Government enterprise National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) has sought clearance from Union Environment Ministry to divert for non-forest purpose 3,278 hectares of high-conservation-value forest in the lower Himalayas region of Arunachal Pradesh for its Kamala hydroelectric project.

The project, with a proposed capacity of 1,720 MW, will harness waters of the Kamala River, a right-bank tributary of the Subansiri River, as per official documents.

The Union Environment Ministry ’s Forest Advisory Committee (FAC), which grants prior approval for non-forest work on forest land, will appraise the forest diversion proposal on October 23, as per the FAC’s official agenda.

The diversion of the forest across Kra Daadi, Kurung Kumey and Kamle districts, if approved, will entail the felling of 23.4 lakh trees, the proposal documents show.

Out of 23,40,213 trees earmarked for felling, 15.08 lakh are in the Hapoli forest division and 8.31 lakh, in Kra Daadi division.

Compensatory afforestation in lieu of…