The Lower Subansiri project is about to commence its workeven as the national green tribunal has set July 24 for the final verdict whilethe Ministry of power has set 2023 as the commissioning date putting the projectin priority list,.
The Project has been in limbo since 2011 as the varioussections have protested against it in Assam side, while Arunachal Pradesh pushedfor early completition. Meanwhile there were several committees and the matterhad moved to the National Green Tribunal also where it was awaiting final verdict.
The Subansiri once again came to news as on June 4 atItanagar, as while addressing the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly B D Mishraannounced that work would resume soon but that brought immediate flak from the petitionerin the NGT- the Assam Public Works (APW).
The APW said that matter is still sub judice and the verdictis awaited and work cannot be resumed. But the NHPC is confident that verdictwould go in their favour.
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The legal hurdles in setting up the 2000 mw Lower Subansirihydroelectric project (HEP) have been settled, and the National Hydro PowerCorporation is going to start the construction shortly, Mishra said.
He said all necessary steps would be taken to operationalizeand commission the 600 mw Kameng HEP and the 24 mw Dikshi HEP also.
"The government will focus on small hydel projects as well,and will also develop a comprehensive policy to harness solar and wind energy,"he said.
New Delhi meanwhile said that the 2000 MW Lower SubansiriHydroelectric Power Project at Gerukamukh in Assam's Dhemaji district will becommissioned by 2022-23.
A senior official in the Union Ministry of Power said thatCentral and state governments, both in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, have beentrying to get some "modified modalities" so that the work starts.
New Delhi has put the northeastern states at the "highpriority zone" as far as hydro power potential is concerned.
As per the re-assessment study completed by CentralElectricity Authority in 1987, the identified hydro power potential in thecountry was assessed as 1,48,701 MW (1,45,320 MW from Hydro Electric Projects(HEPs) above 25 MW capacity) which included 62604 MW of hydro potential in NERegion including 4248 MW in the state of Sikkim.
The government expects to resume work on two of thecountry's largest hydroelectric projects, planned by the NHPCNSE 0.60 % atLower Subansiri and Dibang in Arunachal Pradesh with a combined capacity of4,800 MW, as the green tribunal has quashed appeals stalling them.
