Archive · 22 Sep 2025
Sawalkote Dam Project in J&K Faces Environmental Review
Imagine building a big power plant on a river in Jammu and Kashmir.
This project, called Sawalkote Dam, is being reviewed.
It will make electricity.
The government wants to speed things up due to a treaty issue.
They're checking if they need to do extra environmental studies, which usually check how the project affects nature.
The project was first planned a long time ago.
It will require cutting down many trees.
Some experts think it is not the correct type of project compared to what is being said.
The project aims to boost energy production, but must balance that with environmental concerns.
The Environment Ministry is reviewing the Sawalkote Dam project on the Chenab River.
The project is a strategic priority after the abeyance of the Indus Waters Treaty.
The expert panel will decide if the project needs full environmental impact studies.
The project, initiated in 1984, involves the diversion of forest land and cutting of trees.
The project's environmental data is outdated and new data has been collected to address concerns.
- Who
- Environment Ministry, NHPC
- What
- Environmental clearance review for the Sawalkote Dam project.
- When
- The Environment Ministry's expert panel will meet this week.
- Where
- Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir
- Why
- To assess the environmental impact of the Sawalkote hydroelectric project, which is a strategic priority after the abeyance of the Indus Waters Treaty.
- Project Name
- Sawalkote Dam
- River
- Chenab
- Location
- Jammu and Kashmir
- Capacity (Stage 1)
- 1,406 MW
- Capacity (Stage 2)
- 450 MW
- Forest Land Diversion
- 846 hectares
- Tree Felling
- 2,22,081 trees