Amid the recent crisis faced by Joshimath town in Uttarakhand, where homes and buildings are gradually submerging due to land subsidence, Power Minister R.K. Singh on Thursday told the Parliament that NTPC's Tapovan Vishnugad project is far away from the town, even though he said that it is one of the two hydro electric projects in the state, which has been impacted due to floods and avalanche in the past 10 years.
Out of the 30 under-construction hydro electric projects in Uttarakhand, only two of them have been impacted due to natural calamities like floods and avalanches in the last 10 years. These include Tapovan Vishnugad project with a 520 mega watt capacity and Phata Byung project with a capacity of 76 mega watt, Singh said in response to a question in Lok Sabha during Question Hour.
Incidentally, NTPC's Tapovan Vishnugad project is situated in the vicinity of Joshimath and local people have been protesting against its construction.
Work on it has been stopped for the time being owing to protests due to the land subsidence issue there.
Singh, who was replying to a question on hydro electric projects in the Himalayan region by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi in Lok Sabha, said that "the nearest power project in Joshimath, namely Tapovan Vishnugad, is also far away from the site where subsidence took place in recent past. Tapovan Vishnugad remains unaffected due to the subsidence incident in the Joshimath region. However, the district administration has issued an order on January 5, 2023 to stay the construction activities at the project site until further orders".
The minister further told the House that no hydro project above 25 mega watt is taken up without environmental clearance.
Large hydro projects are examined from basin planning, environmental, ecological and geological angles by the Central Electricity Authority along with other appraising agencies like Central Water Commission (CWC), Geological Survey of India (GSI), Central Soil and Materials Research Station (CSMRS) before final clearance is given to a project in the Himalayan region, Singh further said.
Manipur: Security forces nab eight militants with arms, ammunition
In a series of successful joint operations, Assam Rifles, in coordination with Manipur Police, apprehended eight hardcore militants from different locations of three districts in the violence-hit state, officials said on Wednesday.
Tripura’s unemployment ratio less than national average, says CM Saha
Of the 2,806 candidates, 2437 multi-tasking staff (Group-D) would be posted in 37 departments while 369 pharmacists and laboratory technicians would be posted in the health and other departments, Saha said and termed the day in providing government jobs as historic.
PM Modi presenting NE region as ‘Astalakshmi’: HM Amit Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, considering the huge development and enormous resources of the eight northeastern states, is presenting the region before the country as ‘Astalakshmi’.
BJP set to storm back to power in Delhi after 27 years: Exit polls
A poll of seven exit polls predicted 42-49 seats for the BJP in the Assembly election to end its 27-year jinx, signalling an end of Arvind Kejriwal’s winning streak in Delhi after three back-to-back victories. The final results will be declared on February 8.
India's gold investments surge 60 pc to Rs 1.5 lakh crore in 2024: Report
Gold investments in India saw a significant surge in 2024 with a rise of 60 per cent in value terms to reach $18 billion (approximately Rs 1.5 lakh crore) compared to 2023, according to a report on Wednesday.
Fate of 699 candidates sealed as voting for Delhi polls ends
A total of 1.5 crore eligible Delhi voters sealed the fate of 699 candidates in the Assembly election on Wednesday to pick a new 70-member House with the turnout hovering around 60 per cent till reports last came in at 6 p.m., an official said.
PM Modi condoles demise of eminent philanthropist and spiritual leader Prince Karim Aga Khan
Calling him a visionary who dedicated his entire life to service and spirituality, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday condoled the demise of noted billionaire philanthropist and spiritual leader Prince Karim Aga Khan IV.
57.70 per cent voter turnout recorded in Delhi Assembly polls
Voting to pick a new 70-member Delhi Assembly continued peacefully on Wednesday as the turnout touched 57.70 per cent till 5 p.m. with the ruling AAP eyeing a fourth straight win and the BJP putting up a tough fight to return to power after 1998.