Dehradun, May 28 -- In a major boost to Uttarakhand's power infrastructure, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has accorded in-principle forest clearance to the much-anticipated Sirkari Bhayol Rupsiabagar Hydroelectric Project. The approval has been granted by the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC), which reviewed the proposal for diversion of nearly 30 hectares (29.997 ha) of forest land to facilitate the development of the 120 MW project.

The decision follows sustained efforts by the state government, led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who had personally appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav for expediting the project. CM Dhami, while expressing ...