An expert panel of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has recommended environmental clearance for NHPC Ltd’s 1,720-MW Kamala hydroelectric project in Arunachal Pradesh, subject to strict ecosystem restoration measures.
Key Project Details
- Capacity: 1,720 MW
- Cost: ₹23,764 crore
- Dam Height: 216 metres
- Reservoir Area: About 2,600 hectares
- River: Kamala river, a tributary of the Subansiri River
The project is part of a series of hydropower developments planned in the Subansiri river basin.
Environmental Concerns
- Construction will require felling around 23.4 lakh trees.
- The panel stressed a detailed ecosystem restoration plan.
- Compensatory afforestation will be undertaken in Madhya Pradesh, as degraded forest land was not available locally.
The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) on river valley projects directed NHPC to obtain in-principle forest clearance before final environmental approval.
Related Hydropower Projects
Downstream in the basin, NHPC is also developing the Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Project near Gerukamukh on the Assam–Arunachal border.
![](https://www.gstimes.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/MARCH-2024-GS-TIMES-1ADD.jpg")
