EC granted for 10-year period in 2012
Srinagar, Jan 05: The Expert Appraisal Committee of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change will consider the Ratle Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited’s request for an extension of its Environmental Clearance for the 850-MW Ratle hydroelectric project in Jammu & Kashmir.
Documents accessed by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) lay bare that the panel will decide on the extension of the clearance during its meeting scheduled for the 9th of this month.
The mega project was granted environmental clearance in 2012, and the clearance was transferred to RHPCL in 2021.
As per MoEF&CC norms, the validity of EC for river valley and hydroelectric projects is 10 years. That means the clearance granted in 2012 was valid up to December 2022.
The Ratle hydroelectric project is a run-of-river scheme proposed on the Chenab River in Kishtwar district, with an installed capacity of 850 MW.
Initially, construction of the project was undertaken by the Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation through M/s GVK Limited. However, work was halted in 2014.
The plan for execution was revived by the Union Power Ministry in 2018 in consultation with the Government of J&K.
In February 2019, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between NHPC (51%) and JKSPDC (49%) for the formation of a new joint venture-Ratle Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (RHPCL)-to execute the project.
The Union Cabinet accorded the investment sanction of Rs 5281 .94 crore for the project in 2021. (KNO)
