Fri Oct 10 17:26:23 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the text and a rewritten version as a news article, formatted for clarity:
**Summary:**
An environmental clearance has been granted for the Sawalkote hydroelectric project on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir. This project, the first major hydropower initiative on the Indus rivers since India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) after the Pahalgam terror attack, has been in development for several years. Originally overseen by the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation (JKPDC), the project is now managed by the National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) Ltd. The project, a run-of-the-river type, involves a large dam, substantial power generation capacity, and will require resettlement of over a thousand families. It is considered strategically important, especially in light of India’s decision to fully utilize the eastern Indus rivers. The project’s cost has increased significantly since its initial estimates.
**News Article:**
**Headline: India Greenlights Major Hydroelectric Project on Chenab River Amidst IWT Suspension**
**NEW DELHI, October 11, 2025** – An apex committee of the Environment Ministry has granted environmental clearance to the Sawalkote hydroelectric project, a significant undertaking on the Chenab River in the Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir. This decision marks the first major hydropower project approved on the Indus river system since India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan on April 23, 2025, following the terror attack in Pahalgam.
The Sawalkote project, a run-of-the-river initiative, is designed to harness the Chenab River’s flow for electricity generation. The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) affirmed its previous recommendation for the project after thorough review and deliberation, paving the way for the environmental clearance.
The project initially received environmental clearance in 2017 under the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation (JKPDC). However, in 2021, the JKPDC partnered with the National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) Ltd, transferring project management to NHPC until 2061. While previous clearances were stalled due to pending forest clearances, a stage 1 forest clearance was finally granted in September 2023. Approvals from the Central Electricity Authority and the Central Water Commission followed in July 2025. Public hearings, as mandated by the Forest Rights Act, were conducted between December 2022 and February 2023.
“The Sawalkote project, given its strategic importance and size, was already undergoing various stages of approval,” explained a senior official familiar with the project approval process, who wished to remain anonymous. “The suspension of the IWT and the renewed focus on utilizing the full potential of the eastern Indus rivers have undoubtedly expedited the approval process.”
The project will feature a 192.5-meter Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) gravity dam, equipped with multiple power generator units, culminating in an installed capacity of 1856 MW. It is projected to generate approximately 8,000 million units of electricity annually. The project’s cost has escalated from an estimated ₹22,000 crore to ₹31,380 crore.
The project’s reservoir will encompass nearly 1,159 hectares, including 847 hectares of forest land, and will affect 13 villages across the Ramban district, displacing an estimated 1,477 families. A budget of ₹190 crore has been allocated for resettlement and rehabilitation efforts.
The Sawalkote hydroelectric project represents a significant step in India’s energy development plans, particularly in the context of recent geopolitical shifts affecting water resource management in the region.
First Piper 