Guwahati, Nov. 15: Delhi has given its nod to the ?diversion? of 3,999.30 hectares of forest land for the Lower Subansiri hydroelectric project, which is being executed by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Ltd in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.

The approval was given recently by the ministry of environment and forests under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, on the condition that the sites for colonies should be in places where minimum felling of trees is required.

The clearance comes despite stiff opposition from NGOs and environment activists, who have been arguing that the site of the dam and the submergence zone are part of the eastern Himalayas. The site also includes two endemic bird areas (EBAs) identified by Birdlife International.

The Rs 7,402.69-crore project will submerge parts of Tale Valley sanctuary, Tale Valley forest reserve, Panir forest reserve, Kamla forest reserve and Jiadhol forest reserve in Arunachal Pradesh and Subansiri forest reserve in Assam. It will affect several thousands of people.

The ministry of environment and forests said the NHPC has deposited Rs 300 crore in the registry of the Supreme Court towards net value of the diverted forest land in pursuance of the court order dated September 17.

While giving its approval, the ministry asked the NTPC to build a green belt, preferably of native species, around the reservoir and take measures to protect the environment.

It also directed the corporation to avoid any damage to the wildlife found in the area and take steps to minimise biotic pressure over adjoining forests. The legal status of the forest land, however, will remain unchanged.

The ministry also asked the NTPC to raise compensatory afforestation over non-forest land, to be identified and handed over to the state forest departments for this purpose at the project cost.

The Lower Subansiri project proposes to harness the hydel potential of the lower reaches of the Subansiri river.

The dam?s left bank would be in Assam while its right bank, the powerhouse and most of the submergence area will be in Arunachal Pradesh.

The dam site is 2.3 km upstream of Gerukamukh village, around 70 km from North Lakhimpur.

The Supreme Court in its order stated that no dam would be constructed upstream of the Subansiri in future. The reserve forest area, which forms part of the catchment of the Lower Subansiri, including the reservoir, should be declared as a national park or sanctuary and the NHPC will provide funds for the survey and demarcation of the same.

The court also asked the corporation to ensure that there is no siltation down the river during construction.