Dulhasti Stage II Hydel In JK Gets Environmental Clearance
Dulhasti Stage-II is an extension of the existing 390 MW Dulhasti Stage-I Hydro Electric Project (Dulhasti Power Station), which has been successfully operating since its commissioning in 2007 by National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited
New Delhi: With roadblocks due to the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) out of its way, the Indian government is moving faster on the Dulhasti Stage II hydel power project on Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir. A panel under the Ministry of Environment has approved the 260-megawatt hydropower project in Kishtwar district, a project worth Rs 3,277.45 crore which is an extension of the existing Dulhasti power station.
The Expert Appraisal Committee on hydel projects accorded the approval during its 45th meeting on December 19, paving the way for floating construction tenders for the run-of-the-river project. The panel noted that the water of Chenab basin is shared between India and Pakistan in accordance with provisions of the Indus Water Treaty, 1960, and the project's parameters were planned in accordance with the treaty.
"However, the Indus Water Treaty stands suspended effective from April 23, 2025," the panel noted. When the IWT was in force, Pakistan had rights over the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab rivers, and India over the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej. With the treaty now in abeyance, the Centre is pushing ahead with several hydroelectric projects in the Indus basin, such as Sawalkote, Ratle, Bursar, Pakal Dul, Kwar, Kiru, and Kirthai I and II.
Dulhasti Stage-II is an extension of the existing 390 MW Dulhasti Stage-I Hydro Electric Project (Dulhasti Power Station), which has been successfully operating since its commissioning in 2007 by National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited.
Under the plan, water will be diverted from the Stage-I power station through a separate tunnel measuring 3,685 metres in length and 8.5 metres in diameter to form a horseshoe-shaped pondage for Stage-II. The project also includes a surge shaft, a pressure shaft, and an underground powerhouse housing two 130 MW units, resulting in a total installed capacity of 260 MW and an annual energy generation. The total land requirement for the project is estimated at 60.3 hectares. This project will require 8.27 hectares of private land from two villages, Benzwar and Palmar, in Kishtwar district.
Out of the total project cost, Rs 45.64 crore has been earmarked for the Environment Management Plan and pollution control measures. The expert committee has directed that an independent study should be undertaken five years after commissioning to assess the environmental impact of the project. The committee has also recommended a comprehensive study to develop a strategy for sustainable environmental management of the Chenab River Basin. The study will cover environmental flow regimes, channel morphology and sediment processes, conservation of aquatic and riparian biodiversity, livelihood and community concerns, and the integration of the Marusudar River within the wider Chenab basin hydropower cascade.
