New Delhi, Feb 12 (IANS): The Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has postponed the hearing of an appeal against Environment Clearance (EC) granted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydro-Electric Project of 444 MW in Chamoli district in Uttarakhand to March 31.

The plea filed by Dr Bharat Jhunjhunwala and others has stated that initial EC was granted to the project which is situated over an area of 141.568 ha by M/s THDC India Limited located at Village Haat, Tehsil Joshimath in Chamoli district on August 22, 2007 for ten years, which got further extensions till now.

However, the project has not been operationalized and is still under construction. The project is funded by the World Bank. Out of total cost of about Rs 3,800 crore, more than 50 per cent of the cost has already been incurred, it said.

Earlier on October 8, 2021, the NGT had issued a notice to the Environmental ministry in the matter seeking an expert opinion from the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for River Valley and Hydro-Electric Projects.

According to the plea, Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) is in favour of abandoning the project. Dispensing with public hearing is not called for nor valid as the project is not completed to the extent of 50 per cent, as required for such an exemption, it submitted. It further said the EAC has not undertaken proper evaluation of the mitigation measures.

"It has gone by rapid Environment Impact Assessment ignoring deficiencies, particularly impacts of soil erosion, blasting, decline in water quality, loss of aesthetic values and loss of aquatic biodiversity. These impacts have not been duly evaluated nor included in the CBA," the plea read.

The Vishnugad Pipalkoti Hydro Electric Project (VPHEP) is a proposed 444 Megawatt (MW) run-of-the-river hydro generation project on the Alaknanda River, which is a tributary of the Ganga.