14-05-2025
KSEB raises concerns over tourism use of Sholayar and Poringalkuthu hydel project sites
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T'puram: Days after engaging an agency to study the tourism potential of the controversial
Athirappilly hydel project
, Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has raised strong reservations over a proposal to use the Sholayar and the
Poringalkuthu hydel project
sites for tourism board, however, gave a conditional no objection certificate (NOC) to
Kerala Hydel Tourism Centre
(KHTC), a venture owned by KSEB, to use the dilapidated quarters at Sholayar for tourism purposes.
The board asked KHTC to obtain permission directly from the forest department for using the quarters and Vadakkeppuzha water body before proceeding with the areas coming under the project were forest land leased for the specific purpose of KSEB at Poringal and Sholayar for power stations and allied installations, including the Vadakkeppuzha pumping scheme.
The generation of power utilising water at Vadakkeppuzha water body comes to around 10 to 12 MU annually, depending on the inflow from the Vadakkepuzha catchment area. "As a minimum available water level must be maintained for the proposed tourism activities, it will adversely affect the pumping scheme and result in generation loss," said an order issued by KSEB in this per the provisions of the Kerala Forest Act 1961 and Wildlife Protection Act 1972, the activities proposed by KHTC at Vadakkepuzha will be offensive in nature and prior permission from the forest department is mandatory, the order said. "Entry to the Poringalkuthu, Sholayar areas is restricted in the evening hours by forest/state police. Only KSEB employees and vehicles are allowed entry," the order said, adding that such a proposal from KHTC failed to take off in 2015 due to restrictions from the forest move to rebrand the Athirappilly hydel project as a tourism-friendly project has received strong opposition from environmentalists. Power minister K Krishnankutty said the govt would not take unilateral decisions regarding the project.
