Green ministry relaxes norms for one power project,puts other on hold

Terming the new guidelines harsh,Dhumal has reportedly written back to the Union Minister seeking relaxation in the norms for cumulative EIA in case of some of the mega hydel projects coming up in the Ravi basin. Dhumal is reported to have conveyed to the Union Minister that the new norms could further delay the projects and exemption may be granted in case of specific projects,where the work has already started.

“The state has explained to the Centre that EIA could be done simultaneously in case of 180 MW Bajoli Holi project allotted to GMR,a leading infrastructure and power company,and the same could be allowed to start the work at the site to avoid delay. The plea was conceded by the minister to make an exception for the company,” a senior energy department official said.

However,when the issue came to apply same analogy to the 261 MW Kuther power project of the JSW Energy,the ministry is reported to have first issued a letter granting exemption,but soon the Minister overruled the order,passed a by a senior MoEF official,saying such a sanction should put on the hold. The project has already faced a protracted litigation over its allotment in 2007-08.

The company officials in Shimla confirmed that the “letter of exemption from EIA has been put on hold by the ministry”.

Reports suggest that the Union Minister detected irregularities in the grant of clearances to some of the hydel power projects in Himachal Pradesh and transferred a senior IFS officer,C D Singh,from the ministry on charges of ‘fudging’ the documents. The officer would now be facing an inquiry for allegedly giving undated clearance to some hydro-power companies in the state.

Deepak Sanan,the principal secretary (power),said: “The state has conveyed to the ministry that EIA of the Satluj basin,which has maximum number of mega projects,is already underway. Those who were allotted the projects three years ago cannot be asked to put the work on hold till the exercise is completed.”