Himachal to clear hydel mess
The state govt would have 30% equity share in the Khab, the Luhri and the Rampur projects
| Chairman and Managing Director Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) H K Sharma told mediapersons here that the big project would have a capacity to withhold 12 million cubic mts of silt which would be very beneficial for the 1,500mw Nathpa-Jhakri Hydro Power Project which was receiving 16 million cubic mts of silt annually. |
| Sharma said the problem of silt had become so acute that the management had decided to stop operations once a week to flush out the silt The total loss due to reduction in power generation was estimated between Rs 500 crore and Rs 800 crore annually. |
| The turbines of the project had a capacity to withstand silt upto 7.5 million cubic mts and the inflow of silt was 3.5 million cubic mts during May 2006 alone, added Sharma. |
| "Fortunately, the flow of silt was quite low during June 2006 till date. But it could be a temporary phenomenon as the higher hills had deficient snowfall this year," he added. |
| Sharma said environment clearance has been accorded by the Union forest and environment ministry for the first phase of Khab Project (631 Mw) but the agreement with the Himachal Pradesh government was yet to be signed as the 70 per cent employment to local people clause imposed by the state government was under consideration of the Union power ministry. |
| He said all clearances, including clearance from defence ministry, would be obtained before commencing execution of the project and the concerns of the state government would be adequately addressed. |
| He said the SJVN management was keen that maximum employment was provided to local people but in several areas like tunnelling, highly skilled labour was not available locally. |
| Sharma hoped that investigations and work to prepare detailed project report would be started. |
| He said apart from the SJVN, other projects like Koldam (800 Mw) and the Bhakra dam should also share the cost of the Khab dam as they would also benefit from the project. |
| Referring to Parachhu lake, Sharma said formation of such lakes due to blockade of rivers and rivulets was common in the hills but a contingency plan was in place in case of flash floods in the Sutlej river due to bursting of such lakes. |
| He said it took about four hours for water to reach Nathpa dam from Sumdoh, which was sufficient to take all the preventive and precautionary steps to save loss of life or property. |
| He said that after the 2004 floods, most of the people settled along the banks of the Sutlej river had shifted to safer places but most of them returned in 2005 and they must respond to alarm system and move out immediately in case of emergency. |
| Sharma said the SJVN was also taking up three projects in Uttaranchal which included the Devesari Hydro Electric Project (33 Mw) and the Jakol Sankari Project (35 Mw). |
| He said the agreement for execution of the 412 Mw Rampur Project in Shimla district had been signed and work had begun. |
| The Himachal Pradesh government would have 30 per cent equity share in the Khab, the Luhri and the Rampur projects, he added. |