at the state level before recommending the project for approval under the Forest Conservation Act 1980.

“Still, there are some apprehensions/representations received from some quarters concerning wildlife and other issues related to reported endemic flora and fauna of the area,” the FAC observed while recommending the constitution of a panel under the chairmanship of FAC member Sanjay Deshmukh and comprising assistant inspector general of forests, MoEFCC; representatives of regional office of MoEFCC; and Arunachal Pradesh government.

The FAC also directed the constitution of a second panel under the chairmanship of a regional officer and integrated regional office of MoEFCC, Guwahati, with a nodal officer of Arunachal as a member to visit and monitor the compliance of conditions of various forest clearance approvals for hydro-electric projects in Arunachal and submit their report within three weeks.