PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change granted its approval in principle to the proposed 120 Megawatt capacity Sirkari Byol Rupsiyabagad hydro electric project on the Gauriganga river in Pithoragarh district. The FAC gave its approval while considering the proposal for 29.99 hectares of forest land for the project during its meeting in New Delhi on Monday.
According to State government officials, the design of this project has been prepared in a very sensitive manner considering environmental aspects. Due to a tunnel about one kilometre long and most other structures of the project being underground, the impact on forest land will be limited, they said. There is no national park, wildlife sanctuary or eco-sensitive zone in the project area and further the construction of this project will not result in any type of displacement. The officials further informed that the project will produce an estimated 529 million units of green energy per year. This will make an important contribution towards meeting the State’s electricity demands while also helping the State reach closer to its aim of self-sufficiency in energy. Further, the local residents will also benefit from temporary and permanent employment, along with development of basic infrastructure, all of which will also help in checking migration from the area.
Following the FAC’s approval to the project, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said, “This project is a historic step in the direction of all-round development in the border region of Uttarakhand. The State has gained an unprecedented achievement in the spheres of energy and employment due to the guidance and support of PM Modi. The State government is committed to ensuring public welfare and is working dedicatedly in this direction. This project will prove to be the foundation of Uttarakhand’s bright future,” the chief minister said.
It is pertinent to mention here that in the past, the chief minister had requested PM Modi and the Union minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupendra Yadav for the project’s approval while meeting them.
