Conservation dept in trouble with Irrigation dept over Koyna

Till now, the stages I, II and III have been completed along with the power-house at the foot of the dam, he said today.

However, the main problem that the Department was facing was in their proposed constructions of 400 MW hydro-electric power plant in Humbarli near Ozarde Water-Falls, as it was being opposed tooth and nail by the Forest Department.

“The Environment Department wants to declare the area as a wildlife sanctuary because of the dense forest and presence of wild animals and it feels that any construction activity will disturb the ecology and the natural habitats tof the area,” Huddar said.

They felt that the blasting operations needed for the construction of the power-house, roads and other activities would have an adverse impact on the wild animals, he said.

Another proposal, which is awaiting Government clearance, was 80 MW power-station at the foot of the dam. “This is already under Government’s consideration and is likely to get clearance soon,” he said.

The chief engineer said, construction of these two projects, estimated to cost around Rs 1400 crore, would also help in minimising load-sheddings.

Rising high in the hills of Mahabaleshwar, along with the Krishna and Venna rivers, Koyna is spread over 65 km through mountainous terrain blessed with abundant rainfall. It is on the western slopes of these mountains, making full use of the steep gradients that the Koyna Power Project is located.

The Koyna dam is situated at Koyna Nagar in Patan taluka of Satara district. Its Shivajisagar reservoir has a capacity of 2797 million cubic metres. Water from Shivajisagar is diverted westwards towards Pophali, near Chiplun, where an underground hydro-electic power-plant, with a generating capacity of 560 MW, has been set up.

Water from Pophali plant is released into 36 million cubic metre reservoir of the Kolkewadi dam, where another underground generating plant is located. This is capable of generating upto 320 MW electricity whenever the power requirements of the State increase.

The water from this plant is released through a canal into Vashisthi river in northern Chiplun. All these schemes are part of the completed stage III of the Koyna project.

The fourth stage of Koyna Hydro-Electic Project is under construction and almost complete and with this the Pophali power-house will be converted into a peaking station along with the new Power House to generate 1000 MW with four machines each of 250 MW, the chief engineer added.