The Lachung river on which the power projects have been proposed. Picture by Prabin Khaling

Gangtok, Jan. 31: The Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has given the green light to resume the survey and investigation for three hydel power projects proposed on the Lachung river above Chungthang in North Sikkim.

The projects at Lachung (84MW), Bhimkyong (90MW) and Bop (97.5MW) were put on hold after the Centre for Inter-disciplinary Studies of Mountain and Hill Environment (CISMHE) submitted an adverse report in 2008 concerning the schemes’ impact on the environment.

The survey on three other projects — Teesta Stage I (280MW), Teesta Stage II (330MW) and Lachen (120MW) — were also stopped based on the report.

The CISMHE, which is under the central government, had said the six projects should not be allowed to come up considering the ecological sensitivity of North Sikkim and that the eco-system above Chungthang should be left undisturbed.

However, the Sikkim government swung into action and submitted a comprehensive report on its own to the ministry and private power developers lobbied with their own studies to push the projects through.

Sources said the state power department had received a communication from the MoEF at the end of last year, giving a nod for the survey and the investigation to prepare detailed project reports for the hydel schemes at Lachung, Bhimkyong and Bop.

“The nod was given after an expert appraisal committee sent by the ministry visited the sites in September. The survey and investigation is very important in preparing the detailed project reports for each hydel plant,” said a power department official.

However, the detailed project reports have to be approved by the Central Electricity Authority and then sent to the MoEF for environmental clearance, added the official.

All the three plants are on the Lachung river, a tributary of the Teesta, and are contracted out to a private company, the sources said.

Chungthang, located about 85km from here and at 5,600 feet, is the gateway to the upper reaches of the Yumthang Valley in North Sikkim.

Earlier last year, the Teesta I and II projects were also given the permission for the survey.

In the communication, the MoEF has also asked the state government to take into consideration the concerns raised by the CISMHE.

“We will address the impact of construction activities on the habitats of endangered flora and fauna and their conservation, keep provision for fish ladders and prepare an inventory of glacial lakes in the river’s catchment areas and landslide-prone zones. These are some additional points that the MoEF wants us to address,” said another power official.

With its hydro-electric power potential estimated to be around 8,000MW, the Sikkim government has signed agreements with the National Hydel Power Corporation and private parties for projects that would generate over 5,000MW electricity.

Another hydel project proposed on the Rathong Chu at Lethang in South Sikkim has been put on hold following objections from the National Board of Wildlife. “The project is still on hold and we have written to the MoEF to reconsider its viability at the next meeting of the National Board of Wildlife,” said state power secretary Pema Wamgchen.