Panaji: Even as the voices around the State grow louder with every passing day against the project, the Goa Tamnar Transmission Project Ltd estimates that the project is in the interest of the nation and not just Goa and that the 400 kV transmission line project will be a game changer for the areas it passes through.
After the protests throughout the State, the Goa Tamnar has now prepared a benefit to loss ratio says that the ratio is approximate 715 times which means there is high benefits against the losses incurred due to environmental damage.
Deputy Manager Yeshwant Singh Kamal says the total loss against the proposed forest land diversion is Rs 6392.36 lac while the total monetary benefits is Rs 45739.55 cr.
Tamnar says the constructing said transmission line in the State of Goa will illuminate thousands of families alongwith the generation of huge job opportunities during construction and maintenance activity under Goa, Karnataka & Chattisgarh States.
The company says that the Ecosystem Services losses due to proposed forest diversion is Rs 2805.16 lacs.
The company says that there is no loss of public facilities & administration infrastructure (roads, buildings, schools, dispensary, electric lines, railway etc) on forest land, since these facilities are not available inside the forest area for proposed diversion. The route / corridor of the transmission line is not affecting any public facilities on diverted forest land.
Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant has said that the project is beneficial to the country and the State and hence he will go ahead with it.
“There is not much environmental damage to the Mollem forest as only six towers fall within the forest jurisdiction, rest is a private land which has been acquired,” he said.
The Chief Minister, buoyed by the success in the recent ZP polls, said that he will go ahead with the project as Goa requires more and more electricity with every passing year.
“Besides the domestic consumption, we have to also look at the industries as they give employment,” he said.
Power Minister Nilesh Cabral also said that the project has more benefits then losses.
“Last year during we saw how many times there were power outages from the line coming from Karnataka. This is a dedicated line and with power demand increasing by 5 p.c every year we need to think about next 10-15 years and not just today,” he said.
Cost of forest diversion
Ecosystem Services losses……………………………….…….Rs 2805.16 lac.
Loss of animal husbandry productivity…………………..Rs 280.52 lac
Cost of human resettlement…………………………………..Nil
Loss of public facilities & infrastructure …………………Nil
Possession value of the forest land diverted…………..Rs 841.55 lac
Cost of suffering of oustees………………………………………Nil
Habitat Fragmentation Cost………………………………………Rs 1402.58 lac
Compensatory Afforestation……………………………………..Rs 1062.55 lac
Total loss (Against the proposed forest land diversion) = Rs 6392.36 lac
Estimation of benefit
Increase in productivity…………………………………………… 1200 MV increase
Monetary Benefits…………………………………………………….Rs 4562208 lacs.
Benefit to economy …………………………………………………..Rs 4568039.4 lacs
Economic Benefit (direct/ indirect employment)………..Rs 4854 lacs (in 35 years)
Economic benefits due to compulsory afforestation…..Rs 1062.55 lacs
Total (Monetary benefits)……………………………………………Rs 4573955.95 lac
Cost benefit ratio i.e. project benefit / forest loss = (715:1)