Pending since 2018, Centre gives final forest clearance to Shongtong hydropower project in Himachal’s Kinnaur
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said in Shimla on Wednesday (July 31, 2024) that the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had granted FCA Stage-II clearance for the use of approximately 85 bighas of land for the 450 MW Shontong Karchham Hydropower Project in Kinnaur district. The clearance, which had been pending since 2018, was essential for the construction of the project.
“The persistent efforts of the state government have played a crucial in achieving this milestone. This land was needed for the construction of the barrage, essential for completing the project. The FCA clearance had been pending with the Union Ministry for a long time, but the state government diligently worked to secure the necessary approval from the Centre,” said CM Sukhu.
The Chief Minister further said that the Stage-I clearance was initially granted by the Union Ministry on March 19, 2024. Following this, the state government submitted a compliance report addressing the conditions stipulated for the in-principle approval and subsequently requested the Centre for final approval.
He said that the construction work of 450 MW Shongtong Karchham project, which was awarded in 2012, is expected to be completed by November 2026. “In preparation for the commencement of power generation, a transmission line is also being laid. The tender process for this transmission line has been initiated to ensure its timely completion, to avoid financial losses to the state,” said the Chief Minister.
He said that it was important to harness hydropower along with other renewable energy sources as the two sectors were key to bolster the economy of the state and the Shontong Karchham project would significantly boost the state’s power generation capacity and contribute to its economic growth.
The Chief Minister said that apart from this the state government has also laid special focus on promoting green industry in Himachal Pradesh by initiating various initiatives, enabling it to contribute to the state’s economy.
