India’s hopes of tapping its hydro power potential has received a boost from the Forest Advisory Committee, which has granted clearance to projects worth 2,500 mega watts (MW) across various States.
The projects that have received approval from the Committee, under the Ministry of Environment and Forest, include the 800-MW Tawang-II hydroelectric project in Arunachal Pradesh, the 520-MW Teesta-IV project in Sikkim, to be executed by NHPC Ltd and Luhri project (775 MW) in Himachal Pradesh to be executed by Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd.
The National Board for Wild Life has also accorded wildlife clearance to Vishnugad Pipalkoti hydroelectric project (444 MW) in Uttarakhand to be executed by THDC India Ltd. However, this project will also have to receive clearance from the State Board of Wild Life.
Further, the Ministry recently granted Stage-I forest clearance to eight transmission projects and Stage-II forest clearance to two transmission projects of the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd.
Earlier this month, the Ministry had passed an order exempting linear projects, such as transmission lines, road projects and gas pipelines, from seeking consent from gram sabhas. This was done to ensure faster clearances for such projects.