Lok Sabha Question No. 2612 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-01
Subject: Hydro-Power Projects on Ganga
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: RAJU ALIAS DEVAPPA ANNA SHETTI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2612 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.12.2016

## HYDRO-POWER PROJECTS ON GANGA

†2612. SHRI RAJU SHETTY:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

- (a) the  number  of  hydro-power  projects  under-construction  on  the Ganga and its tributaries at present;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  study  to  assess  the effects  of  these  projects  in  the  flow  of  water  in  the  Ganga  and  its tributaries, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has constituted any inter-ministerial committee to suggest ways and revenues to ensure unobstructed flow of water  in  the  Ganga  and  protection  of  environment  from  hydropower projects; and
- (d) the time by which the committee is likely to submit its report to the Government?

## A N S W E R

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR POWER, COAL, NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND MINES

( SHRI  PIYUSH GOYAL )

- (a) & (b) :   At present, nine (9) Hydro Electric Projects (HEPs) (above 25 MW)  with an aggregate installed capacity of 2585 MW  are  under construction on the river Ganga and its tributaries.

A 12 member Expert Body (EB) was constituted by Ministry of Environment,  Forests  &  Climate  Change  (MoEF&CC)  on  03.06.2015  with representatives from Central Electricity Authority, Central Water Commission,  Ministry  of  Environment  &  Forest,  Govt.  of  Uttarakhand, National  Institute  of  Rock  Mechanics,    Indian    Council      of      Forestry Research &  Education, Indian Institute

............2.

of  Science  Education  &  Research,  Tata  Institute  of  Social  Sciences  and Indian  Institute  of  Science  under  the  convenor-ship  of  Joint  Secretary, MoEF&CC to make recommendations regarding longitudinal  connectivity and month wise e-flow including other safety measures during tunneling, muck disposal, transportation, disaster mitigation etc. for  six  HEPs.  The report in respect of the 6 HEPs has since been  finalized by the EB  in Oct., 2015, which was submitted by MoEF&CC to the Hon'ble Supreme Court on 05.11.2015. Subsequently, MoEF&CC  has  also filed an affidavit on 06.01.2016,  stating  that  design  modification  would  be  required  for  two projects, namely, Kotlibhel-IA & Alaknanda HEPs, while 3 other projects, namely,  Lata  Tapovan,  Bhyundar  Ganga  and  Khairo  Ganga  could  be implemented in accordance with the recommendations of the Expert Body Report as well as fulfilling the criteria indicated in the Report. However, the  stand  of  the  Government  viz.  Ministry  of  Water  Resources,  River Development  &  Ganga  Rejuvenation  (MoWR,  RD&GR),  Ministry  of  Power and MoEF&CC before the Hon'ble Supreme Court is to be finalised.  One project  namely  Jhelam  Tamak  HEP  (108  MW)  is  yet  to  be  concurred  by CEA.

(c) & (d) : An Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) was set up under the chairmanship of        Sh. B.K. Chaturvedi (Member), Planning Commission in June'2012 for the various objectives including suggesting environmental flow requirement for various stretches of Bhagirathi, Alaknanda and other tributaries of river Ganga and to review the environmental impacts of the hydro projects proposed on these tributaries of river Ganga and recommend  necessary  remedial  action.  Report  of  the  IMG  on  issues relating to river Ganga was submitted in April, 2013.

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