Lok Sabha Question No. 4099 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-19
Subject: Development in Himalayan and Western Ghats Region
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: M. K. Raghavan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4099

TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.03.2021

## Development in Himalayan and Western Ghats Region

## 4099. SHRI M.K. RAGHAVAN:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether there is unbridled development in seismically active and geologically sensitive ranges like the Himalayas and the Western Ghats;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the details of big projects approved in such regions during the last five years along with its status;
- (d) whether  the  recommendations  received  from various environmentalists are being implemented  in  the  light  of  the  Kedarnath  deluge  and  the  floods  in  Kerala  for  two consecutive years; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

(a) to (c) Development  activities are being undertaken  in different regions including Himalayas  and  Western  Ghats,  as  per  extant  norms  and  regulations  of  the  Central  and/or State  Governments,  as  the  case  may  be.  The  development  activities,  where  obtainingPrior Environmental Clearance (EC) is required, are being undertaken by the project proponents by following  required  protocols.  In  addition,  wherever  applicable,  the  project  proponents  also obtain  Consent  to  Establish  (CTE)  and  Consent  to  Operate  (CTO)  in  accordance  with  the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. The Prior Environment Clearance (EC) is issued after examination of the  Environmental  Impact  Assessment  studies  and  the  Environmental  Management  Plan, drawn  by the professional agencies. Following Category 'A'  seven River  Valley& Hydroelectricprojects andone Thermal Power project, located in the Himalayan region, have beengranted environmental clearance between 01 st April, 2016 to 16 th March, 2021:

| S. No.                                               | Projects                                                                                           | State                                                | EC Granted                                           |
|------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|
| River Valley and Hydroelectric Projects (Category A) | River Valley and Hydroelectric Projects (Category A)                                               | River Valley and Hydroelectric Projects (Category A) | River Valley and Hydroelectric Projects (Category A) |
| 1.                                                   | Lakhwar Multipurpose Project in the district Tehri Garhwal and Dehradun in Uttarakhand by M/s UJVN | Uttarakhand                                          | 02.02.2021                                           |

| 2.                                 | Jamrani Dam Multipurpose Project by Irrigation Department, Uttarakhand                                                           | Uttarakhand                        | 13.12.2019                         |
|------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
| 3.                                 | Kiru HEP(624) Project in Kishtwar, Jammu & Kashmir by M/s Chenab Valley Power Projects Pvt. Ltd                                  | Jammu and Kashmir                  | 24.06.2016                         |
| 4.                                 | Kwar HEP (540 MW) in the state of Jammu and Kashmir by M/s Chenab Valley Power Projects Pvt. Ltd                                 | Jammu and Kashmir                  | 10.04.2017                         |
| 5.                                 | Luhri Stage-I HEP (210 MW) project in Shimla District of Himachal Pradesh by M/s. SJVN Ltd                                       | Himachal Pradesh                   | 17.03.2020                         |
| 6.                                 | Rongnichu HEP (115 MW) in Tehsil- Gangtok, District East Sikkim, Sikkim by Madhya Bharat Power Corporation Limited               | Sikkim                             | 02.02.2021                         |
| 7.                                 | Lower Kopili HEP (120 MW) in Karbi Anglong & Dima Hasao, Assam by M/s Assam Power Generation Corporation Ltd.                    | Assam                              | 04.09.2019                         |
| Thermal Power Project (Category A) | Thermal Power Project (Category A)                                                                                               | Thermal Power Project (Category A) | Thermal Power Project (Category A) |
| 1.                                 | Expansion of 726.6 MW gas based power project at village Palatana, Gomti District, Tripura by ONGC Tripura Power Company Limited | Tripura                            | 13.10.2020                         |

- (d)&  (e) The  recommendations  and  feedback  provided  by  the  environmentalists  are  duly examined and considered and wherever found appropriate, the same are suitably adopted.

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