MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Environment Protection Agency has declined to renew the environmental approval for the 969-megawatt Neelum-Jhelum Hydro Electric Project (NJHEP) due to Wapda’s alleged failure to take steps for the implementation of the provisions of the approval.

Wapda had recently made the request for the renewal of the approval, granted in January 2011, but EPA listed a number of areas where the authority had allegedly failed to do the needful in accordance with the provisions of the approval.

Sources said the last environment protection notice was served on Wapda in March last year wherein continuous contraventions of important clauses of the environmental approval during the construction phase of NJHEP were pointed out for immediate compliance and rectification.

According to some of the clauses of the environment approval, the constitution of environmental monitoring committee (EMC), reporting mechanism and finalisation of terms of reference in consultation with EPA were required.

Similarly, environmental monitoring reports (EMR) on a quarterly basis were also to be submitted to EPA.

Wapda is also constrained to hire independent environment specialist companies to undertake environmental parameters e.g. ambient air and water quality, noise etc. at the project site and share reports with EPA.

It was also required to arrange a health and safety plan with a backup emergency response mechanism during the construction phase and provide employment preferably to the local people and share employment record with EPA on a regular basis.

Wapda was also supposed to familiarise and update the contractor on EIA report and environmental approval for effective compliance of its provisions as well as those of the environment management plan (EMP).

The environmental approval also required dumping of excavated or dugout material at pre-identified places.

However, the AJK EPA was of the view that there had been several contraventions.

According to the sources, EPA had pointed out to Wapda that even though the constitution of a four-member EMC in March last year was the first significant development its benefits could not be reaped allegedly due to the unsatisfactory response of the Chinese contractor and the absence of the consultant’s representative in all three meetings held so far.

The committee comprised two officials from Wapda and one each from EPA and Neelum-Jhelum Consultants (NJC).

The sources disclosed that EPA was also dissatisfied by the environmental monitoring reports submitted by Wapda, saying non-compliances with regard to performance indicators were of serious concern.

Though the monitoring arrangement was in place, the situation stood where it was back in October 2013, EPA maintained.

The contractor had not hired any specialised firm for regular monitoring of different environmental parameters.

The only water quality reports were conducted locally in PH&ED labs. Almost similar situation was observed with regard to the health and safety plan and employment to the locals.

However, the most important and challenging issue, being repeatedly pointed out by EPA, was the dumping of dugout/excavated material.

The sources said Wapda and EPA had agreed that the contractor would construct safety retaining walls wherever the spoil would be dumped into the flood line of the river or elsewhere where the situation warranted so.

However, the response or performance in this respect was quite deplorable till date.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2014