Panaji: the eye of storm over deforestation, the Goa Tamnar Transmission Project Limited (GTTPL) has implemented an extensive afforestation drive across various locations in the region – Sankhli (Goa Institute of Management), Usgaon, Sangod, and Codar. As on date, GTTPL has planted a total of 9367 trees in the land allocated by the Goa Forest Department.
A press note issued by the GTTPL says, Power shortage is a major impediment for development and growth for Goa’s economy. The Goa Tamnar Transmission Project Limited (GTTPL) project is an Inter State Transmission System envisaged by Ministry of Power in 2015 to create an additional source of power for Goa and ensure that the region is self- sufficient in terms of energy requirements.
For the Sangod substation that the project is constructing, 2670 trees were cut on private land (substation) for which all necessary permissions were accorded by the Goa Forest Department. As per the compensatory afforestation rules of the Forest Department, GTTPL is expected to plant three times the number of trees felled, which stood at 8010. The project, however, has planted a total of 9367 trees which is more than what was mandated.
Further, it says, the soil composition of the land provided by the Forest Department for the compensatory afforestation, was primarily laterite which was not conducive for tree plantation. GTTPL reclaimed this land through addition of a conducive topsoil and drip irrigation arrangements to ensure proper growth of all the fruit bearing trees planted as part of th plantation drive.
The company says it has also taken utmost caution and care, right from project planning to mitigation, to put together a thoughtfully optimized route for the 400kV Xeldem – Narendra LILO Transmission Line. The route was chosen to avoid the Mollem National Park completely and only involves a minimal unavoidable passage of 2.51 km through Bhagwan Mahaveer sanctuary.
“The project will enhance the current power transmission capacity, quality and reliability which will boost industrial and commercial activities, especially the tourism industry,” it says.
