HPPCL withdraws plea from SC on nod to Kashang hydro project

State-owned HPPCL today withdrew its plea from Supreme Court challenging directions of National Green Tribunal on a hydro-power project in Himachal Pradesh, saying the state government was considering the claim of traditional community rights of tribals.

A bench of Justices A R Dave and L Nageswara Rao allowed the Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) to withdraw its plea.

Senior advocate Salman Khurshid, appearing for HPPCL, said a consent order has been passed in NGT and they seek to withdraw the plea as state government was considering the traditional community rights of tribals and the compensation to be paid to them for projects on forest land.

The apex court had earlier this week asked the Centre to detail the mechanism for evaluating the traditional community rights of tribals and the compensation paid to them.

The corporation had challenged certain directions of the NGT which had asked about the proposal pertaining to forest clearance for stages-I, II and III of 130 MW integrated Kashang Hydro Electric Project to be place before the gram sabha.

HPPCL claimed that the NGT direction was not practicable as the gram sabha was made up of persons who themselves are litigants before the tribunal.

It said instead of the gram sabha, considering the impact of silt load in Kerang stream caused by the diversion of water from Kerang stream to Kashang stream, can only be assessed by an expert body.