A River Divided: The Etalin Project's Green Signal

The Union Environment Ministry’s Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) has recommended environmental clearance for the 3,087 MW Etalin hydroelectric project in the Dibang Valley of Arunachal Pradesh, according to minutes from its meeting held on July 30.

Planned as a run-of-the-river scheme on the Dri and Tangon rivers, the project involves the construction of concrete gravity dams and water diversion through two separate waterway systems. Covering 1,175.03 hectares, it will require the felling of approximately 2.7 lakh trees across ecologically sensitive forest types, including subtropical pine and moist alpine scrub.

The project is being developed by Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN). Its original environmental clearance from 2017 was reappraised due to the expiration of impact assessment data. A biodiversity study by the Wildlife Institute of India identified the presence of several Schedule-I species in the area, including the red panda, clouded leopard, and Asiatic black bear.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.