After 2 rejects, Dibang hydro plant set to get environmental clearance.

The environment ministry is all set to give the Dibang Hydropower Project in Arunachal Pradesh the green light, resulting in the diversion of more than 4,500 hectares of bio-diversity rich forest. This despite the proposal for the 3,000 MW project having been rejected by the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC), on two earlier occasions, the last as recently as April, on the grounds that the ecological costs and loss of livelihood to the local population would far outstrip the benefits that could accrue from the project.

The project is being taken up for consideration for the third time at FAC meeting later this week.

'It has been included in the agenda after consultation with the minister,' a senior official said. Sources indicated that project developer, NHPC, had been asked to provide sensitivity studies - that is co-relating the lowering of the height of the dam to area being submerged and the loss in power generation. Data for a reduction from 1 to 40 metres will be considered at the FAC meeting.


ET