Central expert panel approves environmental clearance for 1,000 MW Naying hydro-power project of Arunachal Pradesh
NEW DELHI: An expert panel of the Union environment ministry has recommended green clearance to the 1,000 MW Naying hydro-electric project, paving the way for other statutory clearances and construction of this run-of-the-river project across the Siyom River in Siang and Shi-Yomi districts, close to the India-China border, in Arunachal Pradesh.Environmental clearance (EC) of the project was pending for a long time. It will be constructed at an estimated cost of more than Rs 11,835 crore in an area of over 470 hectares by the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation, giving a major boost to renewable energy in the region.The EC was approved for the project by an expert appraisal committee (EAC) of the ministry with certain mandatory environmental conditions in its 57th meeting on June 29-30.Though a total of 12 villages will be affected due to acquisition of land for various components of the proposed project, the panel accepted the detailed plan of the project proponent for relief and rehabilitation of the displaced families.“Land acquired for the project shall be suitably compensated in accordance with the prevailing guidelines of the state govt and provisions under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013,” said the panel in its conditional approval. After getting EC, the project proponent will now obtain forest clearance under the provisions of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1986, in case of the diversion of forest land for non-forest purpose and clearance from the National Board for Wildlife, if applicable.The minutes of the meeting, released on Monday, however, claimed that no project component falls in any notified protected area. “There are no national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, biosphere reserves, Tiger/Elephant Reserves, Wildlife corridors etc. within 10 km distance from the project site,” it said.Compensatory afforestation, wildlife conservation, air quality monitoring/ preservation; noise monitoring/ prevention; waste management; and risk mitigation and disaster management are among the other conditions attached to the EC. “The project authorities must strictly adhere to the stipulations made by the State Pollution Control Board and the state govt,” said the minutes of the meeting.
