The Public Health Perils of the Etalin Hydroelectric Project

The Etalin Hydroelectric Project, a joint venture of Jindal Power Limited and the Hydro Power Development Corporation of Arunachal Pradesh in Dibang Valley district, has been on halt for the past six years. The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) reviewed the pending clearance for the 3097-megawatt project on April 23, 2020, the 30th day of the nation-wide lockdown, renewing a long-standing controversy about large hydro-projects in the region. The FAC deferred its decision on the project, instead asking the Ministry of Power for comments on the economic viability of the undertaking.