The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, (MoEFCC) on May 18, 2023, hereby makes the further amendments in the notification of the Government of India in the erstwhile Ministry of Environment and Forests, number S.O.1533(E) dated September 14, 2006, namely:-
- In the schedule, against item 1 (c), - (1) in column (2), for serial number (i) and entries relating thereto, the following shall be substituted, namely:-
(i) River Valley and hydro-electric Projects (RVHEPs): -
(a) RVHEPs without Pump Storage Projects;
(b) RVHEPs with Pump Storage Projects;
(c) standalone Pump Storage Projects.”
- In column (5), after the serial number (iii) and entries relating thereto, the following shall be inserted, namely:-
“(iv) Pump Storage Projects including off-stream closed loop shall be appraised based on specific Terms of Reference issued by the Central Government for Pump Storage Projects. The Pump Storage Projects which meet all the criteria specified below shall be appraised as B2 category irrespective of power generation capacity:-
(a) Projects which do not attract Forest Clearance and/or Wild Life Clearance
(b) Projects wherein no new Reservoir is created
(c) The Projects wherein there is no increase in capacity of the existing reservoir and in the submergence area of the reservoir.
Objections or suggestions from the persons likely to be affected thereby, within a period of sixty days from the date on which copies of the Gazette containing the said draft notification were made available to the Public.
[Notification No. S.O. 2226(E)]
