KSEB Limited has initiated the preliminary moves required to make the 163 MW Athirappilly Hydel Project, proposed on the Chalakkudy river in Vazhachal, a reality. The Charpa range of the forest department, following has begun the re-demarcation of the boundaries of the 138 hectare project site already allotted for the project . The forest department has also been asked to revise the value of timber within the project area. The value of timber wwas last fixed in 2012. KSEBL is attempting to cash in on a favourable political climate without provoking the green brigade.”We have not taken a decision either to go ahead with the project or not to,” KSEBL chairman and managing director M. Sivasakar said.
“But if you want to go ahead with the project, the value of the trees in the project area will have to be fixed ,” he added. Steps to rework the project cost fixed five years ago then estimated at `570 crore, have also begun. If the new assessment throws up a figure over `1000 crore, KSEBL will have to subject the project for a “techno-economic” clearance which is essentially a cost-benefit analysis. “Otherwise , there are no further hurdles to the project,” Sivasakar said.
