3 days ago
Centre approves ₹8K-crore for Arunachal hydroelectric project
New Delhi The Union cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved ₹8146.21 crore for a 700 MW hydroelectric project, Tato-II, in Arunachal Pradesh's Shi Yomi district, a move that comes weeks after China began construction of what is set to be the world's largest river dam on the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra river. Centre approves
₹ 8K-crore for Arunachal hydroelectric project
The project will be implemented by a joint venture between the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd, a central public-sector company, and the state government. It will take an estimated six years to build, a statement said. The Centre will additionally give ₹458.79 crore for constructing roads, bridges and transmission lines, apart from assistance of ₹436.13 crore towards equity share of the state.
Arunachal Pradesh's cabinet had in May approved five mega hydropower projects in Shi Yomi, which borders China, towards the middle northern part of the state. The five projects – Heo, Hirong, Naying, Tato I, and Tato II – would have a total capacity of 2,626 megawatts of electricity.
'On behalf of the people of Arunachal Pradesh, I convey our heartfelt gratitude to Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi ji for approving the 700 MW Tato-II Hydroelectric Project with an investment of ₹8146.21 crore in Shi Yomi district,' Arunachal chief minister Pema Khandu said in a Facebook post soon after the Centre's decision.
The state government has tasked a panel with modifying the State Hydro Power Policy, 2008, as well as the Local Area Development Fund Guidelines, 2022 to ramp up hydropower projects. About 49% of India's hydropower potential is said to be in Arunachal Pradesh.
Last month, Chinese Premier Li Qiang presided over a ceremony marking the start of construction on the $167-billion dam on Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet, according to reports in China's state-run media. The Motuo hydropower station is set to overtake the Three Gorges dam as the world's largest, sparking concerns in India over its potential impact on the Brahmaputra.
The project has drawn criticism for its potential impact on the environment of Tibet and on millions of people in India and Bangladesh. These concerns could spur India to fast-track another multipurpose dam in Arunachal Pradesh, known as the Siang Upper multipurpose storage project, to act as a buffer against sudden changes in the flows of the Siang and Brahmaputra rivers, people familiar with the matter had said last month.
However, indigenous Adi tribal inhabitants of the region have protested the proposed Upper Siang project, fearing loss of livelihoods and displacement.
The Chinese dam is located around a 'great bend' on the Yarlung Tsangpo river, which is known in India as the Brahmaputra, a lifeline for Assam. The Siang, which flows through Arunachal Pradesh, is the Brahmaputra's main tributary that connects it to the YarlungTsangpo.
The Tato-II project would benefit the state by yielding 12% free power and another one per cent towards Local Area Development Fund, Union information and broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said.
