ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE
The proposed extension of environmental clearance for the 850-MW Ratle hydroelectric project once again brings into focus the uneasy balance between development ambitions and environmental accountability in Jammu and Kashmir.
At its core, the issue is procedural but far from trivial. The original environmental clearance granted in 2012 expired in December 2022, as per MoEF&CC norms. For over two years, the project has existed in a grey zone, even as it remains central to the Union government’s power-generation strategy for the Chenab basin. Seeking an extension now raises legitimate questions about regulatory rigor and institutional oversight.
Ratle’s long and troubled history adds to the concern. Construction halts, changes in executing agencies, and repeated revivals suggest systemic planning failures rather than unavoidable delays. Environmental clearances are not meant to be renewable conveniences; they are time-bound precisely to ensure that ecological assessments remain relevant amid changing climate realities, river dynamics, and local livelihoods.
The Chenab is not merely a site for power generation—it is a lifeline for downstream communities and a sensitive transboundary river. Any appraisal today must go beyond technical compliance and revisit cumulative environmental impacts, sedimentation, seismic risks, and climate resilience, especially given the decade-long gap since the original clearance.
