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INTRODUCTION
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Introduction Arunachal Pradesh and Its River Systems Power Potential Of Arunachal Pradesh Project Profile Project Developer - Bhilwara Energy Ltd. Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework Scope of the EIA Study
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CHAPTER4 HYDROLOGY
4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Basin Description Water Availability Study Dependable Flow Analysis Design Flood Studies Discharge data measured at site Sediment data measured at site 4-1 4-2 4-14 4-17 4-19 4-20
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Annexure-I A copy of the TOR approved by MoEF Annexure-II Drinking Water Quality Standards Annexure-III National Ambient Air Quality Standards Annexure-IV Ambient Noise Standards Annexure-V List of Plant Species (With their Family and Local Names) Found in the Study Area
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LIST OF FIGURES Figure-1.1 Figure-1.2 Figure-1.3 Figure-2.1 Figure-3.1 Figure-4.1 Figure-4.2 Figure-4.3 Figure-4.4 Figure-4.5 Figure-5.1 Figure-5.2 Figure-5.3 Figure-5.4 Figure-5.5 Figure-5.6 Figure-5.7 Figure-6.1 Figure-6.2 Figure-9.1 Major river system of the state Location of Tawang district Project location map Layout Plan Study area map Satellite image of Nyamjang Chhu catchment Catchment area map showing drainage network Rainfed and Snowfed catchment area Location of IMD stations in the region Flow duration curve Location of IMD stations at Bhalukpong and Dirang Annual rainfall at Bhalukpong and Dirang Monthly average rainfall at Bhalukpong and Dirang Seismic zoning map of India FCC image of the project area Classified image of the project area Sampling stations (Soil, Noise) Ecological sampling location (WAPCOS) Ecological sampling location (RSET) HRT Layout
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CHAPTER-1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 INTRODUCTION Indias installed capacity in the hydropower sector is presently estimated at around 36498 MW out of total installed capacity of 146753 MW. Only about 20% of the economically feasible hydropower potential has been exploited. The economic development in the country in recent times has resulted in widening of the gap between the demand and the supply of power. In order to make power available to all by 2012, the total installed capacity is planned to be increased to about 210000 MW. The development of hydropower potential can significantly help to bridge the gap between power demand and supply. The central government alongwith various state governments have taken significant initiatives for development of power projects in both public as well as private sectors. Special emphasis is being made for development of hydropower potential of the country to keep a balanced mix of thermal and hydro power generation. Arunachal Pradesh, with an area of 83743 km2, is the largest state in the northeast region in terms of land area. The state is endowed with mighty rivers with an estimated feasible hydropower potential of about 57,000 MW. The hydropower development in Arunachal Pradesh has been identified as a key area by both the government of India and the state government of Arunachal Pradesh as one of the key areas for meeting the countrys increasing energy requirements. Fast track development of hydropower potential in the state both in public and private sector is being pursued by Government of Arunachal Pradesh (GoAP). The state government has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with 25 developers for development of over 27000 MW of hydropower potential in the state. The Government of Arunachal Pradesh has awarded the work of development of the hydropower potential in the Nyamjang Chhu Basin in Tawang district to Bhilwara Energy Limited (BEL). A memorandum of agreement in this regard was signed between GoAP and BEL at Itanagar on the 27th October, 2006. The project is designed as a run-of-the river scheme having a diversion barrage near the Zimithang village with powerhouse near the confluence of the Tawang Chhu with the Nyamjang Chhu.
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Profile Arunachal Pradesh the Land of the Rising Sun with an area of 83,743 sq km. is the largest state in the North Eastern region sharing international boundaries with Bhutan in the West, China in the North and Myanmar in the East. The States of Assam and Nagaland flank its Southern and South Eastern borders. The state of Arunachal Pradesh is situated between latitudes 26 30' N and 29 30 ' N and longitudes 91 30' E and 97 30' E. Arunachal Pradesh is divided in thirteen administrative districts namely; Tawang, West Kameng, East Kameng, Lower Subansiri, Upper Subansiri, West Siang, East Siang, Dibang Valley, Changlang, Tirap, Papum Pare, Lohit and Upper Siang. The main rivers in the State are the Siang, Kameng, Subansiri, Kamla, Siyom, Dibang, Lohit, Noa-Dihing Kamlang and Tirap. Forest covers about 82% area of the state and numerous turbulent streams, roaring rivers, deep gorges, lofty mountains, snow clad peaks and rich diversity of flora and fauna characterize the landscape. The climate varies from subtropical in the South to temperate and alpine in the North, with large areas experiencing snowfalls during winter. The heights of the mountain peaks vary, the highest peak being Kangte (7,090m above msl) in West Kameng District. The major rivers draining the area with their numerous tributaries from west to east are Tawang, Kameng, Subansiri, Siang, Dibang, Lohit, Kamlang, Noa Dihing and Tirap. Climate The climate of Arunachal Pradesh varies with elevation. Areas at high elevations in the Upper Himalayas, close to the Tibetan border are subject to a Tundra-type climate, while areas in Middle Himalayas have a temperate climate. The subHimalayan and sea-level elevation areas generally experience a humid subtropical climate, along with hot summers and mild winters. The annual average rainfall in various parts of Arunachal Pradesh varies between 2000 mm and 4000 mm. The area experiences high precipitation during the monsoon period between May and September. The prolonged period of Monsoon has resulted in lush forest growth over the hill slopes. The mountain slopes are covered with Alpine, Temperate and Subtropical forest of dwarf rhododendron, Oak, Pine, Maple and Fir. Juniper, Sal and Teak are the main economic species. During winters,
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especially months of December to February, the area experiences severe fog with thick mist formation and occasional rainfall. The summer season is hot and humid. Flora Arunachal Pradesh has a rich diversity of flora and fauna and the state is entirely covered with hills and forests. Nearly 61000 sq. km of the total land area of 83743 sq. km is covered with forests. Forest products are the most significant sector of economy next to agriculture. These forests are home to a sizeable population of various tribes who extract resources from them for their livelihood. The forests of Arunachal Pradesh include some 5000 species of plants, about 85 terrestrial mammals, over 500 birds and a large number of butterflies, insects and reptiles. The vegetation of the state falls under four broad climatic categories and can be classified in five broad forest types which are: tropical forests, sub-tropical forests, pine forests, temperate forests and alpine forests. Rivers There are five major river basins in the State, namely Kameng, Subansiri, Siang, Dibang and Lohit River basin. Almost all the major river systems flow from North to South and ultimately drain into the Brahmaputra. Apart from the major rivers, the State has many small rivulets which are perennial in nature and provide ideal condition for developing projects in the category of micro/mini and small HEP. The major river system of the state are shown in Figure-1.1.
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Arunachal Pradesh has a huge potential to generate hydroelectric power. The state has number of large, medium, mini and micro hydel projects. The Government of Arunachal Pradesh began planned development of the hydropower potential of the state and invited private developers to invest in the hydropower sector for the economic growth of the state and to decrease the energy deficit in the country. The details of projects being developed in Arunachal Pradesh are indicated in Table 1.1. TABLE -1.1 BASINWISE HYDRO POWER PROJECTS UNDER DEVELOPMENT IN ARUNACHAL PRADESH Basin Name of Probable Allotted to Project IC (MW) Tawang Tawang Tawang Tawang Tawang Tawang-I Tawang-II Nykcharongchu Mago Chu Nyamjungchhu 750 750 96 96 900 2592 1120 600 600 90 7 160 60 100 60 125 29 31 30 46 NEEPCO Mountain Fall India Pvt. Ltd. KSK Electricity Financing India Pvt. Ltd. Patel Engineering Ltd. Patel Engineering Ltd. GMR Energy Ltd. Indiabull Real Estate Ltd. KSK Energy Ventures Ltd. KSK Energy Ventures Ltd. KSK Electricity Financing India Pvt. Ltd. Adishankar Power Pvt. Ltd. Indiabull Real Estate Ltd. Indiabull Real Estate Ltd. Indiabull Real Estate Ltd. NHPC NHPC SEW Energy SEW Energy Bhilwara Energy Ltd.
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TOTAL OF TAWANG BASIN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Kameng Kameng Kameng Kameng Kameng Kameng Kameng Kameng Kameng Kameng Kameng Kameng Kameng Kameng Kameng-I Kameng-II Kameng Dam Gonri Saskang Talong Phanchung Utung Nazong Dibbin Khuitam Pichang Tarang Warang Sepla
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S. No. 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
Basin
Name Project Jameri Tenga Dimijin Dinchang Dinen Dikhri Nafra Pakke Bung-I
Allotted to
Kameng Kameng Kameng Kameng Kameng Kameng Kameng Kameng Kameng Kameng Kameng Kameng Kameng Kameng Kameng
KSK Energy Ventures Ltd. ECI Engineering & Const. Company Ltd. KSK Energy Ventures Ltd. KSK Energy Ventures Ltd. KSK Energy Ventures Ltd. KSK Energy Ventures Ltd. SEW Energy Energy Development Company Ltd. Energy Development Company Ltd. Energy Development Company Ltd. Energy Development Company Ltd. Energy Development Company Ltd. Satyam (North East) Hydro Power Ltd. Satyam (North East) Hydro Power Ltd. Satyam (North East) Hydro Power Ltd. KVK Energy & Infrastructure Ltd. KVK Energy & Infrastructure Ltd. NEEPCO ECI Engineering Company Ltd. Reliance Energy Ltd. D.S.Construction Jaiprakash Associates Ltd. Reliance Energy Ltd. & Const.
Pakke Bung-II Pachuk-I Pachuk-II Majingla Dengzi Lower Ngorgum Upper Ngorgum
TOTAL OF DIKRONG BASIN 1 2 3 4 Siang Siang Siang Siang Tato-II Naying Siang Lower Siang (Siyom)
Middle 1000
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S. No. 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Basin
Name Project Pauk Heo Hirong Tato-I Simang-I Simang-II Simang-III Hirit Barpu Kangtangshiri Ropum Rego
of Probable IC (MW) 50 90 500 80 67 39 44 84 70 35 40 70 60 60 21 5610 4000 390 375 335 275 500 222 3000 9097 1250 31 32
Allotted to
Siang Siang Siang Siang Siang Siang Siang Siang Siang Siang Siang Siang Siang Siang Siang
Velcan Energy Ltd. Velcan Energy Ltd. Jaiprakash Associates Ltd. Velcan Energy Ltd. Adishankar Power Pvt. Ltd Adishankar Power Pvt. Ltd Adishankar Power Pvt. Ltd Velcan Energy Ltd. Raajratna Metal Industries Raajratna Metal Industries Raajratna Metal Industries Tuff Power Pvt. Ltd. Abir Const. Pvt. Ltd. Abir Const. Pvt. Ltd. Satyam ( North East) Hydro Power Ltd. NTPC Athena Energy Venture Pvt. Ltd Bhilwara Energy Limited Bhilwara Energy Limited Athena Energy Venture Pvt. Ltd NTPC Soma Enterprise Ltd. NHPC
TOTAL OF SIANG BASIN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Dibang Dibang Dibang Dibang Dibang Dibang Dibang Dibang Etalin Emra-II Agoline Malinye Emra-I Attunli Sissiri
Dibang Multipurpose TOTAL OF DIBANG BASIN 1 2 3 Lohit Lohit Lohit Hutong-II Gimliang Raigam
Moutain Fall India Pvt. Ltd. Sai Krishnodaya Industries (P) Ltd. Sai Krishnodaya Industries (P) Ltd.
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S. No. 4 5 6 7
Basin
Allotted to
Sai Krishnodaya Industries (P) Ltd. Mountain Fall India Pvt. Ltd. Athena Energy Venture Pvt. Ltd. Sai Krishnodaya Industries (P) Ltd.
The Nyamjang Chhu is an important perennial river flowing through Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh. The river originates in Tibet and flows in a nearly north-south direction into India in the Zimithang region. Many tributaries add to the waters of Nyamjang Chhu, such as the Gomkang Rong Chhu, the Sumta Chhu, the Taksang Chhu to name a few. The Nyamjang Chhu merges with the Tawang Chhu near Lumla and the resultant river flows into Bhutan where it is known as Gamri Chhu. With a view to harness the available potential of the Nyamjang Chhu, this project was conceptualised and allotted for development to Bhilwara Energy Limited (BEL). No topographical survey, flow gauging or other investigation studies were available in this basin prior to the granting of license to BEL. The site investigations including collection of topographical, geotechnical and discharge data of the river were carried out between October 2006 and December 2008. The total potential of the basin was assessed to be around 900 MW. 1.4 PROJECT PROFILE The Nyamjang Chhu Hydroelectric project is a run-of-the-river scheme with peaking pondage to harness the hydropower potential of River Nyamjang Chhu. The project will utilize a gross head of about 1057.4 m for a generation of 780 MW in an underground powerhouse.
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The project is located in Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh in north-western part of State. Tawang is bordered by Tibet in the North, Bhutan in the south-west and Sela ranges separate it from the West Kameng district in the East. Tawang district has an area of about 2085 sq. km and for administrative purposes; it is further sub-divided into the Lumla, Jang and Tawang sub-divisions. Elevations in the area range between 3,000 to 22,000 feet and inhabitants are found in lower altitudes, where there is cool temperate climate. In winter, Tawang frequently experiences heavy snowfall. Tawang Chhu is the main river in the district and flows mainly in the east-west direction. Nyamjang Chhu is a major right bank tributary of Tawang Chhu. It originates in Tibet and enters India near the village of Khinzemane and flows mostly in the north-south direction up to its confluence with Tawang Chhu. The elevation in the area ranges between 900 to 6600 m. Only the lower altitudes cool temperate climate are habitable. In winter, Tawang frequently experiences heavy snowfall. The location of Tawang district is shown in Figure1.2. Figure-1.2: Location of Tawang District
Tawang Chhu is the main river in the district and flows mainly in the east-west direction. Nyamjang Chhu is a major right bank tributary of Tawang Chhu. The river originates in Tibet and enters India near the village of Khinzemane and flows mostly in the north-south direction up to its confluence with Tawang Chhu.
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The Nyamjang Chhu Hydroelectric Project (NJCHEP) is located along the Nyamjang Chhu between Zimithang and Lumla. The diversion site is located near Zimithang having coordinates at latitude 274306 N, longitude 914337 E and the powerhouse is located near confluence of Nyamjang Chhu and Tawang Chhu at latitude 273116 N , longitude 914112 E. enclosed as Figure-1.3. The project area is accessible by road and by helicopter. The powerhouse is located about 590 km from Guwahati and 575 km from Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal Pradesh. The nearest broad gauge rail head is at Naugaon in Assam about 521 km from powerhouse. The nearest narrow gauge rail head is at The nearest airports are at Bhalukpong about 380 km from the powerhouse. service from Itanagar and Guwahati to Tawang. The district headquarters of Tawang district is at Tawang city and is connected with Guwahati via National Highway NH 52 and 52 A. Lumla-Zimithang. The barrage and powerhouse are accessible from Tawang via the State highway between TawangFrom Lumla, a 22 km long gravel road is available to powerhouse site. Lumla is located about 40 km from Tawang and Zimithang is located about 48 km from Lumla and 93 km from Tawang. 1.5 PROJECT DEVELOPER - BHILWARA ENERGY LTD. Bhilwara Energy Ltd. (BEL) is the flagship company of LNJ Bhilwara Group to develop and operate power assets in India and overseas. The company has a portfolio of 2487 MW in hydro power currently in various stages of implementation. Bhilwara Energy Ltd. is the first hydropower developer with 100% merchant sale model. The LNJ Bhilwara Group was among the first private sector company to venture into power sector when the sector was opened for private participation in 1991. In 1993 the Group entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the State of Himachal Pradesh for implementation of two hydroelectric projects in Kullu district namely, 86 MW Malana Hydroelectric Project and 192 MW Allain Duhangan Hydroelectric Project. The group commissioned its first hydro power plant - Tawa13.5 MW located in Madhya Pradesh in the year 1997. The Malana Hydroelectric project was completed in July 2001 in 30 months. The Allain Duhangan Hydro Electric Project in the State of Himachal Pradesh Project has been commissioned form Allain side and the Duhangan side will be commissioned by July 2011.
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The Company also owns Indo Canadian Consultancy Services Limited, an engineering consultancy company set up in collaboration with RSW International, Canada for providing consultancy to power projects. 1.6 POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK The principal Environmental Regulatory Agency in India is the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF), Government of India. MOEF formulates environmental policies and accords environmental clearance for the projects. The State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) accords No Objection Certificate (NOC) Consent for Establishment and consent for Operation for the projects. As per the guidelines pertaining to Environmental clearance issued by Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) dated September 14, 2006, the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the EIA study is to be approved by MoEF. In this connection, Form-I alongwith TOR in the prescribed format was submitted to MoEF. The same was received by the Environmental Appraisal Committee of River Valley Projects of MoEF. The TOR was approved by MoEF vide their letter no. J-12011/87/2007/IA.I, dated 24.12.2009. A copy of the TOR approved by MoEF is enclosed as Annexure-I. 1.7 SCOPE OF THE EIA STUDY Assessment of the existing status of physico-chemical, ecological and socio-economic aspects of environment Identification of potential impacts on various environmental components due to activities envisaged during construction and operation phases of the proposed hydro-electric project. Prediction of significant impacts on various aspects of environment. Delineation of Environmental Management Plan (EMP) outlining measures to minimize adverse impacts during construction and operational phases of the proposed project. Formulation of Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) Plan. Formulation of Catchment Area Treatment (CAT) Plan. Formulation of environmental quality monitoring programmes for construction and operation phases. Estimation of Cost for implementation of Environmental Management Plan, Resettlement and Rehabilitation Plan, Catchment Area Treatment Plan and Environmental Monitoring Programme.
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The purpose of this section is to enumerate the steps involved in an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study, which are described in the following paragraphs. Scoping : An exhaustive list of all likely impacts drawing information from as many sources as possible was prepared. The next step was to select a manageable number of attributes which were likely to be affected as a result of the proposed project. The various criteria applied for selection of the important impacts were follows: magnitude extent significance
Description of Environment: Before the start of the project, it is essential to ascertain the baseline levels of appropriate environmental parameters which could be significantly affected by the implementation of the project. The baseline status assessed as a part of CEIA study involved both field work and review of data collected from secondary sources. Prediction of Impacts: is essentially a process to forecast the future environmental conditions of the project area that might be expected to occur as a result of the construction and operation of the proposed hydroelectric project. An attempt was generally made to forecast future environmental conditions quantitatively to the extent possible. But for certain parameters which cannot be quantified, general approach was to discuss such intangible impacts in quantitative terms so that planners and decision-makers are aware of their existence as well as their possible implications. Environmental Management Plan: the approach for formulation of an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) is to maximize the positive environmental impacts and minimize the negative ones. The steps suggested include modifications of plans, engineering designs, construction schedules and techniques, as well as operational and management practices. After selection of suitable environmental mitigation measures, cost required for implementation of various management measures was also estimated. Environmental Monitoring Programme: An Environmental Monitoring Programme for implementation during project construction and operation phases has been estimated to oversee the environmental safeguards, to ascertain the
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agreement between prediction and reality and to suggest remedial measures not foreseen during the planning stage but arising during operation and to generate data for further use. 1.9 OUTLINE OF THE REPORT The document for the Comprehensive EIA study for the proposed Nyamjangchhu hydroelectric project has been presented in two volumes. Volume-I presents the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study and Volume-II delineates the Environmental Management Plan. The present document (Volume 1) outlines the findings of the EIA study for the proposed Nyamjangchhu hydroelectric project. The contents of the document are organized as follows: Chapter-1 The Chapter gives an overview of the need for the project. The policy, legal and administrative framework for environmental clearance has been summarized. The objectives and need for EIA study too have been covered. Chapter-2 gives a brief description of the proposed Nyamjangchhu hydroelectric project. Chapter-3 outlines the methodology adopted for conducting the Comprehensive EIA study for the proposed Nyamjangchhu hydroelectric project. Chapter-4 covers the hydrological aspects of the proposed Nyamjangchhu hydroelectric project. The data was mainly collected form the DPR prepared for the proposed Nyamjangchhu hydroelectric project. Chapter-5 covers the environmental baseline conditions covering physical aspects of environment. The baseline study involved both field work and review of existing documents, which is necessary for identification of data which may already have been collected for other purposes. Chapter-6 presents the biological aspects of environment. The study is based on collection of data from various secondary data sources. As a part of the Comprehensive EIA study, detailed ecological survey for was conducted for three seasons. The findings of the survey were analysed and ecological characteristics of the study area have been described in this Chapter. Chapter-7 covers pre-project environmental baseline conditions covering socioeconomic aspects of environment. The baseline study involved data collection using primary as well as secondary sources of data and public consultation. Chapter-8 describes the anticipated positive and negative impacts as a result of the construction and operation of the proposed Nyamjangchhu hydro-power project. It is essentially a process to forecast the future environmental conditions
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of the project area that might be expected to occur as a result of the construction and operation of the proposed project. An attempt was generally made to forecast future environmental conditions quantitatively to the extent possible. But for certain parameters, which cannot be quantified, general approach has been to discuss such intangible impacts in qualitative terms so that planners and decision-makers are aware of their existence as well as their possible implications. Chapter-9 gives a brief description of the methodology and schedule to adopted for construction of the proposed Nyamjangchhu hydroelectric project.
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CHAPTER - 2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION 2.1 INTRODUCTION The Nyamjang Chhu basin lies in the north-west area of Arunachal Pradesh with its catchment spreading across international border covering part of Tibet. Nyamjang Chhu originates from snow clad peaks in Tibet and flows in India from north to south direction up to its confluence with Tawang Chhu. The total catchment area of the Nyamjang Chhu up to the confluence with Tawang Chhu is about 3170 km2. The catchment area up to diversion site near Zimithang is about 2650 km2. The catchment area is mostly of tropical wet climate and supports dense mixed forest. The area is characterized by hills with steep gorges and deep rugged valleys with streams feeding Nyamjang Chhu River system of which Takhsang Chhu and Sumta Chhu are major contributors. Nyamjang Chhu Hydroelectric Project (HEP) is a run-of-the-river scheme with reservoir having diurnal storage. The project is located in Tawang District of Arunachal Pradesh. The project area is connected to other parts of the state and Assam through road network and helicopter service. The scheme envisages utilization of the available river flow at Zimithang and gross head of about 1057.4 m between barrage and tailrace outfall near confluence of Nyamjang Chhu with Tawang Chhu near Kumba village to generate 780 MW in an underground power house. The Project is expected to generate an annual energy of 3430.29 GWh, in 90% dependable year. The diversion structure is proposed at Zimithang with FRL at El 2114.9 m. Maximum Tail water level at the TRT outfall is El 1051.26 and the nozzle level for Pelton turbines is proposed at El 1057.5 m providing a gross head for power generation of 1057.4 m. The diversion of discharges from Taksang Chhu to the water conductor system of Nyamjang Chhu HEP has been proposed at an elevation EL.2151.4 m. The total time schedule for the project construction is considered as 74months 2.2 including 12-months for establishment of access roads, infrastructural facilities and other pre-construction activities. NYAMJANGCHHU RIVER BASIN The Nyamjang Chhu basin lies in the north-west area of Arunachal Pradesh with its catchment spreading across international border covering part of Tibet. Nyamjang Chhu originates from snow clad peaks in Tibet and flows in India
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from north to south direction up to its confluence with Tawang Chhu. The total catchment area of the Nyamjang Chhu up to the confluence with Tawang Chhu is about 3170 km2. The catchment area intercepted up to diversion site near Zimithang is about 2650 km2. The catchment area is mostly of tropical wet climate and supports dense mixed forest. The area is characterized by hills with steep gorges and deep rugged valleys with streams feeding Nyamjang Chhu River system of which Takhsang Chhu and Sumta Chhu are major contributors. 2.3 JUSTIFCIATION OF VARIOUS PROJECT ALTERNATIVES Various aspects considered while selecting the scheme of Naymajangchhu HEP are briefly described in the following paragraphs. Topographical Aspects Initial reconnaissance identified the suitable reach for project development between Zimithang and Kumba villages. River bed Elevations at Zimithang and at the confluence of Nyamjang Chhu with Tawang Chhu near Kumba village are around El. 2106.2 m and El. 1041.4 m respectively. Topographical details including physical features, villages, religious monuments and other structures falling within the reach from Zimithang to the confluence were identified to assess possible impacts of placing the project structures in development alternatives. Geomorphology of the area The area is characterized by undulating dissected structural hills, which have been denudated forming various features. The area near BTK Bridge is characterized by massive landslides and a fault is located just upstream of the Bridge. The area near Zimithang village is marked by flat river terraces and flood plains. The river is about 200m wide at this location with very low gradient making it suitable for the location of diversion structure. Lithology The general lithology observed in the area is as follows: