Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday said that the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has granted clearance under the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) stage-II to the Shongtong hydro electric project in Himachal's Kinnaur district.

The FCA clearance had been pending with the Union Ministry for a long time, but the state government diligently worked to secure the necessary approval from the Centre, Sukhu said in a statement.  The clearance, pending since 2018, was essential for the construction of the project as this land was needed for the construction of the barrage. The FCA clearance is for the use of 85 bighas of land for the 450 MW Shontong Karchham Hydro Electric Project.

Sukhu said that the Stage-I clearance was initially granted by the Union Ministry on March 19, 2024. Following this, the state government submitted a compliance report addressing the conditions stipulated for the in-principle approval and subsequently requested the Centre for the final approval.  He said that the construction work of 450 MW Shongtong Karchham Hydro Electric Project, awarded in 2012, is expected to be completed by November 2026.

The Shontong Karchham Hydro Electric project would significantly boost the state's power generation capacity and contribute to its economic growth.  The Chief Minister said that apart from this, the state government has also laid special focus on promoting green industry in Himachal Pradesh by initiating various initiatives, enabling it to contribute to the state's economy.