MoEF panel gives ToR for project with Nepal

In a significant step, an expert panel of the Union environment ministry has recommended the terms of references for long-impending joint India-Nepal Pancheshwar multipurpose project to avoid any delay in its environmental impact study.

A joint mechanism to consider the environmental impact assessment of the full project was also called for. The development comes about two years after both the countries signed the charter for the Pancheshwar Development Authority (PDA), renewing hopes for the implementation of the 17-year-long bilateral project and strengthen power cooperation between the two countries.

The project is a part of Mahakali Treaty between India and Nepal and is expected not only to generate 5,600 MW of power but also irrigate 93,000 hectares of land in Nepal and 1.6 million hectares on the Indian side. It is to be developed in Mahakali river (known as Sarada in India) bordering Nepal and India and envisages a dam and two underground powerhouses. The river divides the far western development region of Nepal from Uttarakhand.

Beneficial for both the countries, the project if implemented, would also include incidental flood control benefits, the environment ministry officials said, adding, “With ToRs being cleared the environmental clearance for the project should not be a problem both because it is a bi-national project and its location does not fall under the eco-sensitive zone.”

PDA is the project proponent that gave a detailed presentation on the project to the expert appraisal committee for river valley and hydroelectric projects on May 2 during which a view was taken that “under the present dispensation there is no provision for giving ToRs for part of any project.”

“Since this is a special case where a project is proposed to be implemented by a joint establishment agreed to by India and Nepal the matter needs a special consideration. In order to ensure that studies on preparation of environmental impact assessment are not delayed the EAC recommends ToR for the portion of project falling in India,” minutes of the meeting said.

ToRs are guidelines specified for conducting environmental impact studies of projects based on which the environment ministry grants or rejects environment clearance to a project. The expert committee, however, also noted that a joint mechanism is to be set-up to consider the assessment of environmental impact of the full project.

“While considering the full project by the proposed joint mechanism a need arises to modify the ToRs the same may be consider by the EAC for modification of ToRs. The EIA/EMP (Environmental Management Plan) prepared for the full project by the project proponent should be placed before the entity established through the joint mechanism for examination and for recommendation to be given to the ministries of environment in both countries for acceptance,” the minutes of the meeting added.