Snale-Hatkoti-Guma power line awaits stage-II forest clearance

SHIMLA: The high-tension 50.3-km-long Snale-Hatkoti-Guma power transmission line that aims at evacuating power from the 111 MW Sawra-Kuddu project and other projects located at the Pabbar valley awaits stage-II clearance from the Forest Department.

The Sawada Kuddu project in the Pabbar valley. Photo: Amit Kanwar

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 1

The high-tension 50.3-km-long Snale-Hatkoti-Guma power transmission line that aims at evacuating power from the 111 MW Sawra-Kuddu project and other projects located at the Pabbar valley awaits stage-II clearance from the Forest Department.

This, in turn, has delayed the work on the transmission line and its sub-station at Guma. On the other hand, the 21.5-km-long Rupin-Sunda and the 23-km-long Sunda-Hatkoti transmission lines have turned into road blocks as the dispute over allotment of the 70 MW Dhamwari-Sunda project has entered the court.

Himachal Power Transmission Corporation Ltd (HPTCL), which is executing the project, has already got stage-I clearance for the Snale-Hatkoti-Guma power transmission line.

The HPTCL has to sort out the issue with people whose private land falls under the transmission line. As many as 300 trees would be cut or affected by the transmission line that will run through 70 per cent of forest area and about 30 per cent of the private land of the farmers.

“Out of this, not more than 200 trees would be cut. We have to deposit the net present value to the Forest Department for the diversion of forest area,” the engineers said.

“We have moved the case for the stage-II forest clearance for the Snale-Hatkoti-Guma line to the Forest Department. The work on the 630 MVA sub-station at Guma is yet to begin,” said Keshav Atri, director, projects, HPTCL. The 220 kV Snale-Guma line would cost Rs 74 crore while the Guma sub-station would cost Rs 144 crore and the project is being funded by the Asian Development Bank. The sub-station will step up the transmission line to 420 kV from Guma onwards and will join the Jhakhari- Abdulapur transmission system of the Nathapa-Jhakkri power station at Guma, informed Atri.

HPTCL engineers revealed that the corporation is seeking clearance for the 21.5-km-long Rupin-Sunda and the 23-km-long Sunda-Hatkoti part of the transmission line. The line is being constructed to evacuate power of the 70 MW Dhamwari-Sunda project, which was allotted to the private firm. The private firm moved the court, got stay and the case is still pending in the court, they added.

The Snale-Hatkoti-Guma power line seeks to evacuate power from the 111 MW Sawra-Kuddu project that has lagged behind its schedule by more than four years. The power house is complete, but the head race tunnel is yet to be completed. HPCL officials claim the project would be completed by 2016-17.