EAC clears 1,720 MW Kamala hydropower project; over 23 lakh trees to be felled

The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for River Valley and Hydroelectric Projects has recommended environmental clearance for NHPC Limited’s (NHPC) 1,720 MW Kamala Hydroelectric Project in Arunachal Pradesh, while recording concerns over the proposed felling of more than 2.3 million trees. The recommendation was made at the EAC’s 47th meeting.

The project, estimated at Rs 23,764 crore, will be developed across Kamle, Kra Daadi and Kurung Kumey districts on the Kamla River, a right-bank tributary of the Subansiri. It includes a 216-metre concrete gravity dam and an underground powerhouse with eight units of 210 MW each and one auxiliary unit of 40 MW. The station is expected to generate around 6,870 million units annually in a dependable year.

The total land requirement is 3,858.89 hectares, of which 3,278 hectares is forest land. Around 29,932 people across 126 villages are likely to be displaced or otherwise affected. Public hearings were conducted at three locations in October 2025.

In its deliberations, the EAC flagged the scale of tree felling, noting that over 23.4 lakh trees are proposed to be cut in a densely forested valley. It directed NHPC to prepare a detailed ecosystem restoration plan. Forest clearance remains pending and is required before construction can begin.

The recommendation is subject to several conditions. NHPC is required to maintain environmental flows in the river throughout the year: 28.45 cubic metres per second during lean months, 220.54 cumec during the monsoon, and 93.14 cumec during the remaining period. Wildlife clearance is also to be obtained, along with compliance with a cumulative impact assessment study of the Subansiri river basin.

NHPC has also been directed to establish a 50-bed multi-specialty hospital, a school up to Class XII, and a skill development centre within 10 km of the project site for affected communities. Funds allocated under the environmental management plan, totalling over Rs 20,891 lakh in capital and recurring expenditure, cannot be diverted. An additional Rs 50,664 lakh has been allocated for resettlement and rehabilitation, and Rs 92,988 lakh for compensatory afforestation.

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