Green Panel Clears Dulhasti-II Amid Indus Treaty Pause

Why in the News?

The Environment Ministry’s expert panel has recommended clearance for the 260 MW Dulhasti Stage-II hydropower project on the Chenab river, amid India putting the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance and fast-tracking hydel projects in the Indus basin. This decision highlights the growing importance of environmental clearances in India’s energy development strategy.

Dulhasti Stage-II Project: Key Details and Clearance:

• The Sectoral Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) on hydropower projects has recommended environmental clearance for the 260 MW Dulhasti Stage-II HEP in Kishtwar district, Jammu and Kashmir, underscoring the significance of environmental impact assessments in project approvals.
• The project will be developed by NHPC Limited at an estimated cost of ₹3,277.45 crore, adhering to the environmental clearances process as per the EIA notification.
• Dulhasti-II will utilise the existing dam, reservoir and power intake of the already operational 390 MW Dulhasti-I, commissioned in 2007.
• Water will be drawn from the Marusudar river, a tributary of the Chenab, routed through the Pakal Dul hydropower project into the Dulhasti reservoir.
• The project requires 60.3 hectares of land, including 8.26 hectares of private land affecting 62 families in Banzwar and Palmar villages, where a public hearing was held on August 22, in line with environmental democracy principles.

Environmental Concerns and Mitigation Measures

• The EAC noted that commissioning of Pakal Dul and Dulhasti-II will cause significant hydrological alteration in a nearly 25 km stretch of the Marusudar river, emphasizing the need for comprehensive environmental impact assessments.
• In response, the panel directed the preparation of a structured river conservation strategy, reflecting the principles of environmental jurisprudence.
• This strategy must include robust environmental flow regimes, restoration and maintenance of river channel morphology, and protection of aquatic and riparian biodiversity.
• The clearance is subject to general and project-specific conditions, particularly to mitigate cumulative impacts of multiple hydel projects in the Chenab basin, adhering to the polluter pays principle and precautionary principle.
• The committee acknowledged that while hydropower expansion is important, ecological sustainability must be ensured through adaptive river management, in line with the Forest Conservation Act and other environmental regulations.