Environment ministry panel grants preliminary nod to pumped hydropower project in eco-sensitive Nilgiris

Indian Express

15-05-2025

An expert panel of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has granted preliminary permissions to carry out an environmental impact assessment (EIA) study for a proposed 1,000 MW Upper Bhavani pumped hydropower project in the Nilgiri Hills, located in the ecologically fragile Western Ghats.
Developed by NTPC Tamil Nadu Energy Company Limited, a joint venture of National Thermal Power Corporation Limited and Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (TANGEDCO), the pumped hydropower or pumped storage project aims to harness the waters of the Upper Bhavani Dam and Avalanche-Emerald reservoirs in the Nilgiris to generate 1,000 MW of power.
The project will require 167.85 hectares of land, of which 56.35 hectares is forest land, while 111.50 hectares is non-forest land, and it is located within a 1 km distance from Mukurthi National Park. The national park is known for the flagship Nilgiri Tahr, an endangered species endemic to this part of the Western Ghats.
The ministry's expert appraisal committee (EAC) on river valley and hydroelectric projects – one of the 11 sectoral panels that scrutinise projects before granting prior environmental clearances – granted the preliminary approval on April 15, minutes of the meeting show.
The preliminary permission, technically known as a grant of terms of reference (ToR), spells out the scope of an EIA study and forms the basis for a public hearing and the eventual environmental clearance.
While granting the ToR, the EAC has specified that the company should assess the project's impact on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, and noted in its minutes that a site visit shall be carried out by a subcommittee before granting final environmental clearance.
The EAC granted the preliminary permission even though it had in February expressed concerns regarding the 'ecological and environmental sensitivity of the region, emphasising that it forms part of the Western Ghats, a globally recognised biodiversity hotspot'. Given the area's rich biodiversity and fragile ecosystem, the EAC had stressed on conducting comprehensive environmental assessments and had asked the developers to find alternative sites.
During the meeting on April 15, the developers provided an alternative layout. They justified it on the grounds that the project's water conductor system and other key components would be underground, thus 'minimizing environmental impact'. The developers also argued that this layout required the least extent of forest land, avoiding the sensitive Shola forests as well as resettlement concerns.
Pumped storage or pumped hydropower projects typically involve the utilisation of the elevation difference between two large reservoirs, one at a higher elevation and the other at a lower elevation. Water is pumped up from the lower reservoir and released back through turbines to generate electricity. Central and state governments have promoted pumped hydropower projects as part of India's plans to achieve its non-fossil fuel energy targets.
TANGEDCO has also proposed the Kundah and Sillahalla pumped hydro projects in the Nilgiris, and the latter has faced protests by locals for the environmental harm it may potentially cause in the region.
Earlier in October, the Centre's EAC on river valley and hydroelectric projects had expressed concern about another pumped hydropower project proposed in the Western Ghats in Maharashtra. It had noted that 15 such projects had been granted ToRs or preliminary permissions in the Western Ghats and that site visits would be important to make project-specific assessments before granting final environmental clearances.
An award-winning journalist with 14 years of experience, Nikhil Ghanekar is an Assistant Editor with the National Bureau [Government] of The Indian Express in New Delhi. He primarily covers environmental policy matters which involve tracking key decisions and inner workings of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. He also covers the functioning of the National Green Tribunal and writes on the impact of environmental policies on wildlife conservation, forestry issues and climate change.
Nikhil joined The Indian Express in 2024. Originally from Mumbai, he has worked in publications such as Tehelka, Hindustan Times, DNA Newspaper, News18 and Indiaspend. In the past 14 years, he has written on a range of subjects such as sports, current affairs, civic issues, city centric environment news, central government policies and politics. ... Read More