No. J-12011/21/2007-IA.I Dated; August 14,2007
Managing Director
National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Ltd.
NHPC Office Complex
Sector – 33
Faridabad – 121 003
Sub: Kotlibhel Hydroelectric Power Project ( Stage-1B) – 320 MW (4 x 80 MW) in the Districts of Pauri & Garhwal of Uttarakhand –Environmental Clearance – regarding.
Sir,
This has reference to your letters No.NH/PO/Env.117(b)/403 dated 14.2.2007and subsequent letter dated 14.3.2007 and 19.7.2007 on the above subject. The above referred proposal was considered by the Expert Committee for River Valley & Hydroelectric projects at its meeting held on 21-22 March 2007 and reconsidered on 18-19 July, 2007. The Kotlibhel HEP Stage-1B -320 MW (4 x 80 MW) in the Districts of Tehri & Pauri Garhwal of Uttarakhand. The proposal was considered as per EIA notification 2006. The project envisages construction of 70.5 m high concrete gravity dam across river Alaknanda, a surface power house with four units of 80 MW each on its right bank. The total land requirement is about 550.619 ha Out of which 496.619 ha is reserve forest land and 54.426 ha is private land. The proposed project will submerge 502.347 ha of land. 27 villages consisting of 1521 families are going to be affected. In all 14 temples will be affected. NHPC has proposed to reconstruct all these temples. Creating of hatcheries has been proposed for conservation of migratory fishes like Tor and Schizothorax Species. Suitable sites for establishment of hatcheries
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will be identified in consultation with the State Fisheries and TEC Lonawala, Mumbai. The total cost is about Rs. 1911.33 Crores and the project will be completed in 54 months.
2. The Ministry of Environment and Forests hereby accords environmental clearance as per the provisions of Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 1994 & 2006 subject to strict compliance of the terms and conditions as follows:
Part A: Specific Conditions
i) Catchment Area Treatment Plan as has been proposed should be completed before completion of the project work. The plan is given below:
|
Treatment Measures |
Year-I |
Year-II |
Year-III |
Year-IV |
Total |
|
(A) Biological Measures |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Afforestation |
850.35 ha |
722.96 ha |
377.82 ha |
468.91 ha |
2420.04 ha |
|
Timber Plantations |
259.87 ha |
197.57 ha |
95.34 ha |
76.44 ha |
629.22 ha |
|
Fodder Plantations |
259.83 ha |
200.67 ha |
102.70 ha |
66.01 ha |
629.21 ha |
|
Horticulture Plantation |
161.32 |
122.96 ha |
66.01 ha |
85.33 ha |
435.62 ha |
|
Pasture Development |
197.01 ha |
150.25 ha |
80.68 ha |
104.48 ha |
532.42 ha |
|
(B) Engineering Measures |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stream bank protection |
232.93 ha |
177.47 ha |
95.33 ha |
114.76 ha |
620.49 ha |
|
Contour trenching |
197.11 ha |
150.25 ha |
80.68 ha |
84.42 ha |
512.46 ha |
|
Bench terracing |
148.22 ha |
109.18 ha |
58.62 ha |
71.35 ha |
387.37 ha |
|
Gully control measures |
752.25 ha |
547.62 ha |
291.07 ha |
319.27 ha |
1910.21 ha |
|
Landslide control measures |
181.55 ha |
134.75 ha |
66.09 ha |
88.70 ha |
471.09 ha |
ii) The land holding of project affected persons whose land is being acquired to be submitted to this Ministry. During the construction of the project, if any person/family whose acquired land is more than 70% of the total land holding is identified, such family/person shall be treated as fully affected
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person. NPRR – 2003 as well as NHPC’s R&R package will be followed for R&R of PAPs.
iii) A Monitoring Committee for R & R should be constituted which must include representatives of project-affected persons from SC / ST category and a woman beneficiary.
(iv) The commitment made during the public hearing should be fulfilled.
(v) ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````All the equipment which are likely to generate high noise levels are to be fully attenuated( noise reduction measures) to meet the ambient noise control standards.
iv) Consolidation and compilation of the muck should be carried-out in the muck dump sites and the dump sites should be above high flood level.
v) For conservation of Lutra perspicillapa (Otter), the river bank area between Kirtinagar to Chauras at the right bank of river Alaknanda in Tehri Garhwal should be declared as restricted area by the concerned authorities.
vi) The site for construction of fish hatchery should be identified and reported within three months from date of issue of this letter.
vii) The plans proposed in the EMP for muck disposal, reservoir rim treatment, green belt, restoration of quarry sites, solid waste, DMP etc. should be followed.
viii) Twenty-one cremation ghats will be submerged which will be reconstructed at a cost of Rs. 21/- lakhs. Pucca cremation and bathing ghats should be constructed on sites identified by the project affected persons/villages.
(i) Adequate free fuel arrangement should be made for the labour force engaged in the construction work at project cost so that indiscriminate felling of trees is prevented.
(ii) Fuel depot may be opened at the site to provide the fuel (kerosene/wood/LPG). Medical facilities as well as recreational facilities should also be provided to the labourers.
(iii) All the labourers to be engaged for construction works should be thoroughly examined by health personnel and adequately treated before issuing them work permit.
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(iv) Restoration of construction area including dumping site of excavated materials should be ensured by leveling, filling up of burrow pits, landscaping etc. The area should be properly treated with suitable plantation.
(v) Financial provision should be made in the total budget of the project for implementation of the above suggested safeguard measures.
(vi) A Multidisciplinary committee should be constituted with representatives from various disciplines of forestry, ecology, wildlife, soil conservation, NGO etc. to oversee the effective implementation of the suggested safeguard measures.
(vii) Six monthly monitoring reports should be submitted to the Ministry and its Regional Office, Lucknow for review.
3. Officials from Regional Office MOEF, Lucknow who would be monitoring the implementation of environmental safeguards should be given full cooperation, facilities and documents / data by the project proponents during their inspection.
4. The responsibility of implementation of environmental safeguards rests fully with the NHPC, Ltd & Government of Uttarakhand.
5. In case of change in the scope of the project, project would require a fresh appraisal.
6. The Ministry reserves the right to add additional safeguard measures subsequently, if found necessary and to take action including revoking of the clearance under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, to ensure effective implementation of the suggested safeguard measures in a time- bound and satisfactory manner.
7. This clearance letter is valid for a period of 10 years from the date of issue of this letter for commencement of construction work.
8 A copy of the clearance letter will be marked to concerned Panchayat / local NGO, if any, from whom any suggestion/ representation has been received while processing the proposal.
9 State Pollution Control Board / Committee should display a copy of the clearance letter at the Regional Office, District Industries Center and Collector’s office/ Tehsildar’s office for 30 days.
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10. The project proponent should advertise within 7 days at least in two local newspapers widely circulated in the region around the project, one of which shall be in the vernacular language of the locality concerned informing that the project has been accorded environmental clearance and copies of clearance letters are available with the State Pollution Control Board / Committee and may also be seen at Website of the Ministry of Environment and Forests at http:// www.envfor.nic.in
(Dr.S. Bhowmik)
Additional Director
Copy to:
1. The Secretary, Ministry of Power, Shram Shakti, Bhawan, Rafi Marg, New Delhi-110001.
2. The Adviser (Power), Planning Commission, Yojna Bhawan, New Delhi - 110001.
3. Principal Secretary (Irrigation & Power), Government of Uttarakhand, Dehradun
4. The Secretary, Department of Environment, Government of Utarakhand, Dehradun
5. The Chief Engineer, Project Appraisal Directorate, Central Electricity Authority, Sewa Bhawan, R.K. Puram, New Delhi-110066.
6. The Regional Office, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Lucknow
7. Member Secretary, Uttarakhand Environment Protection & Pollution Control Board, E-115, Nehru Colony, Dehradun
8. EI- Division, Ministry of Environment & Forests, New Delhi-110003.
9. Guard file.
(Dr.
S. Bhowmik)
Additional Director