In news–The Forest Advisory Committee(FAC) has asked the Arunachal Pradesh government to file a fresh proposal for forest diversion and the construction of the EHEP due to non-compliance to conditions stipulated by the FAC.
About Etalin hydroelectric project(EHEP)-
- The 3,097-megawatt EHEP was proposed to be developed as a joint venture between Jindal Power Ltd and the Hydropower Development Corporation of Arunachal Pradesh Ltd.
- The Etalin project was first envisaged in 2008.
- The plan combined two run-of-the-river schemes with limited storage requiring concrete gravity dams on rivers Tangon and Dri. It ran into several controversies since its inception in 2008 over concerns of ecological damage, forest invasion and tribal displacement.
- It involves diversion of over 1,150 hectares of forest area which is classified as an “inviolate area” as prescribed by the environment ministry. The inviolate forest area is an area where no developmental project is allowed.
- The project area falls under the richest bio-geographical province of the Himalayan zone and one of the mega biodiversity hotspots of the world.
- The Union power ministry and impact assessment division of MoEF&CC gave the nod for the project.
- FAC then formed committees and ordered bodies concerned to submit reports on the impact of forest land diversion required for the project in the northeastern state’s Dibang Valley.
- The project was mired in controversy, with wildlife scientists and conservationists flagging environmental threats due to the plant in a biodiversity hotspot.
Dri & Tangon River-
- Tangon River is tributaries of the Dibang river.
- The Dri streams are one of main tributaries of the Dibang River besides the Ich, Ahu, and Ithun.
- The Sisar, Mathun, Tangon, Dri, Ithun and Emra are the major tributaries of Dabang river.
- The Dibang is also joined by a number of tributaries such as the Airi, Ilu, Imu, Ahi, Ashu, Epipani and Eze (Deopani) rivers during its course.
Source: The Hindu
