Green team visits Himachal hydro plant
October 2nd, 2010 - 10:45 pm ICT by IANSShimla, Oct 2 (IANS) A team of the National Environment Appellate Authority (NEAA) Saturday visited Kinnaur district where the Kashang hydro-power project is coming up and heard grievances of the local people against the project authorities.
The team, comprising NEAA chairman J.C. Kala visited the site of the run-of-the-river 195 MW project to assess the environment damage, if any, done by the Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL), a state PSU executing the project.
The project will be funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The HPPCL got the environment and forests ministry clearance in April this year.
Kala met the local people and recorded their statements. They had filed petitions with the NEAA after the environment impact assessment and environment management plan of the project were cleared.
Kala also visited the three tributaries from where the water would be fed through a tunnel to the integrated power house.
Counsel for the petitioners Anand Sharma said the HPPCL is violating environmental laws by indiscriminately felling highly-endangered pine trees and dumping debris haphazardly.
The NEAA is the only judicial body in the country allowed to hear grievances against environmental clearances given to projects by the union Environment and Forests Ministry.
Earlier, the NEAA has revoked the environment clearance granted to cement-maker Lafarge India for its greenfield project in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district.
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- Lafarge gets reprieve from Himachal court - Aug 12, 2011
- Environmental clearance for Lafarge's Himachal plant revoked - Sep 13, 2010
- Four officials taken hostage by Himachal villagers freed (Lead) - Jun 23, 2011
- Green team visits Lafarge's Himachal plant site - Jun 23, 2010
- Himachal villagers take officials hostage - Jun 22, 2011
- Himachal people object to ministry team's visit without notice - Oct 13, 2011
- Himachal's Kashang hydel project gets clearance - Jun 15, 2011
- Green tribunal stops Himachal hydropower project - Jul 29, 2011
- Don't fund Himachal hydel units, greens ask Asian agency - Jul 05, 2011
- Another Himachal dam project caught in logjam - Nov 04, 2010
- Himachal to re-submit Renuka dam proposal for green clearance - Mar 11, 2011
- Himachal hydropower project gets environmental clearance - Apr 23, 2010
- Protect Chenab river from onslaught, say Himachal villagers - Jan 30, 2012
- Green group asks Ramesh not challenge power plant quash order - Jul 24, 2010
Tags: anand sharma, appellate authority, asian development bank, environment clearance, environment impact assessment, environmental laws, greenfield project, hydro plant, hydro power, integrated power, judicial body, kala, lafarge, mandi district, national environment, neaa, petitioners, pine trees, power house, project authorities