Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project: Energy, Environment, and the Indus Waters Treaty
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Indian Geography (River Systems - Chenab, Indus River System); Environment & Ecology (Environmental Clearance, Forest Clearance, Run-of-the-river projects, Hydroelectricity); International Relations (Indus Waters Treaty).
Mains:
General Studies Paper 1 (Geography): Geographical features and their location.
General Studies Paper 2 (International Relations): India and its neighborhood- relations. The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) and water sharing with Pakistan is a core and often contentious topic.
General Studies Paper 3 (Economy/Environment/Security): Infrastructure: Energy; Conservation, environmental impact assessment. Water security and energy security are key themes.
Key Highlights from the News
The Union Ministry of Environment has granted new environmental clearance for the Sawalkote hydroelectric project, which is planned to be built on the Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir. 🌊
This is a "run-of-the-river" project with an installed capacity of 1,856 megawatts.
This is the first time a major project in the Indus River basin has received approval since India froze the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). This indicates a policy shift by India.
This action is seen as part of a new policy to fully utilize India's water resources.
A project needs to obtain Environmental Clearance and Forest Clearance separately. The project was delayed for so long because of the delay in obtaining Forest Clearance.
National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC), a public sector undertaking, is the main agency responsible for the construction of this project.
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