PCCF chairs maiden meeting of Project Screening Committee

Emphasises on effective implementation of Environment Plan  

JAMMU, JULY 04: Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Head of Forest Force (PCCF/HoFF) today chaired the Project Screening Committee (PSC) meeting here in FRMC Building, Forest Headquarter, Jammu to take stock of the implementation of Mitigation and Environment Plan of Pakal Dul Hydroelectric Project in Kishtwar district.

The plan envisages various environment & wildlife habitat improvement works worth Rs 236 crore, including Rs 100 crore  corpus fund for High Altitude National Park in Kishtwar District.

The prime objective of implementation of the project is to improve the catchment areas of Marusudra River, a tributary of Chenab, on which a series of Hydroelectric projects are being constructed including Pakal Dul, to harness the huge potential of hydroelectric power of river Chenab.

Afforestation, soil & water conservation activities along with developmental works are being executed with the funding provided by Chenab Valley Power Project (CVPP) in lieu of forest/wildlife areas affected by the construction of hydroelectric projects in these landscapes. The Mitigation Plan, Biodiversity Conservation Plan and Catchment Area Treatment Plan are the different components of the comprehensive plan approved under the overall supervision and oversight of Hon’ble Supreme Court.

The Project Screening Committee has been constituted by the Government to contribute and oversee the implementation of Environment Plans aimed at mitigating the impacts of such mega projects on local people as well as on the environment and forest health of the area to ensure sustainable development. The cumulative financial allocation under different components would be around Rs. 300 crores which will be spent in the next couple of years in accordance with the approved project activities.

  Roshan Jaggi, Chairman Project Screening Committee highlighted the importance of timely implementation of Environment Management Plan (EMP) which has direct bearing on mitigation of environmental impact caused with the construction of Pakal Dul HydroElectric Project.  The Chairman also advised for adopting a landscape approach to EMP plan implementation, which would take care of Kishtwar landscape as a whole. The landscape extends upto Marwah-Dachan and impacts thousands of households residing in these watershed areas. Chairman, Project Screening Committee also emphasized on greater coordination among various implementing agencies like Department of Wildlife Protection, Department of Soil & Water Conservation and Forest Department for effective implementation and to avoid overlap amongst various approved schemes and to ensure a hassle free implementation at ground level.

The Project Screening Committee discussed in detail the action plan and implementation strategy and advised the implementing agencies to involve local people, PRIs, BMCs for effective time bound implementation of the plan. The Chairman emphasised for greater coordination amongst various implementing agencies like Wildlife Protection Department, Soil & Water Conservation, Forest Department to avoid overlap and enhance outcome.

The project area has major constraints like difficult terrain, limited connectivity and short working season and Project Screening Committee members were of the unanimous opinion to enhance the absorptive capacity of implementing agencies to accelerate pace of works and increase expenditure level.

The Chief Wildlife Warden Sh. Suresh Kumar Gupta informed that a comprehensive exercise to generate baseline data is being taken up in the project area. The baseline data shall be used for effective monitoring and outcome analysis of project activities. Inputs were given by HoDs of various wings to improve the quality of implementation. Senior Executives of Chenab Valley Power Project, senior officers of Fisheries, Revenue and Pollution Control Committee of UT were present in the meeting as members of Project Screening Committee.