2,500 MW hydel projects get environment clearance

NEW DELHI, INDIA: The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has cleared hydroelectric power projects of 2,500 MW, the Ministry of Power said Friday.

"The clearance was pending for a long time. The way is clear in tapping the hydro potential of the country to meet its power needs," the ministry said here in a statement.

It said projects across various states had been cleared by the Forest Advisory Committee of the MoEF.

These include the 800 MW Tawang-II project in Arunachal Pradesh, the 775 MW Luhri project in Himachal Pradesh, and the 520 MW Teesta-IV project in Sikkim to be executed by state-owned National Hydroelectric Power Corporation.