An independent panel of the World Bank is considering a plea by residents of Haat village, Chamoli district, Uttarakhand to investigate environmental damage from the under-construction Vishnugad Pipalkoti Hydro Electric Project (VPHEP) in the district, according to documents reviewed by The Hindu.
The 444-MW VPHEP is being built by the Tehri Hydropower Development Corporation (THDC), a partially State-owned enterprise. The project is primarily funded by the World Bank and was sanctioned in 2011. It is proposed to be completed in June 2023. About 40% of the funds for the $792 million project (₹64,000 crore approx.) had already been disbursed.
