New Delhi: A long pending hydropower project in Arunachal Pradesh has received a major regulatory push after the central expert panel recommended environmental clearance for the 1,720 megawatt Kamala dam. The decision comes nearly thirty years after the proposal was first conceived, but it has triggered serious concern due to the large scale ecological impact involved.
The project, proposed by NHPC Limited, involves construction of a massive concrete gravity dam on the Kamala River, a tributary of the Subansiri in the Brahmaputra basin. The structure is planned to rise to a height of 216 metres and the reservoir will spread across 3,858 hectares in Kamle, Kra Daadi and Kurung Kumey districts. Most of this region is covered by thick natural forests that support rich biodiversity.
The expert appraisal committee, while recommending approval, highlighted that more than twenty three lakh trees would need to be felled for the project. The panel described this as a serious environmental challenge and stressed the need for strict mitigation measures. It asked for a detailed restoration and compensatory plan to be prepared in consultation with forest authorities, wildlife specialists and local communities before final forest clearance is granted.
The social impact is also expected to be significant. Official assessments indicate that 126 villages with around thirty thousand residents fall within the directly affected zone, while a broader study area covers 377 villages in four districts. Many of these communities depend on forests and rivers for their livelihood.
Supporters of the project argue that it will provide reliable electricity and help manage floods in the downstream Brahmaputra region. The dam is designed as a storage based facility with a special flood cushion to regulate excess monsoon water. Authorities believe it will strengthen energy security and contribute to economic development in the Northeast.
Initial studies for the project were carried out in 1996 and several designs were examined before the present site was finalised on technical and safety grounds. The estimated cost now stands at more than twenty three thousand crore rupees.
Although the latest recommendation clears an important hurdle, the project still awaits final forest approval. Environmental groups and local residents are preparing to closely watch the next stage, as the decision will permanently reshape a vast stretch of Arunachal Pradesh’s natural landscape.
