T.N. Forest dept. denies permission for further exploratory tests at Upper Bhavani hydroelectric project site

The Tamil Nadu Forest section has denied support to NTPC Tamilnadu Energy Company Limited (NTECL) to behaviour tests astatine the projected Upper Bhavani Pumped Storage Hydroelectric task site, located betwixt the ecologically delicate habitats of Mukurthi National Park (MNP) and Avalanche Reserve Forest, dealing a important stroke to the arguable project’s future.

According to elder officials successful the Forest department, NTECL had initially applied for permissions for surveys and drilling to beryllium conducted astatine the task site, which were granted to it. It had past applied for “drifting tests”, which are fundamentally geotechnical investigations to trial ungraded stability.

Officials said that the Divisional Forest Officer successful the Nilgiris wood part had recommended to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests that drifting tests not beryllium allowed astatine the projected task tract citing their ecological impact. The tests themselves would necessitate Forest Conservation Act (FCA) clearance to beryllium archetypal approved.

The survey, drilling, and drifting tests are each portion of NTECL’s mentation for a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to beryllium drawn up for the project, officials stated.

Despite the Forest department’s reluctance to green-light further exploratory works, NTECL has applied for the diversion of 56 hectares of wood onshore done the E-PARIVESH portal to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. The exertion would present travel earlier the State’s Project Scrutiny Committee for further deliberation, officials said.

Conservationists who spoke to The Hindu said that the task would heap a tremendous magnitude of unit onto the ecologically fragile area, location to a fig of cardinal taxon of flora and fauna, including the endangered Nilgiri tahr. They besides said that too the ecological impact, the hydroelectric task volition besides perchance impact onshore ineffable to indigenous communities, specified arsenic the Devar Betta Hill.

Speaking astir the issue, Tarun Chhabra, an adept connected the indigenous Toda community, had antecedently said the seasonal Toda hamlet Kolimund (Kwehh(r)shy) that was reoccupied this twelvemonth aft a hiatus of astir 2 decades was located adjacent to the precocious retention area. Reservoirs had already destroyed the immense biodiversity, and underground blasting would destruct the hillsides during utmost rainfall, helium had cautioned.