Minutes of the 61st Meeting of the Expert Appraisal Committee for ...

at El 58.10 m. Pond Level of barrage will be maintained at El 65.5 m whereas MDDL is atEL 64.5 m. live storage (72.87 Mm 3 ) will be used for power generation, Silt load is notlikely to encroach into live storage. Hence, no effect on live storage capacity vis-a-vis onpower generation is anticipated. The Turbine manufacturer has indicated that the safety ofthe moving parts against the abrasive effect of the moving silt is possible with the use oflatest technology like Tungsten coating/ ceramic coating etc.The EAC asked for the revenue status (private, government, community, any other)of the 7,500 ha of land within the embankment that remains under submergence duringthe monsoon season. The break-up of area under submergence is 7500 ha (Governmentland -375 ha + Private Land-7125 ha) was provided by the project proponents. In projectoperation phase, the area under MDDL is 6224 ha, which will be permanently undersubmergence. The area in between MDDL and FRL (1276 ha) will have a diurnal cycle ofbeing under water and dry phases.The committee suggested exploring the possibility of providing a powerhouse as anintegral part of existing Kosi barrage at Bhimnagar which will avoid large submergencedue to building of this new barrage. It was informed that the Kosi Barrage was constructedin 1965 for irrigation and flood control under Indo-Nepal Agreement and has outlived itslife. This barrage is in Nepal Territory where construction work cannot be taken up. Thewaterway of 1005.95 m has been provided for safely passing the flood discharge and noportion of it can be used for any other purpose. The canal head works exists on both sidesof Barrage leaving no space for construction of a powerhouse.The Committee after critical examination recommended clearance for pre-constructionactivities and approved the TOR with the following additional TORs:i. For a capacity of 130 MW power generation, the submergence is huge and theproject proponent may consider it appropriate to re-work out its economicviability before carrying out pre-construction activities for EIAii. The number of project affected families is large; R&R Plan has to be formulatedin detail and also a separate Social Impact Study to be prepared for projectaffected families. R&R Plan is for land for land or any other arrangement forsatisfactory rehabilitation of PAFs need to be clarified. Whether any cultivableland is available outside when compared to that of river bank on which they aredependent. Family-wise land details in the river bank as well as elsewhereshould be providediii. A study highlighting the land-use pattern of land under Submergence area undervarious seasons to be conducted. This study should be undertaken usingsatellite data for various seasonsiv. Details of the Govt. land of 375 ha required for the project may be provided.v. Cultivable land for rabi crop during the lean season. Explore the possibility ofusing kharif irrigation.vi. Initially there was an irrigation component in the project, while in the revisedproject it does not reflect the same. Explain the economic feasibility of theprojectvii. As proposed, total length of embankments on both sides is about 75 km whoseprotection should be ensured and be done properly on U/S and D/S