Hyderabad|India|June'2009:
The Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy held discussions with Union
Minister of state for Forests and Environment and sought speedy clearance
of various Andhra Pradesh projects. The Chief Minister said for the last 5
years though the Central Government gave clearance for many projects, the
time taken was much. Hence Dr Reddy sought timely clearance of projects
and proposals.
The Union Minister responded positively and assured to clear all the
pending issues with his ministry on priority at the earliest. The APGENCO
has proposed to take up construction of weir downstream of Srisailam Dam
with a view to impound 1 TMC of water to operate Srisailam Units (6X150
MW=900 MW) in pump mode which will be useful for power generation during
peak hours. For construction of weir, 7 hectares of forest land is
required temporarily for formation of roads etc. Ministry of Forest and
Environment (Central), Regional Office Bangalore has accorded Stage-I
clearance and prescribed certain conditions to be fulfilled before
according final approval.
APGENCO has fulfilled all the conditions and compliance report has been
furnished by Government of Andhra Pradesh to the Chief Conservator of
Forest (Central) Ministry of Environment and Forest (Bangalore). The grant
of final approval is pending with Chief Conservator of Forest (Central),
Bangalore. Since the work has to be taken up immediately during this lean
season of June and July when Srisailam Left bank Units are not operating.
The Chief Conservator of Forest (Central), Bangalore, is being requested
to grant clearance immediately.
APGENCO would be approaching Ministry of Environment and Forest for
granting environmental clearance for Vodarevu Thermal Power Project (5X800
MW=4000 MW); Dummugudem Hydro Electric Scheme (6X52 MW=312 MW);
Singareddypally Hydro Electric Scheme (5X40 MW=200 MW) and Krishnapatnam
coal-based project (3X800 MW=2400 MW).
As per the present Ministry of Forests and Environment Policy, Fly Ash
generated from coal based power projects has to be given free of cost to
all the users. This Policy is valid up to 14-9-2009 after which Ministry
will be revising this policy. Now this is to submit that there is a huge
demand for Fly Ash particularly from Cement Industry and power generating
companies should be permitted to sell fly ash at a market price. This will
enable the power generating companies to earn some revenues which can be
used for maintenance of Power Plants as well as for environmental
protection and taking up Corporate Social responsibility works in
neighbouring villages of the Power Projects. Cases for Forest Advisory
Committee clearance: Telugu Ganga Project, Somasila Project, Gorakallu to
Owk (Flood Flow Canal) and Veligonda Project.
The following is the list of proposals submitted under Section 2 of Forest
(Conservation) Act, 1980, pertaining to irrigation projects under "Jalayagnam,"
presently pending at various stages with MOEF, GOI. The proposal for
diversion of 87.18 Hector of forest land towards the Indira Sagar Lift
Irrigation Scheme, which has been cleared by the FAC, CEC, and Supreme
Court of India, is awaiting in-principle (Stage-I) approval from MOEF, GOI.
The proposal for diversion of 12.54 hectare of forest land towards the
additional area requirement of Komaram-Bheem Project, which has been
cleared by the FAC, CEC, and Supreme Court of India, is awaiting
in-principle (Stage-I) approval from MOEF, GOI. The proposal for diversion
of 2558 Hector of forest land towards Poola Subbiah-Veligonda Project is
pending for consideration before the FAC, with MOEF, New Delhi. The
proposal for diversion of 269 Hector of forest land towards the GNSS-Flood
Flow Canal Project is pending for consideration before FAC, with MOEF, New
Delhi.
The proposal for diversion of 1016 Hector of forest land towards the
Somasila Project, which includes part of wildlife sanctuaries, is pending
for consideration before National Board for Wildlife, MOEF, New Delhi. The
proposal for diversion of 144.5 Hector of forest land towards Palar Minor
Irrigation Project, which has been recommended for approval by the FAC, is
awaiting in-principle (Stage-I) approval from MOEF, GOI. Proposal for
diversion of 16 Hector of forest land towards Peddapolupalli (SPVBRLC)
Canal is pending for consideration before MOEF, New Delhi. Proposal for
diversion of 4.98 Hector of forest land towards Distributaries 38 & 38 of
TGP is pending for consideration with Regional Office, Southern Zone, MOEF,
Bangalore.
Major Irrigation Minister P.Lakshmaiah, Minister for Forests and
Environment, P Ramachandra Reddy, Adviser to Govt and M.P.,
K.V.P.Ramachandra Rao, Special Chief Secretaries, Janaki Kondapi and
A.K.Goel, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, MD, APGENCO, Ajay Jain,
Prncipal Secretary, Irrigation, S.K.Joshi, Secretaries, Irrigation, R R
Misra and Adityanath Das and other officials attended the meeting.
Reachout's News Bureau
June' 2009
